I noticed a thread of a member inquiring about a not so common rifle...the .458 Mannlicher Schoenauer made in 1956..
I bought mine from a person who received it from his father but never used it.He said there are about 50x shots through the barrel.
A few photos:

A reply regarding some historical info on the .458 Mannlicher Schoenauer: This info was supplied by another forum member on a rifle forum.
"As Gert asked me by PM: The action is a typical M-S 1956 “Magnum” action, straight, low bolt handle, bolt stop spring placed higher on the receiver bridge to make way for a reinforcing boss that serves the bolt guide rib as a third, safety only, locking lug. The bolt is polished bright as on all M-Ss intended for the American market. To date it closer, look for the Vienna proofhouse NPv Nitro proofmark, maybe covered by the wood. Besides this mark there ought to be the last two digits of the year.
The stock left the factory as a MC stock with an exaggerated “Monte Carlo” comb, designed for Stoeger and intended for scope use only. It shows other influences of the then fashionable Weatherby/California style too, like the white-line spacers. As the rifle was never scoped, the MC stock was highly impractical for open sight use. A former owner had the comb line lowered and the exaggerated cheekpiece hollowed out to make it usable with the open sights. Such trimming down of MC stocks was quite common and led to the creation of the more restrained MCA stock. So the stock is not “factory original” anymore. There is no reason why you should not modify it further to suit your shooting habits.
Mannlicher-Schoenauers in .458 are very rare. At the time they were offered the pre-64 Winchester 70 was the “in” big game rifle, praised by American writers and cheaper to boot. The British usually preferred Mauser M98 actioned rifles. Because of the forward position of the bolthandle the M-S rifles were badmouthed then by American writers like Elmer Keith as “slow to operate, unsuitable for rapid follow up shots”. During the 1950s very few European hunters could afford an African safari. So there was little demand for a Mannlicher-Schoenauer in a “stopping rifle” caliber. As I wrote before, even the “magnum” Mannlicher-Schoenauer action is too short for a more flexible magnum like the .375 H&H, further diminishing the popularity. And, factory fitting a .458 rifle with such a stock designed for scope use only can only be described as an outright bum idea. So here you have the reasons why Mannlicher-Schoenauers in .458 never sold in high numbers and are rarely seen today.

Gert,

First let me compliment you on what I view as a fine and rare rifle. Don't know if the comb on your rifle was lowered, but that hollow in the cheek piece is factory all the way. Mine has the same thing.

Regardless of what gun writers of the time thought or said, Richard Harland had a very positive opinion about this rifle. Read, "The Hunting Imperative."

From the pictures you show, it does not appear to me that the comb has been lowered. The stock looks original to me.

Lavaca

I have the opportunity to purchase a side mount off center scope bases for the .458 Mannlicher Schoenauer..it is expensive but I want to invest in this rifle... the person will sell for $125 in South African currency it amounts R1710.80 which is a lot of money since our currency is extremely weak...I was wondering if the cheek piece is going to be a problem , since the scope rings are extremely high...

Lava
Here is a link to the item I can purchase, please be so kind as to give me you opinion..
Mannlicher side mount

I have had similar mount in my .22 rifle. Mounts are whole aluminum and IMO not so durable for .458 caliber rifle.

I enjoyed my .458 M-S, everything that is but the stock. I am sure that someone must have thought that stock design made sense when they came up with it, but I found it to be a horribly conceived design. Not only is it butt-ugly but it actually exacerbated felt recoil in my view. I thought about simply having it restocked but elected to pass it along. I wonderful weapon from a metal work perspective but thank goodness stock design has progressed since then.

Gert,
I think I probably have a Griffin & Howe side mount lying around which I will have no further use for. If so, I will be glad to contribute it to you to complete your project. At age 76 and infirm, there is little prospect of my returning to Africa, but I would like to be of assistance.

The G&H mount is rock solid, if properly installed, and I have one on my Model 70 Winchester .450 Watts, which has made it to Africa and back with no ill effects.

quote:

Originally posted by Gert Odendaal:
please be so kind as to give me you opinion..
Mannlicher side mount

If the action requires drilling then I would recommend just keeping it open sighted

Xausa, thank you very much, it really is much appreciated , I will now be able to shoot the .458 MS much more accurate...please let me return the favor. I will pm you.

MJines: at this stage the stock fits me good enough not to influence my shooting abilities with the .458 MS.
Ozhunter: it will not be necessary to drill and tap the receiver, there are two holes on the side of the receiver that is drilled and tapped already..(manufactures) for an offset side mount ....a few photos of a friend of mine , Herman Nel shooting the .458 Mannlicher Schoenauer (Win Mag) for the first time...

quote:

Originally posted by igorrock:
I have had similar mount in my .22 rifle. Mounts are whole aluminum and IMO not so durable for .458 caliber rifle.

Igorrock
If this side mount is aluminum I will pass on the purchase..I did send a question in this regards to the seller ..awaiting answer...Xausa said there is a chance he has one ..if I am that lucky I then do not need to purchase this aluminum side mount at all...

Hallo Lane
Please be so kind as to elaborate on this photo? I presume it is you in this photo with a similar .458 Mannlicher Schoenauer? It seems to be a well used /hunting rifle? It will be excellent if you can elaborate on the origin of this photo..

Regards

Gert

Famous professional hunter Terry Irwin used a 458 MS. I think he lives in RSA now.

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:
Famous professional hunter Terry Irwin used a 458 MS. I think he lives in RSA now.

