Husqvarna m/38 Swedish Mauser 6.5x55 Bolt-Action Short Rifle, 24 in Barrel, WWII-Era 1942 Production
This 1942 Husqvarna m/38 is a Swedish Mauser short rifle chambered in 6.5x55, built on the small-ring, cock-on-close Mauser action with a turned-down (bent) bolt and internal 5-round magazine. It retains classic m/38 features including the tangent rear sight set into a windowed handguard, an unhooded front blade, and a full-length hardwood stock with the Swedish brass stock disk. Clear Husqvarna receiver markings and a Vermont-applied U.S. import stamp near the muzzle add verifiable provenance for collectors.
Condition
Overall Condition: Very good condition, showing only light, superficial signs of prior handling or use.
Bore Condition: Good - Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: Wear and use are consistent with military surplus service.
What’s Included
- Husqvarna m/38 bolt-action rifle chambered in 6.5x55 Swedish
Built by Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag and receiver-marked with "HUSQVARNA VAPENFABRIKS AKTIEBOLAG" over "1942," this m/38 represents WWII-era Swedish production. It uses the small-ring, cock-on-close Mauser system with a turned-down (bent) bolt handle and an internal 5-round magazine, and it is chambered in the classic 6.5x55 Swedish. The rifle has a 24 in barrel that matches the short rifle configuration.
The furniture on this example is an earlier m/96-type configuration: a full-length hardwood stock with long finger grooves and a separate upper handguard, a pattern commonly seen on rifles updated to m/96/38 specification rather than on new-production HVA m/38 stocks (which are smooth, slab-sided). The brass Swedish stock disk with Torped/Överslag segments is present. Two barrel bands are fitted, with a front bayonet lug. A steel buttplate is installed and is stamped with the last three digits of the serial. Sling provisions include a left-side fore-end bar and a bottom rear sling swivel.
Length of pull measures 14.0 inches.
Sighting equipment is military issue, with iron sights consisting of a tangent rear sight set into a windowed upper handguard and an unhooded front blade. A 3-position wing safety is mounted at the rear of the bolt, consistent with the Mauser platform. The bore is clean with well-defined rifling, aligning with the stated condition.
Provenance marks include the Husqvarna receiver legend and a U.S. import stamp near the muzzle applied in Vermont, with a partial "...SWAN VT" visible on the barrel. These markings provide clear identification and import history for this Swedish military rifle.