Budapest M95 carbine.

[Aragorn243]

I looked closely at mine and those stampings you see faintly on the right side of the receiver were at one time what I believe to be the Hungarian crown. Yours was overstamped with that "E" or "M" and the other is just too worn to show.

Your rifle is definitely a carbine, not a cut down. The second giveaway besides the rear sight is the front sight. If it were a cut down rifle it would be held on by a barrel band rather than being attached to the barrel as yours is.

I've been looking for one for about 4 months with little luck. Had seen a few at a gun show a while back but I got distracted by a No4 Enfield. The Steyrs were a bit on the rough looking side for the price in my opinion and I went with the Enfield. Found this one online made the deal about 2 1/2 weeks ago but couldn't get it because it was about 5 hours away driving time. I'm pleased with it and it was worth the wait. Bore looks real good. Previous owner says it grouped well but the recoil was pretty severe, worse than the M44 and the No 5 carbines. At least Privi makes ammo for this one.

My book came three days after I placed the order so you shouldn't have long to wait.

The long rifle is going to be tough. They are around but not in large numbers.

[Anzac15]

Here are a few more close ups..couple of interesting things, the rear sight on mine differs a lot from others I have seen. The numbers on all others I've seen seem to be, well, more spaced apart. Also, just found these marking in the left side of the buttstock. They appear to be two small starbursts(?) and if you look closely, a K. Now I know the K signifies Steyr manufactue, but if you look REALLY closely, you see what appears to be an S just to the left of the K. Also this stock has no serial numbers of any kind on either side. Again, if these things could talk..

[jmoore]

Ammo is Nazi marked 1938 and current manufacture Privi-Partisan.

Have you shot either? Wondering how the Prvi performs.

I have an "S" bored rifle (not carbine) which has yet to go to the range. Should have gotten a carbine a few years back when they could be has in excellent shape for US$100 or so. Now the only ones about are priced at almost US$300 -but I may not be looking all that hard....

[Aragorn243]

Here are a few more close ups..couple of interesting things, the rear sight on mine differs a lot from others I have seen. The numbers on all others I've seen seem to be, well, more spaced apart. Also, just found these marking in the left side of the buttstock. They appear to be two small starbursts(?) and if you look closely, a K. Now I know the K signifies Steyr manufactue, but if you look REALLY closely, you see what appears to be an S just to the left of the K. Also this stock has no serial numbers of any kind on either side. Again, if these things could talk..

Your rear sight is odd. There is no example of it in the book that I could find. Austrian rifles were sighted using "schritt" which appears to be .8 meters. Only thing I could find as a definition is "stride" or "step" so it's probably close to a yard. Venturing a guess, the sight on your rifle is for a nation that used meters and it was converted. As your sight has lower numbers, the conversion would make sense to be meters.

I don't know about the stock serial number, they weren't typical when originally issued yet it's probable they were put in early in the rifles careers as mine has three different ones, two lined out.

Have you shot either? Wondering how the Prvi performs.

I have an "S" bored rifle (not carbine) which has yet to go to the range. Should have gotten a carbine a few years back when they could be has in excellent shape for US$100 or so. Now the only ones about are priced at almost US$300 -but I may not be looking all that hard....

I have not fired it yet and am probably going to get a shooters jacket before I do based on some recommendations concerning the recoil. You might still be able to get one for less than $200 if you look around. They were selling for about $160 the last time I saw one at the shows but my local source has sold out of them. I've also heard that some of the importers supposedly have them for less but I have been unable to locate them and I've been trying. I got what I consider to be an excellent deal on this one, $175 with the bayonet, reproduction sling, 20 rounds of Privi, 20 rounds of 1938 surplus and 8 clips. Have to add in about $40 for gas to go get it but still well worth it in my opinion. The clips are going for about $5.50 each at the cheapest places I can find. Dunhams had a broken one for that price a few months ago. It was missing the bayonet/stacking lug and the end of the stock was shattered.

[Calif-Steve]

Coming from Bulgaria. Most have been sold-off by now. I handload the round and it uses an odd .330 bullet. The German cartridge kicks like a mule and is very unpleasant.

[Anzac15]

Aragorn, in case you were interested, I searched high and low for anything resembling the rear sight on my carbine, and I finally found something. My carbine is officially known as a 31.m, found a pic of one, sight matches exactly. Also, the 'mystery markings' in the stock are 'K.A.B.' (central acceptance committee) in operation from 1932 to 1944. Apparently these carbines were racked, then brought out of storage to be used in WW2 alongside the 35.m infantry rifle. It seems a good many saw the harsh winter in Hitler's little Russian outing. The serial number on the buttplate is also exclusive to the 31.m. As I said, this one is not import marked, I can't even begin to imagine how it got here, unless it got into the states before import marks became required and widespread. Glad to get this info. Now to find out what the little circled 'E' is........

[Patrick Chadwick]

Thanks to all contributors for a very interesting thread! The Mannlicher carbines are very cheap over here, and I bought 10 clips for 10 euros. The problem is finding the bullets - and suffering the hard recoil. Very similar "feeling" to the shoulder-punishing Berthier carbine, which also has a fat, heavy bullet.

If you are looking for a long Mannlicher, they are much rarer - because most were converted to short rifles/carbines - and the original 8x50R long rifles seem to achieve collector prices. If you can find one in shootable condition for under 300, grab it.

[Aragorn243]

Aragorn, in case you were interested, I searched high and low for anything resembling the rear sight on my carbine, and I finally found something. My carbine is officially known as a 31.m, found a pic of one, sight matches exactly. Also, the 'mystery markings' in the stock are 'K.A.B.' (central acceptance committee) in operation from 1932 to 1944.

Not sure if that explains the sight or not. The 31M designation is simply what the Hungarians called the 95M. As yours is stamped with the "H", that would be the correct designation for it. It's possible the Hungarians put the sight like yours on their rifles. Mine is a Budapest as well but it was converted by Steyr. Full name is Huzagol 31.M when done by the Hungarians. I did find a photo which may show your sight on a 31M in the book on page 111. It says the rear sight is from a Repetierstuzen M95 which of course would be the Austiran M95 which a close up of another photo shows a sight the same as what is on mine.

It simply could be because yours never went through the final refit and had the rear sight changed. Yours is original, mine an upgraded sight.