A beautiful Steyr mannlicher m95 / 30 in 8x56R

[gsbuickman]

Hiya Guy's ,

Yep, so it's official, I told myself I wasn't gonna do it. I wasn't gonna buy another gun for awhile, especially another rifle because my gun cabinet is full . Especially since I just bought a reloading setup, spent a couple hundred dollars on ammo, bought a new flat screen TV and several other things over the Black Friday / Cyber Monday Turkey Day Holiday & got satellite and internet hooked up here at the house. ( also paid the ol' lady's insurance and phone bill, damn! ..).

Then my friend Don decides to put his beautiful Steyr Mannlicher M95/30 straight-pull bolt in 8x56R up for sale on our local gun Grapevine for $400. Now he knows that I wanted an m95 for quite a while but I haven't picked one up due to the availability of the ammo or lack thereof since I don't reload. Then he offers to trade me for my 1891 Argentine Mauser that he's been trying to get back ever since I bought it from him.

I found out that he traded 2 Mausers for this m95 and then he spent another $180 on ammo for it, and he was letting it go with 17 em-block clips, 245 rds of Privi PPU ammo, reloading dies and a bunch of bullets & several rounds of Nazi marked ammo from 1938 - 1940. I slept on the offer then I decided what the hell, I may as well just buy it for Christmas instead, so, I did ...

Needless to say I've spent more money in the last couple of weeks than I have in a long long time so I think I'm officially done for a while and now it's time to relax & play catch-up.

 

[gsbuickman]

 

[Ironicaintit]

Beautiful! I have one that's nearly identical. It sure seems to me to be a handy and well balanced rifle. I love the way it points. But once I've fired it a bit...I wish it was heavier. The recoil is pretty potent!

Nice score!

 

[theotherwaldo]

I just scored five boxes of 1938 Waffenamt-marked ammo for my 95-30 this week. Now to find a bayonet that wasn't modded by the Turks, the Germans, or anybody else.

 

[gsbuickman]

Beautiful! I have one that's nearly identical. It sure seems to me to be a handy and well balanced rifle. I love the way it points. But once I've fired it a bit...I wish it was heavier. The recoil is pretty potent!
Nice score!

Thanks, I agree .
I've been kicking myself in the proverbial but ever since I had to sell the Swiss karabiner k-31 that I had, so in a way one of the reasons that I wanted an M95 was to replace it even though I don't think this is anywhere near as accurate as it was. I'd still like to get another carabiner k-31 but I've been told that you can't reload for them and since I just bought a reloading set up and I'm getting into it I don't think I'd want something that I can't reload for with the exception of rimfires unless the price of ammo is real reasonable.

I still don't have any Mosin rifles since I also had to sell the beautiful Mosin's that I had but I've kind of lost interest in them with the way that prices for them have exploded not to mention the way the price of ammo went sky-high as well. I was looking at a Hungarian M44 that was available here locally for $250 because I've had three or four of them, but as soon as I found out about this I forgot all about that mosin. One thing I noticed right away about this m95 is that it's real light and it points real nice, definitely lighter than any of the mosins or the k-31 that I had. I realize that this kicks like a Missouri Mule, luckily I'm a big guy with big arms big wrists big hands and big shoulders so Stout recoil really doesn't bother me that much, as a matter of fact I kinda enjoy it but then again maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment, idk ...

 

[gsbuickman]

I just scored five boxes of 1938 Waffenamt-marked ammo for my 95-30 this week. Now to find a bayonet that wasn't modded by the Turks, the Germans, or anybody else.

Kool . If you don't mind selling a box or two of that ammo please let me know, I'd be happy to park them in my China hutch

 

[Scooter22]

Nice rifle. You got a good deal with everything you got considering how much they went up. I have 2, 95/30s I got 10-15 years ago when a bunch came in. 79.00 bucks each and a 95 long rifle a shop had for 100.00. Sportsmens Guide had a big batch of the 1938 Nazi ammo back then. I belonged to the Buyers Club and got 100 boxes @1.79 each. Shot some but those light rifles with the 205 grn bullet jarred my fillings. Then I had rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders several years apart and that cut the joy down more on shooting my milsurps with full loaded surplus ammo. So I generally down load it 10-15% to lighten up the recoil. Sold some of the ammo when it hit 15-20 bucks a box. Got the Lee mold for this round so I can cheapen the shooting more. I generally save my milsurp shooting for the winter now when I have to wear heavy clothes to the range. Helps soak up recoil and the Styers, Mosins and Mausers seem at home in 20 degree snow storms. Really highlights the muzzel flash too. Enjoy yours.

