Steyr M95 Carbine w/ duffle cut

I don't know much about M95 carbines or the correct nomenclature for them , but I saw this carbine at an auction today and it seemed to be in fairly original condition. I ended up winning it for $225, which seemed like a good deal. The barrel seems to have a "97" date, so am I to assume that means it's 1897? However the barrel and receiver do not match. There aren't any numbers on it really, and the stock has barely any markings but I do see several little proof marks on the bottom of the butt stock, including what looks like an eagle.

When I took the stock apart I also found that there is a duffle cut on the forestock. Possible WWI or WWII bringback?

As a novice, I'd just like to know how close this rifle is to original issue and was it worth what I paid? It came out of an estate of very interesting older rifles, including a WWI era M91 Carcano cavalry carbine I also picked up (though that one has some issues).

If you need any other photos feel free to ask. Thanks!

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Good score I would say. Looks as it may be left in the original 8x50r cal. due to the lack of a S or H marking. Id say you paid a great price for it. I just recently picked up an M95 long rifle in what I believe is the orig caliber.

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Can't say on the value of this one. Not the best condition, duffle cut doesn't help, first one I've ever heard of to be honest. Not highly collected in US, selling for $100 in like new reconditioned finish just a year or so ago but some guys prefer original condition. Imports all gone now so prices going up. Original caliber helps for collectors, hurts for shooters, can't get ammo for it, can for updated caliber. It's missing a piece of the handguard.

My opinion, you overpaid on this one by a fair amount.

Some advice, if you're going to continue going to auctions like this, get yourself a copy of The Standard Catalog of Military Firearms by Phillip Peterson. Outlines nearly every type of military firearm, and many of their variations with pricing guidelines from poor to excellent. This is something I don't leave the house without on a weekend. Never know what you might run into in the weirdest places. If you can get advance notice of what is being sold, research it. A guide is just that, a guide, doesn't necessarily mean value will equal that in all markets. Check sold prices on gunbroker. Be careful not to over value the condition. A lot of guys will say, this is in vary good condition for 100 years old. That means nothing. Condition is the same no matter how old it is. Mint is mint, excellent is excellent, poor is poor. Price fluctuation between the higher grades with the older stuff can be huge, just because it is 100 years old. Lot more time for fewer rifles to survive in the high grade conditions. Internet access a huge plus. I went without that up until about 3 months ago and now wonder how I managed before. If you are after a specific rifle, say a Garand or an M1 carbine, buy a good book on them before you purchase the rifle. Book might set you back a bit but here are small paperbacks that are very reasonable and pretty accurate. When paying $1000 for a rifle, the cost of a book is minor.

Now my Peterson's Guide is old, but it lists original caliber in fair condition which is about where I'd grade yours at $150. Poor is $100 and Good is $200. My guide is 8 years old so I expect values to be about $50 per grade higher now, just based on what I see at the shows.

Long rifles are valued a fair amount higher because they did not import these in large numbers and there are not as many of them around. Most were converted after WWI into carbines.

So on a original M95 'Carbine' (there are several variations, all very close to eachover but some slight differences to separate them) the parts that would be matching would be the stock, barrel, and receiver (unless it was a Bulgarian one, in which case the bolt would be stamped as well). If this Carbine was like this in Austrian-Hungarian service it would have been designated a M95 Repetierkarabiner mit Stutzenring (originally this would have just been a Repetierkarabiner but before WWI the front barrel band was exchanged for one that could take a bayonet). Unfortunately due to rebuilds and such, that is not a accurate way to describe this carbine anymore as odds are whoever had this carbine was cannibalizing some to make parts for others (hence the barrel being non-matching).

Since it has a duffle cut, odds are it was captured in WWII. Generally speaking those left in the original caliber tended to be used by Italy or Germany at this point in time (Italy having a fairly large number of them, Germany not so many so I would lean towards Italy). Italy used these types of carbines extensively in the colonies and to colonial troops as they are small and handy, and also if they needed to they could cut supply of the non-standard ammo to those troops in the event of a revolt/uprising against Italian rule.