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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Mannlicher Discussion forum & Archive
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Kammerherren
.224 member


Reged: 22/02/11
Posts: 39
Loc: Norway
William Evans .256 MS
      #305980 - 04/10/17 08:48 AM

A few weeks ago, I was offered a nice rifle from an acquaintance of mine who also fancy older rifles. He had to raise some money fast so he would like to sell a few rifles. I bought one of him, a nice British Mannlicher Schoenauer made by William Evans. Caliber is .256 Mannlicher Schoenauer. A previous owner contacted William Evans in London and received a lot of interesting details. Apparently completed on the 21st February 1929. The customer was Viscount Knollys for Viscountess Knollys. The rifle was delivered in a nice W. Evans canvas case. Please also note the Evans “Turnover” foresight. The rifle is in very good condition and looks very good with the very nice wood. The red rubber butplate has to be a later replacement because it really doesn’t fit the rifle! Enjoy!

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Collects guns made at Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk in Norway and European sporting rifles 1890-1940, feel free to have a look at my homepage. www.oldkongsbergarms.com

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Kammerherren
.224 member


Reged: 22/02/11
Posts: 39
Loc: Norway
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: Kammerherren]
      #305981 - 04/10/17 08:55 AM

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Collects guns made at Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk in Norway and European sporting rifles 1890-1940, feel free to have a look at my homepage. www.oldkongsbergarms.com

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bwanabobftw
.375 member


Reged: 29/12/04
Posts: 675
Loc: Texas
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: Kammerherren]
      #305983 - 04/10/17 09:09 AM

WOW !!!!!!! What a beautiful old rifle.
Congrats
Robert

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Marrakai
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3591
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: bwanabobftw]
      #305988 - 04/10/17 10:57 AM

What a marvellous example!
Truly exceptional, and something a bit 'unique' in that uncommon front sight.
Establishing the provenance must be very satisfying. Congratulations!

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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Waidmannsheil
.400 member


Reged: 19/04/13
Posts: 2443
Loc: Melbourne Australia
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: Marrakai]
      #305989 - 04/10/17 11:02 AM

Super nice rifle, very stylish and elegant, lovely stock. Really well done.

Waidmannsheil.

--------------------
There is nothing wrong with vegetarian food, so long as there is meat with it.

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Rothhammer1
.400 member


Reged: 06/01/17
Posts: 1826
Loc: The Redwoods of California
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: Waidmannsheil]
      #305996 - 04/10/17 06:11 PM

That's quite some front sight!

BR.

--------------------
Citizen of the Cherokee Nation

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HistoricBore
.300 member


Reged: 28/09/11
Posts: 226
Loc: United Kingdom
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: Rothhammer1]
      #305999 - 04/10/17 10:33 PM

That is indeed quite some front sight - could you post some photos of the various beads stood up, please?
The rubber butt plate also shows the characteristic signs of being stood up in a corner ready for use, perhaps between 1939 and 1945? I bought a 1950s Savage 99 that had been in southern Africa, and its recoil pad looked just the same.

Do you have a record of how much the Viscount paid for this rifle? I might guess about 60 guineas or so.

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cordite
.333 member


Reged: 29/01/07
Posts: 341
Loc: NW Montana
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: HistoricBore]
      #306000 - 05/10/17 12:42 AM

Wonderful! Thanks for posting.

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Louis
.375 member


Reged: 13/05/15
Posts: 977
Loc: France
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: cordite]
      #306002 - 05/10/17 03:29 AM

Kammerherren, congratulations on your much stylish rifle.
Louis

--------------------
"Everything that doesn't kill me makes me stronger"

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93x64mm
.416 member


Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4198
Loc: Nth QLD Australia
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: Waidmannsheil]
      #306011 - 05/10/17 07:22 AM

Quote:

Super nice rifle, very stylish and elegant, lovely stock. Really well done.

Waidmannsheil.


Not wrong there mate!
Wonderful old piece...now to get her shooting again!

