quote:

Originally posted by 404WJJeffery:
Sierra2

I was hoping you might weigh in on this.

There is no engraving on the top of the receiver ring- just some "stipleling", as I believe it is called. In other words, some tooling for decoration, but no engraving or stamping- which I originally thought meant the metal had been refinished.


Ok, admittedly I a little clueless, but when you say under the chamber.....where exactly is this? There is nothing on the exterior floor plate of the magazine. The exterior of the magazine is blued, bit there are two machined holes and the unfinished (stainless) cartridge box base is visible. I don't see any way to release the floor plate, but I am pretty sure there is a way.

Does this information add anything to the mix?

Shot of the top of receiver, as well as the partially hidden stamps, and the alignment marks for the barrel and receiver:



AND

.404 Jeffery,
Okays, looking at your picture, all the markings that should be on the receiver ring have been removed, so, that implies that you have a reworked Greek GI receiver, but don't dispare, some English and European custom houses bought raw receivers from Steyr. As to what I meant about "under the chamber" that's exactly right. You have to disassemble the rifle and look for the information stamped directly on the underside of the barrel/chamber area. The floorplate is released by pushing in on the flat spring that holds the floorplate there, using a cartridge or the head of a pencil, then rotating the floorplate left or right. Then the entire magazine assembly will pop out of the bottom of the receiver. DO NOT try to dissassemble the magazine any further. Judging by what markings I can see in the photos, I will only guess that we are looking at a 1903-1914 series Greek receiver. The proof of the pudding is under the chamber.

Have fun, and come back

LLS

Well, disassembled it, and the only markings of any kind under the barrel/assembly area is the letter "K".

Does this narrow it down?

When you say Greek Receiver- what exactly does that mean? Was it made for Greece, or made in Greece? Sorry to be so clueless....
It was sold to me by a reputable shop as a "Steyr Mannlicher Schonauer 1903". Is this, in fact, what it is?

It is a nice rifle regardless, but I am not sure what I have.

Thanks again for your help.

Don't the genuine commercial MSs have a bolt 'lock' spring that fits behind the bolt handle and engages a detent in the bolt handle?

I was under the impression that the Greek version lacks that locking spring.

My 6.5 MS is a Model GK 1965 version with a cherry? stock, G&H scope mount, and no Stoeger import stamps. It is a neat little carbine that I haven't had very long. I hope to get it out and 'going' before too long. I have test fired it and it seems to shoot the .264s fine. Plateau Hunter

Back again,

Based on what you have, your rifle appears to be a rework/non-factory built M1903 Mannlicher-Schoenauer. I just looked at two factory pre WWII Mannlicher-Schoenauers and did not find that spring Plateau Hunter is talking about.
I wouldn't fret too much about the parentage of your rifle as it appears to be in good condition, and people are paying outlandish prices for any 6.5x54 right now.

As it is, today I shoot three 6.5x54s, M1903 carbine, MCA Carbine, and a SBS-96 commemorative carbine, and they all shoot better than I can. Oh, here's a confusion factor for you on post WWII 6.5mm Mannlichers. In the post WWII era, Steyr catalogued their rifles as 6.5mm, BUT when you check the fine print of what was actually offered, they listed 6.5x54mm, 6.5x55mm, and 6.5x57mm, plus the 6.5x68mm. Talk about confusion and accidents waiting to happen! However, your's is definitely a pre WWII, pre 1929 action, and that was only made/listed as 6.5x54mm Larry

quote:

Don't the genuine commercial MSs have a bolt 'lock' spring that fits behind the bolt handle and engages a detent in the bolt handle?

I was under the impression that the Greek version lacks that locking spring.

Correct! The Greek GI models I have lack this spring.

404,

Lovely rifle, and I assume it is actually a Mannlicher-Schoenauer. Cannot see the split action well enough to be certain. Odd to be marked Oberndorf, unless it is a rework, then all Steyr's made after 1939 thru 1944 were marked "Made in Germany" and Nazi proofed anyway. Facinates me that Germany never went to a full wartime production plan until they had already "lost" the war.

LLS
Mannlicher COllector

Sierra

Thanks for all your input. If I come across more interesting stuff I'll pass it on!

the rifle is a commercial m-s. note proof on bbl, and typical m-s bolt handle. the greek m-s had a round knob at the end of the bolt handle.

i have a jeffery takedown made on the 1903 greek action.