Lee mold : https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...205-grain-round-nose-1-ogive-radius-gas-check

 

[Jenrick]

I'd still like to get another carabiner k-31 but I've been told that you can't reload for them

A bit off topic, but you can totally load for the K-31. Using once fired surplus Swiss brass is totally do able, it just takes a little more work to get the primers out. If you look here on THR or youtube there are several tutorials about how to do so. Now days, they are making fresh brass that is boxer primed, so you reload it just like anything else.

-Jenrick

 

[Scooter22]

A bit off topic, but you can totally load for the K-31. Using once fired surplus Swiss brass is totally do able, it just takes a little more work to get the primers out. If you look here on THR or youtube there are several tutorials about how to do so. Now days, they are making fresh brass that is boxer primed, so you reload it just like anything else.

-Jenrick

Plus they use .308 cal bullets.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I was almost shocked when you mentioned $400.
But then I saw the other stuff and will say that you did very good. Waffenamt-marked ammo goes for about a dollar a round, give or take, depending on your location and where you find it.
I have two 95s in my collection. One a carbine and the other a rifle that was cut down to a carbine.
I do have to say, not fun to shoot.

 

[Scooter22]

Looking at the pics again. Are some of the cartridges loaded with cast bullets in the enblock clips? They look like it. If so probably the Lee .205grn RN.

 

[gsbuickman]

Thanks guys , I recently bought this reloading setup over the turkey day day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday weekend :

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ay-cyber-monday-weekend.829240/#post-10695548

I still have one or two more items that I ordered to round out the reloading setup that are on the way, and as soon as they get here I'll have one of my friends come over and run me through the basic reloading process and help me get some of my dies setup so I can get my feet wet and start reloading for everything ..

 

[Ironicaintit]

I realize that this kicks like a Missouri Mule, luckily I'm a big guy with big arms big wrists big hands and big shoulders so Stout recoil really doesn't bother me that much, as a matter of fact I kinda enjoy it but then again maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment, idk ...

I'm pretty big too, but maybe I'm just getting old. The only way I can enjoy it is from a standing position, with added padding. See how many in a row you want to fire from prone! That'll separate the men from the boys for sure. The 8x56R has a sharp snap to it that's worse than any other .308 cal IMO.
I still love the thing, but I shoot it less and less.

 

[gsbuickman]

Looking at the pics again. Are some of the cartridges loaded with cast bullets in the enblock clips? They look like it. If so probably the Lee .205grn RN.

My friend only fired one round through this rifle and decided it was too Stout for him so he put it up for sale and I bought it. It came with two 45 rounds of privy PPU reloadable ammo including the shells that are in the emblocks

 

[gsbuickman]

I was almost shocked when you mentioned $400.
But then I saw the other stuff and will say that you did very good. Waffenamt-marked ammo goes for about a dollar a round, give or take, depending on your location and where you find it.
I have two 95s in my collection. One a carbine and the other a rifle that was cut down to a carbine.
I do have to say, not fun to shoot.

If you happen to know of any sources that I can get some of this Nazi ammo from please let me know Thanks

 

[Gordon]

I have a Steyr 95/30 Stutzen and some one in Europe removed the steel butt plate and installed a 3/4" piece of live rubber sanded to conform to the contour. They also put a different silver blade in the Early Austrian Republic made front sight base and removed the stacking front band and trimed back the upper hand guard. Call it post WW2 Euro-Bubba ized , I came with 40 boxes of 1939 ammo on clips. I have the gun and 20boxes of them left in an ammo can. This was a part of my straight pull collection. I thought the Bubba gun would be a great California truck gun if I tucked it into a service box unloaded with a few clips full in a tool drawer next to it. The cabinet was lockable and that would be a legal way to grab gun and stuff a clip in the little carbine with the huge bite. So I took it to a range to sight it in a 50 yards. First from bags- well scratch that even with the live rubber pad it still recoiled a fierce blow at the bench. I gritted my teeth and found a tight 2 inch grop a little to left and a little high. I drifted the sight over and centered the group which was surprisingly good. I moved the target out to 100 yards and found the group pretty much in a 5" centered circle so after 40 benched shots tried it off hand at 50 yards again and decided the 6" groups were good enough for me to do what ever I worried about stopping with those nasty 208 grain loads. . I did chronograph those 1937 loads one out of it. Out of the short Stutzen barrel the were very cose to 2400 fps - like 2380 if I remember. I still have the little thing , all ready to go in a little old Boyt canvas case with 10 boxes of ammo in the case but it never made it into the service truck and I quit going to ranches with the truck years back

 

[GunnyUSMC]

They have about 100 rounds at one of the pawn shops in town. I can check on it tomorrow on my way home from work.