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Kammerherren
.224 member


Reged: 22/02/11
Posts: 39
Loc: Norway
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: 93x64mm]
      #306013 - 05/10/17 08:56 AM

Thank you for the kind words, it really is a nice rifle. I will provide some more pictures of the front sight, no problem at all. I just need a few days, going moose hunting in 7 hours! Need some sleep now. I know exactly the final price, they paid 43,7£ in total. I will scan the document with all the details. Description, prices etc.

--------------------
Collects guns made at Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk in Norway and European sporting rifles 1890-1940, feel free to have a look at my homepage. www.oldkongsbergarms.com

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Waidmannsheil
.400 member


Reged: 19/04/13
Posts: 2443
Loc: Melbourne Australia
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: Kammerherren]
      #306018 - 05/10/17 11:08 AM

What is the length of the barrel ?

Waidmannsheil.

--------------------
There is nothing wrong with vegetarian food, so long as there is meat with it.

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Kammerherren
.224 member


Reged: 22/02/11
Posts: 39
Loc: Norway
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: Kammerherren]
      #306033 - 06/10/17 07:33 AM

I took some more pictures, I hope this is what you wanted HistoricBore. I had another look at the rubber but plate and I agree, it looks more damaged from storage than not being original. The barrel was ordered at 24", and it still measures 24".

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--------------------
Collects guns made at Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk in Norway and European sporting rifles 1890-1940, feel free to have a look at my homepage. www.oldkongsbergarms.com

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HistoricBore
.300 member


Reged: 28/09/11
Posts: 226
Loc: United Kingdom
Re: William Evans .256 MS [Re: Kammerherren]
      #306036 - 06/10/17 09:02 AM

A price of 43 pounds and seven shillings back in 1929 converts to GBP 2,527 today, or Euros 2,860, or US$ 3,300, which feels about right really. That is a great front sight, with the ivory bead for night-time tiger hunting. Thank you for adding the extra photographs!

I hope there are not so many tigers in Norway these days.

HB

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3DogMike
.400 member


Reged: 29/01/15
Posts: 1464
Loc: Western Slope, Colorado USA
update - William Evans .256 MS [Re: HistoricBore]
      #338254 - 23/02/20 03:10 AM

Just aquired this William Evans Steyr 1893 in 6.5x53R Dutch (.256 Mannlicher).

Serial number is circa 1898; I have an email in to Wm. Evans to see if they can provide anything more on this rifle.

26" barrel, 4 groove and 1:7.9” (200mm) twist. Weighs 7lb 7oz with 14 1/2" LOP. Horn forend tip and Horn grip cap with steel buttplate.
Interestingly the only proof marks are pre-1904 Birmingham proof and there is no calibre marking or bore dimension mark anywhere. There are no Austrian or German proof marks.....only a few production and inspectors marks on the barrel under the wood.

Barrel is engraved "Sighted & Shot By William Evans (From Purdey's) 63 Pall Mall St. James London"

The steel crosspin just above the trigger is actually an unusual modification that blocks the forward travel of the military 2 stage trigger, eliminating the the 1st stage, and makes it a single stage trigger. Doubt it originally left Evans with this rather un-asthetic looking bit of gunsmithing but it does work well.

Waiting for Winter weather to cooperate and 2+ feet of snow to melt before I can take it out to shoot at targets.
-Mike












--------------------
"Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot"
- Anon

“Always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake."
-- W. C. Fields

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DarylS
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26992
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: update - William Evans .256 MS [Re: 3DogMike]
      #338260 - 23/02/20 05:01 AM

VERY nice, Mike.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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Louis
.375 member


Reged: 13/05/15
Posts: 977
Loc: France
Re: update - William Evans .256 MS [Re: DarylS]
      #338268 - 23/02/20 06:58 AM

Congratulations on your very nice rifle, Mike. I also own a Mannlicher Schoenauer M 1908 that displays only British proof marks and no Austrian one at all; maybe should we consider this as normal for that period?
Louis

--------------------
"Everything that doesn't kill me makes me stronger"

