Mannlicher M1893 🇦🇹 Exploring a Classic Rifle

Mannlicher M1893 bolt action rifle

Mannlicher M1893 rifle was designed by famous Austrian gun designer Ferdinand von Mannlicher who worked at the Osterreichishe Waffenfabrik-Gesellschaft (OWG) factory, in the city of Steyr. In 1893 this rifle was adopted by Romania, and all production has been carried out by OWG. During WW1, a number of Mannlicher M1893 rifles that were still in OWG warehouses were taken into Austrian service, in its original 6.5x53R chambering or converted to Austria’s own 8x50R ammunition.

In 1895 the same rifle with minor modifications was also adopted by Netherlands as Geweer M. 95. Until about 1902, Dutch contract Mannlicher M1895 rifles were produced by Steyr factory. After that, M1895 rifles and carbines were produced by Hemburg arsenal in Netherlands. Production there lasted until 1940. One peculiar feature of Dutch Mannlicher M.95 carbines was that there were way too many (probably more than a dozen) minor variations issued to different branches or services, such as cavalry, engineers, artillery, Navy, colonial troops etc.

Mannlicher M1893 / M1895 rifle is manually operated, rotary bolt action weapon. Its bolt is based on modified German Gew.88 design, with dual locking lugs at the front of the bolt body and a detachable bolt head. Fixed magazine, designed by Mannlicher, is loaded using 5-round en-block clips that fit into the magazine and remain there with the ammunition in it. Once all ammunition from magazine is expended, empty clip automatically falls down and out of the magazine, through the opening in the magazine base. M1893 and m1895 Mannlicher clips were of ‘symmetrical’ design, with no designated ‘top’ or ‘bottom’ sizes. Receiver has split rear bridge to allow passage of the bolt handle, conveniently located at the middle of the bolt.

Romanian and Dutch rifles are mechanically similar and have minor differences in the barrel lengths (Dutch rifle is slightly longer at 1295 mm overall, its barrel is 788 mm long), rear sight shape, wood and other minute details. Dutch carbines were available with many variations of stocks, fittings and sling loops. Ammunition and clips were interchangeable between all 6.5mm Mannlicher rifles and carbines of this basic design.