 

[AlexanderA]

The Yugoslavs converted a bunch of these Steyr M95 straight-pull rifles to 8 mm Mauser (aka the 7.92 mm German rimless round). These may not be safe to fire. Be sure you know which cartridge your rifle is actually chambered for.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I want to hear more about using Swiss 7.5 brass to reload for this little sweetheart. I'd be much more likely to shoot this little jewel if I could tailor the rounds to match the heft of the gun.
BTW, I got the surplus ammo from a gun show dealer at a buck a round, on stripper clips, in the sealed box. Maybe he'll still have some when he comes around again.

 

[gsbuickman]

I want to hear more about using Swiss 7.5 brass to reload for this little sweetheart. I'd be much more likely to shoot this little jewel if I could tailor the rounds to match the heft of the gun.
BTW, I got the surplus ammo from a gun show dealer at a buck a round, on stripper clips, in the sealed box. Maybe he'll still have some when he comes around again.

Well I guess you could also use something like 7.65 Argentine brass to reload for this as well (maybe ?). In this case I've got to 245 rounds of Privy PPU Factory ammo from SG ammo for this thing. I already have plenty of bullets, primers and 4064 powder so I'll police my brass and reload the PPU I shoot.

 

[gsbuickman]

Nice rifle. You got a good deal with everything you got considering how much they went up. I have 2, 95/30s I got 10-15 years ago when a bunch came in. 79.00 bucks each and a 95 long rifle a shop had for 100.00. Sportsmens Guide had a big batch of the 1938 Nazi ammo back then. I belonged to the Buyers Club and got 100 boxes @1.79 each. Shot some but those light rifles with the 205 grn bullet jarred my fillings. Then I had rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders several years apart and that cut the joy down more on shooting my milsurps with full loaded surplus ammo. So I generally down load it 10-15% to lighten up the recoil. Sold some of the ammo when it hit 15-20 bucks a box. Got the Lee mold for this round so I can cheapen the shooting more. I generally save my milsurp shooting for the winter now when I have to wear heavy clothes to the range. Helps soak up recoil and the Styers, Mosins and Mausers seem at home in 20 degree snow storms. Really highlights the muzzel flash too. Enjoy yours.

Lee mold : https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...205-grain-round-nose-1-ogive-radius-gas-check

Pool, thanks for the heads up on that bullet mold. The reloading setup that I just picked up came with a crucible, a couple hundred pounds of lead ingots and half a dozen different bullet molds, so once I figure out how to get the different reloading dies set up and get the basics figure it out I might venture a little further and try my luck at making my own bullets to

 

[lysanderxiii]

I disagree.

These are fun to shoot, just wear a shooting coat, and do it off-hand.

 

[Scooter22]

I disagree.

These are fun to shoot, just wear a shooting coat, and do it off-hand.

Yup and take some headache medicine prior.

 

[Crowman]

Nice rifle and package! I’ve always liked straight pull bolt guns. The Steyr rifle always struck me as an aesthetically pleasing rifle, but with stout recoil due to rifle weight and stock geometry. I would have gotten one if I had stumbled across one. The only straight pull action I have is a Browning T-bolt. Very fast...almost like a semi-auto...almost. Scary accurate. Squirrel reaper.

Slip-on recoil pad might help...and wouldn’t affect value.

My buddy across the holler from me had one of those short Russian 1944 carbines that kick like a blue-nose mule. He fired it once, put it down and 15 years later, decided to go for a radical solution and had a gunsmith mount a muzzle brake on it. I shot it with the brake and it recoiled softly about like my .260 Remington! And it still had its steel butt plate. That would affect collective value. Just a thought...

 

[Archie]

I have two of the stutzen flavor. One made in Budapest and one at Steyr. I have roughly ninety rounds of 1938 NAZI ammo left; I fired five rounds through each to chronograph them. They averaged about 2350 between the two and the difference in average between the two was rather slight.

So I loaded up with Lee Loading dies and PPU brass and bullets. They are the only "8mm" with the bore diameter of .329" in the known universe. I've got reloads up to the low 2300s. The two rifles are accurate - consider they were intended to ventilate enemies of the empire out to about 400 yards or so. I use IPSC type targets for accuracy testing.

Big rimmed cartridge. Were the subject not already covered, that cartridge in a single shot would do very well for large beasties.

And yes; they do have some recoil. Chronograph and accuracy testing is done offhand with a standing rest. Not from a bench.

I like the action. I reckon the only reason they were rendered obsolete is the en bloc device makes the rifle a single shot if the clip isn't available, and the turning locking lug is probably more expensive than the manual turn bolt type action.