Swedish Artillery Carbine Model 1885
also known as the m/1864-68-85
Caliber 12.7x44R
(.50-75-345)

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For additional information about Swedish rolling block rifles visit
Mats Persson's and Petter's websites.


This is one cute little carbine. The barrel length is 18 1/8". While the condition of this particular carbine doesn't look all that great,
its in quite good a condition for being 118 years old with some of the components dating to 1865, the barrel in particular.
These carbines were put together from first, m/1864 Hagström's "chamber loading rifle"... similar concept to the U.S. Trapdoor
Springfield of 1873, and then into m/64-68 rolling block rifles... and then into this m/1885carbine.

The breechblock and hammer are tight and the trigger pull is very sweet, and yes, I've fired it with full power
blackpowder loads consisting of a 350 gr. bullet over 72 grs. of Ffg blackpowder. Let us just say... it gets
your attention when fired.. all 6 1/2 pounds of it.



Left side of receiver shows date of manufacture, 1875.
There are no maker marks on the receiver itself.
















Right side of receiver shows serial number.

The hammer & breechblock pins have the last two digits of the serial number stamped on them.













Left side of barrel just ahead of the receiver has matching s/n as does the stock just under the barrel number.















Right side of stock wrist has date of manufacture, 1875.











Left side of stock wrist has matching serial number.










Pontonierbataljonen -
Engineers (Bridge layers, Pontonniers)
2nd company, weapon #63














Notice the sling swivel hole has been plugged.
This is normal for this model.












Barrel marking just ahead of the receiver.
S is for the Stockholms gevärsverkstad
(rifle workshop)











The milled portion of the barrel to the left of the rear sight was where the older musket sight screw holes
were located and removed for rebuilding into these carbine models.


Front sights are a brass blade. On this carbine the blade has been lowered to raise the bullet impact.












The buttplate of the 1885 carbine is much different than the 1867 rifles and subsequent model variations.
Its brass, wider and taller. The reason for this is because this model carbine was manufactured from m/1864-68 rifles.














From left to right:
1867 Remington buttplate
1885 carbine
1867 Swedish.
















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© 2004
D.L.van den Brink
~Dutchman~
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or used without written permission.