Yes , you are quite correct, fla3006
Here is a reply from Terrey Irwin regarding the .458 Mannlicher Schoenauer:

Good day to you Terry(Sir)

Gregor Woods told me you used a .458 Mannlicher Schoenauer when you were a PH inTanzania. I currently acquired this calibre and will shortly commencing to shoot this rifle. It seems to be a rifle few people have knowledge about.

Every body knows a .416 Rigby and a .375 H&H Magnum , but when ask if they know a .458 Mannlicher Schoenauer they get a confused look on their faces. Please tell me about your experiences regarding this caliber, I really want to know more about this calibre from a person whom have used it frequently....

I will appreciate any story relating to this calibre, its good properties, bad properties and what about this calibre made you used it in hunting dangerous game animals?

I really would like to hear from you .

Kind Regards

Gert Odendaal

Hi Gert
I had a custom (to my measurements) .458 built by Mannlicher Schoenauer. I had an "gost ring" aperture (peet) sight fitted on the back of the bolt. The reason I bought this rifle was because I had many problems with magazine base plates opening or rounds being ejected from the top if you flicked the bolt open fast. The Mannlicher's revolving magazine controlled each round and fed from it smoothly. In fact it is the smoothest operating action I have used. The flat bolt took a bit of getting used to but in the end I mastered it.

When I ordered my rifle I stipulated the standard 24 inch barrel. They refused to do this and insisted on a 26 inch barrel. They said you could not get the correct balistics from the .458 with a shorter barrel. This may be the reason that I never experienced all the faults that others did with power and penetration. My .458 had more penetration than my .375 with solid bullets.

I don't think you can go wrong with your Mannlicher. I shot over 1000 elephant with mine. I did not like the newer model Steyr- Mannlicher with the plastic box magazine.

I hope this answers your questions.

Terry

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Lanes photo is Paddy "blood nut" Curtis, he used a MS 458 for awhile..now he uses a Austrian 470 double...it's make escapes me right now...Blood is a good friend, great PH if you get to TanZ...

Ed

He was a S Scout in another time if memory serves me right.

quote:

Originally posted by 505ED:
Lanes photo is Paddy "blood nut" Curtis, he used a MS 458 for awhile..now he uses a Austrian 470 double...it's make escapes me right now...Blood is a good friend, great PH if you get to TanZ...

Ed

That rifle is Luke Samaras'. But blood did use it a fair bit.

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:
He was a S Scout in another time if memory serves me right.

Correct! He was a Selous Scout.

Gentleman , this discussion is real enlightened, it is amazing where a hunting rifle takes you to , more amazing are the great people you met along the way. I was thinking about starting a thread where members will tell us about the hunters and PH they met while hunting...we regularly read about John "Pondoro" Taylor, Ron Thompson ect..from their own perspectives but never from the hunter who accompanied them while hunting...I am sure it will make for an excellent read..and if photos can be uploaded it will even be better....

Regarding my .458 Mannlicher Schoenauer I am going to see if I will be able to make the stock fit me better...the last time when shooting the MS it was shooting real high..Herman (the person in the photo ,shooting it experience it as well) I know it to be an extremely accurate rifle..I have seen it when shooting it on the rifle range (indoors)..maybe I should wait with the modifications until I get hold of a side mount scope base...
Suggestions are more than welcome...

quote:

Paddy "blood nut" Curtis

Members, here is an excellent read-up on Paddy Curtis...
Paddy Curtis
Paddy "Blood knot" Curtis

Lane, thanks for the photo of Paddy with this rifle. He's aged a bit since then. We shared lunch in his camp in Masailand in 2012. He served us eland steaks, a lion kill. The next day he radioed us to see if my PH or I were sick. His client apparently was; we weren't; both of us had seconds. Great guy, great rifle.

Gert, I'd put the lowest set of scope mounts that will work in it. You want a solid cheek weld on any big bore, or it's going to punch you in the face. That means a high scope mount is out.

Again, Congrats on scoring a great rifle and there is nothing wrong with leaving it with the irons -- unless you are old like me and can't see them. I wouldn't drill or otherwise alter this rifle, though. But that's just me.

I would add that the MS has a rather high comb, so I'm not saying a high mount is necessarily inappropriate, as long as you can get a good cheek weld and your head is not "floating in space" or "loosely" in contact with the comb.

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
Lane, thanks for the photo of Paddy with this rifle. He's aged a bit since then. We shared lunch in his camp in Masailand in 2012. He served us eland steaks, a lion kill. The next day he radioed us to see if my PH or I were sick. His client apparently was; we weren't; both of us had seconds. Great guy, great rifle.

Gert, I'd put the lowest set of scope mounts that will work in it. You want a solid cheek weld on any big bore, or it's going to punch you in the face. That means a high scope mount is out.

Again, Congrats on scoring a great rifle and there is nothing wrong with leaving it with the irons -- unless you are old like me and can't see them. I wouldn't drill or otherwise alter this rifle, though. But that's just me.

lavaca
My eyesight is a problem..ten years past forty with damage to my eyes ensure that I will not be able to confidently shoot at an animal without the use of a scope..so I will only use this rifle for big bore shooting days..but it is fine , I do have other rifles like my 404 Jeffery I am going to drill and tap to mount a 1.5-5x20 mm Leopold scope to hunt walk and stalk opportunities...
The .458 Manlicher Schoenauer will then be use for the fun shoots..

Good day members
I think it prudent to thank Xausa kindly and with much appreciation for being so kind to give me a Griffin & Howe side mount for the .458 Mannlicher Schoenauer...this gesture is really much appreciated ..and I really hope I will be able to return this great favor Xausa did for me..Xausa, thank you again...it really is much, much appreciated....

Regards

Gert