Show me your milsurps

[<<Genesis93>>]

G'day Genesis93,
Too late mate, a couple of us have been shooting Steyr 95 straight pulls for a few years now. As well as the Kropatschek there is also an 8x56 Mannlicher-Schoenauer cartridge. The Steyr 8x56R is designated M31 in Hungary, and M30 in Austria and was also issued in turn bolt rifle by Hungary. The Steyr 95 rifle can also be found unconverted in the original 8x50R from Rumanian use as well as the German 8x57 Mauser as converted by Hungary after 1940. The projectile for this round is actually .330" in diameter which buggered us reloading for many years until Hornady, and now Prvi, started to produce the right pill. Cheers.

Don't tell me you wear a cardi too??

Good info no.1, Now you can jump over there and have a looksie at my butt..... plate , tell me if she's an MLM or an MLE........

[juststarting]

So... I bought this old rusty boom stick for $200, because I like weird and old; and I wanted a project. Styer M95 straight pull carbine. 1930'ish I guess. If I had to guess - '38 I think.

I didn't take any before pics, not sure why, just didn't get around to it, but it was pretty bad. Dirty, grimy, rusty and wood was all chipping and dry.

Original bolt condition, just before I started working on it:



Bolt, that was a motherf*ckr, less so than the bore, but still... I think I could get it a little cleaner, my wire brush is in the mail, but I am happy with it now. And it only took me two goes to put it back together this time, without drawing blood.

So, first thing first, rust in the bore. Good rifling, but rusty and dirty AF. Trying my 44 brush in 8mm bore worked until the brush became too compact and that was that. Thinking, surely I am not the first - Google to the rescue; and ordered this little thing: http://www.big45.com. Holly crap monkey - this thing is goooood. Anyway, scrub, scrub, scrub then scrub some more and I am 98% there. While at it, removed all the external rust patches with that wire thing, as advertised, bluing stayed, rust gone (me getting new bore cleaner, Hello, can I please have the most corrosive solvent you have, yep. Opened the bottle and my eyes started watering - on to a winner).

Ghettoing it up a bit, to keep the blast radius to a minimum.


Now I need to fire a few rounds to get the bore up to speed. Surplus arrived. We all know my OCD with that. Modern brass and projectiles are in the mail.

Wood, nothing new here. Washed with some citric thing I had in the laundry, which took everything off. Lite sanding to get whiskers under control. Re-oil, steel wool, wax. Had a look, all the old markings came out better than before. After doing this and rust clean up on the bolt - I even found new ones, lol.

And final product:










I'll take bigger photos during daylight; and after I test fire it (and it remains in one piece). So far, looks promising.

[Supaduke]

Jolly good show old bean. Turned out quite nicely.

I have found a generous quantity of something like g96 or ballistol with a gentle rub of 0000 steel will also clean up surface rust quite nicely.

If you die during the first shot, can I have your stuff?

[juststarting]

Jolly good show old bean. Turned out quite nicely.

Why thank you 'old chap. Now I need to figure out starting loads. I'll start a new thread for that.

I have found a generous quantity of something like g96 or ballistol with a gentle rub of 0000 steel will also clean up surface rust quite nicely.

Steel wool + oil worked well on some, needed something a little more aggressive on others. But this thing was on hand, since I was scrubbing the bore with it, so I just used that.

If you die during the first shot, can I have your stuff?

Only if I don't I get to have your stuff, deal?

[Supaduke]

No deal

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[No1Mk3]

Latest toy,
Portuguese 1886 Kropatschek Carbine, developed from the 1881 Hungarian Kropatschek Gendarmerie the Portuguese contract were chambered to fire the Guedes cartridge 8x60R, and later loaded with the Austrian Kropatschek 8x56R cartridge, which was interchangeable. Only 4000 carbines were made, and I have another one but the bayonet lug and nose cap are missing.

[Supaduke]

Nice one. What is the little lever just behind the bolt? A safety? , bolt release?

Interesting looking rifle

[No1Mk3]

G'day Supaduke,
It's actually a single shot selector, it works by locking the tube magazine loading ramp in the down position allowing single loading.

[Supaduke]

Cheers. Learn something new every day. Looks to be in great shape for 130 odd years of age. Is the hand rest just aft of the trigger fixed? Looks like it does something.

