The Steyr M95 - CGN compiled knowledge.

[GOEX FFF]

Wow, thanks for sharing!

Sure thing!

Even after it was re-barreled to 8x56r ?

Austrian and Hungarian (1930 and 31' respectively) 8x56mmR conversions concentrated on lengthening the chamber for the longer 8x56mmR case, using all of the original existing 8x50 barrels.
(You can use an 8x56mmR case, trim it to 50mm and it will fit right in an 8x50mmR chamber).
The bore diameter through the cartridge conversion stayed the same. A typical bore on the M.95 were oversized (generally from .329-330) needed for the extra obturation (expansion) of the flat-based RN 8x50mmR .323" (M93 O-Patrone) 244grn projectile into the rifling. In addition, smokeless or "semi-smokeless" powders during the period burned dirtier than what it does today, fouling was a bigger issue back then. With powder fouling, the larger bore diameter also allowed the rapidly expanding flat-base projectile to pass through more easily after fouling build up.

The 8x56mmR Spitzgeschoss (pointed bullet) (M30 S-Patrone) 208grn projectiles were of the boat-tail design made to .329", so only a chamber modification for the case was needed and smokeless powders by the 1930's had already vastly improved from the early stages of the 1880's predecessor of dirtier smokeless powders and was no longer a real issue.

Here's an Austrian 8x50mmR flat-based cupra-nickel RN projectile. The skirt behind the crimp would rapidly expand more than the later improved boat-tail.

[Nevada Hudson]

Thank You!

[GOEX FFF]

[NOTABIKER]

what makes a great military rifle at a certain time and what makes a great historic shooter rifle today are two different things. maybe the Steyr was outdated in WW2 [ i never did understand why ] but for me it stands shoulder to shoulder with all the great WW1 & 2 rifles. i do not plan to jam the exposed bottem of my magazine in a trench any time soon.

[DesertWalker]

The Steyr M95 is an interesting firearm. The straight pull bolt action is a better design than the Swiss Schmidt-Rubin except for it's evil and hateful bolt head. If you ever take the bolt out of the rifle without the proper and necessary little spacer clip that keeps the bolt head from snapping back and retracting faster than watching Barbara Boxer and Hillery Clinton having hot naked lesbian sex will make you lose a woody, you will understand what I am saying.

Ammo is out there but not easy to find and not cheap. There is WW2 era German, Austrian, Bulgarian, and Hungarian - this is collector item stuff that will cost you around a buck a round when/if you find it.... although that actually isn't that expensive any more, going by what I see boxes of even common modern rifle ammo going for these days. But that's o.k., it's not a gun you will want to shoot a lot. Recoil is fierce, especially with the little carbines - it's not a real user friendly bangstick.

Most of these were made by Steyr in Austria for Austrian forces in the Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy and will have the little double-head Austrian imperial eagle marking. Some Austrian made ones were made for the Hungarian forces and have the Steyr marking but Hungarian shield and crown emblem. These are less common and a little more desirable. The other factory that made these was FEG in Budapest. These are scarcer than the Austrian Steyr made ones. Some Budapest made M95's went to Hungarian forces and have the Hungarian shield and crown marking, others went to Austrians and have the double eagle.

Bulgaria was a big purchaser of this model in the pre-Ww1 era, and some can be found with the Bulgarian lion crest on the side of the receiver, which adds collectability. Likewise, many were used by Czechoslovakia right after WW1 and will have small Czech lions and markings on the receiver and various parts - you gotta look hard and careful to see them, but they do add quite a bit of collectability.

There are 2 calibers for these, the original Ww1 Austrian 8X50r and the 1930's era Austrian 8X56r that was also adopted by Hungary. Unaltered 8x50r versions are a lot scarcer and more desirable, but ammo is waaaay more difficult to find and pricey, pricey, pricey! Besides the long rifles (these are scarce and in general worth more than the average carbine. There are 3 carbine variations - 2 original ones, the Stutzen and the carbine, which are differentiated by the original stocks, swivels, and presence or absence of a bayonet lug. There are also carbines made by the Austrians and Hungarians in the 1930's by cutting down rifles - these will have the longer rifle rear sight and the front sight blade will be mounted on a band on the barrel instead of directly on the barrel like an original carbine. Of course, over the years and multiple refurbs, the stocks tend to get switched around, so you can find cut down rifle stocks one real carbines, and carbine or stutzen stocks on other models. Also, carbine stocks have had swivels added and stutzen stocks have had them removed from the bottom of the butt and the hole patched, so it's not a big deal. But it is nice when you encounter one that does have the correct style stock.

