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Help identifying Mannlicher Schoenauer 7x57 pre war.

4K views 16 replies 8 participants last post by  41magnum 
#1 ·
Hello
A new member here looking for some help. I have a Mannlicher Schoenauer. I believe it was obtained during the war and was a bit older at that time. The condition is excellent other than the varnish is gummed up a bit. The barrel has 7/57 on it. The serial number is 144xx. Very nice engraving on the metal work. Any information would be appreciated, I can not find any more markings on it.
Thank you.
 

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#2 ·
We have a couple of gentlemen around here somewhere that know quite a bit about Mannlichers and I'm sure they will be along after a while, meanwhile they are going to want to see good clear photographs of the proof marks that you will find on the lower side of the barreled receiver where they are hiding under the stock.

Welcome aboard. :)
 
#7 ·
I am not sure if that is a Mannlicher Schoenauer. Its hard to tell from the pics. Please send close up pics of both the left and right sides of the rifle.
It is indeed a Mannlichler obtained from Germany during the war. Same owner all these years. It was not new when the owner purchased it in the 1940s. Yes, I will get better pictures. I was hoping based on the caliber, serial number and posted pictures someone would know the model. Regards Curt
 
#8 · (Edited)
It is indeed a Mauser system 98!
You can compare the picture of a Mauser system 98 (yours) with the attached picture of a Mannlicher. Mauser: the butterknife bolt handle is near the trigger.
Mannlicher: the butterknife bolt handle is in front of the trigger.
That's only one of different systems.
Full stock and butterknife bolt handle belonging not at all to Mannlicher, but let's see the markings on it, than it's possible to identify exactly.
 

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#11 ·
As gr suspected and Marble confirmed it is indeed a Mauser '98, not a Mannlicher. As Marble also mentioned just because a rifle has a full stock and a butter knife bolt handle does not make it a Mannlicher. That association has been made in the US. I believe in Germany the full stock is known as "stutzen".

As far as a Model as we think of it in the US the smaller shops in Germany/Austria did not market that way before WWII. There were no "Model 70's" or "Python's" so forget any idea that you're going to be able to say "I have a Model XYZ built by Bruno Schmidt", it ain't gonna happen. One could almost say every rifle was custom. About the closest you're going to get is that your rifle is built on a '98 Mauser action and until the barreled action is pulled from the stock and the proof marks on the bottom of the barrel and action identified, if that is possible, not much else can be known or said. Even after seeing the proofs it's entirely possible all that can be learned is the year of proof, maybe which number of rifle it was what month and perhaps the proof house. Unfortunately that isn't uncommon. There is piles of German/Austrian rifles out there of which the maker is unknown. The one or two digit stamps actually tell almost nothing as they're usually assembly or workman numbers. It's entirely possible the guy assigned a particular number was dead years before the rifle was proofed. The actual proof marks are what need to be seen.

From your pictures it almost looks as if the rifle or parts of it have been buffed and re-blued.
 
#12 ·
As sharps mentioned, the different numbers on parts of the rifle are only numbers during the manufacturing procedure, 7/57 is the designated caliber. Your rifle was assembled from parts of different guns, normal in this time.
It's a type of rifle like one of mine, assembled 50 years ago by myself, old, not used MG42 barrel and a Mauser system 98, full stock (Stutzen) with horn end on the muzzle.
If you will remove the stock, it's very easy. You must remove the screws rear and in front the trigger like on the last picture, first the safety screw, than the main screw, that's all.
 

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#15 ·
Custom 98 for sure. I have built dozens over the years.
It has that old world engraving and rib and sight too, VERY NICE!

Mannlicher is the style of full length fore end, Ruger made 1 for years.

NEVER use normal screwdrivers on guns, invest in Gunsmith Screwdrivers. Gun screws have parallel slots, not tapered slots.......sooooo normal screwdrivers tend to pop/spin out of the slots, boogering them up...requiring repair.
 
#16 ·
In addition to what 41 said the screws in most German/Austrian/British rifles have narrower slots than seen in the US so it's entirely possible you may have to grind your own.
 
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