Tell me about the M95 Austro-Hungarian M95 "Stutzen" 8x56R

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I'm a C&R junky, admittedly.

Compared to the other sub $200 C&R guns (Enfields, Mosins, Mausers, etc.) is the M95 Austro-Hungarian M95 "Stutzen" 8x56R worth the $100 that Aim Surplus has them priced for (with handpick and bayonet)?

Tell me about the reliability, smoothness of the straight bolt action, general condition their bores come in (in your experience), accuracy, any known issues with the weapon.

I've got a few hundred bucks burning a hole in my pocket and want to add to my collection. Do I buy more Mosins, Enfields (.308 or .303), Mausers, K31s, or a few M95s?
 
I don't know why everyone says there is a "lack of ammo availability" for these rifles. Hornady makes 8X56R for this rifle and both Cabelas and Sportsmans Guide carry it. Granted it's $26 for a box of 20 at cabelas but still - it's not at all like there is no ammo for it. I've bought at least 10 boxes over the past year or so.
 
I looked at that rifle but the ammo was expensive and hard to locate. Surplus is all that was available in Killeen at my local pushers shop.
 
I don't know why everyone says there is a "lack of ammo availability" for these rifles. Hornady makes 8X56R for this rifle and both Cabelas and Sportsmans Guide carry it. Granted it's $26 for a box of 20 at cabelas but still - it's not at all like there is no ammo for it. I've bought at least 10 boxes over the past year or so.
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It's all relative. Sure, ammo can be had (at great expense, considering that even cheap corrosive surplus runs about 50 cents/round), but I can't see what the M95 offers over any other rifle besides the eccentric gap it might fill in somebody's already extensive wallhanger collection. It isn't cheap to shoot like a Mosin, it isn't super accurate like a K31, and it isn't as historically enticing as a Mauser or Enfield. Don't get me wrong; I've been tempted simply due to the price, but I always come back to the fact that I'd rarely (if ever) shoot it. Now, if I came across one of the M95s that had been rechambered for 8x57, I'd be all over it.

It is a cool collector's piece, especially for the money, but I'm a shooter first and a collector second. Some are the other way around, and the M95 would probably suit them nicely. I have no doubt that the obscure caliber is making it difficult for distributors to move these guns - most people who buy these sorts of rifles do want to shoot them.
 
It kicks hard.

The sights aren't very good.

The ammo will probably need to be ordered.

You'll have to find a clip too.

The bolt is not very smooth, due to the design (nothing like a K31).

Buy one.
 
jws527 I totally agree with you. But considering the rifle can be had for $100 and surplus and new production ammo is available, I think it's a "decent" value. Granted you can't get ammo at 10 cents/round but those prices seem to be long gone even for 7.62X39, 7.62X54, and others. I guess it depends on your tastes and wallet but considering that a lot of hunting ammo is more than $20 per box of 20, $26 for the 8X56R isn't too bad.

Also the M95 I got from classic arms was beautiful. Excellent metal and wood. For $100 how can you go wrong?
 
they are great for collectors... ammo price makes shooters shy away

most of them will be cut down long rifles (they will have the long sight like seen in vaarok's pic and also the front sight base will be on a soldered on sleeve that goes around the barrel)

occasionally you run into one that was originally of carbine length

i lucked out and got one that was not cut down and kept it's original stock

1918 Steyr with Czech markings and unit stamp on buttplate (28th Infantry Regiment)

1918_Steyr_M95_Stutzen.jpg


you can see the smaller rear sight and the front sight base is part of the barrel
 
I picked up mine about three years ago for $200 and it included about 250 rounds of ammo on stripper clips and a bayonet. A little pricey but with all the ammo it came with and because of its condition I decided it was worth it. I've only put about 20 rounds through it since I got it, not sure why I don't shoot it more but I just never seem to grab it when I go out shooting. I suppose the cost of ammo keeps me from shooting it too much but moreover I think its just one of those guns that I'd rather just have than to shoot.

SteyrM95.jpg

steyr-new2.jpg
 
I have one and enjoy shooting it. I did have problems obtaining the ammo at first, but I now reload it. The action on mine is very stiff. I bought it at a show about 12 years ago for $60, 20 rounds of 1939 Nazi marked ammo for $10.
 
