'Barn find' Bulgarian contract Steyr M95

[Anzac15]

Had a very good find on this 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War. A Bulgarian contract Steyr M95 made in 1903 complete with bayonet.
It literally came out of a barn in North Carolina. More than likely a Second World War bring back, as it is rechambered to 8x56r. Receiver bears the Bulgarian lion in shield, siderail is 'STEYR 1903'. The number on the bolt knob matches up with barrel and receiver, and bolt body does not have the characteristic gas escape hole.
This rifle was/is absolutely filthy, and I'm showing pictures of it as found...right down to the dirt daubers that set up housekeeping in the muzzle.
It is apart now and being cleaned. The inside still had a considerable amount of cosmoline.
So, possible Balkan War/Great War/Second World War vet? If they could only talk!

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[army1882]

Nice find, congrats. I'll be interesting to see after a complete cleanup. Is that rust on the exposed surfaces or just dirt and dust?

[rcathey]

Neat! Did you find it with thebayonet attached? That’s pretty cool too.

[Anzac15]

Yep, bayo was with it, had to shoot a little oil on it to get it off!
Lots and lots of dirt all over it, metal is going brown. Plus have to deal with the cosmoline. It'll look great when its done, gonna be a project though!

[Paul S.]

Nice find.

That it was left to get in that condition is enough to make grown men weep.

[Anzac15]

Yes it is.

[Eaglelord17]

It wouldn't be a Second World War bring back as it is loaded with cosmoline. The rifle is almost certainly a First Balkan War, Second Balkan War, WWI, and WWII vet as especially for the earlier conflicts they didn't have that much of a option. Likely the history of this particular piece is that it was used in the conflicts mentioned above, in the 30s updated to 8x56r (like the vast majority of them) at which time the bolt could have been replaced, or it was replaced in a rebuild post-WWII (which based off the cosmoline this rifle almost certainly went though). This rifle was likely bought as surplus in the 60s-90s, and just placed in the barn and forgotten about.

Personally Bulgarian M95s are one of my favourite firearms, at this point I own 3 of them, all in the original 8x50r. I am sure that rifle will clean up just fine, can't wait to see the after photos.

[Anzac15]

I was wondering if it had just been found over there somewhere, packed away. It has definitely seen some use with corrosive ammo, as the bore is a sewer pipe. I've run a rod through it a bunch of times, it is improving somewhat.
Been working on it today, looks like there was a rifle under all that crud after all!

[Anzac15]

Gone about as far as I want to with the M95. I'll do a bit here and there, and the bayonet still needs some attention, but its a vast improvement.

[Paul S.]

You've done well bringing it back to life.