Just picked this up from an estate consignment. Mannlicher Schoenauer Model 1905 Carbine in 9x56MS retailed by Joh. Springer's Erben in Wien. The rifle's serial number is 798 and proof date is 1906. Scope is a Certar 4 1/2 by C. P. Goerz / Berlin serial number 469 with brass lens protectors and attaches to the rifle by Springer mounts. Included in the set was an unmarked leather scope case, ebony handled cleaning rod, and an unopened bottle of Dr. A. Buecher's Curol gun oil. The rifle has the number 2248 on the bottom of the buttstock and this number is also on the front scope mount and scratched inside the front lens cover (would this be a number assigned by Springer's for the set?). Can anyone tell me if the scope mounting would have been done at the Steyr factory or in Springer's shop?

To the best of my knowledge, Steyr did not offer a factory scope mount until 1952, when they introduced their swing-away mount. The matching number was most applied by whoever zeroed the scope, since installation of this style included shooting for windage. In this case it would be Herr Springer, or a member of his staff.

I am just a teensy bit jealous...

Okay, maybe a big bit jealous.

Beautiful set.

Rich

Very nice rifle, wood is gorgeous.

HOLY COW !!! What a excellent rifle.Thats a gun most people only dream of owning.The green eyed monster got me on this one.

Goerz are a very, very respected maker - I had some field glasses (binoculars) made by them from around 1907. They are certainly, for the period, up there with contemporary Zeiss.

I would not worry about the mount. From the excellent pictures it is clearly contemporary to the gun and definitely not an "add on" say some decades later.

This was quite common. Just as Winchester made the Model 54 or whatever else and there were "specialists" who would at time of purchase add the 'scope (and mounts to suit).

I think that you are "arse about face" with the numbers and suspect that the three digit number is more likely one of Springer's. That the OTHER longer numbers are more likely Mannlicher's.

You get these "double" numbers sometimes on bespoke British shot guns. The real maker (Webley or in your case Mannlichers) has their own and then the retailer (in your case Springer) adds their own.

Just my thought on that anyway. As the 798 doesn't have the same "face" as the other numbers. I suspect that 1656 is the real number of the rifle? Check the bolt handle!

I am sure that there will be a good response if you copied your enquiry on the European part of our Forum.

It is so unusual today to see these sets complete. Usually the rifle and 'scope become parted...particularly after the disarming of the various Germanic peoples by the victorious allies!

It may be that this has come therefore via Africa? Or former parts of the Hapsburg Empire that after WWI were transferred to Italy or newly created Hungary etc so surviving the post-1919 confiscations?

These scope mounts have been called "Wienna mounts" and you can see them every now and then on early Mannlichers in Europe.

Lust is alive and well.

Hi enfieldspares,
798 is definitely the rifles serial as it appears on the bolt, in the stock channel and the last two digits on most every other part of the rifle. 1656.06 was applied by the proof house to indicate the 1656th gun proofed in 1906. The number 11319 I have no clue about. Here's a pic showing the serial # on the bottom of the action.

The Mannlicher I had with a Swarovski scope attached by Mannlicher at their factory was stamped on the front scope mount with the same serial number as the rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
I am just a teensy bit jealous...

Okay, maybe a big bit jealous.

Beautiful set.

Rich

I doubt the question, whatever it was, had anything to do being the point of the post, rather just showing off this rifle, which probably was had at a "stolen" price.