Carl Gustaf 1896

The History of Carl Gustaf

The Carl Gustaf company was founded in 1812. First known as Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori or ‘Rifle Factory of Carl Gustaf's Town’, it was serving as a state arsenal. After the king of Sweden Karl X Gustav gave the city privileges to the town of Eskilstuna, it was thenceforth often referred to as 'Carl Gustav's town'.

In the first years of operating, the company primarily manufactured small arms for the Swedish Army, starting a long-lasting tradition of firearms making. For over two centuries Carl Gustaf has been known for many popular small arms, many of them relying on foreign design – such were for instance Mausers M94, M38, M1896 (often touted as the Swedish Mauser), the M41, and the Remington M1867 rolling block rifle. The governmental agency Försvarets Fabriksverk (FFV), the complex often referred to as FFV-Carl Gustaf, managed the factory from 1943 to 1991.

One of the biggest breakthroughs in CG weapon design happened in 1942 with the introduction of a single-shot M/42 AT anti-tank weapon for the infantry which had been used until 1944. In 1946, it was replaced by the 84 mm recoilless rifle which is still one of the most widespread anti-tank systems in use today. In the late 50s, a commercial variant of the M1986 became available under the name Carl Gustaf M63 which was in service from the late 1950s until the early to mid-1960s.

In 1970 the FFV-Carl Gustaf bought the Husquarna Group, and they took over the production of various models, such as the 1900 hunting rifle which was later upgraded to the 2000 series. The production of CG 2000 was postponed when the company purchased the rights to import the unrefined and finished rifles from Sauer. Consequently, various Sauer models were sold under the Carl Gustaf brand – Sauer 80 as Carl Gustaf 3000 and Sauer 200 as Carl Gustaf 4000. Near the turn of the century, the company started making the model 2000 once again.

From 1970 until 1985, a Swedish-made version of the G3A3 named the AK 4 was manufactured exclusively by Carl Gustaf in Eskilstuna. It was succeeded by the AK 5 assault rifle in 1986, being the primary weapon of the Swedish Army at the time.

In the 90s, the Calf Gustaf was under the parentage of Celsius Group which was bought by Saab AB in 1999. Later, the United Defense Industries took over the heavy weapons department. Nowadays the company consists of Swedish BAE Systems AB and Saab AB with British BAE Systems and Saab Bofors Dynamics being subsidiary divisions. The Saab company specializes in the production of fighter systems, submarines, and ground combat weapons. With the fourth generation of the 84mm recoilless gun – the CG A4 – they are keeping the trademark alive, staying loyal to the Carl Gustaf tradition of high-quality weaponry.

Carl Gustaf 1896 Rifle Review

Carl Gustaf 1896 is a bolt-action rifle often referred to as the Swedish Mauser. After Mauser adopted the M94 carbine, the M96 was introduced as the long-version rifle that was configured for infantry use. The M96 infantry variant was unveiled in 1896, and production continued in Germany until the Swedish facilities were prepared to begin the manufacturing process.

The so-called best "Swedish steel," which the Swedes believed to be so good that its composition remained constant throughout manufacture, was used by Mauser to build 40,000 rifles in 1899 as a supplement to the Carl Gustaf factory's production. Apart from a few minor design changes, such as finger grooves on the sides of the forearm for better grip and an additional cleaning rod tucked under the front of the barrel close to the bayonet lug, the weapon is generally similar to the M94 Carbine. The sling swivels are positioned at the bottom of the stock and forearm. Due to the longer length of the rifle, the rear, factory-installed sight is taller. Carl Gustaf 1896 has a large straight bolt handle. The bolt system and receiver design are identical to the M94 Mauser. The rifle uses a Mauser bolt with two large locking lugs that lock safely with the action’s housing. Eventually, the third safety lug was added on the back end of the bolt.

The cock-on-close action mechanism makes it possible for the firing pin spring to not be under tension during bolt opening. Only when the bolt is pushed into the closed position does the rifle cock. A Mauser-style flag safety with a disassembly lever in the middle is located at the rear top end of the receiver.

It should be noted that naming confusion might arise when comparing CG 1896 with 1900 markings on the receiver and the CG 1900 produced (1967-1979). You can learn more on the topic of the Carl Gustaf receiver markings in our article which is available here:

Figure 1: Carl Gustaf M96, manufactured in 1922, chambered for 6.5x55 SE (Source: https://www.icollector.com/Non-Restricted-rifle-Carl-Gustaf-1922-model-M-96-Swedish-Mauser-6-5X55-bolt-action-w-bbl-length_i36707635)

Carl Gustaf 1896 Calibers 

Carl Gustaf 1896 can be chambered for the following calibers:

• 6.5x55 SE

Carl Gustaf 1896 receivers come without holes therefore they must be manually drilled by a gunsmith.

Figure 2: The receiver of Carl Gustaf 1896, chambered for 6.5x55 SE (Source: https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/husqvarna-rifles/husqvarna-vapenfabriks-aktiebolag-1942-6-5x55-swed-rifle.cfm?gun_id=100797165)

A: /

B: /

C: /

BHU: 2.4 mm

Ø: /

R1: R16,5

R2: R14/30°

Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Carl Gustaf 1896

Rifles That Have One-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Carl Gustaf 1896

All the rifles listed in the category below have one-piece mounts interchangeable with Carl Gustaf 1896. For one-piece mounts to fit on a rifle, mounting surfaces on these rifles must match in every dimension. Rifles that share the same dimensions and mounting surface with Carl Gustaf 1896 are:

• Mauser M96

• Mauser M94 (1894)

• Mauser M38

• Mauser M41

Rifles That Have Two-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Carl Gustaf 1896

All the rifles listed in the category below have two-piece mounts interchangeable with Carl Gustaf 1896.

• Mauser M96

• Mauser M94 (1894)

• Mauser M38

• Mauser M41

Please note that as the CG 1896 comes without holes in the receiver, the interchangeability conditions depend on the overall length and shape of the receiver.

Best Scope Mounts for Carl Gustaf 1896

Fixed Scope Mounts for Carl Gustaf 1896

If you are looking for a fixed mounting solution for your Carl Gustaf 1896, we recommend this two-piece scope mount manufactured by the German company MAK. It is made of high-quality steel and comes with a thirty-year warranty.

Order MAKfix Rings with Bases

Detachable Repeatable Scope Mounts for Carl Gustaf 1896

This two-piece repeatable pivot mount produced by the German company EAW is a suitable solution for Carl Gustaf 1896. It is easy to install and comes with a thirty-year warranty.

Check out EAW pivot mount

Picatinny Rails for Carl Gustaf 1896

The holes on the receiver of Carl Gustaf 1896 must be manually drilled. This Picatinny rail made by the German company EAW is made of high-quality steel and comes with a thirty-year warranty.

Click here for EAW Steel Picatinny

Help Us Build Our Riflescope Mounts Database

If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the scope mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.

Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: info@optics-trade.eu