Some of the ones that remained in Austria after WW1 were rebarreld in Vienna in the 1930's. These will have an Austrian federal eagle instead of an imperial eagle on the barrel over the chamber, with 1930's dates. I find these particularly interesting and collectable in good shape, because you KNOW that in 1938 they became German rifles.

Most of the M95's you encounter these days come from Bulgaria. The Bulgarians must have been not only poor but also not too bright, because they really liked these rifles and continued to grab them up after Ww2 when they were real cheap and nobody else wanted them. Much of my family is Bulgarian, so this is not hate on Bulgarian people and don't anyone try to turn it into such.

Italy also used a number of them acquired as WW1 booty and these will sometimes have Italian East Africa markings stamped on the stock. They are desirable. Many also were used in the Balkans, large portions of which were either under Austrian control or at war with Austria in WW1.

M95's often have rather dark, worn, and/or pitted bores. It's common enough that it's not a deal breaker, especially since it's not a rifle you want to shoot a lot anyhow. Nice clean bores are definitely a plus. Earlier imports with small, discrete import marks are a little more desirable than later ones with rough as a cheese grater "billboard" import marks.

If you can pick the gun and ammo up in the $100 range, you won't get hurt.

If it has been sporterized or dicked-with in any way, value drops to about half of that.

If you get it, post photos here and we will tell you more about it.

This is a very cool, succinct and comprehensive post..all posts should be written this way...

[NOTABIKER]

the one i have has the S and is in almost new condition. it has a small 1932 on the top . i think this one sat in a safe dry place during WW 2 because the wood and betal are just too nice. and i only paid 180 for it with 80 rounds of 1938 nazi ammo. the guy in north SD county was very kind to sell me it. he is a regulat at the PALA long range shoots . It might not be worth much but that is OK with me. it shoots like a M1 carbine chambered for a 30-6.

[scott7]

Sorry if I'm doing this incorrectly, I've never posted to a forum before. I recieved a very nice 1909 when a relative passed several years back. I've been thinking of selling it lately, but I ran across a marking on it that I haven't seen discussed and was just wondering if it's common or not. It's got what I've heard refered to as a Hitler Chicken stamped on the right side of the stock. It's the same as on the 1938 ammo. Anyone see this before? Thx Scott7

[scott7]

Oh I almost forgot,under that it's stamped WaA2....

[GOEX FFF]

Welcome to Calguns Scott7!

Sorry to say, but the "Waffenamt" on M.95's are widely known as fakes to try and boost the value for something that's "Nazi" marked.

Read more here -

http://www.forgottenweapons.com/fake-nazi-marked-steyr-m95/

[DennisCA]

the one i have has the S and is in almost new condition. it has a small 1932 on the top . i think this one sat in a safe dry place during WW 2 because the wood and betal are just too nice. and i only paid 180 for it with 80 rounds of 1938 nazi ammo. the guy in north SD county was very kind to sell me it. he is a regulat at the PALA long range shoots . It might not be worth much but that is OK with me. it shoots like a M1 carbine chambered for a 30-6.

That's a pretty good description!
As someone once told me about the Steyr M95:
It kicks like a angry mule on crack!

[Gutz]

the one i have has the S and is in almost new condition. it has a small 1932 on the top . i think this one sat in a safe dry place during WW 2 because the wood and betal are just too nice. and i only paid 180 for it with 80 rounds of 1938 nazi ammo. the guy in north SD county was very kind to sell me it. he is a regulat at the PALA long range shoots . It might not be worth much but that is OK with me. it shoots like a M1 carbine chambered for a 30-6.

Could have been refinished. Either way, I too like mine a lot. Watch out, mine hit me in the lip last time.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

Watch out, mine hit me in the lip last time.

Sling swivel..?

Seriously, who puts a sling swivel on the stock close to your cheek-weld?

[DennisCA]

Sling swivel..?

Seriously, who puts a sling swivel on the stock close to your cheek-weld?

Apparently those crazy Austrians!

(Remember a lot of the M95 Carbines were long rifles and were shorten to carbine-lenght)

[billmaykafer]

Sling swivel..?

Seriously, who puts a sling swivel on the stock close to your cheek-weld?

my 2 Steyr M95 (Austrian) and my Budapest M95/34 (Hungarian) have sling swivel on grip just below where thumb sits on left side. so your answer is Austria,hungary(M95) and china on my T56 SKS

[Gutz]

Sling swivel..?

Seriously, who puts a sling swivel on the stock close to your cheek-weld?

Nah, it literally jumped up like 2 inches and went straight into my face. That damn Nazi ammo...

But I do have that sling swivel, dumbest location ever. lol