The M1900 Mannlicher Schönauer, as introduced at the Paris World's Fair of 1900, was an elegant, light sporting rifle utilizing the new Schönauer rotary magazine system and a new rimless version of the 6.5X54 cartridge. These were essentially prototype sales samples to be used in effort to obtain lucrative military contracts for the MS.

The MS was expensive to produce and the only significant military contract awarded was with Greece in 1903, which resulted in production of vast quantities of 'Greek Mannlichers' and variants chambered for the 6.5X54MS at Steyr over the next few decades. Many of these Greek MS survived to be sold as surplus, many of which have been 'sporterized' over the years, often to include barrel changes.

Another result of the 1903 contract was that Steyr continued to produce the 6.5X54 Mannlicher Schönauer in commercial form (M1903) as sporting rifles and as light, svelte, stutzen (full stocked carbine). Over the next seven years, three variants were introduced on the M1900 sized receiver, each with a corresponding MS proprietary chambering. Added to the 6.5X54 M1900/1903 were the M1905 in 9X56, the M1908 in 8X56, and M1910 in 9.5X57. These models were cartridge specific. Any other 'calibers' would not be original to them. Be aware, however, that different references have different 'names' for some of these and / or use different measuring points. A 6.5X54 becomes 6.7X53... 9.5X57 becomes 9.5X56 or .375 Nitro Express Rimless... .

Mannlicher Schönauer proprietary cartridges:

The Model of 1924 was built on a longer receiver, with a longer magazine, originally for export to the U.S. as the 'Sequoia' and chambered in 'the U.S. Cartridge of .30-'06'.

Unsold Sequoias were returned to Steyr (or never shipped initially), many were rechambered to cartridges more popular in Europe at the time. Production continued on the new sized receiver of rifles and carbines of various chamberings. These were marked on the front ring with the 'caliber' and are often referred to as 'M1925' (though they are not so marked). Stoeger (sole U.S. importer of MS) called them 'High Velocity'.

Production of the M1903, M1905, M1908, M1910, was not resumed after WW2, though M1950 and later models could be ordered in 6.5X54. Models 1950 and later were not cartridge specific and were chambered in various 'calibers'.