Well I guess I didn't do to bad on the purchase price $210
I would never dream of parting it. I was just hoping those mods would turn out to be factory that may have came on a certain variation of the rifle.
So with that bobbed tip I assume I can never attach a bayonet correct?
If that is correct I cannot see why anyone would want to do that.
I believe their was a threaded cap that could be screwed on to cover up those threads?
I have seen pictures of the sniper rifles with these two exact feAtures, the turned down bolt and no threaded tip. But not sure if they made the sniper rifles when this one was produced in 1904. I would like to think it was one of those that never got fitted with a scope! I suppose that could never have happened?
Yup. Mounting a bayonet is out of the question anymore.
Here's a site that shows how the 1896 pattern bayonet mounts to the rifle.
http://www.arms2armor.com/Bayonets/swed1896.htm
There are two versions of m/96 long rifles. The first one had an unthreaded muzzle and is called an "m/96 pattern". The other version had the threaded muzzle to allow adding the blank firing adapter. This version was called the "m/96b pattern". The "b" suffix designated that it has a threaded muzzle.
The "b"s had a little knurled ring that would thread onto the muzzle to protect the threads and that's what the ring on the bayonet would slip over. On the "non-b" style, the bayonet ring would just slip over the muzzle.
This is what the blank firing adapter looks like.
http://www.buymilitaria.com/mauser_htm/swedish_mauser_blank_firing_adapter.htm
The later m/38 pattern, and m/96-38 pattern (which were m/96 long rifles shortened up to the 24" barrel m/38 pattern), also had the "b" option. Some had threaded barrels and some did not. Most have the threaded muzzle. I'm not sure why they had the two styles in service at the same time.
The m/41 sniper pattern that you are thinking of (and that I mentioned earlier) was built up from special selected m/96 long rifles and could also be found either "b" or "non-b". I have never heard of one that slipped through getting the conversion completed...minus the scope mount. Doesn't mean that it couldn't exist but it's highly doubtful.
A true m/41 should have the Husquvarna-style bolt handle as seen on an m/38. It was completely reforged with the distinctive flat on the top and won't be the bent in the middle style like your bolt handle is.
There have been several of the US importers and distributors that did make replicas of the m/41s from standard m/96s. Sarco is one of the biggest houses that did these "fake snipers". Most every one that I've seen has had the heat-n-bend handle too unless it's a parts rifle and has a Husky bolt handle.
As to why that barrel was bobbed...
Only the good lord and the guy that cut it knows. It might've been to recrown a banged up muzzle. Several of the Swedes and other surplus Mausers that I worked on did come from the distributor with boogered up rifling but never bad enough that I had to trim that much off.
Regardless, you've got a very nice looking shooter on your hands. I'd buy em looking like that for $120 all day long!
Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy my Swedes. They are just a blast to shoot whether they're stock or sporterized.
I have one of these on mine. My understanding is they were never issued to the military.
You're right, those flash hiders aren't original Swede accessories. They were made up by the importers here in the states as a fancy doo-dad to screw onto the muzzle threads.
