Husqvarna is a name most people associate with chainsaws, motorcycles, and sewing machines — but the company's history as a firearms manufacturer is among the oldest and most distinguished in the world. For over 300 years, from 1689 to 1989, Husqvarna produced firearms for the Swedish military, hunters, and sport shooters, building a reputation for precision engineering, exceptional metallurgy, and understated Scandinavian quality. The Husqvarna bolt-action rifles of the mid-20th century, built on Mauser and later proprietary actions, are still prized by hunters and collectors for their accuracy, durability, and elegant design. This is the story of a royal arsenal that became a sporting legend.
Founding: The Royal Arsenal at Huskvarna
The Husqvarna story begins in 1689 — a time when Sweden was a major European military power under King Charles XI. The Swedish crown, needing a reliable domestic source of muskets for its expanding army, ordered the establishment of a royal arms factory at the waterfalls of Huskvarna (then spelled "Husqvarna") in the province of Småland, southern Sweden. The location was chosen for its water power — the falls provided energy for the boring, grinding, and milling machinery needed to manufacture rifle barrels — and for its relative isolation, which protected the strategically important factory from attack.
The original facility was a state-owned enterprise, part of Sweden's military-industrial complex. It produced muskets, pistols, and swords for the Swedish army throughout the 18th century, equipping the forces that fought in the Great Northern War (1700-1721) and subsequent conflicts. The quality of Husqvarna's products was rigorously enforced by royal inspectors, establishing a culture of precision manufacturing that would define the company for centuries.
In 1757, the factory was privatized and sold to Fredrik Ehrenpreus, a Swedish nobleman and industrialist. Under Ehrenpreus and his successors, Husqvarna expanded beyond military contracts into civilian products: hunting rifles, shotguns, and eventually sewing machines, stoves, bicycles, and the motorcycles and chainsaws for which the brand is now best known. But firearms remained a core part of Husqvarna's identity — and its connection to Sweden's military continued through both world wars.
By the 19th century, Husqvarna had transitioned from muzzle-loading muskets to breech-loading rifles, adopting the rolling-block and bolt-action designs that were revolutionizing military small arms. The company produced Remington rolling-block rifles under license for the Swedish military, as well as Mauser-pattern bolt-action rifles that would form the basis of Husqvarna's most famous sporting designs.
The Early Years: From Rolling Blocks to Mausers
In 1867, Sweden adopted the Remington Rolling Block as its standard military rifle, designated the m/1867. Husqvarna was one of the primary manufacturers, producing tens of thousands of rifles in 12.17×44mmR — a large, black-powder centerfire cartridge. These rifles served the Swedish military through the late 19th century and were later converted to smaller calibers or sold as surplus, finding their way into the hands of civilian hunters and target shooters across Scandinavia.
The real turning point for Husqvarna's firearms division came in 1894, when Sweden adopted the Mauser Model 1894 carbine — a purpose-built military rifle chambered in the newly developed 6.5×55mm Swedish cartridge. The 6.5 Swede, as it is commonly known, is one of the most brilliant cartridge designs in history: flat-shooting, mild-recoiling, inherently accurate, and capable of taking game up to moose-sized with proper bullet placement. It remains popular with hunters worldwide more than a century after its introduction.
Husqvarna was not the primary manufacturer of the military m/94 and m/96 Mausers — that role fell to the state-owned Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori in Eskilstuna. But Husqvarna produced components, including barrels and receivers, and after World War I, the company began acquiring surplus military Mauser actions and reworking them into sporting rifles for the civilian market. These early Husqvarna sporters, built on m/96 Swedish Mauser actions with new stocks, sights, and finishes, established the template for the company's future: take a proven military action, refine it with Swedish craftsmanship, and chamber it for the 6.5×55mm cartridge that Swedish hunters loved.
By the 1920s and 1930s, Husqvarna was producing complete sporting rifles in significant numbers. The Model 46, introduced in 1927, was the company's first purpose-built sporting bolt-action, utilizing a Mauser-type controlled-round-feed action. It was chambered primarily in 6.5×55mm and 9.3×57mm — a medium-bore cartridge popular in Sweden for moose and bear hunting. The Model 46 established Husqvarna's reputation for producing rifles that were accurate, reliable, and beautifully finished, with the understated elegance that characterizes Scandinavian design.
