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M/96 armorers rifle

7K views 58 replies 20 participants last post by  MSTN 
#1 · (Edited)
I bought this unusual M/96 back in 2003. It is an armorers rifle with a receiver date of 1948. It's the latest dated M/96 that I have seen. I'm not sure as to what the serial number relates to. My guess would be the sixth rifle in 1949, or the sixth student armorer in 1949.

The stock is especially beautiful with great flame. The disc hole on the stock has never had a screw in it and you can see where there was at one time a oval plaque over it. The rifle has it's serial number all over it including the underside of the rear sight (not pictured). I consider this rifle the the premier rifle in my Swedish collection. It is not import marked as it was a private import.





 
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#4 ·
I am guessing this is some sort of commerative gun, perhaps the anniversary of a special date in the Carl Gustaf Stads factory history? The Weapons Officer's guns are marked in a completely different manner.

When Husqvarna was celebrating the 300th anniversay of their founding in 1989, they made several series of commerative guns marked like this one. I have a shotgun marked 24/75 which means the 24th in a series of 75 made. They did the same with a series of bolt action rifles, and another series of higher grade shotguns.
 
#5 ·
That makes two beauties that I have seen in 24 hours. Very nice, whatever its purpose may be.
 
#6 ·
Steve : This is not an Officer's Weapons rifle . Jimmy has it correct , an armorer's rifle . See another example in Crown Jewels , page 77 , photo #155 ( 29/51 ) . It would be the 29th student ? , apprentist ? armorer in 1951 . A big class that year , as another is numbered " 170/51 " .
 
#9 ·
Too bad you don't have that plaque anymore that looks like it covered the stock disc hole. It might have given some valuable information.
 
#12 ·
Arilar, have you done any research on armorer's rifles? I have lots of questions that aren't answered in Crown Jewels like:

1. Who were the armorers? Not weapons officers, but what was their affiliation and function? Are their names listed anywhere?
2. What's with the numbering system? Were they short production runs for FSR rifles only?
3. Where were they made? gf, HVA, both?
4. When were they made?
5. How many were made?
6. Where are they now?

I know Jimmy has a nice one, but the pictures are gone. I'd love to see them again.;)

Anyone else out there own one and care to show pictures? Thx, Dan
 
#14 ·
Armorer's Rifle

Here is an Armorer's Rifle , serial number 170/51 with a 1943 Husqvarna receiver . It is in mint unissued condition . Never had a bore disc installed on the beech buttstock ( note , it has a dark brown stain ) . Has no inspectors initials and 2 crowns stamped on the wrist of the stock . No numbers on the stock or handguard . The following photos show all the parts numbered 170/51 . Also , the " SM sikte F-ram " is numbered 170 .

These other parts are numbered " 170 " only , because of the long number & lack of room : bolt sleeve , cocking piece , safety , firing pin , ejector box , trigger guard , bayonet lug & handguard band .

Unnumbered cleaning rod .
 

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#21 · (Edited)
19/47 armorer's rifle with Pramm sight

I had my sights set on this one on a German auction site but got sniped at the last second. :cry:

Stamped 19/47, it also had a nice sterling silver plaque in the name of Widmung Gunnar Karlsson 1944.

The seller says it is pictured in the book "Die leichten schwedischen Infanteriegewehre " by Carsten Schinke. Can anyone post what it says about it??

Congratulations to the happy winner!

 
#22 ·
The 19/47 covers 2 pages in the book including 5 black-and-white pics. The author has no clue about this rifle but can tell that all parts numered according to 19/47. Otherwise nothing new for us or unusual is described. He tells that even the stock is numbered but doesnt mention if separate number and dont mention anything about the handguard. Made in 1944 according to Schinke but I guess it has a 1944 receiver.
The silver plaque is pictured but should be red: "MSG:s Gevärstävling Gunnar Karlsson 1944" (MSG:s Rifle-competition. SG stands för Skyttegille=Shooting-club. M is short för the town or village like Malmö or Mälarhöjden or what so ever....).
The Schinkes book is full of"dont know" or errors but even so many thinks to discover. Like the m/96 CG receiver from 1918 but serialnumber marked as from 1923 with extra number 570;) .
Regards,
ARILAR:)
 
#23 ·
We can also add rifles 10/51 and 86/51 to the list of these rifles which I have been able to locate over the years. I like Arilar's theory that they were numbered consecutively in the year produced. (ie....1/51 to 180/51) Although I can't help but wonder why these small batches of specially assembled rifles were produced. Years ago, I did talk to another collector who said that he had heard of or had seen an advertisement regarding a shooting competition in a Swedish newspaper from the 1950's and some of the prizes were rifles with this unusual style of serial numbers.
 
#24 ·
I will see what I can find in my magazines from the 50s.
Why are this rifles called armourers rifles as in Crown Jewels? I would like to hear or see documentations around this that explains it. If this dont exist maybe some 200-300 receivers were "left over" after the 17000 m/96 were produced for FSR and this receivers were used later and assemblied to m/96 rifles for different purposes?
Regards,
ARILAR:)
 
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