-
M1888-95 Mannlicher
It arrived, over an hour late, in a busted box.
I can't say I'm pleased with this one, but it isn't a complete disaster. It has the rear sight slide where they stated most were missing. It is missing the safety lever, but the screw is present. The firing pin is clipped, That I'm most disappointed with. The exterior on this one is the worst I've gotten from them. quite a bit of pitting on the barrel, the bands are rusted pretty bad. The bore has strong rifling but is pitted particularly towards the muzzle. The stock actually looks pretty decent and has no cracks and is cleaner than most.
The good news is, I purchased an 1888-90 a couple years ago and bought some spare parts I ended up not needing as mine had what most didn't. This included the safety lever and the middle barrel band. These parts appear to be non-existent now.
It came apart easily enough, no screws were rusted solid. I've started sanding the barrel down, not worried about the finish, the finish is pure rust. This one's going to take some time.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../Dwt0aon-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../GHNqNsP-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../NasMvSe-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../ulGbTk1-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../s6lXrep-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../eKQXOa6-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../mFOusfG-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../2PJmloG-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../mFOusfG-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../x5Zwnpq-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../VIIhFEH-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../07r6e5i-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../WRUxOgN-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../qoJx6Tz-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../DlzKvHg-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../YoGQZdE-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../nIC4bqA-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../sSRNq2h-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../EpRK93e-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../rFM0SS9-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../T8EwkSv-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../s37GcED-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../iFbYOB5-1.jpg
-
Wow, at least you won't damage the fine polish and blue. No one will accuse you of disturbing the patina.
-
LOL, the last one I got actually looked like this also. But it was yak grease and dirt. This is rust. I normally like to minimalize but this one I think I'll polish the pitting out and cold blue it, the barrel anyway, everything else I'll probably leave alone. The new middle band has no rust and some original finish left. Front band I'll probably cleanup to match the barrel.
I have the replacement safety fitted. Works like a charm.
-
-
Numrich actually had a firing pin so that's taken care of. Everything else I could have used is gone. Good thing I had the spares.
-
Enjoy the project.
Thanks for sharing.
Later 42rocker
-
Bulk rust is off the barrel. It looks better already. Barrel is not shot out. Bullet stops right around where the curvature ends. These bullets have a pretty dramatic curve to them. I was a little concerned about the muzzle as the rifling visually looks thin. Started cleaning the stock, that at least will probably be done sometime today. Metal will take a while.
I found an interesting stamp on the barrel just in front of the rear sight. Looks similar to an Imperial German mark. I don't believe I've seen similar ones on Austrian guns before. It's still not quite clear but it's also larger than I'm used to seeing. This barrel was replaced when they converted it to an 88-95. There are tool marks on the shank.
Rear sight slide has a minor problem. The little "point" which locks it into place is worn off. I'll have to see if my son in law can put a little weld bead on it that I can shape down. Otherwise, it won't stay up and I'll have trouble shooting it at 2000 meters. LOL.
-
A project, for sure. Looking forward to see the results.
-
Stock is cleaned with one coat of BLO on it. When it was new, this was probably a really sharp looking rifle. Faint tiger striping on the right side. Left side not so much but still there in places. I did minimal sanding, just hit some of the rough spots where the grain was dug up or there was cross grain marks. So the dents and larger scratches remain. Can't possibly make it look like new so not going to make it look weird by trying.
Front and middle band are cleaned of rust. Hit the barrel a little more but it still has a ways to go.
-
Keep us informed of your progress with lots of pictures please.
-
-
I made some progress with the smaller parts today. Polished the rust off everything now with the exception of the barreled receiver. That I'm still working on. I at least have the bulk rust off it.
Cleaned up the magazine/trigger guard and then washed it with GOJO because I was cleaning the rust off my hands with it and it worked pretty well. I then did a one coat cold blue on it and I think it turned out pretty nice. Better than I expected.
The "new" firing pin came yesterday, and I cleaned the bolt up and reassembled it. Fit perfect.
Some before and afters, same lighting.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../817xOlk-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../tatAaPV-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../8xf01jI-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../mUITRiD-1.jpg
-
It's coming along nicely and you haven't over done it. Trigger guard really looks good.
-
Very nice!
Mannlichers have a special place in my heart, good to see one get a second chance at life.
-
Took some time today to "finish" things up. Looking at the photos I might put another coat of BLO on it. It looks dry in the photos but probably just the light which isn't the greatest because the sun is so low on the horizon being winter and all. I'll try to post before and after next to each other. It has one coat of cold blue on it. I might put a second on it, not sure. Going to let it sit for a few days and steel wool it again. My goal is not to make it look new, that's impossible, but get it looking like a reasonably well kept 100+ year old rifle and I think I've attained that.
I'm pleased with how it came out. I admittedly was extremely concerned when I took it out of the box.
The stock was cleaned with three applications of citristrip. I lightly sanded some of it where the wood had some cross grain sanding marks and where there was some "fluff" to the wood where it had fuzzies. The middle band is the only part you can see which is not original to the rifle. The safety was added, the firing pin which can't be seen was replaced. Front band, replacement middle band and rear band were wire wheeled and cold blued. Barrel was polished using a belt sander in a vise and hand sandpaper. I did not take all the pitting out, just the worst of it and I did not worry as much about the area under the wood. Receiver was just cleaned, not polished at all. Receiver and barrel were washed with GoJo, hot water and then cold blued, washed, wiped and steel wooled. I did nothing to the butt plate or the rear sling swivel other than cleaning them a bit. I could not get one of the screws out of the butt plate so it was never removed. The bolt I polished a little with fine sandpaper and left in the white.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../NasMvSe-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../q0U8paB-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../ulGbTk1-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../S6kVXlS-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../bU7Rt61-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../vP9vLC4-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../nIC4bqA-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../MhR9WPE-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../07r6e5i-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../hqWfLsf-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../mFOusfG-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../KLhq1vU-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../s37GcED-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../L2GlSd2-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../iFbYOB5-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../hXLpl6V-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../sSRNq2h-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../jLCgfRc-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../2PJmloG-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../ywE470s-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../WRUxOgN-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../ctpEthB-1.jpg
-
Much nicer...now, where's the bayonet?
-
I have one that fits it but belongs to the 1888-90. I should locate a new one for it I suppose.
-
Doing some small odds and ends now. Rear sight slide was bent plus not holding so I took it apart, found it was filled with crud, the spring was frozen in a short position. I was able to get it out and immediately lost it. So I need to locate a replacement for it. It didn't work anyway so not a huge deal. Was hoping to see if I could stretch it enough that it would work. I believe with a working spring, it will hold on the slide.
