Surplus Husqvarna Mausers in 9.3x62

DelRock83

AH member
Joined
Sep 19, 2024
Messages
28
Reaction score
27
Hello guys how is everyone....has anyone had or know someone who has had experiences using a SURPLUS Husqvarna M96 or variant on an African hunt and if so how did it perform
 
The Huskys I’ve seen in in 9.3x62 are all commercial sporter rifles with Model 98 type actions.

I have two of them in 30-06 and I think they are fine hunting rifles.

When you say surplus, I think of miltary surplus rifles. As far as I know, none were chambered for 9.3x62 which is a hunting cartridge.

Both of my 30-06s are on HVA Small ring 98 mausers. They are both very accurate. I always wanted to find one in 9.3x62 but I ran across a CZ 550 in 9.3x62 so I’m not looking for another Husqvarna.
 
Hello guys how is everyone....has anyone had or know someone who has had experiences using a SURPLUS Husqvarna M96 or variant on an African hunt and if so how did it perform
I have 2 imported Husky Model 640, these are built on FN M98, actions, a .270 and a 30-06, rebarrelled to. 35 Whelen.

Some of these M98 Huskies were factory in 9.3x62, imported by Simpsons.

Many other Husky were factory made on small ring M96 actions, pre WW2, in9.3x62, and by all accounts solid quality. I’ve never owned either, as when they were priced low($450)), I wasn’t buying, and when I wanted to buy, prices shot up to $750-800, (Pre-commie Chinese virus). Now, if you can find one for sale, at non”Inflation Reduction Act “ inflated prices, I would buy it.
I think M98 or M96 variants are sleepers.
 
Hello guys how is everyone....has anyone had or know someone who has had experiences using a SURPLUS Husqvarna M96 or variant on an African hunt and if so how did it perform
@DelRock83
Despite the Swedish 96 Mauser not having the third lug it is a very strong action. The metallurgy was that good it was never changed from it inception until the end of production. The metallurgy far exceeded that if the German mausers and was proof tested with loads of close to 65,000 psi. Our esteemed gun writer once said they can be converted to any calibre that will fit in the action. One of his favourite was the 257 Roberts loaded to much higher velocity than the standard. Eg a 115 gn tax at 3,000 fps.
He also said it was the ideal action for the 7x57 Mauser.
Bob
 
Oh ok I see the reason for asking was that I was browsing online and most of the rifled that I saw chambered in 375 H&H were mostly unavailable, but in the last few months I have really been researching the 375 Ruger rifles the offerings from Ruger, Savage, and Mossberg have attractive price points but someone on this website mentioned the AVAILABILITY of 375 Ruger ammo in Africa is kind of limited till I went to a website that had the Husqvarnas in 9.3x55 and 62, so I did the research and was like what the hell.....so it was a caliber tailor made FOR Africa and even though the ammo in the US is limited but available....I heard it's ALL OVER the place in Africa
 
The Huskys I’ve seen in in 9.3x62 are all commercial sporter rifles with Model 98 type actions.

I have two of them in 30-06 and I think they are fine hunting rifles.

When you say surplus, I think of miltary surplus rifles. As far as I know, none were chambered for 9.3x62 which is a hunting cartridge.

Both of my 30-06s are on HVA Small ring 98 mausers. They are both very accurate. I always wanted to find one in 9.3x62 but I ran across a CZ 550 in 9.3x62 so I’m not looking for another Husqvarna.
I understand the website said surplus and I have 2 surplus moisins that are surprisingly rock solid even though the inherent accuracy is lacking but acceptable, it's a question of reliability for me...from what I heard the round is an ass kicker with slightly less recoil than a 375 and I would rather be a one rifle guy....it'll be my luck I get to Africa for a plains game hunt and the circumstances change in my favor and the PH puts me on a lion or something else inherently deadly....just want all avenues covered
 
I have two Husky rifles at the moment. One built on an FN 98 action in 8x57.
Another built on the M-96 action in 9.3x57. Both are strong well built rifles.
The only thing I would caution, many develop a very small split behind the action tang. They usually not anything to worry about, just not cosmetically appealing.
My 9.3 had such a split. When glass bedded the action, I made sure to to do some strengthening in that area.
 
Hello guys how is everyone....has anyone had or know someone who has had experiences using a SURPLUS Husqvarna M96 or variant on an African hunt and if so how did it perform

I have more than a few of them. And some Stigas which were Husqvarna actions but with seconds stocks.

6.5x55s, 30-06s, 9.3x57s, and 9.3x62s.

It's what I drag into the Canadian bush in all manner of rain, sleet, and snow. Rifles are more accurate than I am.

For general use I have never considered buying a new factory bolt action rifle in a world where $400 CAD Husqvarnas exist in every classic caliber.
 
Last edited:
I've got one in 9.3X57 on a large ring '98.
It's pretty common for these to get rechambered to 9.3X62 and Husqvarna built some X62s originally as well.
They are quite nice - not Oberndorf nice but about 1/4 the cost.
You won't regret buying one.
 