[<<Genesis93>>]

G'day Supaduke,
It's actually a single shot selector, it works by locking the tube magazine loading ramp in the down position allowing single loading.

Like a select fire lever.... full auto / single shot !!! aaawwwweeessssoooommmeeee

[badczech]

My 1944 Izhevsk made PU sniper.
This rifle had never been re furbished or mucked around with, it is as it was when made.
The special thing about the rifle is, that at once stage it was used, or at least in the hands of the German government, and according to the Mosin Nagant Forum in the USA, is one of only 3 known, to exist in the world.

[bladeracer]

My 1944 Izhevsk made PU sniper.
This rifle had never been re furbished or mucked around with, it is as it was when made.
The special thing about the rifle is, that at once stage it was used, or at least in the hands of the German government, and according to the Mosin Nagant Forum in the USA, is one of only 3 known, to exist in the world.

What sort of groups does it shoot? Any more accurate than the M91/30?

[Supaduke]

My 1944 Izhevsk made PU sniper.
This rifle had never been re furbished or mucked around with, it is as it was when made.
The special thing about the rifle is, that at once stage it was used, or at least in the hands of the German government, and according to the Mosin Nagant Forum in the USA, is one of only 3 known, to exist in the world.

Cool rifle, what actually makes it rare? Izzy manufactured?

[badczech]

My 1944 Izhevsk made PU sniper.
This rifle had never been re furbished or mucked around with, it is as it was when made.
The special thing about the rifle is, that at once stage it was used, or at least in the hands of the German government, and according to the Mosin Nagant Forum in the USA, is one of only 3 known, to exist in the world.

Cool rifle, what actually makes it rare? Izzy manufactured?

No, the extra proof markings that show the rifle was at one stage used by the Germans, or at least in their possession.

[badczech]

My 1944 Izhevsk made PU sniper.
This rifle had never been re furbished or mucked around with, it is as it was when made.
The special thing about the rifle is, that at once stage it was used, or at least in the hands of the German government, and according to the Mosin Nagant Forum in the USA, is one of only 3 known, to exist in the world.

What sort of groups does it shoot? Any more accurate than the M91/30?

with my reloads, at 100 yards.
probably why it was never refurbished.

[bladeracer]

with my reloads, at 100 yards.
probably why it was never refurbished.

Wow, that is outstanding. Way better than the rifle would have originally been speced to for a sniper system.

[juststarting]

3 holes? Please, 303 could do 1 hole! Off hand. With a bent barrel! This is pathetic.

Seriously though, fantastic and I am very envious. I think this is on the cards, I am thinking of selling my 91/30 to finance the sniper version. But I am a bit sceptical with everything I've seen to date. The rifles are fine. But I am not 100% convinced that the scope mounts they come with are not original. :/ The firstest of the first world problems here.

[bladeracer]

3 holes? Please, 303 could do 1 hole! Off hand. With a bent barrel! This is pathetic.

Seriously though, fantastic and I am very envious. I think this is on the cards, I am thinking of selling my 91/30 to finance the sniper version. But I am a bit sceptical with everything I've seen to date. The rifles are fine. But I am not 100% convinced that the scope mounts they come with are not original. :/ The firstest of the first world problems here.

Love it
I'd really like to throw a scope on my M91/30 just to see how accurate it can be.
I think mine shoots fairly well for iron sights at 100m, particularly with my eyesight. My groups tend to be about 50mm tall, but 160mm wide, which I put down to the difficult sight picture. With better sights I'm confident it should be able to keep them inside a 50mm circle, that's why I'd love to see what it could do with a scope.

[badczech]

Just for laughs.
Was watching Fox , few weeks ago, they were showing one of the 'surrender' stations set up by the Syrian Government, and look what showed up, in the hands of one the 'rebels'.

The machining on them is as rough as anything I have ever seen, but, they perform, where it matters, in the field.

[Supaduke]

Went to the Militaria fair in Altona on the weekend. Usual suspects were there. Not a bad selection of Milsurps. Was a stack of no.4's , more than usual.

I bought the 10th edition Hornady reloading manual and managed to haggle a good price on a pattern 1913 bayonet for my p14. In great condition, considering its over 100 years old.

