Bulgarian M95, Budapest 1909 8x50r, with questions

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.

https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...4&d=1514169256

https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...6&d=1514169272

https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...7&d=1514169279

https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...5&d=1514169267

https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...8&d=1514169314

https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...9&d=1514169324

https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...0&d=1514169328

Can't help you on the N but love these old M95s. Mine are all 8 X 56 R later conversations. Still holding out for an original.

To be honest 8x50r is a pretty hard round to duplicate and for that reason the 8x56r rifles are much more practical. I am going to be test shooting this one today, but I suspect I shall have some horrible results (as I have with all my other M95s) as no one makes a 240-250grn flatbased round nose bullet anymore.

Originals pop up occasionally, and they tend not to sell very well because of the caliber. I never intended to get a collection of 8x50r firearms but I am currently sitting on 3 Bulgarian M95s in 8x50r and one Italian capture carbine in 8x50r (can't say specifically what type of carbine it was originally as it was rebuilt by Italy post-WWI). I hope to grow that at some point, but it is more or less a waiting game as there isn't that many on the market.

Well fired 12rds though it today. Destroyed two clays at 100m once I figured out where to aim, might actually be some accuracy potential in the rifle.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eaglelord17

To be honest 8x50r is a pretty hard round to duplicate and for that reason the 8x56r rifles are much more practical. I am going to be test shooting this one today, but I suspect I shall have some horrible results (as I have with all my other M95s) as no one makes a 240-250grn flatbased round nose bullet anymore.

Originals pop up occasionally, and they tend not to sell very well because of the caliber. I never intended to get a collection of 8x50r firearms but I am currently sitting on 3 Bulgarian M95s in 8x50r and one Italian capture carbine in 8x50r (can't say specifically what type of carbine it was originally as it was rebuilt by Italy post-WWI). I hope to grow that at some point, but it is more or less a waiting game as there isn't that many on the market.

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I reform 7.62x54R brass, pretty easy job.

When I have done it I have used 8x56r cut down and resized. The problem isn't the brass but getting a loading which works well for accuracy as it is difficult to find anything close to the original bullet, unless you cast.

The original bullet works quite well , shot as factory ammo or as reloads . The Hornady .329 does not seem to work well . A long time ago [ when companies made bullet for old military rifles that would work ] Speer made a .323 225 hollow based round nose bullet , they work the best of any modern bullet . They can still be found on online auctions . A cast bullet made large enough to fill the up to .334 grooves tend to get deformed so bad by the deep rifling they do not shoot well . But my accuracy standards may be different . I go by 2 inch or smaller average of 5-shot groups at 100 yards , shooting 5 only and counting them all .

That Speer bullet sounds exactly like what I need, unfortunately being in Canada you tend not to see as much variety in bullets as you do down South, and you need to have someone do a proper importation for them. Currently I have some 235grn round nose soft points I have tried in two rifles and haven't worked. It seemed to do ok with this one, however I wasn't shooting paper rather watching impacts in the snow and adjusting on to clays that way.

Just got in some 225grn .323 spitzer boattail bullets pulled from 8x63 surplus, I might play a bit with those but who knows if the rifles will actually shoot it.

Considering the original intent of the rifle, an IPSC type target at 200 may be as much accuracy as can be had.

I am sure with a properly loaded round (i.e. the original loading) it would be accurate on a man sized target at least out to 600m, that being said one of the bigger flaws with the M95 was the light weight barrel which heated up very quickly.

I have a case of WWI era 8x50 ammo in great shape . In my long rifles it is in the top half of the field for accuracy of all the WWI rifles with original ammo . At least twice as accurate as any of my M-95 long rifles in 8x56 .

So I got a private message indicating that the EA could mean 'Ελληνική Αστυνομία' which is Greek Police and would explain why it is still in the original caliber as it would have been captured in the Second Balkan War.

Not bad for an old thread.

I felt it would be good information to share as learning stuff like that isn't something your going to find in a book.