In a world of space age polymers, carbon fiber, and CNC mills everything is getting lighter and more efficient. As much as we can all appreciate these new materials, sometimes older tools just have more soul. There is and will always be a certain panache to blued steel and hardwood. In fact, many consider the 1950’s the golden age of the hunting rifle. Back then a hunting rifle was steel, a bullet was lead, and scouting meant miles on the ground. The Husqvarna 1640 is a vestige of this bygone era, and today we look at it’s practicality in the 21st century.
History
Long before they were making chainsaws and lawnmowers Husqvarna was manufacturing firearms. During the first half of the 20th century they focused on making Mauser 96 based rifles. The Mauser 96 is a slimmer, cock-on-close precursor to the famous Mauser 98. Although not quite as stout of an action as the M98, the Mauser 96 was strong enough for the Swedish military cartridge of the day, the 6.5×55 Swede.
In 1939 Husqvarna began manufacturing Mauser 98’s off of actions they purchased from the Belgian firm FN Herstal. These were quality firearms, but Husqvarna didn’t like relying on one of their fiercest competitors for such a key component. This lead to the internal development of an improved M98 action at Husqvarna. In 1953 they unveiled their 1600 series action and began building rifles on it.
The 1600 series (HVA) action which the Husqvarna 1640 is built on is essentially a small-ring Mauser 98 with a few small improvements. Chief among these is a slide safety to make scope mounting easier. Additionally, there is a different bolt release and spring loaded ejector system. Husqvarna manufactured these actions until 1969 when they switched to a cheaper to manufacture push-feed design.
Features
The Husqvarna 1640 is a controlled round feed design with a 5 round drop floorplate magazine. The rifles came standard with iron sights, and a two position slide safety which locks the bolt. Like most controlled feed designs there is a mechanical ejector and a large claw extractor.
In the factory stock the rifles weigh a hair under 7lbs without an optic. The barrels came primarily in 600mm and 500mm lengths. This works out to around 23.5 inches and 20 inches for our metrically challenged friends to the south. My copy of the Husqvarna 1640 is chambered in 30-06, but they were manufactured in a number of popular American and European cartridges.
Strengths
Perhaps my favorite aspect of the Husqvarna 1640 is the action. The controlled round feed smoothly feeds and extracts smoothly every time. If you have never shot a CRF rifle, you don’t have to overcome the ejector when dropping the bolt, making for a smooth operating rifle. In addition to the smooth operation, like all Mauser 98 based designs the Husqvarna 1640 has a very safe operating system with good gas venting and a 3rd safety lug.
Also, the Husky is a durable rifle. All of the parts are made of wood and steel and are build to stand up to abuse. The large claw extractor easily extracted everything, including an old Dominion case that blew out during firing. Compared to contemporary plastic stocks and trigger guards, the 1640 feels built to last.
Next, the Husqvarna has solid accuracy. With factory Hornady Precision Hunter the rifle shot around 1.2-1.3MOA. However, with a pet handload shooting a 165gr Sierra Gameking the 1640 turned in several groups ranging from 0.6-0.9 MOA. For a tougher bullet option, the 130 grain Barnes TTSX at 3250 fps shot just under 1 MOA. This leaves nothing to scoff at from gun that is over 60 years old.
Finally, these old rifles are one of the best deals on the canadian firearms market. Properly functioning copies sell for as little as 400 CAD. Because these rifles come with iron sights, this means that you can get in the woods for well under 500 dollars.
Weaknesses
However, the Husqvarna 1640 does have a few quirks. One of the most significant problems is that the original stocks are notorious for cracking at the tang. This can be fixed by a good glass bedding job. For most people, this means a trip to the gunsmith and is something to be aware of when searching for one of these old rifles.
Interestingly enough, Husqvarna twisted the 1640 30 caliber barrels with a 1:12 twist. If the 30-06 is the chambering of your rifle, be aware it may not stabilize heavy for caliber bullets. Be particularly concious of this while shooting monometal bullets due to their long lengths.
Next, the 1640 has a mediocre trigger. While it is fairly crisp, it pulls quite heavy around 7-8lbs. This is typical of most Mauser 98 triggers. Historically, Timney Triggers made a quality drop in replacement trigger that improved the pull. Sadly, these have been out of production for a good long while and are hard to find.
Thirdly, like most Mauser 98 designs, the Husqvarna has a lot of play in the bolt at the end of it’s travel. This doesn’t affect function but does feel less precise than the bolt on something like a Bergara B-14. The significance of this is really in the eye of the beholder.
Finally, it bears keeping in mind that we are talking about a rifle that has been out of production for over 50 years. While there is some parts compatibility with the Mauser 98, finding spare parts can be challenging and often depends on cannabilizing another rifle.
Competition
This rifle falls into an interesting niche, because for the price the competition is primarily new plastic stocked rifles like the Savage Axis and the Ruger American. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a similar rifle function wise, the old Brno Mausers and pre-64 Winchester Model 70’s are much more similar.
When compared to the modern polymer stocked rifles, the 1640 is likely not quite as accurate with a wide range of ammunition. However, in terms of reliability, durability, and pride of ownership the Husky wins hands down. For the money I definitely prefer the Husqvarna, but for those seeking the absolute most accuracy per dollar there may be better options.
Compared to the rifles of its day, the 1640 stacks up very well. Personally I find the Husqvarna to be every bit as smooth as the legendary Winchester Model 70. Additionally, the Husqvarna is lighter than most of its contemporaries. This makes it a bear to shoot from the bench in the heavier chamberings, but much less arduous to carry in the field.
Closing Thoughts
In closing, the Husqvarna 1640 is an excellent rifle that has held up well over the years. These rifles are affordable and will serve as well today as they did 60 years ago. For those who enjoy vintage firearms and using a tool that was designed for function instead of economy of manufacture, the Husqvarna HVA fits the bill.