Swedes do well (again) in Mauser Match

[Float Pilot]

We had the local area Annual Mauser Match yesterday. It snowed, sleeted and rained up until an hour before the match, so it was a little cold and muddy.... Perfect conditions for a Swede Mauser.

Since there were a couple other major venues occurring around the State this weekend, we did not have the number of shooters we normally enjoy...

I took two Swedes to the match, a 1900 Oberndorf m/96 for myself and a 1943 Husqvarna m/38 for my bride of many years. ( She could not see the sights on her m/94 carbine this year with her new glasses. ) She is not very tall and the m/38 was a bit much for her since that rifle only shoots well with pretty zippy loads.

Another group of guys brought a 1942 Husky m/38 for them to share by shooting different relays. There were a couple M-98k's, a couple Turk Mausers, one Yugo M-48, a Vz-24, a French Lebel, a Swiss K-31 and a DWM M-95 long Mauser in 7x57mm.

Sadly there were no Springfields, Enfields or Krags this year. I was going to take a 1903-A3 but I jammed up my loading dies....

Swede Mauser's took first and second place this year, with the small ring m-95 in 7x57mm coming in a very close third.

So take that large rings.....!!

From the photos I see that maybe not as many folks showed up because we are all getting long in the tooth...

Photo one: From the left,,, 3rd place ($15 prize) , second place ($50 prize) and first place ($200 prize).

Second photo: my bride (closest to camera) battles away with the m/38, while I (second from camera) use my ample belly fat to support my left elbow...

 

[Mikee Loxxer]

Looks like fun. Our local Swiss match scheduled for yesterday was cancelled due to the wet weather.

 

[kBob]

As a Floridian I am amazed at the amount of what looks like white sugar beach sand in the photos........

What you gonna do with all that cash?

Good shooting and good on ya for having the wife out as well.

I was shocked to find a gunshop/ indoor range on Key Largo week before last, but the other chaperones on my kid's middle school reef dive trip nixed the idea of stopping by to see what was there. Sorry just had to get that in what with the cold stuff in your photos.

DO you reload for your Swedes? If so, what sort of loads where you and the spousal unit using for the match?

I am sort of looking for some light/ squib loads for the swede that folks have good experiences with.

-kBob

 

[Comrade Mike]

Gotta love the insane accuracy of a swede!

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

Why wasn't anyone using their slings? Was that gainst the match rules?

 

[Float Pilot]

For some BIZARRE reason, this match lets you use the sling while prone and while knelling, but not while shooting standing off-hand... It makes no sense at all to me...
Slinging up while prone just makes my shots go off to the left... But I did use the sling while knelling...

So I use the Swedish finger and thumb Vee method with my support side thumb on the bottom of the trigger guard, while standing.

 

[davidjblythe]

For some reason those rules mimic USMC range rules. I believe using a "loop sling" (one wrapped around your arm and attached to the front sling swivel) in the standing was nixed due to safety concerns
If a shooter falls over for some reason unexpected things can happen if they let go of the rifle. That problem doesn't exist in the kneeling or prone positions. Finally, we only shoot in the standing at 200 yards, which is pretty close for us.

 

[Float Pilot]

I used to shoot military matches with an M-14 that were set-up like this

1.Offhand, Slow Fire - 200 yards;
2.Sitting, Rapid Fire - 200 yards;
3.Prone, Rapid Fire - 300 yards;
4.Prone, Slow Fire - 600 yards.

....I think they were just following the NRA match rules. Back in the 70s and 80s we could use the sling while standing... If you had a real rifle like an M-14/M21 or even a M-1 you were OK,,, I tried slinging an issue M-16A2 a couple of times and it made my groups worse.


We only have a 100 yard range for our local club (currently) so we use a smaller 100 yard target. Since we are a bunch of old geezers these days, that is just fine...

I know I have seen the rules for the vintage military bolt action rifle matches someplace ,,, but I sure as heck cannot find it now...

 

[Float Pilot]

KBOB

DO you reload for your Swedes? If so, what sort of loads where you and the spousal unit using for the match?

For the m/96 I loaded up my old match ammo special...
130gr Berger VLD
46.3gr RL-19
Lapua brass, CCI BR-2 match primer
COL of 3.100 inch.

The m/38 rifle likes another load ;
120gr Sierra Match King
45.3 grains of H-100V
Lapua Brass, CCI BR-2 primer
COL; 3.055in

Both have a lot more velocity and range than is needed for a 100 yard match, but for some reason neither of these rifles likes reduced velocity loads.

My wife is still complaining about her shoulder this morning. Her slippery rain jacket let the rifle butt-plate slide off to the right after every shot and whack her on the upper arm.


We all voted to let the guy with the French Lebel shoot after he removed the peep sight that somebody had screwed onto the poor thing... (see photo) It was not as if a Lebel was going to stand a chance against any Mauser product and it had been in his family since WWI

 

[splattergun]

I'm not surprised the Swedes did so well. I have fallen in love with the 1941 M38 Husqvarna the GF keeps in my safe.

Gotta love spring time in AK!

 

[cuffkey53]

It is hard to beat the Swedish mauser for hunting or match . It just does not get any better than this rifle as far as I am concerned.

 

[68wj]

Everyone needs to quite talking so highly of these rifles. You are keeping the values high and the gun shops aren't liquidating them enough for me to get one.

 

[TheSwede]

Nice to see those guns being used and fired. Too many of them are going for destruction here in sweden.

 

[Float Pilot]

nice to see those guns being used and fired. too many of them are going for destruction here in sweden.

that should be a big warning to the rest of us.

 

[TheSwede]

Yes. We have that silly law about having max 6 guns/ person. with all the modern rifles the old ones goes to destruction despite shooting well. Its sad. Keep shooting em and enjoy!

 

[Kachok]

Swedes took it again......anyone surprised? Anyone? Not me, I have said for many years that those WWII Swedes were the most accurate rifle of the era.

 

[Moblacksmith0530]

Everyone needs to quite talking so highly of these rifles. You are keeping the values high and the gun shops aren't liquidating them enough for me to get one.

EXCTLY right, dang em.

 

[artee]

Float Pilot: I first observed a High Power Match (using NRA rules) in late 88. Participated in 89 and the no sling in offhand was already part of the rules. Last week due to a thread here I watched a USMC Marksmanship Training film that was made in the mid 60's. They featured the M14 and still taught the use of a sling in standing. It was a 20+ min flick and stopped abruptly as the narrator was introducing Qual day so I didn't see if they allowed it for qualifications, but it would be unusual to teach it in basic and not to.