Author Topic: Finn M39 or Swedish mauser (Read 1821 times)

13 Bravo · « **on:** August 20, 2004, 10:13:41 AM »

I want a rifle to use for target shooting and maybe some hunting. Right now it comes down to these two rifles. As far as accuracy goes which of these rifles is better with match grade?

Also as far as customization goes, which has better options to upgrade? I like how large ring mausers have the Advanced Tech. Scout stock with a built in scope mount. On both of these I would want to put on a lightweight stock.

Coltrane · « **Reply #1 on:** August 20, 2004, 03:56:21 PM »

I own both guns and have shot them both. Each is equal to the other in accuracy with the Finn getting the edge in power.

The Swede would be my pick for customizing over the Finn.

Why? There are more accessories available to the M96 Mauser than I have seen for the Mosin Nagant rifles. I once had one in a synthetic stock with a Timney trigger, Timney safety, synthetic stock, Ching sling, 2-6x32 LER on a scout mount with a Shaw barrel to boot. Lucky for me, someone else went to the trouble and expense to do all of this. All I had to do was trade for it!

PMC makes some of the best factory ammo around. Hornady is offering 140gr A-Max bullets to reload. Quality hunting grade ammo is in greater supply and variety than 7.62x54.

There is overall less recoil and will handle up to 160 grain bullet weights.

For a straight out of the shop hunting rifle, the Swede is longer in overall length, but has less overall weight to carry. They are usually pretty accurate as well.

Treat the bore to a good dose of copper removing foam or liquid and scrub like there is no tomorrow. The accuracy will do nothing but increase.

Others will have their opinions and that is fine. This is what works for me.

Coltrane

lapetit · « **Reply #2 on:** August 20, 2004, 06:30:38 PM »

I too own and shoot both the 96 Swede and Nagant, models 91, 91/30, 38, 44, 56(?) and Finnish 39. Sarco has some target grade 96's, some of them are capable of excellent accuracy. Gunsandammo.com has Finn 39's, with a cracked stock, for $99.99, delivered. All of the 39's have excellent bores and they shoot as well as my Springfield Armory M1.
The 39's are ugly, this si no other word, the metal work is rough, the triggers vary from hateful to fine, although there are several drop-in replacement triggers available and with the single stack magazine they can be difficult to carry in a one hand position.
The Swede 96 is definitely a better candidate for upgrading, customizing. 96's have fine metal work, an excellent two-stage trigger and the 6.5x55 cartridge is capable of taking any thing that walks, crawls, grows feathers or sheds blood in North American. Consider that one of the ivory hunters used 6.5 caliber to harvest several hundred elephants. If you do your part, the cartridge is capable do doing its part.
My personal choice would be one of the Finn 39's from Gunsandammo.
Lapetit

1911crazy · « **Reply #3 on:** August 21, 2004, 03:25:02 AM »

I think the swede gets the edge because of accessories and there are M96 or M38 barreled swede recievers available from Samco in Carl Gustaf or Obermdorf manufacturers. With the Finnish M39 Mosins I believe they had a minimum requirement for accuracy after their rework from captured russian 91/30's into Finnish M39's and it was to shoot 1 MOA @ 100meters. If the rifle failed it was returned and reworked again. Both guns are very accurate but i think there maybe a little more battle history behind the Finnish mosins as a collectors view. With the 6,5x55 capable up to deer sized game the 7.62x54 would be for deer and larger game. My point is with both calibers you have all your hunting needs covered. BigBill

You may want to back up and take a look at russian mosins too there are very affordable M38's and M91/59's right now too and they make some nice wood or synthetic stocks for them too. Another one to look at is the Finnish captured russian M91/30's at samco too there only $79 and rated in good to very good condition but some have been in excellent condition too. These are a great bargain too.

What ever finnish mosin you get one must becareful with the stock shims inside the reciever between the reciever and the trigger guard when you take it apart. The finnish were so fussy about accuracy they shimmed the stocks to level off and tighten up the recievers.

bufflernickl · « **Reply #4 on:** August 21, 2004, 12:35:34 PM »

You've gotten good and reasonable advice for either of the rifles you mentioned. I'd lean toward the Swede, as there are loads of them in my family and never has there been one that wasn't a shooter.

However, I'd like to throw another hat into the ring. I recently buought a Turkish 98 Mauser. Now, I don't think there is any military rilfe (excepting modern US and NATO models) that has more aftermarket stuff available than the large-ring Mausers.

You can find a Turk with a beautiful Turkish walnut armory restock, armory new barrel, and armory reblue for around $100. Now get this, I chose a load out of the air, 44 gr AAC 2495BR, Sierra 175 gr SPT, ~ 2370 fps (sure its's mild, but still a performer) and got groups under 5/8" @100yds using the mil open sights!!!!!

I am *DEFINITELY* going to take this lovely to the 1000yd range as soon as I get a scope on it!!!!

The 8X57 is a great round, and these rifles are a treat. Give it some thought; it's be my choice to fulfill your requirements, even as much as I love the Swedes.

Cheers/buffler
who is definitely going to *finally* buy a set of bolt forging blocks!!!!!

Mikey · « **Reply #5 on:** August 23, 2004, 02:53:49 AM »

13 Bravo: the Swede, no question. Mikey.

13 Bravo · « **Reply #6 on:** August 23, 2004, 09:57:23 PM »

What is the best, most solid scope mount available for both rifles? I'm not interested in that whole scout thing for the mosin by the way.

Also, I plan to get them both: hell, I can probably get em by January!

bufflernickl · « **Reply #7 on:** August 24, 2004, 01:35:52 AM »

13 B,

Good decision (getting both). You can never go wrong with more rifles!!!!

Can't speak for the Moisin, never having had one, but for the Mauser, it is difficult to beat a one-piece "Redfield type" mount. It guarantees proper horizontal (axial) alignment of the scope without stressing it between the rings, and is rokc solid. There is also a good bit of azimuth adjustment in the mount so you use up all your scope's available adjustment in the L-R crosshair.

Now, these are made by many companies, Burris, Millet, Leupold, etc. The lightest of the lot, and I've forgotten the brand name, has a rep of being "crooked, so is a bit more of a challenge to get installed straight without an expensive jig. Go to midwayusa.com and search on 1-piece mounts in the Optics section. You'll get a ton of hits and you can read user reviews of each model. If I think of the troublesome one, I'll repost later.

You're really going to like that Swede :-) If you find one, you ought to get a Turk before they get pricey like the Swedes have done. That 8mmX57 is a marvelous performer; grizzly medicine, even.

Best/buffler

MGMorden · « **Reply #8 on:** August 25, 2004, 04:09:06 PM »

I'd say the Swede. 6.5x55 as a hunting round has an appeal all it's own (ie, people will make a point to buy a 6.5x55). 7.62x54R is without question a very capable round, but there are modern (and much more available) rounds like the .308 Win that make more sense. Also with the slotted receiver the Mosin Nagant just doesn't take to mounting a scope well. It can be done, but just won't work out as well as a modern sporter.

I've got an M96 Swede Sporter myself, and it shoots 1.5" groups at 100 yards (I'm not an ultimate shooter so the rifle could probably shoot a smaller group). It's got a Monte Carlo sporter stock, had the barrel cut and recrowned to 22", a low scope saftey, bent bolt handle, weaver scope mounts, an extra strength Wolff firing pin spring, and a Bold Optima adjustable trigger. Doesn't look anything like a rifle that at it's core is 92 years old :lol:. I didn't even have to spend all the money sporterizing it. Picked it up with everything except the trigger and firing pin spring for $200, and then it took another $40 for those parts.