Info on Mannlicher Schoenauer carbine

[Brian Rothhammer]

Have the same caliber and shot a maneater leopard with it.

'Johnny's Cat' - Ol' Grand Dad (John F. Easton), leopard taken with M1910 Take Down Model.

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

Finally received the chamber casting results. The gunsmith confirmed that the carbine is 6.5 x 54 MS caliber. He reported that the barrel was in great condition and there was very little erosion in the throat, and the lands and grooves were in great condition as well.

The carbine had not been used since the mid 1980s, and possibly longer, because of the caliber was not properly identified. I did clean it up periodically.

Thanks for all of the assistance in identifying this carbine.

Sounds like time to load her up and do some shooting!

Be advised that the Schoenauer magazine, though absolutely flawless in operation when fed with proper fitting cartridges, is rather particular in regards to its diet. Cartridges must be at or very close to original specifications and profile in order to feed properly, including bullet profile.

Prvi Partisan 6.5X54 is generally available on the market and are used by many MS shooters, but handloading / reloading is highly recommended for best results. Get some Prvi ammo, shoot and keep brass, reload precisely like this and with round nosed projectiles:

 

[steve white]

The 'Sequoia' rifles and stutzen were M1924, chambered in .30-'06 for appeal to the U.S. market.

Sequoia Importing Co. ordered a large batch (numbers vary per source), they did not sell well, many went back to Steyr (or never left) and were stamped over as 'KAL.7.62X63' or rebarreled to chamberings more popular in Europe.

The M1924 had a longer 'action' than previous models, production continued in various chamberings without model designation. Collectors refer to such arms as 'M1925', Stoeger called them 'High Velocity'.

M1924 'Sequoia' MS had the trap door steel buttplate with cleaning rod storage. Sequoia was marked on barrel.

View attachment 574071
Sequoia #265

View attachment 574072

View attachment 574068 M1924 restamped for European sale

Thanks for that info--in truth I was just fishing around for some explanation for that plain plastic butt plate, for which I still have no answer except maybe one more instance of a custom order?

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

Thanks for that info--in truth I was just fishing around for some explanation for that plain plastic butt plate, for which I still have no answer except maybe one more instance of a custom order?

I suspect the stutzen in question is an expertly 'sporterized' Y1903 military MS or variant (Y1903/14, Y1903/14/27...).

The stock may or may not be a genuine Steyr part (could have been ordered new from Steyr by the gunmaker who did conversion). Stippling on front ring may have been done to obliterate 'Greek' markings as well as date of manufacture being removed from side rail.

'Greek' receiver stamping

'Greek' side rail stamping

'Greek Contract' Mannlicher Schoenauers

 

[KDeter]

Thanks for all of the assistance on confirming this MS 1903 carbine. I have a few rounds from MidwayUSA so I will try it out soon.

 

[93marlin]

I suspect the stutzen in question is an expertly 'sporterized' Y1903 military MS or variant (Y1903/14, Y1903/14/27...).

The stock may or may not be a genuine Steyr part (could have been ordered new from Steyr by the gunmaker who did conversion). Stippling on front ring may have been done to obliterate 'Greek' markings as well as date of manufacture being removed from side rail.

View attachment 574274
'Greek' receiver stamping

View attachment 574275
'Greek' side rail stamping

View attachment 574276
'Greek Contract' Mannlicher Schoenauers

I agree! It does appear to be a very well done conversion. I've had several Schoenauers. None have had the receiver ring that had the markings stippled out.

 

[93marlin]

They make great rifles, no matter what they started out to be. The caliber is awesome that takes game all out of proportion of its size.

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

They make great rifles, no matter what they started out to be. The caliber is awesome that takes game all out of proportion of its size.

'Actions' of the M1903 and Y1903 were identical.

W.D.M. Bell famously took bull elephant with the 6.5X54 MS, but was dissatisfied with inconsistencies of the English made cartridges he had used.

The elephant, however, fell quite dead.

Bell's infamous 'brain shot'.

 

[RayAtkinson]

I have one thats all original and came with the rare flex receiver sight. It does have a bit of headspace as 99% of them do, but can be fireformed to chamber specs...several reloading books make reference to this headspace problem with these rifes..I love to hunt with whitetail wiith mine. Wonderfull guns.

 

[KurtC]

You can quickly and easily tell the difference between a military and commercial action by simply looking at the right side of the receiver, just behind the bolt handle. Military receivers do not have the bolt lock.

 

[Monsai52]

Due to the 1934 proof dates, it is likely one of the Greek 1903 "1930 System" rifles that has been modified. Possibly one of the post war Mannlicher-Schonauer rifles that Stoegers had Steyr build on a cache of unissued Greek 1930 System rifles they discovered. This might explain the plastic butt plate, because the post war "Model 1903" did not have the steel trap door butt plate, and the front receiver ring was simply stippled without a model number. But on the other hand, the post-war Stoegers did not have the roll marks on the left side of the action removed, or the rear of the bolt/cocking piece and top of the rear of the receiver stippled like the OP's MS.

I have one of the post-war Stoegers M-S Stutzens in 7x57. A beautiful rifle and every bit the quality of the pre-war production. The recoil pad on mine is new, but I just replaced the one a former owner had installed. It originally would have had a plastic butt plate like the OP's. Brian and I exchanged a few e-mails about this rifle a couple of years ago.

Best regards,

 

[RayAtkinson]

I have a 1903 6.5x54 (3)..and I love mine. Loading books say allways check the head space and I might add most have headspace which btw is an over played non problem, since all one has to do is fireform the case an neck size to fit the chamber, My gun like most has headspace and I fire form with new brass, 30 grs Hercules under a wad of cornmeal, topped with a was wad then fire to the sky, neck size and load up to go hunt..Its on par with a 250 savage or 257 Robts, If I ever find a gunsmith capable of converting to to a 250-3000 I will have that done.