of this notch as the bolt was operated, and to keep the bolt from binding, the bolt body was made with a narrow guide rib which passed through a matching groove cut inside the receiver bridge.
In addition to the deep thumb notch and guide rib, the M96 bolt had more gas escape holes. One small hole was located behind the extractor collar, directing any escaping gases to the left and into the lug raceway. A second hole is forward of in extractor collar, visible when the bolt is locked, just behind the receiver ring above the extractor. Another smaller hole was bored through the front of the extractor under the extractor hook. The gas escape holes made these Swedish actions safer than any of the other pre-98 Mausers.
M94 Swedish action is cocked, showing the thumbpiece projection and extra cocking-piece notch.
The M96 Swedish Mauser retained the checkered projection and the uncocked safety notch features of the M94 Swedish action. All M94s made after the introduction of the M96 were made with the deep thumb notch, guide rib and gas escape holes. Since few early M94 Swedish carbines were made, they are very scarce and seldom encountered, therefore, M94 and M96 actions usually seen are alike in practically every detail. The only noticeable difference is that the M94 bolt handle is bent down, while on the M96 it sticks straight out to the side. The M94 and M96 actions are like the M93 and M95 actions in most other respects.
Besides the M94 Swedish carbine, in Mauser plant at Oberndorf (Germany) made many of the M96 Swedish rifles. In 1899, for example, they were given a contract to make 45,000 M96 rifles.
A great many more of both the M94s and M96s were made in Sweden by Carl Gustafs firm, and they continued to produce them for many years—I have seen them dated as late as the early 1940s.
In 1938, Sweden adopted a shorter barreled version of the M96 rifle, namely the M38 Swedish Short Rifle. In 1941, they introduced the Model 41 Sniper Rifle, simply a M96 rifle selected for accuracy and with a high, side-mounted telescope fitted to the receiver. The actions of both the M38 rifle and the M41 were the same as the M96, except for the turned-down bolt handle of the M4l.
M94 and M96 Swedish actions are readily identified by the checkered projecting lug on the cocking piece. The early M94s will not have the guide rib on the bolt, but all M94s will have the bent bolt handle.
Markings
Mauser actions made in Germany are stamped on the receiver thus:
MAUSER/OBERNDORF
Those made in Sweden are stamped on the receiver ring with a date (year) as follows:
CARL GUSTAFS
STADSGEVARSFAKTORI
Top view, M94 Swedish action showing the bolt-stop, clip-charger guideway, extractor, bolt guide rib (under extractor), exposed gas vent hole and checkered cocking-piece thumbpiece projection.
M93 Spanish action with hinged floorplate magazine box as made by Industries de Guerra de Cataluna arsenal.
Both the German- and Swedish-made actions will have their major parts numbered, and only if all the numbers of the action match can it be considered original. The full serial number is on the receiver, and the smaller parts usually carry only the last two or three digits of the entire number. This numbering practice was generally followed by all makers of the M93 and M95 actions.
Interarms of Alexandria, Va., imported many M94 and M96 Swedish Mausers into the U.S. after WWII. For some reason the receiver of most M94s imported by them were remarked with
INTERARMCO G33/50.
Takedown and Assembly
The following procedures apply to all models described in this chapter. To remove the bolt, raise the bolt handle, draw the bolt back, swing out the bolt-stop and pull the bolt from the receiver. To remove the firing mechanism from the bolt, first close the bolt and place the safety in its upright position, then remove the bolt from the receiver. Unscrew (counterclockwise) the bolt sleeve from the bolt. Place the firing pin tip on a hard surface and, firmly grasping the bolt sleeve, push it down; turn the cocking piece one-quarter turn in either direction and lift it off the firing pin. The striker and mainspring can now be removed. Swing the safety to the right and pull it from the bolt sleeve. Remove the extractor on the M93 by turning it to the top of the bolt and push it forward, off the bolt.
Remove the extractor on the others by turning it to the bottom of the bolt before pushing it forward, which releases it from the collar. The collar can be spread apart to remove it from the bolt body but do not remove it unless absolutely necessary. Reassemble the bolt in reverse order.
Remove the magazine floorplate by depressing the floorplate catch with a pointed tool, moving it to the rear until it is released. Slip the follower spring off the follower and the floorplate. To remove the action from the stock take out front and rear guard screws, lift the barrel and action from the stock and then pull out the magazine/guard. Drive out the sear pin and remove sear, trigger and trigger spring from the receiver. Drive out trigger pin to remove the trigger from the sear. Turn out the bolt-stop screw and remove bolt-stop from the receiver. Pull the ejector forward and out of the bolt-stop housing. Hold the bolt-stop housing in a vise by its lug and, using a drift punch, drive the bolt-stop spring forward until the end of it snaps inside the housing. Insert a sharp narrow screwdriver blade between the end of the spring and the housing and pry it back until it is free. Reassemble these parts in reverse order.
Another version of the M93 Mauser. The hinged magazine floorplate (shown open) has a release lever at the front of the trigger guard bow.
The barrel is threaded (right-hand) very tightly into the receiver and should not be removed unless necessary, and then only if proper tools are available.
Evaluation
The M93 and M95 Mauser actions (including the M95 Chilean) made in Germany by Loewe in Berlin and by Mauser in Obendorf, show the highest quality of workmanship. They are extremely well made and finished. All the parts show careful machining and polishing. Without question, they were made of the finest and most suitable steels for the various parts. These were properly heat-treated and tempered for maximum strength and safety the action design allowed. On most of these actions the receiver and magazine/guard parts were finished a rich blue, while the bolt and all attached parts were left bright. The same praise would certainly apply to the German-made M94 and M96 Swedish actions.
As a general rule, the Spanish M93 and M95 actions made in the Oviedo and Industrias de Guerra arsenals are not as well machined or finished as their German counterparts. It is assumed that the Spanish actions conformed to the same general specifications as the German actions, and it is probable that similar steels and heat treating methods were also used in their manufacture. Since this is likely, the Spanish-made actions should be as strong and as safe as the German ones—though the latter actions are always preferred.
Of all pre-98 Mauser actions, the Swedish-made M94s and M96s are considered the best. Some experts believe that the Swedes used a better steel for their bolts and receivers. This may well be true for the high quality of “Swedish steel” is well known. Their actions were also as well
