AL, Swedish designation Ksp 58. Originally designed for 6.5 mm ammunition, for ease of use with the older service rifle M96 - i.e. Mauser (which I've fired, liked it).
The Swedish defense later switched to the H&K G3, military designation Ak4 (Automatkarbin 4/Automatic Carbine 4), which utilizes the 7.62x51 mm round. The timing of the switch I am not sure of, but the Ksp58/MAG 58 was rechambered for the new round. The 7.62 version is called Ksp58B.
According to
www.soldf.com there's still 6.5 mm ammo left since the great production of early 20th century.
The Ak4/G3 has since been replaced by the 5.56 mm Ak5 (FN FNC 80), produced under license of Bofors. The Ak4 is still in use in Hemvärnet, an organization vaguely resembling the U.S. National Guard.
The Mauser had found its way to the "Boy Scout Militias" (my term, suggesting FBU Ungdom, Flygvapnets Ungdomsförening, and so on) - civilian units resembling militarized Boy Scouts and run by the military. Available for youths aged 15-20, no combat training is conducted for personell under 18 years of age. In accordance with Swedish law, you need to be over 17 years old to handle automatic weapons. In the areas around Stockholm, this means the Ak5 carbine. Because of political pressure, those under 17 years of age have transfered to the use of .22 long rifles. I suppose that means the end of the M96/Mauser.
I would not be suprised if G3/Ak4s have also found their way to Estonia, but I have not confirmed this. A lot of military surplus is transferred accross the puddle. This is partly because of economic profit reasons in conjunction with the disbandment of units in and the reorganization of the Swedish military from an invasion defense towards a task force oriented one (poor translation of
Insatsförsvar: task force, rapid reaction units)
Martin
Linear Mode
