Third Party Press

Austrian Republic M.95 with interesting features

Pat

Moderator
Staff member
This is more of a press-fit into this category than a clear cut example of Beutewaffen, but I think it belongs here due to being a likely candidate for a M.95 that managed to remain in Austria through the Anschluss and the Nazi period, unlike so many others that were sold to Bulgaria. RyanE posted one like this before here,:

http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?5908-German-Modified(-)-M95-30

and this one shares many attributes with the former. This is an M.95 Mannlicher that was built in Budapest and landed in Austria. It bears its original barrel date next to the newer Austrian Heeresverwaltung stamp from 1931. Unlike the rifles and carbines that have emerged from Bulgaria, this one lacks any import markings, a serial number on the right side of the butt stock, and a numbered front band.

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Two features that are often claimed as proof of Bulgarian ownership at some point are the larger front sight blade and the numbering of the bolt, especially electro-penciled numbers. Unlike Bulgarian refurbished rifles, this one has had the bolt blued and the electro-penciling on the bolt includes only the last three numbers instead of the full set. This is more in line with pre-war and wartime German practices, as you all already know. The large front sight blade indicates interwar refurbishing, but I don’t think it necessarily points definitively at Bulgaria. It is entirely possible that the Bulgarian refurbs with this attribute indicate nothing more than the Austrian addition of the blade in the 1930’s, probably around the same time that the chamber was lengthened to accept the longer 8X56R cartridge.

There are a number of stamps on the stock that I haven’t seen on original M.95 carbines and stutzens, but I have no idea what they represent:

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I don’t know when these came into the US, but the absence of import markings tells it’s own story. Any other examples like these out there?

Best,
Pat


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Looks like a nice M95/30 Stutzen-Karabiner piece, possible it was not refurbished by Bulgaria, the HV is mostly 1931 as the date of rework to new caliber 8x56R, any buttplate stamps? b.r.Andy
 
Good catch on the rework date Andy, thanks. The only markings on the butt plate are unit markings, as below.

Best,
Pat
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