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With your Austrian proof date, 'Made in Austria' on bridge, and London proofs yet lacking "NOT ENGLISH MAKE", I'd be very confident to say your M1903 was manufactured in 1924, Vienna proofed in 1924, then exported new to (or through) London prior to August 03, 1925. Perhaps it thence traveled to South Africa, but perhaps not directly? Who can say where it may have been between, what adventures it may have seen over nearly a century since it was born.

Thus the romance of a fine, old Mannlicher Schoenauer.

Per the restoration - if it were mine I would not have reblued it nor sanded the stock, but it's your rifle, your prerogative, you've done a lovely job and it better suits your purpose; or shoots your porpoise if you prefer.

My M1910 Takedown Model was my Grandfather's and I would not 'restore' anything on it unless it were to become necessary somehow. Its only alterations have been the (period) claw mounting of a Gerard B 4X scope and when some fool (me) drilled the sling swivel mounting studs wider to accept detachable swivels a few decades ago. It has the 'special folding peep' sight option as offered in the '39 Stoeger and a removable grip cap that was not. It has its original fitted case.

Phantom view, MS w/ grip cap storage

'Special folding peep' - original 'cost option'.

My takedown case is nearly identical to this, yet (sadly) lacks its label.

I'm sure you're right about using the existing pin in your M1903 TD's forend. If it fits and properly holds all together, I wouldn't muck with it much as the original configuration has been altered and an original pin may fit loosely. Aside from 'major coolness factor' (yes, I was raised in the San Fernando Valley) the only real purpose of the feature was to reduce the rifle's bulk during travel whence it would be 'taken down' to be fitted in its travel case or a piece of luggage.

I've heard tell that there are many M1910 MS in Suid Afrika and that several people still use them regularly, as does NE member Kuduae in Deutschland.

Reproduction cleaning rods can be found on the 'net, some quite nice. They came originally in four or five piece sets. I am fortunate to have the originals in my M1910.

Your 'Made in Austria stamp on the barrel of the 'M1924' is very interesting. I have only seen images of a few such marked rifles, one an Anschluss era German proofed rebarrel dated 1939. The location and font style are somewhat reminiscent of the 'Sequoia' stamp on the original M1924 model.

Your 8X60 'Magnum' is not actually, however, a 'pure' M1924. The original M1924 was the 'Sequoia', built on a new and longer action than preceding models to accommodate the 'U.S. Cartridge of 1906', or .30-'06, for export to the Sequoia Importing Company who would distribute them in the U.S.. The M1924 was also the first with the magazine guide ring and reshaped bolt release. The 'Sequoia' did not sell as well as planned and many were converted to metric chamberings and sold in Europe.

In short, 'M1924' designated a rifle or stutzen of a certain 'caliber' (.30-'06) just as an M1903 was 6.5X54, an M1910 9.5X57, et. al.. The reconfigured M1924 and later production pieces Stoeger called 'High Velocity' had no M19xx stamping on the bridge at all, just the 'Kaliber' designation. The dated series would resume with M1950, but was not then specific to any particular chambering as several were offered.

Sequoia importing - "Sole North American Factory Agents...

Guide ring added to magazine (M1910 at left, M1924 right) -this made possible use of cartridges with projectiles of various shapes and lengths without jamming (photo swiped from Kuduae)

By the way, to ensure flawless feeding through your M1903 Schoenauer magazine (no guide ring), build your 6.5X54 like this:

Production continued on the new sized action, however, in several different 'calibers', up to 10.75X68 through WW2 alongside the M1903, M1905, M1908, M1910. Stoeger ("sole U.S. importer" from about 1927 forward) referred to these as the 'High Velocity' models, collectors tend to refer to them as 'M1925' though Steyr never did.

'High Velocity' offerings in 1939 Stoeger

Original M1924 Sequoia, Steyr factory restamp ('M1925')

Grand Dad (John F. Easton) with M1910 Take Down Model
I still have the cat's claws in the MS' fitted case - the leopard pelt and sola topi (pith helmet) having long since decayed

The photo you posted in the above post with MS outstretched before you looks rather nostalgic to me. The view looks very much like the Northern Arizona area where I formerly lived and Jeeped about in a '48 Willys mit der Mannlicher Schoenauer M1910 TD.

Enjoy!

Citizen of the Cherokee Nation

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