MANNLICHER Model 1895 Infantry Rifle and Carbine

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MANNLICHER Model 1895 Infantry Rifle

Repetier Gewehr M1895.(Huzagol 95.M)

Made by Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar (FEG), Budapest, 1897-1918. (Originally this rifle was designed and also manufactured in large quantities by Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft, Steyr, 1895-1918)
Caliber: 8x50mm rimmed.
Integral clip-loaded box magazine, 5 rounds.
Action: Straight-pull bolt action, with two lugs on a detachable bolt head engaging the receiver.
1272mm [50.1 inch] overall, 3.78kg [8.3 lbs].
765mm [30.1 inch] barrel, 4-groove rifling, RH, concentric.
Leaf sight graduated to 2600 schritt.
Muzzle velocity 620 m/sec [2030 fps] with M1893 ball cartridge.
M1895 knife bayonet.

1892: Trials failed to convince the Austro-Hungarian army authorities that ultra-small calibers were effectual enough to change from 8mm. However, it was equally clear that even the new 1888-pattern rifles were ineffectual compared with the latest European advances, and that their weak bar-locks could not withstand the pressures generated by high velocity cartridges.

1895: An improved infantry rifle was adopted, incorporating a straight-pull action adapted directly from that of the 1890-vintage Steyr-Mannlicher cavalry carbine. The M1895 differed in several important respects from the earlier service rifles; for example, it had a full-length handguard and a leaf-pattern back sight. Sling swivels lay on the under-edge of the butt and under the barrel-band, while the nose cap (which carried the stacking rod) had the bayonet lug on its underside. The magazine clip could be ejected by opening the bolt and pressing the catch in the front edge of the trigger guard. This rifle was the principal Austro-Hungarian rifle of WW1.

MANNLICHER Model 1895 Cavalry Carbine

Repetier Carabiner M1895.(Huzagol 95.M)

Made by Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest, 1897-1918. (Originally this rifle was designed and manufactured in large quantities by Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft, Steyr, 1896-1918)
Caliber: 8x50mm rimmed.
Integral clip-loaded box magazine, 5 rounds.
Action: Straight-pull bolt action, with two lugs on a detachable bolt head engaging the receiver.
1003mm [39.5 inch] overall, 3.09kg [6.8 lbs].
500mm [19.7 inch] barrel, 4-groove rifling, RH, concentric.
Leaf sight graduated to 2400 schritt.
Muzzle velocity 580 m/sec with M1893 ball cartridge.
No bayonet.

1896: The M1895 rifle was successful enough to inspire a cavalry carbine, two patterns of which were made. They had full-length stocks and hand guards. Swivels appeared on the left side of the barrel band and on the left side of the butt-wrist. The Carbine version of the M1895 rifle, can be distinguished from the Stutzen rifle by the following: 1. sling swivels on side of stock only; 2. no provision for bayonet lug; 3. no stacking hook.

1907: some guns were given additional swivels so that they could be used interchangeably for mounted or foot use.

MANNLICHER Model 1895 Short Rifle

Repetier Stutzen M1895. (Huzagol 95.M)

The M1895 Stutzen or Extra-Corps-Gewehr, otherwise similar to the 1895-type Cavalry Carbine, had swivels on the underside of the butt and barrel band. It accepted a variant of the standard 1895-type knife bayonet with an auxiliary front sight on top of the muzzle ring. This compensated for the change in point-of-impact caused by firing the rifle with the bayonet fixed; the effect was much more marked in the short-barrel carbines than the full- length rifles.

The M1895 "Stutzen" is frequently confused with the M95 carbine. It apparently was designed for use by special troops, i.e. Engineer, Signal, etc., and not for Cavalry, since it is fitted with a bayonet stud and has sling swivels fitted to the underside as well as the side. This weapon also has a stacking hook which screws into the upper band.

1930: The 8x56R cartridge was adopted by Austria in 1930 and by Hungary in 1931. Large number of Stutzen rifles were converted to this round, and most of the remaining long rifles were cut down to the 'Stutzen' length. The Model 30 cartridge was a large-rim with a pointed bullet (Spitzgeschoss) and therefore 12mm high letter 'S' was stamped on the barrels to differentiate it from the unconverted weapons. These weapons were used considerably by the German police in WW2, and steel-cased Austrian-made ammunition, bearing the date 1938 plus the German Eagle and Swastika marking, has been found in quantity. The German designation was: Gew95(oe)

MANNLICHER Model 1895 - Other Countries

Bulgaria - M1895 Rifle and Carbine.

Bulgaria adopted the M95 weapons in 1897. These weapons were made by the Budapest and Steyr factories and were purchased and used by the Bulgarians. The Bulgarian contract rifles/carbines have the Bulgarian Lion Crest on the top of the receiver, and the words like: '1909 BUDAPEST' or '1903 STEYR' on the left side of the receiver. These rifles can be found re-chambered/re-barreled to the 8x56R round. Some of the weapons can be found with their Lion Crest ground off.

Bulgaria - M95/24 7.92x57mm conversions.

Bulgaria converted many of their M1895 weapons to 7.92x57mm. These weapons can be distinguished by the addition of the stamp '/24' after the "M95" which is on the top of the receiver. These rifles have a clip permanently fixed in their magazines and therefore can be loaded with the standard Mauser 5-round charger.

Greece - Mannlicher M1895 Rifle and Carbine.

Caliber 8x50R. History, Markings, etc. unknown.

A model M.95/24 also exists. Caliber 7.92x57. History, Markings, etc. unknown.

Italy - M1895 Rifle (Fucile Mannlicher 95) and Carbine (Moschetto Mannlicher 95)

The M1895 rifles and carbines were used by the Italians in WW2 - who had received them after WW1 as war reparations. Many of these rifles/carbines were used by the Italians in East Africa, these marked with the large letters 'AOI' stamped on the stock. (Some sources identify the 'AOI' markings as Greek.) Usually these are still in the original 8x50mm caliber, unlike others, the Italians did not convert these to a different caliber.

Yugoslavia: Puska 'M95M' 7.92x57mm conversions.

The M1895 rifles (Puska M95M) and carbines (Karabini M95M) were also used by Yugoslavia (Serbia) - who had received them after WW1 as war reparations. Yugoslavia converted many of the M1895 weapons to 7.92mm. These weapons can be distinguished by the addition of the stamped letter "M" after the "M95" which is on the top of the receiver. These rifles have a clip permanently fixed in their magazines and therefore can be loaded with the standard Mauser 5-round charger. Some of the rifles were retained and used in their original 8x50mm caliber.

Czechoslovakia - M1895 Carbine.

The Czech army used 5,000 M95 carbines which were made in Brno, Czechoslovakia in 1921. These were marked 'ZBROJOVKA BRNO' on the top of the receiver. It is unknown if they utilized any Austro-Hungarian made parts or if these were completely made in Brno. A few recent import Brno carbines came re-chambered to the Austrian M30 8x56R round.