m/96 SWEDISH MAUSER

This rifle was made by Mauser in 1900, and was later rebuilt at Stockholm, acquiring a new Arctic beech stock and a new barrel in the process (as evidenced by the "crwon over S" stamps on the stock wrist and underside of the barrel). It was in excellent shape when I acquired it, although missing the usual stock disc (if it ever had one...).

Working up loads for this fine old rifle has been enjoyable. It has turned out to be my most accurate military rifle and is a joy to shoot.

Sierra recommended their 142-grain hollow-point, boattail MatchKing target bullets due to the bore's fast rifling twist, and 44.0 grains of H4350 (considered a MAX load!) turned out to be the best load for my particular rifle -- turning in a 10-shot group of 1-11/16" off the bench at 100 yards with the rifle's open iron sights.

Cast bullets took a little longer. I started out with 120-grain bullets cast from a Lyman # 266455 mould, but they seemed too small and lightweight for best accuracy. I moved on to a larger 145-grain bullet, cast from a SAECO No. 264 mould, but the best five-shot, 100 yard bench accuracy I was able to wring out of these came to just over three inches over a load of 17.5 grains of IMR-4895.

Then, a few years ago, I got in on a group buy for a custom mould from Lee Precision for a long, heavy 170-grain bullet -- designed to be sized to .268".

It took me a while to get to the range with these -- and I wasn't sure where to start with loads. Nobody makes a production 6.5m/m mould for bullets as heavy as these, so none of the regular load references contain recommended loads.

As a result, I took a couple of recommended loads for lighter bullets and did some judicious interpolation. Imagine my delight when one of these, 16.5 grains of Accurate's XMP-5744, turned in a five-shot group of just .766"! This was the first time (in 40+ years of trying) that I had ever shot a group that small with issue sights on a vintage military rifle, using cast or jacketed bullets. Not being one to trifle with success, I stopped right there. (These bullets were cast in a 1:16 [tin:lead] alloy. The rest of the ingredients included Lapua cases, Winchester Large Pistol primers, Hornady gas checks and a commercial Alox/beeswax lube. Bullets were seated long, without a crimp, for single loading without feeding through the magazine. Estimated muzzle velocity was in the 1,650 fps range.)

I know a winner when I see one, and this rifle is definitely a keeper...

P.S. As of this writing, these custom Lee moulds are being offered through Midsouth Shooters Supply.

February 2007