Hi all,
Felt I would share my most recent acquisition to my collection. It is a Bulgarian M95 made in Budapest as part of the 1909 contract and it is still in the original 8x50r. This happens to be my third Bulgarian contract rifle in the original caliber, and I am very happy to have added it to my collection.
The rifle is pretty much completely mismatched other than the barrel and the receiver. The stock is a unnumbered replacement with a 'N' marking (see photos below) where there is normally a 'K' or 'R' determining the manufacturer. The stock is also unique in that it has two stock repairs on it both marked with 'E A' on it (both stock repairs were very well done). The buttplate appears to have been used to drive in spikes or something as it is heavily dented inwards (forgot to add a photo of the buttplate). Magazine was made in Steyr. The rear sight isn't a Bulgarian contract rear sight but a Austrian-Hungarian rear sight as it only has the numbers on the one side. The bolt is a Bulgarian contract bolt but it is mismatched to the rifle. Finally it is missing the stacking hook on the rifle.
My questions are does anyone know what the 'N' marking on the stock means? I have found some reference to the marking on receivers instead of the makers mark for Austrian-Hungarian M95s but no evidence as to who did it (rumours being possibly subcontracted parts). I am also wondering who might have captured the rifle. The rear sight likely means that they also had stocks of Austrian-Hungarian M95s as well.
The 'E A' marking I have found no reference to, and I hope someone knows as it might shed some light on where this rifle has been.
It took many hours to clean this rifle up to this point. It was covered in old dried cosmoline, and I needed to do some light gunsmithing to make it functional again. Punching the rear sight notch on one of the leafs to straighten out a bent in one (brass punch and brass hammer), adding in a bottom magazine spring as there was none (taken from a shot magazine I have which doesn't work), and filing a burr off the front sight (a couple quick passes with a fine file).
Well here is some photos, any help or information that can be provided is appreciated.
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