The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

With the help of a friend who pointed me to it I managed to pick up a very nice Finn marked m96 Swedish mauser. Fairly low production year at around 5k units built. Every number I have found is matching. Great bore as expected, quality all around. I cant wait to take it to the range after a good cleaning. It's still caked in grease internally.

Stock disk

Very nice indeed

I have it's older brother, 500886. SA marked and matching down to the screws. The SA mark means it was issued to someone and probably saw action. The Swedes donated, sold, or bartered over 80,000 m/96s to the Finns, most made between 1917 and 1925. They went to the more frigid regions since they seemed to hold up to the cold weather. Others usually to rear echelon troops and Swede volunteers. Mine looks like it's been through some serious action.

Good numbers on the disk, look behind the trigger guard for crowns stamped on the stock. Do any of them have a letter under them? That would probably indicate it's had a new barrel installed at the arsenal. Should be the same crown on the barrel just past the receiver under the wood if so.

Enjoy it, everyone needs at least one Swedish m/96.

sheepdog wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2020 10:27 am The SA mark means it was issued to someone and probably saw action.

[SA] was Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) ownership marking from 1942 to 1969. It only proofs the rifle was in the hands of the FDF during those years, either in one of the depots or in an unit. Non-Mosin Nagant rifles were mostly used by the front line units from 1939 to 1941.

Mangrove wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2020 10:51 am

sheepdog wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2020 10:27 am The SA mark means it was issued to someone and probably saw action.

[SA] was Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) ownership marking from 1942 to 1969. It only proofs the rifle was in the hands of the FDF during those years, either in one of the depots or in an unit. Non-Mosin Nagant rifles were mostly used by the front line units from 1939 to 1941.

Large amount of weapons used by the Swedish volunteers during the Winter War were donated to the Finnish Army after the Winter War. It is safe to say most of these would have received the SA stamp at some time after the 1942 when the SA stamp was introduced.

Same goes for the weapons the Continuation War volunteers left behind

"deliveries began promptly and the first lot consisted of a total of 52,000 rifles and 12.2 million cartridges were shipped to Finland in January 1940. 15,000 and 5 million cartridges were shipped, followed by 10,000 more rifles ans 2 million more cartridges in March 1940. The rifles from the first deliveries were distributed to troops on the northern front, anti aircraft units, coastal artillery units and the home guard."

"All told Finland recieved about 85,000 rifles from Sweden during the Winter War. When the Winter War ended on May 13, 1940 the last lots of the swedish rifles had still not been unpacked."

"A total of 52,063 were still on the Finnish Army's books by the end of The Continuation War in 1944."

Quoted from Crown Jewels, the Mauser in Sweden by Dana Jones, pages 135-140.

I wasn't around in 1944 so I have to go by what I read. From what else I have read written by respected Swedish Mauser collectors is that the ones that recieved the SA stamp were the ones that saw action.

The Finns who carried the '96 weren't badly armed. It is a reach out and touch someone gun.

Nice acquisition. A SA marked M96 has eluded me so far! I am looking forward to your report on it after a trip to the range and assume it will perform admirably.


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I just checked a few things, there are no crown stamps on the wrist and the cleaning rod doesnt match. Everything else does. Thanks for the comments guys

Cleaning rods rarely match. Your rifle is still considered matching by Swede collectors. Have you had it out of its stock yet? Check for crowns on the barrel as well as a serial number in the same font as the number on the receiver. The band's come off easy once you know the trick.

I'll be taking it out of the wood for a good cleaning this week. The grease in the action and feed ramp for example has hardened up, I'm sure theres more inside that needs cleaned up.

That's a very nice Swede! Congratulations!!!

The SA M-96 has eluded me too. And anymore, it seems that it's getting uncommon to find fully matching examples of the M-96, i.e., the barrel band and nose cap often, now, are non matching. Sweet gun and nice range plate. Congrats!!

That's a beautiful rifle, I really want one for my Finnish collection. I've owned a couple M96's and they were great rifles but I neeeed that SA mark haha.

sheepdog wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2020 11:48 am I wasn't around in 1944 so I have to go by what I read. From what else I have read written by respected Swedish Mauser collectors is that the ones that recieved the SA stamp were the ones that saw action.

Some 31,000 M/96 were returned after the Winter War as per request by the Government of Sweden. Only about half of the remaining M/96 were issued during 1941 and most units using them were either disbanded in late 1941 or rearmed with Mosin Nagants in 1942. Again, [SA] marking only indicated the rifle was the property of the Finnish Defence Forces sometime between 1942 and 1969, not that it was issued from depots to any unit or individual. The main purpose of the [SA] marking was to prevent individuals making false claims of ownership of state-issued and captured weapons and other equipment.

excellent find,congrads.

MongooseLaw wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 6:09 am That's a beautiful rifle, I really want one for my Finnish collection. I've owned a couple M96's and they were great rifles but I need that SA mark haha.

You may need to add an Italian SA marked rifle at some point to complete a Finn collection.

SA marked 96, nice, something I have never seen for sale

I've got an SA marked m38 carcano that interestingly used a rebored 1896 dated 6.5 barrel.

Well you know the caked grease limits it true value. I know you're a nice guy, so I will swap you a decreased Chinese T53 and 100 rounds of some 7.62 X 54 R that might work even up. Hell I'll pay your shipping and mine and throw in a combo tool. Sound good? Send me a pm and we can get this done in no time.

Seriously, that is a great looking piece. Enjoy it. But if the deal is attractive to you, let me know.