| PrewarMod70 |
| (.224 member) |
| 17/02/21 06:06 AM |
1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Hello, new member. I was advised by a few folks at AR that this would be a great place to find out some information on my 1903 I recently acquired. I did get some excellent information there and learned more about my rifle but wanted to see if there was any else I could learn. I was curious if there's any ideas as to who might have retailed and customized this rifle, if that can be known. I apologize for providing only a link with the discussion and pictures. When I get back home I can try to upload the pictures directly. I was able to shoot some factory ammo, an old box of Norma with 156 grain bullets. I only shot it offhand but was impressed with it's handling, light recoil, and feeding. I'm looking forward to taking it to the range to see what it can do. Here's the link, I will try to get the photos here later. Thanks for your help.
James
| Louis |
| (.375 member) |
| 17/02/21 06:32 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Welcome to the Forum, James; I could not access the link you provided.
Louis
| PrewarMod70 |
| (.224 member) |
| 17/02/21 06:44 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Thank you. Perhaps I need some instruction on how to post a link. Or maybe the forum is blocking the link? Not sure, but I will figure it out. SOrry for the confusion.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 17/02/21 07:30 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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I can't access it either - nothing happens when I click on it.
| Marrakai |
| (.416 member) |
| 17/02/21 09:54 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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I dropped the url into the address bar, goes to photoshop but they want me to sign up to view images.
Photoshop sucks. Pity, was one of the best photo hosting sites for many years.
At least I got to do their little pop-up survey, ZERO for "least likely to recommend photoshop..."
So sorry James, unable to view. Probably best to use a different photo host. Folks here seem to recommend Imgur (?) but no personal experience with that.
Look forward to seeing the 1903 when you get this sorted.
Cheers.
| PrewarMod70 |
| (.224 member) |
| 17/02/21 10:28 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Ok finally. Imgur wasn't bad once I got the hang of it. Photobucket was great, but now they charge you, what a pain. So here's the rifle, I really like. Also has a trap door buttplate, which I can get a picture of and upload later. The scope is a 2 or 2.5x Noske with a dot reticule. Glass is still pretty good. No markings on the side mount, but looks like an Echo maybe? Not sure.
If I can answer any questions let me know.
| PrewarMod70 |
| (.224 member) |
| 17/02/21 10:45 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Those were the items in the buttstock. They key unlocks the scope mount.
| paradox_ |
| (.375 member) |
| 17/02/21 12:15 PM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Hello James
Unless there is a signature in the stock inletting , who and where the restock was done will be difficult to determine.
Interesting inclusions in the trap, perhaps the knifes origin may provide a clue???.
Proof date is 1929
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 17/02/21 01:12 PM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Nice rifle.
| Louis |
| (.375 member) |
| 17/02/21 08:07 PM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Very nice rifle indeed, James, proofed in Vienna in 1929 as already mentioned by Paradox; very nice re-stocking work also with an interesting and uncommon buttplate trap door. I hope you will enjoy hunting with her.
Louis
| xausa |
| (.400 member) |
| 17/02/21 10:31 PM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Is that a Noske scope in a Noske side mount by any chance? Does it have a crosshair reticle? It looks as though it might be rotated 90 degrees to allow for more loading/ejection clearance.
| Rothhammer1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 18/02/21 01:24 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Quote:
Hello, new member. I was advised by a few folks at AR that this would be a great place to find out some information on my 1903 I recently acquired.
These photos tell us that your rifle appears to be a very nice M1903 Mannlicher Schoenauer with, perhaps, an original 'cost option' and a few appropriate period correct embellishments.
The image above reveals your rifle's serial number, which should be repeated in the barrel channel of your stock and on underside of the bolt handle. Also visible is 'Made In Austria' on the front receiver bridge, which dates it to 1924- 1938.
The side mount scope is an addition, not done at the Steyr factory, yet possibly appropriate to the time. Better photos of scope and mount would tell us more. The bolt handle has been 'relieved' to facilitate scope clearance.
Above image has the 'meat and spuds'. These proof marks are exactly as they should be for an original MS of the period. From top to bottom:
The 2137.29 on both receiver and barrel indicate the 2137th arm to be proofed at the particular proof house during 1929, and confirms that the barrel is original to the receiver. NpV indicates that the 'nitro proof' was done at Vienna.
C6.7 on barrel is a groove to groove measurement of the barrel for a 6.5X54 cartridge, proper for the M1903. Below the C6.7 is the script EV of the Vienna proof house.
The -.05 on your receiver will have a corresponding +.05 on the barrel. These were used to match chamber depth at the factory.
