I was ratting through a box of long tucked away Mauser sundries looking for a 96 Mauser extractor for a friend.
I found two; one all on its lonesome and the other on a complete bolt assembly.
This is not your basic Swedish military bolt, however.
It has a properly forged turned-down bolt handle that has been properly "scooped" for scope clearance.
The entire assembly has been blued, and blued very professionally, at some stage.
The kickers are the Dayton-Traister Mk2 low-swing safety and the absence of the usual knurled cocking "bump" at the rear of the striker-sleeve / sear piece.
What I suspect I have here is one for the Husquvarna M-96 sporters from many decades ago. I am familiar with their 98 based sporters, but this is the first "commercial" 96 component I have seen.
Apparently they made them in the 8 x 63 (Swede MG round) for export and 9.3 x 62, basically a wildcatted 8 x 63 for Scandinavian hunting customers. These cartridges have the same "fat' body and rim sized as a 6.5 x 55 and 7.5 Swiss, but are a lot less tapered and so hold a LOT of powder.
I wonder if the relatively new .338 Norma Magnum was not a little inspired by these older cartridges.
Apparently 9.3 x 62 is an approved moose-hunting cartridge in those parts; I suspect the old '96 is not as "flimsy" as some would imagine.