P13 Bayonet

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Bayonet

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Bayonet and Scabbard

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Markings

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More markings

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Attached

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Scabbard has been blackened for parade usage I'm assuming. Bloody long implement, probably over 5ft long when attached. Got a feeling the pommel and hilt have been painted black as well, more research required there. Would make for quite an awesome pig stick I imagine.

[JJD]

No.4 Mk1*

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I got this yesterday.
My first Milsurp. Actually my first centerfire too.
Lee Enfield No.4 Mk1* .303 made by Savage in 1942.
It looks to be in pretty good condition. I'm new to all this but here are my findings.
It came with the remnants of a Parker and Hale target sight but is missing the windage adjustment/apature. As such I'm not going to be able to shoot it until I get a sight on it
Someone spent a bit of money on that sight so I'm hoping that means the rifle is a good shooter.
I've ordered an original Savage standard 300/600 yard battle sight.
Has matching bolt and receiver but I haven't checked the rest. I'd say the wood has definitely had a refinish. The only thing I can tell isn't original to the rifle is the front barrel band, its seems to have worn very differently to the rest of the metal like maybe it had different bluing? it also has C.E.W stamped on it, not sure what that means?
I've also noticed it has trouble feeding. Seems like the rounds are just too low in the magazine to be picked up by the bolt. Maybe I'm loading them wrong or the mag has some issues.
Overall I'm really happy with it and its great to have a piece of history

[juststarting]

Looks good to me, tbh. They are heaps of fun to shoot, with iron sights. Especially at anything that goes ding on the other end

[Supaduke]

Nice rifle. As far as feeding issues , adjust the front feed lips on the magazine. Gently bend them upwards a tiny bit at a time till it feeds correctly. Not uncommon for the feed lips to get bent down with repeated insertion into the rifle.

[juststarting]

Hehehe, you said repeated insertion.

[No1Mk3]

G'day JJD,
Your front band is English, made by C.E.Welstead (Code S126) of Croydon, UK. The 300/600 battle sight was an expediency, fitted during production and generally removed post-war. 1942 rifles could have left the arsenal with those or No1 sights (Singer type) marked with the Savage logo on the upper right corner. A new arm for your Parker Hale range sight can be found, but will not be cheap, I paid $85 for one recently without the diopter, nice looking rifle, enjoy! Cheers.

[Yipikaye]

I found my grandfathers bayonet recently. I was thinking the amnesty may be a good time to buy the rifle it used to be attached to. (was sold when he passed away).

I'm guessing it was a Lee Enfield No 1 Mk III? I can only vaguely remember it from my childhood.

[JJD]

Thanks for the info on the No.4 guys, much appreciated!

[Supaduke]

Hehehe, you said repeated insertion.

I just had a pleasant flashback of watching Beavis and Butthead and hearing them laugh

[juststarting]

I was looking at milsurps at a funshop, nothing interesting, bunch of molested sporters, people are retarded. And then I noticed a rifle with 7.62 stamped into the stock and immediately knew what it was and I had to have it, haggled it down too, so really happy with that.





Capital CE tells me it was made in Nazi Germany, in late 1943. Then it most likely ended up as parts (although bolt and receiver match, floor plate and safety thing do not) in Czechoslovakia. How do I know that? The 7.62 stamps and the Star of David above the Parteiadler. After WWII, Czechs sold their Mauser surplus to Israel (one of the first to recognise the new state). Israel then rechambered them into 308 to have a common caliber, hence the 7.62 stamps, Star of David stamp and obvious damage to the Parteiadler.

I can't tell from the stock, since bubba cut most of it off, but lack of disk on the butt and the shape of the butt plate also tells me it was the last ditch rifle...



Because Parteiadler is still clearly visible, it was the first batch of Mausers sold to Israel. It suggests that the rifle was German Mauser in full, rather than parts, but who knows… Later versions were stamped in Czechoslovakia, over the Nazi markings and assembled from leftover parts. This one most likely got stabbed with a chisel or a screwdriver by a soldier, since it’s still there.





Anyhow, I thought this is probably one of the most interesting Mauserss, considering it's ironic full circle history and multiple combat tours across EU and Middle East, all told through stamps and markings. And I had to have it, even if it's molested. Also, I'll get to restore the stock and make it into a nice looking little shooter, so there’s that silver lining.

More funs to come in a week or two

[Supaduke]

Interesting find, thanks for sharing.