You can. But, get a few boxes of the Nazi stuff and you have the clips you will need, while getting some good plinking ammo. The clips are durable.

Ash
 
Can you load the cartridges individually without the stripper clips?
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they aren't stripper clips... they are en bloc clips

without the clips the rifle is a single shot
 
Semantics aside (they are called clips, leave the stripper part off, there is technically no such thing as stripper clips, they are called chargers while the clip refers to the enbloc clip, but you need not say enbloc because virtually all clips are enbloc), the answer remains yes, you can use the rifle as a single-shot.

Now, if your question is, can you load the magazine without using the clips, the answer is no, you cannot. It must have the clip to be a repeater as the clip is part of the magazine as Amish pointed out.

Ash
 
jws527 I totally agree with you. But considering the rifle can be had for $100 and surplus and new production ammo is available, I think it's a "decent" value. Granted you can't get ammo at 10 cents/round but those prices seem to be long gone even for 7.62X39, 7.62X54, and others. I guess it depends on your tastes and wallet but considering that a lot of hunting ammo is more than $20 per box of 20, $26 for the 8X56R isn't too bad.
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Oh, I'll get one eventually - it is, after all, one of the only major straight pull designs in existence.
 
I purchased a long and short version, and bought a can of 1938 vintage ammo.

The rifles all went bang. They were not exceptionally accurate, but then the ammo is very old.

As mentioned, the carbine kicks hard. There is this stock swivel right next to your jaw. That hurts. And the buttpad is steel.

I found the bolt difficult to take apart and assemble. You need to do this and get the gunk out, and put fresh oil in.

The people who wax about straight pull rifles being faster than turn bolts must not have fired this version. This action is stiff. I can work a Lee Enfield or a Springfield much faster than this thing. The bolt is stiff opening, and on closing the whole rifle pushes out of the grasp.

The K31 is a faster action, but not battle proven. The M95 was.
 
I've seen these at my local Big 5, they seem alright though I've never enjoyed their sights (mauser-type) at all.

I also noticed that it has a bolted on floor plate so that it appears to be usable as a repeater without the clip. Has anyone else noticed this?
 
A M-95 with a floorplate cover riveted on is either a M-95M and very valuable, or a M-95 that somehow acquired a trench-cover, which is also moderately rare and valuable.
 
So it's not something that the store has put on?

Varrok, you wouldn't happen to have a good resource for these rifles by chance would you? I'm afraid you've perked my curiosity
 
I've been considering buying one just to have as a real collectible, but for no other reason.
 
Imagine all this layed out in a shadow box

Since I'm kind of a history buff and since I really like the history behind firearms made from about 1880 to 1950 I've thought about buying one a few times. These kind of guns from WWI and before are just kind of neat IMO in that they represent the last time in history that nobility actually played a part in the decision making process of almost every country in Europe.

I would probably just fire it a few times and try to find a Steyr-Hahn 1912 9mm pistol to go along with it and then after buying a few appropriate Austro-Hungarian military pieces and I'd just stick it in a shadow box on the mantle. It woud all look pretty good together with a few medals, some period photos and maybe some ammo.

Mann9030.jpg


styer1912-3.jpg

aa_shopping_cart_photos_album_2002002.jpg

Lan1Photo4.jpg
 
Mine is okay

I got one when they were first advertised at AIM and SOG. The thing about this one is that the clip holding the shells drops out after the last shot is chambered. It is one of those funny evolutions that happened to rifles when smokeless came about. The bolt on mine is hard to move, and yes, as others have said, not as easy to work as a K31.

However, I have had fun with it. I think SOG still has some ammo available. Graf's had brass at one time, and at least Lee has dies.

The Doc is out now. :cool:
 
I bought 2 or them a good number of years ago along with a lifetime supply of the German ammo since it was priced right along with 7.62x54 at that time. One has the Nazi eagle and swatstika stamped on the left side of the reciever, similar to what you see on some 98k's except a little larger and a similar cartouche on the stock with Wa something or other on the stock. Anyone know anything about these? Just haven't seen any others.
 
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