Help identify my Steyr M95

This particular rifle is notable for its lack of markings. It has the short front sight, a very nice walnut stock with a brownish shellac or varnish of some kind. It has a front sight hood with two screws. It appears to have a very nicely done brown tinted bluing at some time in the distant past. The barrel and receiver match numbers, and the barrel is in excellent condition. The bolt is force matched with electrostenciled serial. Upon disassembly, I see that most of the small bits are marked with either 'K' or 'R', which I understood to be of Budapest or Austrian manufacture. Rifle has no import marks at all. On other forums, people have said it was 'scrubbed', but wouldn't that leave evidence where the metal was removed? It looks like it never had markings, like the others I've seen.
Here are some pictures. I would really love to know what I have here. I've shot it and it's actually quite accurate, although it is painful as hell to shoot.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo..._zpsf83c-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo..._zps982d-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo..._zps5185-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
[IMG]http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s584/b
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/...c.jpg~originaleaurrr/steyr/DSC01054_zps04dbbe08.jpg~original[/IMG]
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
EDIT: added the following pictures of other markings.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg

Can we see a picture of the whole gun ?................

Modern Firearms - Steyr Mannlicher M95

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 303tom

Can we see a picture of the whole gun ?................

Modern Firearms - Steyr Mannlicher M95

---

Sorry about that; here are some. Let me know if you want a shot of the other side. That side has the serial stamped into the stock, near the buttplate, if that helps.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...original-1.jpg

You may realize already but the stock has been recently refinished. The metal has been buffed to remove rust, basically it's been heavily cleaned.
Glad to hear its a good shooter because it's on my list but I was concerned because they sell for so cheap. Enjoy...

It looks like a typical aresenal rework import to me. The electropenciled bolt is a dead giveaway. Not sure why it has no import mark, could have been missed, could have been removed. Unlikely it came prior to the law taking affect. These guns coming in are already clean, usually reblued and they have that shellac finish on them. They are cheap but not sure why that concerns you, get one now before they go up. They are the equivalent of a K98 RC, inspected and redone to like new condition.

I going to go out on a limb & say it is a common arsenal reworked M95/30 short rifle. Why it has NO import mark, I have NO idea, but it looks like a nice one, good luck with her !.....:thup:

I could be wrong no doubt about that. I still think it was one of the beat ones that somebody refinished based on the fact the finish has been applied thinly and uniformly. Not slapped on like one typically sees. There are no scratches anywhere, If you notice around the sling swivel it appears someone took his time and removed it prior to finishing.

The metal looks buffed not reblued, the butt plate has no scratches like you'd expect. Just my observations but again I could be wrong.

It looks almost identical to mine when I got it. I removed the shellac and oiled it. They did a nice refurb on a lot of them. It's not shellac like the Russians used, it's better quality and they applied it better.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WarPig1976

I could be wrong no doubt about that. I still think it was one of the beat ones that somebody refinished based on the fact the finish has been applied thinly and uniformly. Not slapped on like one typically sees. There are no scratches anywhere, If you notice around the sling swivel it appears someone took his time and removed it prior to finishing.

The metal looks buffed not reblued, the butt plate has no scratches like you'd expect. Just my observations but again I could be wrong.

---

The metal is definitely reblued, although it may not show very well in the photos. Under the wood, it's pretty obvious, and in very good shape. As for the buttplate, it has more of the same finish, which is to say a bluing that is more brownish in color, almost like my old Colts (but not as a high quality).
Considering the normally modest prices these guns command, it seems odd that someone would would go through so much effort to refinish the whole thing this well.
Another thing I'm curious about is the serial stamped into the barrel, the receiver, and the stock, and the fact that they use the "E" suffix. I also see an 'E' stamped on the opposite side of the receiver, which leads me to ask whether the lone 'E' on one side of the receiver is related to the serial number suffix.

---------- Post added at 03:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:50 PM ----------

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Aragorn243

It looks almost identical to mine when I got it. I removed the shellac and oiled it. They did a nice refurb on a lot of them. It's not shellac like the Russians used, it's better quality and they applied it better.

---

Do you have any pictures? I'm curious to see what markings yours has, and also the rear sight. Mine has this short site that is not fully marked to the top with graduated distance marks, which seems weird. Does yours have a banded front sight? How about any marking on the receiver? I've heard the suggestion that this one has been scrubbed, but I can't figure out why would someone even bother, and also wouldn't that leave some trace?

Attachment 50352Interesting thread. Got me thinking that I had not noticed an import mark on mine. I only got it a few weeks ago so still exploring. Some I see on line have crude import marks on the receiver but after a while I found my import markings on the underside of the muzzle and so small i needed a magnifying glass to read it.

The rifle can't be scrubbed without any trace and NOT be refinished, so if the consensus is this is an arsenal refurb then it never had one hence the scrubbed theory is out the window.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WarPig1976

The rifle can't be scrubbed without any trace and NOT be refinished, so if the consensus is this is an arsenal refurb then it never had one hence the scrubbed theory is out the window.

