"20 Years Ago" at a Military Rifle Match...

[Old No7]

I just stumbled across this old image -- 20 years old! -- of me in a Swedish Uniform to match my m/38b Swede at a military match my club was hosting. I still have all the equipment; that is, all the gear a Swedish soldier would have been issued -- except for the bicycle. But haven't worn it in years... Come to think of it, it's been awhile since I shot the 'ol Swede too. Gotta get that out to the range again. For a rifle made in 1943 at the height of a world war, it looks like it was made yesterday.

Old No7

Swede 2.jpg

[Old No7]

Here's a couple of more from that era...

Old No7

Me and Swedish m38-b WWII Uniform (Medium).jpg

I always liked "Swedish blondes"...

Swedish Gevar m38-b Short Rifle.jpg

[gamekeeper]

Smart looking outfit Daryl and together with a beautiful rifle but what is the plaque on the stock ?.

[Griff]

Smart looking outfit Daryl and together with a beautiful rifle but what is the plaque on the stock ?.

Looks to be in some foreign language...

A 1911 and you'd fit right in at a Wild Bunch match in the Doughboy category... I'd bet no one would even notice the slightly out of time uniform. I'm looking for a Naval Flag Officer's uniform of the pre-WWI era... just need a large economy sized flag officer! I'd really like a NZ uniform... but will settle for a US.

[Old No7]

Smart looking outfit Daryl and together with a beautiful rifle but what is the plaque on the stock ?.

Thanks John. Hope all is well over there -- and that you're enjoying a pint or 2!

That's the Range Plate they added to m/38 short rifles (different one were used for the shorter m/94 carbines or the longer-barreled m/96 rifles) so soldiers could adjust their aim when they used the older round-nose ammo due to the flatter shooting spire-point (spitzer or spire) shaped bullets, or vice versa. I had to look at my notes, as it's been so long since I reviewed them, but:
...."Sikte for spetskula" means "Sights for pointed bullets"
...."Skjutning med trubbkula" means "Shooting with round-nose bullets"
...."Avstand" means "Distance"

m38 Swede Range Decal.jpg

"Sikte/Rp" (Rp is short for "Riktpunkt") which means "Sights/Point of Aim". The numbers shown mean that at 50 meters (this m/38 was made in 1943 and was thus sighted for the more modern spire points) you'd use the 150 meter scale on the stock sights for round-nose ammo, and so on, due to the higher velocity of the pointed bullets which had a flatter trajectory. (On older m/94 or m/96 Swedes, the plates would convert from round-nose to spire points). At a distance of 450 meters, on the m/38 you'd use the sight setting for 600 meters (again, using the round-nose bullets) and aim dead-on. The +4 for 500 meters means to add 5 strecks, with a streck roughly equivalent to 1/10th meter at 100 yards (there are 6,300 strecks to a circle, when used as a measure for the angle of elevation).

Many older Swedes had the range plates removed (as they were nailed on), but reproduction decals are available on ebay. And some "short rifles" started out life as the longer m/96s but were cut down, called "m96/38", and those will have straight bolts) with different sights and a corresponding range plate added.

Cheers! Or should I say "Skaall!"

Old No7

[Old No7]

A funny comment about the Swedish ammo belt in this image...

I paid $50 for it, if I recall, as it was sold as a "Swedish WWII Ammo Belt" as surplus.

But at the time I bought it, if it had been advertised as a "Chewbacca/Star Wars Leather Ammo Belt"..........

...It would have sold for $200 as a "collectible".

Old No7

Swedish Ammo belt.jpg

[Griff]

A funny comment about the Swedish ammo belt in this image...
I paid $50 for it, if I recall, as it was sold as a "Swedish WWII Ammo Belt" as surplus.
But at the time I bought it, if it had been advertised as a "Chewbacca/Star Wars Leather Ammo Belt"..........
...It would have sold for $200 as a "collectible".
Old No7
Swedish Ammo belt.jpg

[Ysabel Kid]

Excellent! And here I thought you just had your Civil War outfit!