Smith & Wesson / Husqvarna model A
- Thread starter jimshorts
- Start date
jimshorts,
The Husqvarnas are excellent rifles before they went to pushfeed actions. I just gave a mint little Model 4100 in 308 to one of my twins and I consider that high praise for the rifle.
The Husqvarnas were ahead of their time in providing factory lightweight rifles. They used excellent "improved" Mauser 98 actions and the better grades had adjustable triggers. On your particular piece, the barrel length may be a bit short for optimum performance out of the 300 Win (personally, I rather have a 30/06 in a 22-inch barrel--and if memory serves that was their longest barrel length) but if the condition is right, I'd surely trade any Remington clip fed piece for it in about any calibre and would be in danger of wrenching both arm and shoulder reaching to make the swap.
The DBI book BOLT ACTION RIFLES by Frank DeHaas has a section on the Husqvarnas and S&W rifles for more detail. There is (?was?) also, I believe, a Husqvarna enthusiasts web site which at least lists history of the company and delineates the different models.
If you want a well build, light weight hunting rifle, you won't be disappointed in a Husqvarna--the particular calibre will require hand loading to yield optimal ballistics out of the short bbl with the short mag Winchester rd.
The Husqvarnas are excellent rifles before they went to pushfeed actions. I just gave a mint little Model 4100 in 308 to one of my twins and I consider that high praise for the rifle.
The Husqvarnas were ahead of their time in providing factory lightweight rifles. They used excellent "improved" Mauser 98 actions and the better grades had adjustable triggers. On your particular piece, the barrel length may be a bit short for optimum performance out of the 300 Win (personally, I rather have a 30/06 in a 22-inch barrel--and if memory serves that was their longest barrel length) but if the condition is right, I'd surely trade any Remington clip fed piece for it in about any calibre and would be in danger of wrenching both arm and shoulder reaching to make the swap.
The DBI book BOLT ACTION RIFLES by Frank DeHaas has a section on the Husqvarnas and S&W rifles for more detail. There is (?was?) also, I believe, a Husqvarna enthusiasts web site which at least lists history of the company and delineates the different models.
If you want a well build, light weight hunting rifle, you won't be disappointed in a Husqvarna--the particular calibre will require hand loading to yield optimal ballistics out of the short bbl with the short mag Winchester rd.
JimShorts:
The push feed and major departure from the Mauser 98 action (i.e. anything more dramatic than the BRNO ZKK's and earlier controlled feed Husqvarnas) bothers me a fair bit though that's a personal committment I made years ago and have seen no reason to change. I don't buy push feed actions and even my little Hornets and 223's are Mauser CRF actions.
The shift to push feed actions was essentially a cost economy matter and then marketed as increased strength. The virtue of the Mauser actions are heavily discussed in most of these rifle forums and include a fair bit of emotion. Most often the pro-pushfeed discusssion is taken by younger folks who grew up in the Post-64 error (pardon, I meant era) when the push feed actions were the norm--and by those who are taken with the Weatherbys.
Only recently, as manufacturers have returned to CRF, has the issue been one that most shooters were even aware of and like every fad pushed in the gun magazines, many have hopped on the CRF hobbyhorse. Personally, I'd rather not go into it again. IF you're happy with the Remington 700, I think you'll find the Husqvarna somewhat better fitted and finished though I will say that I have only the most passing familiarity with the post CRF weapons.
The late Finn Aagaard probably stated the case for the Mauser action most eloquently and definitively in several articles for AMERICAN RIFLEMAN which can be readily found in the NRA's collection of his articles in the large format paperbound titled HUNTING RIFLES AND CARTRIDGES. But to answer your question about the importance to me, I'll just say that while pushfeeds were the norm and Pre-64 WInchesters and LE Brownings were at their peak in price, it was important enough to me that I hunted almost exclusively with Ruger No. 1's and worked hard to find BRNO's which were hard to come by in CONUS during the Cold War.
Hope this is helpful. If you like the rifle and are not committed to CRF, I don't think you'll have any complaints about the S&W/Husqvarna as long as it hasn't been abused or cheaply gunsmithed.
The push feed and major departure from the Mauser 98 action (i.e. anything more dramatic than the BRNO ZKK's and earlier controlled feed Husqvarnas) bothers me a fair bit though that's a personal committment I made years ago and have seen no reason to change. I don't buy push feed actions and even my little Hornets and 223's are Mauser CRF actions.