Key Historical Milestones
| Year | Milestone | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1689 | Royal arms factory established | King Charles XI orders construction at Huskvarna waterfalls, Sweden |
| 1757 | Factory privatized | Sold to Fredrik Ehrenpreus; expansion into civilian products begins |
| 1867 | Remington rolling block production | Licensed production of m/1867 for Swedish military |
| 1894 | 6.5×55mm Swedish adopted | Mauser cartridge that would define Husqvarna's sporting rifles |
| 1927 | Model 46 introduced | First purpose-built sporting bolt-action by Husqvarna |
| 1940s | Model 640/1640 series launched | FN Mauser 98 actions with Husqvarna barrels and stocks |
| 1953 | HVA action introduced | Husqvarna's proprietary bolt-action; streamlined, refined, distinctive |
| 1960s | 1900 series launched | Premium push-feed bolt-action positioned against Sako and Sauer |
| 1970 | Firearms division sold to FFV | Swedish government acquires military production; civilian line sold |
| 1989 | Husqvarna firearms production ends | After 300 years, the last Husqvarna-badged firearms are produced |
World War II and its aftermath brought significant changes to Husqvarna's firearms production. Sweden remained neutral during the war, but the global conflict demonstrated the obsolescence of the 6.5mm Mauser as a military cartridge. Sweden began developing a new semi-automatic battle rifle (which would become the Automatkarbin 4, a licensed version of the H&K G3), and Husqvarna's role as a military contractor began to shift.
After the war, Husqvarna doubled down on the civilian sporting market. The Model 640 series, produced from the late 1940s through the 1960s, used commercial FN Mauser 98 actions fitted with Husqvarna's own cold-hammer-forged barrels and elegantly styled walnut stocks. The 640 was chambered in a wide range of calibers — 6.5×55mm, .270 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, 9.3×62mm, and others — and was exported to the United States and other markets, where it competed directly with rifles from Winchester, Remington, and other established manufacturers. American hunters, accustomed to utilitarian designs, found the Husqvarna's fit, finish, and handling to be a revelation.
Iconic Firearms
Model 46 — The First Sporting Husqvarna
The Model 46 (and its variants, the 46A and 46B) is where Husqvarna's identity as a sporting rifle manufacturer truly crystallized. Built on a Mauser-type action with controlled-round-feed, the Model 46 featured a slender, beautifully proportioned walnut stock with a Schnabel forend, hand-cut checkering, and a rust-blued finish that gleamed with a deep, charcoal-blue luster. Chambered primarily in 6.5×55mm Swedish and 9.3×57mm, the Model 46 was a rifle built for Scandinavian hunting conditions: cold, wet, and demanding. It was light enough to carry all day, accurate enough for precise shot placement, and built to withstand brutal winters. Surviving examples are highly sought after by collectors today.
HVA Action Rifles (1640 Series) — Husqvarna's Own Design
In 1953, Husqvarna introduced its first proprietary bolt action, known as the HVA action (short for Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag). This was a significant departure from the Mauser actions Husqvarna had used previously. The HVA action was a streamlined, push-feed design with a slim receiver profile, a small-ring barrel shank, and a distinctive bolt handle that swept back gracefully. It was lighter than a Mauser 98, simpler to manufacture, and perfectly suited to the lightweight, fast-handling rifles that Scandinavian hunters preferred.
The HVA action rifles were sold under various model numbers — 1640, 1651, 1600 series — and were chambered in everything from .22-250 Remington to .358 Norma Magnum. The 1640, chambered in 6.5×55mm, is perhaps the archetypal Husqvarna: a rifle that balances like an extension of the shooter's body, delivers sub-MOA accuracy with factory ammunition, and handles recoil effortlessly. For many European hunters, the HVA-action Husqvarna remains the benchmark against which all other lightweight bolt-actions are measured.
