| Hook |
| (.224 member) |
| 05/10/20 12:52 PM |
Re: Dating a M. 1908 of the British trade?
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Quote:
The 'Made in Austria' stamp was added in 1924.
From sometime in 1924* and throughout subsequent production, all commercial Mannlicher Schoenauer rifles and stutzen were roll stamped with their country of origin on the front receiver bridge.
From 1924 through sometime in 1938, the stamp was 'Made in Austria'. During the 'Anschluss', or Nazi annexation of Austria, they were marked 'Made in Germany', then back to 'Made in Austria' for post - WW2 production through 1972.
* I do not know what exact dates the changes occurred, only during which year.
I guess there is always the exception...
I first bought my first M-S, a 1903 stutzen, a couple of years ago and came here to find out what I had. In addition to the great education I received on M-Ss in general and mine in particular, I found that mine was a 1939 build with a 'Made in Austria' stamped on the front receiver ring. The barrel is clearly marked '39', and the rifle seems to be original in every way. I suppose another barrel could have been put on the rifle, but the consensus here at that time was likely a rifle assembled in 1939 using an action completed before the Germans changed the stamping.
It matters not to me! I have a wonderful rifle with a period Hensoldt scope in Akai marked claw mounts that shoots better than I can! It has accounted for one buck the first season I had it but I got skunked carrying it last season. We have a long season here in Alabama and can take a deer a day if you want to shoot does, so I hope to make a lot more meat with it.