The shift to push feed actions was essentially a cost economy matter and then marketed as increased strength. The virtue of the Mauser actions are heavily discussed in most of these rifle forums and include a fair bit of emotion. Most often the pro-pushfeed discusssion is taken by younger folks who grew up in the Post-64 error (pardon, I meant era) when the push feed actions were the norm--and by those who are taken with the Weatherbys.
Only recently, as manufacturers have returned to CRF, has the issue been one that most shooters were even aware of and like every fad pushed in the gun magazines, many have hopped on the CRF hobbyhorse. Personally, I'd rather not go into it again. IF you're happy with the Remington 700, I think you'll find the Husqvarna somewhat better fitted and finished though I will say that I have only the most passing familiarity with the post CRF weapons.
The late Finn Aagaard probably stated the case for the Mauser action most eloquently and definitively in several articles for AMERICAN RIFLEMAN which can be readily found in the NRA's collection of his articles in the large format paperbound titled HUNTING RIFLES AND CARTRIDGES. But to answer your question about the importance to me, I'll just say that while pushfeeds were the norm and Pre-64 WInchesters and LE Brownings were at their peak in price, it was important enough to me that I hunted almost exclusively with Ruger No. 1's and worked hard to find BRNO's which were hard to come by in CONUS during the Cold War.
Hope this is helpful. If you like the rifle and are not committed to CRF, I don't think you'll have any complaints about the S&W/Husqvarna as long as it hasn't been abused or cheaply gunsmithed.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Seems to me that unless one is bounding about while reloading, or reloading in the face of a critter which would happily bite your head off or stomp all over you, push feed is fine.
"More strength" might be of interest to a target shooter, so push feed is just fine.
For "normal" hunting here in the US, I don't see where it makes any difference at all. I have both types of rifles; have hunted deer with them since way, way back--and have never noticed that anything was ever affected.
'Scuse me. Gotta go check the sight-in of my push feed Sako.
Art
"More strength" might be of interest to a target shooter, so push feed is just fine.
For "normal" hunting here in the US, I don't see where it makes any difference at all. I have both types of rifles; have hunted deer with them since way, way back--and have never noticed that anything was ever affected.
'Scuse me. Gotta go check the sight-in of my push feed Sako.
Art
Gee, Art, mostly when I reload I sit at my bench since my Rockchuckers not set up for Bergans carry....(I'd do one of those twitty smiling faces were I computer literate).
'Course, I seem to remember a fellow who wrote under the name of "Gayle Rivers" who talked about collecting his spent shotshells and reloading along the way during a "Classified" assassination mission. He didn't have controlled feed rifles either...
jimshorts:
Seriously, though I'm not up on collector's prices--and there is apparently a Husqvarna collector's association--I would suggest that the lack of controlled feed will affect resale value of the Husqvarna in question should you opt to move it on later. Just depends on what your interests are and what value you place on the two actions--you've got 2 pts of view now...
'Course, I seem to remember a fellow who wrote under the name of "Gayle Rivers" who talked about collecting his spent shotshells and reloading along the way during a "Classified" assassination mission. He didn't have controlled feed rifles either...
jimshorts:
Seriously, though I'm not up on collector's prices--and there is apparently a Husqvarna collector's association--I would suggest that the lack of controlled feed will affect resale value of the Husqvarna in question should you opt to move it on later. Just depends on what your interests are and what value you place on the two actions--you've got 2 pts of view now...
Thanks Guys;
I wasn't looking for a dicussion on push feed vs. CF or collectors value of the Husqvarna. I was just wondering if the Husqvarna is of comparable quality as my 700. I like the weight and feel of the Husky. I have a fondness for the 30.06 round for my first rifle was a M700 bdl in 30.06. My local gun shop will let me shoot the Husky before I decide to buy. If it shoots as well as my 700 I figured I could load the 300 win mag. down to 30.06 levels for whitetail hunting in PA. and yet have the faster 180 grain loadings for tougher critters in other parts of the country.
Thanks again for taking the time for your comments. Just have to try one of those smiley faces.
I wasn't looking for a dicussion on push feed vs. CF or collectors value of the Husqvarna. I was just wondering if the Husqvarna is of comparable quality as my 700. I like the weight and feel of the Husky. I have a fondness for the 30.06 round for my first rifle was a M700 bdl in 30.06. My local gun shop will let me shoot the Husky before I decide to buy. If it shoots as well as my 700 I figured I could load the 300 win mag. down to 30.06 levels for whitetail hunting in PA. and yet have the faster 180 grain loadings for tougher critters in other parts of the country.
Thanks again for taking the time for your comments. Just have to try one of those smiley faces.