The old Swede's getting tired....(teslong)

[bobm]

Just finished cleaning this rifle from yesterdays shooting. The bore was minty when I bought it 6-7 years ago. I am pretty sure the armory inspector would order barrel replacement at once. Has been fired by me 2280 shots with any bullets I could find cheap. It's not fussy and clusters them all nicely. One of my favorite plinker rifles for sure. Was too lazy to sharpen the Teslong pictures. I know it's getting bad.

 

[DiffEQ]

Firecracking is hardly tired. When she can't hold zero anymore, then I'd say she's tired.
Beautiful rifle, just the same.... Had it already been sporterized when you purchased it, or was this how the original issue came?

Edit to add : had an ancient Springfield 22 single shot bolty. The barrel was fire cracked and the rifling severely worn, but it still was acceptably accurate at 50 yards. When the bolt face and chamber had worn to the point it would no longer contain the gas blowback from the fired cartridge, I hung it up. Wish I still had that old girl.

 

[bobm]

Sporterized as shown with prehistoric Leupold for a yard sale price. From a sales table at an out of state rifle match. That straight grip is quite uncomfortable for offhand shooting. It has the Century Arms St. Albans, Vt. markings at the underside muzzle.

I need to find or make one of these....

 

[Art Dirindin]

I own a M96 Swedish sporterized Mauser in 6.5x55 it was my very first high powered rifle purchase over 35 years ago. Bought my "Swede" before any of my 22lr rifles or 12ga slug guns even had a scope and I shot mine using the 6.5x55 Norma ammo that came with it when I bought it. Using just the military iron sights and the less than helpful factory trigger, I was able to keep my groups under 2" and 100 yards and under 3.5" at 200.
I then finally put a AM Timney trigger in it and a Bushnell Elite 4-12x40 4200 and that little gun really shined. It prompted me to buy many more HP rifles.
I hope to one day put a AM stock on it as the one it has is just OK. Now that 6.5 calibers are legal in my home state will likely use it for hunting.
I have MANY shoulda coulda bought that firearm regrets, but none greater than not buying 2 or 3 more of the sporterized Swedish Mauser's when I could have for the outrageous price including 60 rounds of Norma ammo for $90 OTD. Other great firearm didn't purchase regrets include an authentic all numbers matching Swedish Mauser sniper rifle in VG condition same time I bought the one I own from the same guy along with several VG condition Garand's and M1A1's for less than 1/5th what they are selling for now that is if you can even find one.

 

[dstoenner]

I was in you boat last year. I have a 1903A3 that I bought from CMP back when they were only $400 (good old days). I have fired a lot of ammo through but no where close to 10,000 rounds these barrels were good for. It has always had great accuracy. I decided last year that I am going to try maybe one of the Vintage Sniper matches. So I started accumulating the stuff to convert it to a 2.5x Weaver sniper. I thought I had better look into the barrel. I have a M1 gauge for throat erosion and it also has an adapter to measure the 1903. I put it in and it sunk to a 10. That says the barrel looks like it has shot 10,000 round !!!!

I ordered a new barrel from CMP and when I pulled my barrel I took a chamber cast of the old barrel. Well looking at the throat are there were no lands for about .5 inches. It wasn't fire cracked as much as it was just worn. This barrel was made 10-44 while the reciever is a June 43. Soft steel???

And oh the old barrel was still shooting about 1.5 MOA but with my eyesight significantly less than it was 15 years ago when I got the rifle it is hard to tell if the extra .5 inch was me or the rifle. Now with a scope on it I am getting about .75 out of it with my tuned load.

David

 

[FNSafari]

I was in you boat last year. I have a 1903A3 that I bought from CMP back when they were only $400 (good old days). I have fired a lot of ammo through but no where close to 10,000 rounds these barrels were good for. It has always had great accuracy. I decided last year that I am going to try maybe one of the Vintage Sniper matches. So I started accumulating the stuff to convert it to a 2.5x Weaver sniper. I thought I had better look into the barrel. I have a M1 gauge for throat erosion and it also has an adapter to measure the 1903. I put it in and it sunk to a 10. That says the barrel looks like it has shot 10,000 round !!!!

I ordered a new barrel from CMP and when I pulled my barrel I took a chamber cast of the old barrel. Well looking at the throat are there were no lands for about .5 inches. It wasn't fire cracked as much as it was just worn. This barrel was made 10-44 while the reciever is a June 43. Soft steel???

And oh the old barrel was still shooting about 1.5 MOA but with my eyesight significantly less than it was 15 years ago when I got the rifle it is hard to tell if the extra .5 inch was me or the rifle. Now with a scope on it I am getting about .75 out of it with my tuned load.

David

Perhaps but I would guess just a pant load of rounds down the barrel over time. 1/2" isn't horrible and at 1.5 moa accuracy pretty competitive for iron sights.