Hope some here can help me with some information.
The Mannlicher M95, a nice looking rifle with lots of history.
But, I have read that the bolt, extractor is of a very bad design.
Is that so?
Any thing to make them better?

Thank you all for looking.
Good weekend.

I'm not aware of any issues with the M95 extractor itself but the strait pull design results in weak initial extraction when compared to turn bolt designs. It is not just the M95, the Ross and Schmidt Ruben rifles have the same issue.

The result of the bolt handle of the Mauser, Lee Enfield, and even the Mosin directly rotating the bolt results in way more camming power although I have had to beat a mosin bolt open with a piece of wood on more than one occasion.

M95's are interesting rifles but what you find now a days are mostly the carbines which have a reputation for beating the crap out of your shoulder.

Ammo is probably going to be your biggest problem. Is it is still chambered for 8x50r your going to have to make your own but if it is 8x56r you can get new ammo from PRVI. PRVI has resurrected a number of long obsolete military rounds.

Handloading with cast bullets over a light load of 2400 or something along that line should reduce if not eliminate any extraction issues.

quote:

Originally posted by Curt in Atl:
The result of the bolt handle of the Mauser, Lee Enfield, and even the Mosin directly rotating the bolt results in way more camming power although I have had to beat a mosin bolt open with a piece of wood on more than one occasion..

I had a similar problem with an 1888 Commission Rifle until I lapped the initial extraction and cocking cams. Now it's as smooth as any commercial Mannlicher-Schoenauer, you can lift the handle with one finger after lapping.
Regards, Joe

Hello.
Good information. Thank you all.
Maybe the M95 is not THE best rifle to take out hunting, but it got some charm.
Glad to learn it is not the problem rifle I have been told by some.

Check the bolt head with the bolt out of the rifle.
To re-insert the bolt assembly back into the rifle, the bolt head needs to be pulled forward and held there under spring tension and a detent inside.
The extractor is the part that does the work.
Many have lost their spring arch, their detent point is worn and/or the detent V in the cam is worn.

On a worn assembly, the bolt head will snap back into the bolt body with the slightest of touch,,or will not hold the position at all.

Two things happen then.
First is a miserable time getting the bolt assembly back into the rifle as the bolt head needs to be pulled forward and held there to be re-inserted in the rifle.
The tough military bolt mainspring doesn't make it easy in the first place to pull the bolt head forward. It should hold that position easily,,many do not.

Second, when you do get the bolt back into the rifle, with a worn detent or extractor (spring) the bolt head is now under heavy spring and cam rotational pressure at all times as it slides back and forth.
Instead of the bolt head being locked into the forward position (locking lugs horizontal) as the bolt is worked back and forth, the bolt head is twisting in the raceway(s).
Makes for very stiff, heavy, rough working action. Parts wear is greatly accelerated too.

The straight pull bolt should be able to be worked with nothing more than two fingers.
Most of the sporterized 95's have a lighter mainspring than the military versions which also helps considerably.

A young man and I have rebarreled a few to odd ball calibres like 45/70 and the5 work VERY well. You have to very minimly do a little case modification but nothing big. Dave calls them his Frankenguns. The first one has a quicker twist so it shoots the jacketed ones better but the second one has a 45/70 twist [1-22 Iyhink and it shoots the lead great. cases function through the original mags.
Aloha, Mark

Thank you all for the information.

On those bolts that would stay open you can work on groove that tang locks into as that is where they wear. You of course have to disassemble the bolt which is on the hard side. I recommend searching on the internet how to disassemble it.Even if the bolt head locks the action aren't exactly smooth. They no way compare in smoothness to the Swiss straight pulls. The 8.56R caliber shoot cast bullets great. Don't get the LEE mold as it's undersized. You can use the LEE 338 caliber mold and size the bullet accordingly. That worked very well for me.

The action is pretty stout and the bolt lugs are massive with no slots cut in them. Still no reason to hot rod them. The NAZI ammo that is still floating around is pretty stout stuff especially when used in the carbine. The full length rifles seem as a whole different animal then the carbines. I'd try to get a rifle instead of the carbine.