Dand the rifle I inherited in 30-06 had a Model 98 action manufacture by Husqvarna. The receiver and barrel had a nice dark blue. The bolt was jeweled and was slick. The only thing that did not suit me was the Birch stock that had a reddish stain. The FIL had installed a recoil pad on it.
Later Husqvarna rifles had what they called an Improved Mauser action with a sliding safety on the right side what was scope friendly. #2 brother picked up two later rifles that I believe are the 4100 series which came with light weight walnut stocks. He has used those actions to build wildcat rifles.
I picked up a Ram-line Tupperware stock at the Big Gun Show in Reno, NV at a large discount. Inside the stock it was stamped for the Mauser 98. I glass bedded the action into the stock. The combination is a good fit with either stock.
The rifle came to me with a few boxes of factory 180-grain Silvertips and a box of 180-grain Federal. I think the FIL favored the Silvertip for his Alaskan moose, and caribou. The wife and mother-in-law tell me the family had a hard time adjusting to beef after being posted to the lower 48.
I already had a good supply of 165-grain Hornady .308 bullets along with surplus 4831 powder and H414 powder when the rifle came to me. Using Hodgdon data I was quickly at the listed maximum without any issues. Accuracy with surplus 4831 was good, but it was outstanding with H414. I took the rifle and the H414 loads with me on a couple LE shoots and the shooters using Remington 700 BDL agency rifles and off the shelve ammunition could not match it. Admittedly the 700’s had not been bedded nor the ammunition tuned to the rifle.
I selected the rifle and the H414 load for a hunt in an area that black bears thought a shot was the dinner bell and presented a problem. I felt the load had a little more punch then my 270 load. A hunting partner had to put a round in the dirt under the nose of a bear when other efforts failed to run bear off.
Last spring we loaded up a bunch of 30-06 ammunition for the SIL and Great Son-in-Law rifles using WW760 what Hodgdon says is the same powder as H414. I had bought a lot of bulk 165-grain Remington C-L years back and they were the bullet selected. SIL and I made a trip to the range and he was all smiles.
(Side note) The Husky 98 and the Model 96 Swede what I gave the SIL have Buehler after market safeties on them. They have proven reliable in the field and easy to use. The last game I took with them was using the M96 on a Mule deer at about 150 yards from a setting position. The safety worked as it should from release to firing the shot, chambering another round, putting the safety on and approaching the down deer. From my field experience it is a good safety.
In the last 12-months I encountered a member at the range shooting a Husky. I recognized it right away because of the 98 action and the profile of the stock. From the outside the only difference I could detect is the brown (walnut) stain stock. The shooter had purchased it at a giveaway price. The shooter said the rifle had a Timney trigger. He was shooting handloaded pulled FMJ bullets and was getting good 100 yard results.
The Devil on my left shoulder told me to make an offer on the rifle; the Angel on my right told me that I did not need it. Being the Angel was an image of my wife I did not make an offer.
