Difference between pre ww2 m95 refurb and post war refurb

[MilsurpMM]

Im looking into buying an M95 Mannlicher and i dont know much about them. How can you tell if the gun is a pre war build or a post war build?

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[Aragorn243]

I think you have your timelines messed up a bit. The M95 is a WWI rifle. Post WWI many went through various refurbishments. Many long rifles were converted to short rifles and some were converted to 8mm Mauser, these are uncommon and will be marked M95M. They were used in WWII but as a second line rifle for the most part. After WWII they ended up on the surplus market.

They are dated on the receiver if you can read it, often hard to read. The carbines are a little easier. Originals have a short rear sight, conversions have the original long rifle sight with the numbers ground off and re-stamped. Most all were converted to 8×56mmR between the wars and will be stamped with either an S or an H which often obscures the date of manufacture.

[MilsurpMM]

No i don't have my timelines messed up. After Germany annexed Austria, they forced them to expel nearly all of their M95 rifles. They ended up selling them to Bulgaria. The Bulgarians refurbed nearly all M95s and re arsenaled many. So again, the question is, how can you tell a pre WW2 M95 refurb from a post WW2 M95 refurb because the Bulgarians refurbed many before and after

[Aragorn243]

Again, nearly all rebuilding was completed between the wars. Austria and Hungary both upgraded their rifles to the new cartridge. Bulgaria also upgraded theirs to the new cartridge shortly thereafter. This was done between the wars. Production on these stopped in the early 1920's as they were obsolete. There were no major changes made to any of them post WWII. Bulgaria may have refurbished them prior to sale on the surplus market and if that is what you are asking, there really is no way to tell other than they will look refurbished.