Carl Gustaf m/38

About the Carl Gustaf m/38

The Carl Gustaf m/38 (Gevär m/38) is a Swedish bolt-action short rifle, a shortened development of the m/96 service rifle chambered in the flat-shooting 6.5x55mm cartridge. Adopted in 1938 amid a worldwide move toward handier short rifles, it retained the small-ring Mauser action and high-grade Swedish steel of its parent while trimming the barrel to 587 mm. Early examples were m/96 long rifles cut down by Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori, while later purpose-built rifles by Husqvarna featured turned-down bolt handles and a tangent rear sight.

The m/38 reflects Sweden's pragmatic interwar choice: rather than design a wholly new rifle, the army shortened proven m/96 Mausers into a handier package. Collectors distinguish straight-bolt Carl Gustaf conversions from turned-down-bolt Husqvarna builds, both still wearing the famed 6.5x55 chambering renowned for accuracy and mild recoil.

Carl Gustaf m/38 specifications

Two principal types exist: Type I conversions of m/96 rifles (mostly straight bolt handles) and Type II new-production Husqvarna rifles (turned-down bolt handles). Sweden's neutrality kept the m/38 largely out of combat; it served second-line and home-guard roles and is prized on the surplus market.