---

Can you elaborate because I'm not sure I understood your reply. Are there any known examples that did not have the normal receiver markings? I'm no expert, but I don't see how they could have scrubbed stampings without leaving some evidence. The receiver contours are perfect, at least to my eye. It seems that if the metal has been ground away, it would be fairly easy to spot, but I don't see it. One thing it does have have is some mild pitting below the 'woodline', which I understood to be fairly common as a result of long term storage.

Mine is marked with the old style date and "S" on the barrel, the receiver is marked Budapest and M95. Serial number on the receiver. Short rear sight fully marked to the top. No banded front sight. I don't think that belongs on the rifle but not positive. There is no examples of it in "Mannlicher Military Rifles" by Scarlata.

Scrubbed would have been done at the arsenal refurbishment and would depend on how bad the rifle was pitted, etc. Yours shows evidence of pitting which may be why some of the marks are missing. They try to restore the rifles to like new condition for either long term storage or for sale to another party and a lot of these were rebuilt after WWI and WWII. The electropencil mark is most likely Bulgarian in origin.

I'm talking about the import mark,,, nothing else,,,Because I don't know jack about M95 markings. Only two possibilities, it never had one or it was removed here and the rifle refinished here.

It is an ex Austrian custom (border) police rifle according to the marking on the butt plate ZW stands for "ZOLLWACHE". Austrian Gendarmerie and custom (border) police carried M95 until early 1970´s afterwards M1 Carbines. All M95 in Austrian service were FTR´d in the 1950´s and 60´s and most of them were put in reserve.
Is there a manufacturing marking on top or side of the reciever? Budapest or Steyr?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Frank LE

It is an ex Austrian custom (border) police rifle according to the marking on the butt plate ZW stands for "ZOLLWACHE". Austrian Gendarmerie and custom (border) police carried M95 until early 1970´s afterwards M1 Carbines. All M95 in Austrian service were FTR´d in the 1950´s and 60´s and most of them were put in reserve.
Is there a manufacturing marking on top or side of the reciever? Budapest or Steyr?

---

Thanks.
It does not say Steyr or Budapest atop the receiver, or anywhere else. The top of the receiver has no markings at all.

I have a similar situation with my rifle. There are no barrel Mark's but a +05 under the sight on bottom of barrel. 2 sets of swivels. Stacking rod (got one for christmas to plug the hole. Bolt is stamped on ball. Barrel 20"
Cant figure it out for a month of research. Have dummy 8x56 to determine chamber size. Any help please all it says on top of receiver is STERY M95

Well I am embarrassed to say what happened last night. I decided to take my 8x56 dummy rounds and put them in a strip and try to load them. Well they loaded just fine. I guess taking one round and shoving it in there is not the way to do it. Now I know that I have a converted corbine in 8x56 with the stamps ground off.sorry if I wasted anyone's time but until then I had no idea. Thanks

Around 2001 to 2004, Sog and Aim got a ton of M95 carbines. There was also a ton of Nazi marked 8x56R ammo. The first carbines had original finish stocks & metal, but all were 8x56R, some with and without and import marks on the barrel. Later, some came with an Arsenal refinished stock like yours or an original finish stock, but the metal action was in a re-blue with mixed parts. Later ones, toward the end of the run, had scrubbed receivers and an Arsenal refinished stock and metal. Some were cut down rifles, others original carbines. Those M95s were a new odd surplus rifle back around 2000. The better ones were the early 1960s long rifles one would find in the junk barrels at sporting stores (Hunters INC )- none had import marks. Sog & Aim were know for fast applied import mark: some light, some partial, some missed.
I got rid of my M95 carbines. But here is link to some rifles I got back in the late 1960s:
4 different M95 long rifles - Surplus Rifle Forum - www.surplusrifleforum.org

here is a link to some SRF references
Steyr M95 Reference Sites - Surplus Rifle Forum - www.surplusrifleforum.org

So you got a later Arsenal rebuilt rifle with a scrubbed crest ???? The stock is an Arsenal rebuild not a recent job.The real late carbines like yours have a import mark on the left side of the receiver that looks nasty. Those M95 carbines are brutal to fire. Most imports are in the easy to find 8x 56R as indicated by the S on your rifle. If on blood thinners, it kicks so bad that your shoulder will bruise if an old timer:runaway:
The long rifles are easier to fire with that robust cartridge.
In 200/2001 they dumped so many on the surplus market it was a firearm of the month see
Historic Firearm of the Month, September 2001


You must use the enblock clip or you risk cracking the extractor, see the reference links for bolt tricks and the dime trick. Being arsenal redone you should have a new bolt spring, the older ones had weak striker springs that did not aways fire off the older ammo.

Rifle dates are on the barrel with the S stamped over the markings . On some later rebuilds these were remover and all you see is an S or H and the date is gone. See the references or my post showing my long rifles.

Not sure about posting photos on this forum here is a try. An Sog original stock and and Sog refinished dog. Also a photo of crest and date location. Both are imports from 2002/2003 period. Attachment 113603Attachment 113604

The pics came out very small?? Got rid of these carbines about 8 years ago and kept the long rifles. Your unit marked butt plate is a plus. I still have an 8x50r WW I bring back carbine with an original sling. But I only have about 60 rounds of original 8x50r left. Really too nice to fire. All matching marks and also a unit marked butt plate with original sling.