Mannlicher's exquisite M95 Stutzen

Guns Magazine, August, 2004 by Holt Bodinson

What do you think of when you hear the name, "Mannlicher?" A rifle stocked all the way to the muzzle? A Mannlicher clip? Or possibly, a svelte Mannlicher-Schoenauer carbine with its unique spool magazine? You'd be right on all counts. What's interesting today is how little we generally know about the man--Austria's Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher--one of the world's most prolific and successful gun designers.

Revolutionary Designer

Born in 1848, Mannlicher was a mechanical genius. During his long career at the Steyr Works spanning that fertile period when black powder gave way to smokeless, he is credited with the design of over 150 models of repeating and automatic military firearms adopted by numerous European countries.

Working as he did on advanced designs in the last quarter of the 19th century, Mannlicher was not influenced by previous models. There were none. Consequently, his designs are refreshingly original. From an engineering viewpoint, many of his mechanical solutions have been recognized as precursors to later designs as modern as the BAR, the Browning machine gun, M1 rifle and M1 carbine.

Some have gone so tar as to say most of the small arms designs of the 20th Century reflect, in some way, individual mechanical principles Mannlicher incorporated into his numerous models.

Imagine fielding a light machine gun with a Bren-type feed system in 1885, or a semiautomatic, clip fed rifle in 1893 utilizing a "hesitation lock" that was to reappear as the "Blish lock" in the Thompson submachine gun, or a gas operated, semiautomatic rifle in 1895 incorporating many of the fundamental mechanical features of the Garand. Mannlicher did it, but in surplus circles, the rifle most often carrying his name today is the Osterreichisches Repetier-Gewehr M.95.

A Rifle For Its Time

The Model 95 Mannlicher is a straight-pull, clip loaded, magazine rifle adopted by Austria-Hungary in 1895. It evolved from a series of straight-pull rifles Mannlicher began designing as early as 1884.

The M95 has quite a history of combat. It was used extensively in World War I and reappeared in the European and Balkan theaters of World War II in the hands of numerous combatants. Of all the straight-pull designs the Lee, the Schmidt-Rubin and the Ross--only the Model 95 Mannlicher was carried into battle for 50 years, proving it to be one tough, reliable, warhorse.

The models most commonly available today are the M95 Carbine or the M95 Short Rifle, also known as the "Stutzen" model. The Stutzen model is distinguished from the similar looking M95 carbine by its bayonet lug, a stacking hook extending from the front stock band, and often (but not always) by sling swivels on both the side and underside of the stock. The carbine was designed for mounted cavalry deployment while the "Stutzen" was issued to artillery, signal and engineering personnel Both models are light and compact, weighing approximately 7 pounds or less and having a barrel length of 19.5 inches.

Century International Arms has an ample supply of M95s packed in arsenal wrappers, so I ordered one. In surplus lingo, "in arsenal wrapper," does not mean brand new or unissued. More often, surplus firearms that come wrapped and tied up in brown preservative paper are arsenal re-builds. They have seen serviced. They usually are a mix of refinished and renumbered parts. On the outside, they look terrific--almost new.

The condition of the bore is another matter. It can be in very good to excellent condition or otherwise. If you are a shooter, until you clean the grease out of the bore, you are simply in uncharted waters; however, given the bargain prices of surplus arms today, you'll always be gutting value for your money, and you can always trade up for something a bit nicer if necessary.

Surprise Package

The Steyr M95 Mannlicher from Century was a typical arsenal re-build. The metal had been reblued and the stock refinished. The receiver had been renumbered to the barrel and the stock renumbered to the receiver. The bolt carried an electro-penciled serial number that matched that of the receiver.

The walnut stock was gorgeous, figured wood. The toe had been repaired and the lower stock swivel removed. The two stock bands were definitely from a "Stutzen" model.

The bore was very good, showing only a bit of "frosting" in the grooves from corrosive ammunition use. Overall, it was a splendid looking firearm.

The receiver ring of the Mannlicher carries the name "STEYR" and the model designation "M.95." Most importantly, the exposed portion of the barrel between the receiver ring and rear sight is stamped with a large capital "S." The "S" signifies this Mannlicher is chambered for the Austrian 8mm Model 1930 cartridge, commonly known as the 8x56R. Hungary adopted the cartridge in 1931, gave it the designation M31, and marked the barrels of their converted M95s with a large "H".

The 8x56R is a rimmed cartridge. The bullet diameter is .330" not .323". The bullet is a FMJ spitzer boattail weighing between 207 and 208 grains. Commonly, 8x56R Austrian made ammunition is found at gun shows and at dealers, packaged in cardboard cartons containing two, five-round Mannlicher clips. The cartons are usually dated 1938 or 1939 and are marked "8mm M. 30" with a large red "S" on the carton flap. The "S" on the ammunition carton corresponds to the "S" stamped on the barrel of the M95.