Royal Tiger Imports 1888 Mannlicher Rifle

[Aragorn243]

Took another chance, they knocked $300 off these for 24 hours today. Pretty sure it's an 1888-90 but that's OK. They are selling those for the same price. I think the condition on these is a bit better than the latter. I'm going of photos of the samples and the rear sights are the same on both. Only difference is the rear sight, they didn't do anything else to the rifles to allow them to fire smokeless.

Says it will be two weeks till it gets shipped.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

We'll be watching...picture heavy then.

[Aragorn243]

Didn't give me much time to research, this one hasn't been on my radar. The sale put it in my price range. Now I'm trying to figure out if I have the bayonet for it or not. I don't recall buying one for it but they are showing the Ersatz bayonets fitting them and if they do, I have one of those. One on ebay right now but it looks a little peculiar. The finish looks weird, like it's been reblued. The rivets don't look like rivets but screws and they aren't clear and look dark blue. Grips look too smooth. Just too many things off with it. The others they have listed are not 1888 bayonets but 1895 bayonets. I will look for a sling in the meantime.

[Aragorn243]

And now a hard lesson in how things have changed in the relatively short time I've been collecting these "things". Hard to believe but I've been at this for only 12 years officially although the first few I bought were over 30 years ago. Anyway, 10 years ago I could purchase a rifle and have a sling, clips, bayonet, etc on the way from various sources within hours. Today, nothing. Bayonet is there but it's crap. They were never blued, they were in the white. Repro slings of M95 carbines that would not be appropriate for this. Clips I believe are the same as the M95 but won't know that until it actually arrives. At least I know what the sling is supposed to look like. Slip ring on top, adjustable pin/rivet on the bottom.

[Aragorn243]

Being proactive, these seem to be missing some parts when they arrive. Safety, extractor, safety screw and volley sight. Oddly enough all these are available from Numrich. So I placed an order with them just in case. Should be able to sell them easily enough if they are actually present. Figured I'd order just in case there is a run on them with everyone else buying the rifles and they do seem to be selling fairly quickly with their flash sale.

On the slings, I found other types in different photos so might be good on modifying an M95 sling.

[Eaglelord17]

My M90 (M88/90 that was not a updated M88) Mannlicher is one of my favourite rifles. It gives my Swiss K93 Mannlicher a run for its money on smoothness and explains why the Austro-Hungarians preferred them until the effects of smokeless powder on the action long term became apparent. Heavy rifles though, which also explains why on the M95 series they were so proud of how thin they made the barrel, it was a substantial reduction in weight (which also resulted in a loss of accuracy).

Excited to see what you end up with!

[Aragorn243]

I found a guy in the Czech Republic that makes correct slings. I'm getting two of them because my M95's all apparently have incorrect slings.

[Aragorn243]

My parts from Numrich came today. They look real good. I have heard nothing from RTI so I decided to check my credit card balance and it was charged yesterday so it's getting real. Tomorrow is week two so it should be shipping.

[Aragorn243]

Shipped Thursday, arrives tomorrow if all goes well. FedEx so shouldn't get lost in the mail for a couple of weeks. Tracking had it in Virginia at noon today. Easily in PA by tomorrow.

[Aragorn243]

It has arrived. It is filthy. It has all the parts I purchased from Numrich but I will have to replace the middle band because they did pound down the volley sight pin. It is however missing a sling swivel screw. not a dealbreaker. The butt stock is marked AOI, markings are present on the barrel, receiver, butt plate, bolt but what I can check doesn't match. The bore is very dark but I see rifling. Stock has no major cracks that I can see, usual small crack at rear of tang. A couple of the screws are loose. Safety works.

Wife is yelling at me to change my clothes already. Admittedly my hands are covered with crap already and all I did was take photos of it and pull the bolt out and put it back.

Very impressed with how they packed it. Heavy bubble wrap the full length, then a cardboard sleeve full length and then packed tight in the outer box. My Berdan they just threw in a box with no packing.

Photos later. I have to go get a new cleaning rod and then change my clothes and get to work on it.

I'm thinking this actually is an 1888 as the rear sight does not appear to have been altered. Will have to investigate that further when it's cleaner.

Everything that moves seems to work as it's supposed to. The rear volley sight extension is there but it's stuck which was expected.

Finish is as expected, very worn. But not as bad as my Berdan. And they did not wire wheel it thank goodness. Anxious to get it out of the stock.

Stock is not dried out, plenty of oil soaked in it. It will be getting the citristrip treatment. Some scratches, no primers pounded into it like some. No additional soldier embellishments I can see.

I'm a little concerned with the bore but who knows, could just be dirt and crap.