Your MS stock, if original, has a 'cost option' upgrade, the "Horn cap at muzzle end of sporter type" as shown in detail from the 1939 Stoeger catalog page shown below:
The trap door buttplate, the more I look at it, does not appear to be original. Aside from the engraving, the top screw location is 'off', as is the shape of the door and certainly the opening within. Compare to original:
A few other images from 1939 Stoeger:
Also a link to another half ton of MS info: https://www.africahunting.com/threads/ma...velocity.47277/
Establishing the retailer of a particular MS is really only possible if the arm is so engraved or marked (beware of forgeries, however) or if one has records matching the serial number to a retailer's records or receipts. Cased MS often have retailer labels in the case lid but these, too, can be reproduced and cases are not numbered to rifles.
Oh, and by the way, welcome to NitroExpress!
Also, are we to presume this is your first MS? If so, prepare to fall in love.
| PrewarMod70 |
| (.224 member) |
| 18/02/21 01:49 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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More information on the scope. Funny, I never realized the windage dial is on the other side of where you normally find it. I dont' know enough about Noske scopes but it seems like this was intentional maybe. The Noske mark is on top where you would think it should be. The elevation dial says up and down under the cap and the windage says left right. I can find no manufacturer marks on the mount itself.
Thank you all for the great information on this neat old rifle. It is my first and I look forward to shooting it more. I was also wondering about the single trigger as most seem to have set triggers.
| Rothhammer1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 18/02/21 02:01 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Quote:
I was also wondering about the single trigger as most seem to have set triggers.
All of the Mannlicher Schoenauer sporting rifles, with the exception of the factory Take Down Models of the pre WW2 period, were available with single or double triggers, full stocked (stutzen) or half stocked.
As a general rule, Brits preferred single, Continental shooters preferred doubles.
Info: https://www.africahunting.com/threads/ma...velocity.47277/
| Rothhammer1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 18/02/21 02:06 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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I am completely unfamiliar with that type of scope. Claw mounts and 'Vienna snappers' were far more often used on prewar MS though side mounts were available. My M1910 Take Down wears a claw mounted Gerard B.
| tinker |
| (.416 member) |
| 18/02/21 02:08 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Quote:
Photoshop sucks.
"least likely to recommend photoshop..."
Completely
They blighted discussion forums all over the web.
| Rothhammer1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 18/02/21 02:11 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Quote:Quote:
Photoshop sucks.
"least likely to recommend photoshop..."
Completely
They blighted discussion forums all over the web.
This works: Post Photos on NE
| Huvius |
| (.416 member) |
| 18/02/21 02:36 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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That’s an original Noske brand scope mount.
With that scope, that style cheek piece and the tighter radius grip, I’d think that this rifle was restocked in the US.
| Rothhammer1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 18/02/21 03:11 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Quote:
That’s an original Noske brand scope mount.
With that scope, that style cheek piece and the tighter radius grip, I’d think that this rifle was restocked in the US.
I was wondering about the grip curve, myself.
You may well be right.
| Rothhammer1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 18/02/21 03:50 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Quote:
I was also wondering about the single trigger as most seem to have set triggers.
By the way, the trigger assemblies are interchangeable, though pre WW2 models do not interchange with postwar models..
Though usually rather expensive, double set triggers and triggerguards can be found on Ebay and on other sites from time to time.
Doubleset on Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1903-1908-Steyr...TAAAOSw4OJfo07d
| xausa |
| (.400 member) |
| 18/02/21 08:09 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Noske manufactured quite a selection of side mounts, some with windage adjustment, some without. The Noske scopes, like all pre-WW II scopes, had non-centered reticles, usually post and crosshair. The eye relief is phenomenal. I own several and enjoy hunting with them.
| PrewarMod70 |
| (.224 member) |
| 18/02/21 10:02 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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Not sure if I mentioned it but the reticle on mine is fine crosshair and mildot.
| Vladymere |
| (.300 member) |
| 18/02/21 01:47 PM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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The butt plate may not be original but I do like the engraving.
Vlad
| Rothhammer1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 18/02/21 01:58 PM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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The wonderful, terrible, internet provides.
Noske:
https://jack-oconnor.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/FatheroftheHuntingScope.pdf
Early Scope Mounts:
https://www.germanhuntingguns.com/about-the-guns/scope-mounts/
| xausa |
| (.400 member) |
| 19/02/21 04:28 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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These are three of my Noske scopes and examples of a couple of Noske side mounts. The one in front is the oldest, without a dust cover for the elevation adjustment and no provision for internal windage adjustment. The mount provides the adjustment by means of the screw in the front of the slide. The base shows three holes for the mounting screws and two smaller holes for the tapered dowel pins which gives additional torque resistance stability to the mount, the same system now used by Griffin & Howe.
[IMG]https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ee504/xausa/Noske_scopes_001.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds[/IMG]
| PrewarMod70 |
| (.224 member) |
| 19/02/21 09:57 AM |
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Re: 1903 Custom or What Do I Have
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On the middle scope it looks similar to mine but I was curious about the makers mark location. As you can see on my scope Noske is tdc, but the windage turret is on the left side. It would appear it was designed this way perhaps, for low mounting and bolt clearance. I've never seen that before so not sure and it would be unusual.