I have two Husky rifles at the moment. One built on an FN 98 action in 8x57.
Another built on the M-96 action in 9.3x57. Both are strong well built rifles.
The only thing I would caution, many develop a very small split behind the action tang. They usually not anything to worry about, just not cosmetically appealing.
My 9.3 had such a split. When glass bedded the action, I made sure to to do some strengthening in that area.
Glass bed the action, front and rear, relieve the tang inlet, and go hunting.

The metal work, actions are as good as anything you can buy today for a lot less money. Metallurgy of the Swedish rifles are proper.

I am always looking for good deals on Husky actions.
 
I’ve hunted a few kudu with one. They are very common with farmers in South Africa. Really enjoyed my experience with it.
 
Not a Husky, but I think this was a good deal on M98 in 9.3x62, today


A095E25C-BB09-4B8C-9DF1-C46A8C466872.webp

Hammered at $850, plus fees.

Ed Z
 

Attachments

I've got one in 9.3X57 on a large ring '98.
It's pretty common for these to get rechambered to 9.3X62 and Husqvarna built some X62s originally as well.
They are quite nice - not Oberndorf nice but about 1/4 the cost.
You won't regret buying one.
Is the rechambering pretty straightforward or do you generally need to adjust the magazine or feed ramps etc?
 
@DelRock83
Despite the Swedish 96 Mauser not having the third lug it is a very strong action. The metallurgy was that good it was never changed from it inception until the end of production. The metallurgy far exceeded that if the German mausers and was proof tested with loads of close to 65,000 psi. Our esteemed gun writer once said they can be converted to any calibre that will fit in the action. One of his favourite was the 257 Roberts loaded to much higher velocity than the standard. Eg a 115 gn tax at 3,000 fps.
He also said it was the ideal action for the 7x57 Mauser.
Bob
I remember a blog I saw years ago where a guy was testing the safety of a Swedish M96 and after safely testing high pressure loads he decided to do a final test with an overloaded case to see if the action would actually break/explode. He was firing them remotely.

Ultimately all it did was cause the bolt to seize in the receiver to the point it could no longer be removed but the action didn’t blow up or spray gas. So a hypothetical shooter could have fired it without sustaining injury.

So the result was that the Swedish mausers are in fact extremely well made and strong actions in spite of the design not being technically as robust as the M98.

Unfortunately I can’t find that experiment online anymore.
 
Is the rechambering pretty straightforward or do you generally need to adjust the magazine or feed ramps etc?
The feed rails will need to be opened up slightly, to account for the Mauser design geometry for each cartridge class. A gunsmith who converted my 1912 Steyr M98 from 7x57 to .35 Whelen explained this to be. Not a lot of metalwork, but the gunsmith you choose needs to know how a M98 action is designed for the cartridge, and proper feeding. The datum dimension for headspace (cartridge base to shoulder) is longer on the 9.3x62, compared to the 57mm cartridge class.
The rails will have to be made wider by 3-4mm, the gunsmith does the exact measurement based upon cartridge drawings, including the case taper.

My Steyr M98 .35 Whelen feeds flawlessly.
 
The feed rails will need to be opened up slightly, to account for the Mauser design geometry for each cartridge class. A gunsmith who converted my 1912 Steyr M98 from 7x57 to .35 Whelen explained this to be. Not a lot of metalwork, but the gunsmith you choose needs to know how a M98 action is designed for the cartridge, and proper feeding. The datum dimension for headspace (cartridge base to shoulder) is longer on the 9.3x62, compared to the 57mm cartridge class.
The rails will have to be made wider by 3-4mm, the gunsmith does the exact measurement based upon cartridge drawings, including the case taper.

My Steyr M98 .35 Whelen feeds flawlessly.
Correction: The rails will need to be opened up by a Length of a few millimeters, NOT the Width of 3-4mm.
 
There are lots of 1640s in 9.3x62 floating around right now... but make sure to check the tang. For whatever reason, that stock is susceptible to cracking (kinda like Savage 99s) and really benefits from bedding.
 
I would add a decelerator pad as recoil in the very light M96 will be vigorous. That said, I'd go for it. It's hard to beat the 9.3x62 and a trim little 96 would carry very well.
 
The Huskys I’ve seen in in 9.3x62 are all commercial sporter rifles with Model 98 type actions.

I have two of them in 30-06 and I think they are fine hunting rifles.

When you say surplus, I think of miltary surplus rifles. As far as I know, none were chambered for 9.3x62 which is a hunting cartridge.

Both of my 30-06s are on HVA Small ring 98 mausers. They are both very accurate. I always wanted to find one in 9.3x62 but I ran across a CZ 550 in 9.3x62 so I’m not looking for another Husqvarna.
Yep....If you do find a Husky in 9,3, look carefully because some were re-barreled as 9,3x57.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
57,225
Messages
1,225,104
Members
100,434
Latest member
JesseSamps
 

 

 

Latest profile posts

TAG SAFARI wrote on mvalden's profile.
Wishing you a Happy Birthday!
TAG SAFARI wrote on K31's profile.
Wishing you a Happy Birthday!
TAG SAFARI wrote on davidg8480's profile.
Wishing you a Happy Birthday!
TAG SAFARI wrote on Daven22s's profile.
Wishing you a Happy Birthday!
 
Top