1900 Series — The Premium Push-Feed
Introduced in the late 1960s, the 1900 series represented Husqvarna's push into the premium sporting rifle market. The 1900 used a sophisticated push-feed action with a three-lug bolt (allowing a 60-degree bolt lift), a Sako-style extractor, and a fully adjustable trigger. The stock was upgraded with higher-grade walnut and more elaborate checkering patterns. The 1900 was aimed squarely at the market segment occupied by Sako, Sauer, and the emerging premium rifle brands — but it arrived at a difficult time for Husqvarna's firearms division, which was already being restructured and sold.
Shotguns and Combination Guns
Husqvarna was not exclusively a rifle manufacturer — the company also produced shotguns and combination guns from the late 19th century onward. Husqvarna side-by-side shotguns, built on Anson & Deeley-style boxlock actions, were elegant, well-made hunting guns that competed with products from Belgian and British makers. The company's drilling and combination guns — multi-barrel firearms combining rifle and shotgun barrels — were particularly popular in Scandinavia, where versatile weapons capable of taking everything from grouse to moose were prized.
Legacy and Modern Era
The end of Husqvarna firearms production was gradual but definitive. In 1970, the company's firearms division was sold to FFV (Förenade Fabriksverken), the Swedish state-owned defense conglomerate. FFV continued to produce some civilian firearms under the Husqvarna name, but the focus shifted toward military contracts. The HVA action rifles continued in production for a few more years under FFV ownership, but the writing was on the wall: the economics of small-arms manufacturing had changed, and Husqvarna's parent company was more interested in chainsaws and motorcycles than in bolt-action rifles.
In 1989 — exactly 300 years after its founding — Husqvarna firearms production ceased entirely. The tooling for the HVA action was sold, and the intellectual property passed through various hands. Zoli of Italy acquired much of the tooling and produced rifles under the Husqvarna name for a brief period, but the connection to the original Swedish factory was essentially severed.
Today, Husqvarna firearms exist only as collector's items and hunting heirlooms — but what a legacy they represent. For three centuries, Husqvarna produced firearms that equipped armies, fed families, and won shooting competitions. The HVA-action rifles of the 1950s and 1960s are still actively hunted with around the world, their cold-hammer-forged barrels as accurate as the day they left the factory. The 6.5×55mm Swedish cartridge that Husqvarna helped popularize is enjoying a renaissance among American hunters and long-range shooters who have discovered its ballistic virtues.
Husqvarna rifles are characterized by a quality that is difficult to define but instantly recognizable to anyone who has handled one: they feel right. The balance, the wood-to-metal fit, the smoothness of the action — these are the hallmarks of a company that spent 300 years perfecting its craft. In an era of polymer, CNC machining, and cost-optimized production, a 1950s Husqvarna HVA reminds us what a rifle can be when it is built by people who view it not as a commodity but as a companion for a lifetime of hunting.
Husqvarna's barrel-making process was legendary in its own right. The company used Swedish Ordnance Steel — a proprietary chromium-molybdenum alloy developed for military applications — and cold-hammer-forged every barrel, a process that work-hardened the steel and produced a mirror-smooth bore surface that resisted fouling and delivered exceptional accuracy. Many Husqvarna rifles from the 1950s still shoot sub-MOA groups today, a testament to the metallurgy and manufacturing quality. Collectors prize Husqvarna rifles with original diopter sights, which were common on Swedish hunting rifles and provided precise, repeatable adjustments without the bulk of a telescopic sight — a feature that made Husqvarna rifles particularly popular for the driven hunts favored in Scandinavia.
MatchMyGun Verdict
Husqvarna is a name that deserves to be remembered among the great gunmakers of Europe — alongside Mauser, Sako, Sauer, and Mannlicher. For 300 years, from royal muskets to HVA-action sporters, Husqvarna produced firearms of exceptional quality, defined by the Scandinavian virtues of precision, durability, and elegant understatement. While the company no longer produces firearms, its legacy lives on in the thousands of Husqvarna rifles still being carried through Scandinavian forests and, increasingly, in the hands of American hunters who have discovered these remarkable rifles. A Husqvarna is not just a firearm — it is a piece of living history, a connection to three centuries of Swedish craftsmanship, and for those lucky enough to own one, a reminder of what a rifle can be when built without compromise.