History
The turn of the 20th century was a remarkable time in firearms development across the globe. The infantry rifle had gone through several upgrades, and every major world power was determined to keep up. This was the era of the bolt-action rifle, the brass-cased cartridge, and the introduction of smokeless powder.
(All photos: April Robinson/Guns.com)
It is easy to forget, but the maps and nations of the late 19th century looked a little different than they do today. Austria-Hungary was one of the largest countries in Europe and was considered a major world power. Many European nations were adopting iconic small arms such as the 1886 Lebel in France, the Carcano in Italy, and the Mosin-Nagant in Russia.
Related: Two Guys One Gun Podcast, Episode 22 – The Mosin-Nagant
Not wanting to be left out, Austria-Hungary turned to Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher, a famous Austrian small arms inventor. In 1895, Mannlicher’s straight-pull, enbloc-clip-fed rifle was officially adopted by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Design
The Mannlicher Model 1895 was unlike other bolt-action rifles of the time, as it used one back-and-forth motion, giving the soldier a speed advantage. Furthermore, Mannlicher used his invention of the enbloc clip in unison with the internal box magazine.
This allowed the soldier to quickly insert a preloaded five-round enbloc clip into the magazine. When the last round was loaded into the magazine, the clip would simply fall out of the ejection hole in the magazine, clearing the magazine for the insertion of the next loaded clip.
In the beginning, the rifles were chambered for a semi-smokeless powder 8x50mmR Mannlicher, but that was replaced with the smokeless 8x56mmR shortly after World War I. The original Model of 1895 featured a long barrel ideal for maximizing the performance of the early semi-smokeless cartridge. The long barrel also helped soldiers defend themselves against mounted cavalry by providing a longer reach with a bayonet.
In Service
In the early years of the M1895’s existence, the rifle only saw a few minor conflicts, such as the Balkan Wars and the Boxer Rebellion. The Mannlicher’s most notable service was during World War I, when it was fielded by the Austro-Hungarian Empire as the standard issue military rifle.
At the end of the Great War, the Austro-Hungarian empire dissolved into several different nations, putting into question the future of millions of M1895 rifles that were in service. While many of the rifles were sold off to pay off war debts, the life of the M1895 was not over, as the Armistice limited the ability of several nations to manufacture small arms. In the 1930s with the surge of the Nazis in Germany and Austria, the rifle was again refitted for service.
My Steyr M95 is a 1903 manufacture and was retained by the Austrians at the end of the First World War and pressed back into service in the 1930s. It followed the path of most M95s of the era and was cut down to carbine length and rechambered for the 8x56mmR spitzer (pointed) cartridge.
This M95/30 conversion kept the rifle in relevant service, as these models were again issued to troops and police forces. While the rifle was mainly given to rear echelon units, it found its way to many battlefields across the different campaigns of World War II.
Summary
Few things that have existed in such harsh environments for over 100 years still work today. Military surplus rifles like this tell a story of lost empires, brutal conflicts, and defining moments in history.
The Steyr M95 is a testament to early firearms technology as well as to the quality manufacturing of the time. While it may not be the most notable rifle of the era, it still has a tale to tell about some of the biggest moments in human history.