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3DogMike
.400 member


Reged: 29/01/15
Posts: 1464
Loc: Western Slope, Colorado USA
Re: update - William Evans .256 MS [Re: Louis]
      #338269 - 23/02/20 07:19 AM

Quote:

Congratulations on your very nice rifle, Mike. I also own a Mannlicher Schoenauer M 1908 that displays only British proof marks and no Austrian one at all; maybe should we consider this as normal for that period?
Louis


Bonjour Louis,
I am wondering if it is possible that the Steyr action parts and barrel were brought into England as separate unproved parts and then assembled into a complete rifle? This could account for no proof marks other than British, and only a few Austrian production inspection marks.
- Mike

--------------------
"Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot"
- Anon

“Always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake."
-- W. C. Fields

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Waidmannsheil
.400 member


Reged: 19/04/13
Posts: 2443
Loc: Melbourne Australia
Re: update - William Evans .256 MS [Re: 3DogMike]
      #338273 - 23/02/20 10:45 AM

Well done Mike, that is a beauty of a rifle. I love the William Evans rifles, always something special I recon. I have three 256 Mannlichers and I love them, one of the nicest rifles to own, at least IMO.

One is a Jeffery and has proof marks that are similar but there are additional marks and the "Nitro Proofed" is upside down like most other British proof marks.

Another is a trade rifle but made by Gibbs and has the same markings as yours except the "Nitro Proofed" is further down the barrel but the right way up.

The third rifle is also a trade rifle and very similar to yours although the sights are different and the grip is rounded with no grip cap. The proof marks however are identical to yours with exactly the same marks and in exactly the same position as yours.


Great rifle, I would love to see some more photos especially of the sights and the grip cap etc.


Matt.

--------------------
There is nothing wrong with vegetarian food, so long as there is meat with it.

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3DogMike
.400 member


Reged: 29/01/15
Posts: 1464
Loc: Western Slope, Colorado USA
Re: update - William Evans .256 MS [Re: Waidmannsheil]
      #338278 - 23/02/20 01:21 PM

Matt,
Will get some pictures of details posted tomorrow.......A bit too much Saturday night whisky in me to do it tonight.
- Mike

--------------------
"Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot"
- Anon

“Always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake."
-- W. C. Fields

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Waidmannsheil
.400 member


Reged: 19/04/13
Posts: 2443
Loc: Melbourne Australia
Re: update - William Evans .256 MS [Re: 3DogMike]
      #338280 - 23/02/20 03:41 PM

No Worries Mike, when you are ready.

Matt.

--------------------
There is nothing wrong with vegetarian food, so long as there is meat with it.

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Louis
.375 member


Reged: 13/05/15
Posts: 977
Loc: France
Re: update - William Evans .256 MS [Re: Waidmannsheil]
      #338283 - 23/02/20 06:45 PM

Mike, I'll post some photos of the markings on my MS once back home as I am currently travelling, in the meantime you may already have a look at that old post as it also includes some info about late XIX / early XX centuries Austrian rifles bearing only British proof marks
http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showflat....true#Post289862
Another option, not yet discussed, may be that Steyr sold at that time unproofed barrelled actions to some British rifle makers?
Louis

--------------------
"Everything that doesn't kill me makes me stronger"

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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39877
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: update - William Evans .256 MS [Re: Louis]
      #338286 - 23/02/20 09:16 PM

Lovely rifle. A good model for my, oneday, Dutch Steyr project.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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3DogMike
.400 member


Reged: 29/01/15
Posts: 1464
Loc: Western Slope, Colorado USA
update - William Evans [Re: NitroX]
      #338296 - 24/02/20 07:05 AM

Some detail pictures:













--------------------
"Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot"
- Anon

“Always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake."
-- W. C. Fields

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paradox_
.375 member


Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 645
Loc: Australia
Re: update - William Evans [Re: 3DogMike]
      #338303 - 24/02/20 04:41 PM

Lovely rifles rifles...both, congratulations!!

Best
Eric

--------------------
Walk softly and carry a big stick

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