Swedish civilian target rifles based on the Gevär m/96
~a work in progress~
(former text deleted)
The subject of FSR rifles and the modifications found on them is not a small subject to discuss. There are "official" and un-official modifications. FSR rifles were loaned from government stores and were not generally maintained to the same level as military rifles in service. So this catagory of FSR m/96 rifles covers a lot of ground in the context of collecting and identifying m/96 rifles. Too many new collectors assume everything done to their rifle was the result of Swedish military or "armory" maintainence. This is not true. There were FSR-approved gunsmiths who had specific stamps to mark rifles they worked on, but not all rifle work was done by these gunsmiths so the level of quality or skill can vary. One of the more commonly seen issues is poorly refinished stocks and sloppy bedding jobs. Add to that the length of time some of these rifles were used by these clubs and it's not hard to understand why some of them are fairly beat. And then again, some are very interesting.
As these rifles were officially Swedish government property any modifications, rightfully, had to be approved by the government, sometimes in the form of a "technical order". This technical order below is for the addition of a pistol grip accessory that we see frequently. Note that this technical order dates to 1967.
This was known as the Ingemarrson model pistolgrip.
Below is an ad from 1968.
Other modifications we don't have the technical order and don't know if one exists.
These fine FSR m/96 target rifles below are shared with us courtesy of John Brautigam.
The added on pistol grip is shown on the 2nd & 5th rifle from the top.
Things get more interesting with that 4th rifle. That's the one with the permently attached pistol grip insert.
Translated by Lars van Svenska:
"NEWS ON THE RIFLE-FRONT
The 96
To get as comfortable shooting-position with m/96 as the CG 63 is a pistol-grip glued to the stock. Further is forend stock-in front of upper slingswivel-taken away. Se picture. In this way their is hope to regain some of the m/96s popularity especially when its used special prize-distribution, to which SkytteÃS is leaving contribution. In this condition is rifle m/96 delivered from Gevärsfaktoriet- new barrel and overhauled- for the reasonable price of 350 Skr during 1979." (350 Swedish Kroner was roughly $30-35 in 1979).
The glued in grip is the model Engman that was approved by military at the same time as the Ingemarsson.
(no translation of this yet)
These plaques are deciphered by Lars in Sweden for the rifle's owner:
"The round plaque: Stockholms-Tidningen (Stockholm newspaper)... in the early 1900s the biggest in Sweden and from the 1930s the number two behind "Dagens Nyheter". Stockholms-Tidningen asked it's readers what they thought to be the most distinguished sport and....(rifle)shooting took a powerful first place. Therefore the paper settled to start "Stockholms-Tidningens Riksskyttetävling på hemortens banor" (Stockholms-Tidningens National Shooting Competition held on home range") in 1923. It was a postal match held a certain summer weekend every year: 25 shots prone (sling allowed as support), 300 meters range. First year 1923 5,840 shooters participated. 1944 24,670 shooters. It was (is) the most important competition in FSR field to create interest for the sport. Both individual and team events. The year 1960 was very important for FSR because of the 100 years anniversary that had been the volunteer sharpshooter start in 1860 as background. This particular year (1960) came the I1 Royal Svea Livguard shooting club... and must have been awarded a m/96 rifle. The second silver plaque tells that the same year this club put it up as a challenge prize. The rifle was won in the end by Stig Höckerstrand...".
For collector's in 2010 we need to acknowledge that these FSR rifles are in a different class of collectable than the military m/96. In my estimation, in a good market, this rifle above could well bring $850 to $1,200 at sale. I'd tend more towards the upper figure than the lower. These types of rifles attributable to one individual person and one specific event just have more going for them than your basically beautiful m/96.
Many of the more plain m/96 FSR rifles may have just a personalized disc in place of the military bore disc and some of these discs are very ornate in their own right. This one below is just a piece of paper with Eskil Anderson's name and city on it covered in plastic.
