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The underside of the action along with the proof marks is the number 8839.20, which I have been led to understand this is the 8839th gun proofed at the London house during the year 1920. If I am incorrect with that understanding please offer your correction.

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As the rifle shows both original Austrian proof marks and then the London proof marks I believe the 8839.20 was the Austrian date and not London as I had stated above

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The 8839.20 would, indeed, be the Austrian proof date and sequence.

On the example below, with only Austrian proofs / stamps visible, 411.08 indicates the 411th arm to be proofed at Vienna in 1908, 4143 the Steyr serial number. 'NPv' on the receiver is the second (nitro, or smokeless) proof from Vienna, the stylized script 'EV' on underside of barrel is the first Vienna proof. The '3001' on barrel is, I've been told, a proofhouse registry number, 'C6.5' indicates an M1903 (6.5mm), and barely visible at the bottom is a '-15' on receiver and corresponding '+15' on barrel which match barrel to chamber for proper depth.


What style are your MS? Are they rifle, stutzen (full stocked carbine), or takedown? My 1922 proofed M1910 Takedown Model has the 'toeline stock number' 62488 deeply impressed in the same location as yours, just aft of the rear swivel. That number bears no apparent relevance to the Steyr serial number or to any other number on the rifle though the serial number, 7162, is impressed in the stock underneath the barrel just fore of magazine opening. It is also Austrian and British proofed. My Grandfather purchased it 'second hand' in Ceylon (the island just under India, now called Sri Lanka) circa 1932.

Images from 1939 Stoeger catalog:


Stoeger did not list the MS by the Steyr model numbers of M1903 through M1924, all of which were cartridge specific. All M1903 were originally chambered for 6.5X54, M1905 were 9X56, M1908 - 8X56, and M1910 were 9.5X57 - known to the British trade as .375 Nitro Express Rimless. The aforementioned were MS proprietary cartridges. The M1924 had a longer receiver and magazine to accept the 'U.S. Cartridge of 1906', or .30-'06, and production continued on that platform in various calibers with what collectors tend to call 'M1925' though Steyr had no such designation of which I am aware.

Stoeger in 1939 listed the '03 through '24 calibers under 'Carbine' along with a 7X57, their 'High Velocity offerings correspond to the M1924 (.30-'06) and 'M1925' (7X64, 8X60, 9.3X62, 10.75X68).

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