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From another website:
Our Assessment: In 1924, the Sequoia Import Company of San Francisco imported 1000 Mannlicher Schoenauer bolt action rifles from Steyr. The Mannlicher Schoenauer rifles were very popular in Europe, and made in European calibers. Sequoia convinced Steyr to make the rifles in .30-06 Springfield so that they would be more readily accepted here in the United States. Many of Steyr’s previous models were made in one caliber only, and there was no reason to mark the caliber, since the model defined it. This is the case with the Model 1924 model, and the caliber was not marked on the rifle. Unfortunately, the European look of the rifle wasn’t that popular, or else the prospective buyers thought the rifle too light for the caliber. In any event, the rifles didn’t sell all that well and many were sent back to Steyr to be re-barreled to different calibers, at which time the calibers were marked on the receiver’s chamber ring. Going forward, new rifles made to the same design were renamed as the Model 1925 and offered in European calibers as well as .30-06, with the calibers marked on the chamber ring.

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Almost right! Though the original Steyr –Sequoia contract was for 1000 rifles, much less ever made it to the USA. My own is Steyr serial number 299! The left over M1924s were not rebarreled, but merely remarked with the metric designation for the .30-06, 7.62x63, and offered in late-1920s catalogs alongside the M1925s in 7x64 and 8x60S, but at a 10% discount. The 30-06 simply was not yet popular in Germany and Austria.


The M1924 is not exactly the same as the M1925, neither action nor configuration. Outwardly the M1924 is easily recognised by an unique Express-type rear sight with 3 folding leaves, but no standing one. Maybe Sequoia intended to fit Lyman #36 peep sights ? On the 25 Steyr went back to the usual "Continental" standing rear sight with one folding leaf. Additionally, the 24 foreend seems to be a bit shorter than usual on M-Sch rifles in front of the sling loop.
The magazine arrangement too was was changed slightly from 24 to 25: The 24 was the first Mannlicher – Schoenauer with a cartridge guide ring around the carrier. On the 24 this ring was around the bullets of the loaded cartridges. On the 25 this guide ring was set back, aroud the cartridge case necks in front of the shoulder.



The photo shows, left to right: 1903 , 1910 magazine followers, both without guide rings, 1924 follower with guide ring forward around bullets, 1925 follower with guide ring more rear around case necks, post-WW2 "Magnum" magazine.