Bulgarian M95 Budapest 1909 8x50r

[Eaglelord17]

Hi all,

Felt I would share my most recent acquisition to my collection as I actually have the time to do so thanks to the holidays. It is a Bulgarian M95 made in Budapest as part of the 1909 contract and it is still in the original 8x50r. This happens to be my third Bulgarian contract rifle in the original caliber, and I am very happy to have added it to my collection.

The rifle is pretty much completely mismatched other than the barrel and the receiver. The stock is a unnumbered replacement with a 'N' marking (see photos below) where there is normally a 'K' or 'R' determining the manufacturer. The stock is also unique in that it has two stock repairs on it both marked with 'E A' on it (both stock repairs were very well done). The buttplate appears to have been used to drive in spikes or something as it is heavily dented inwards (forgot to add a photo of the buttplate). Magazine was made in Steyr. The rear sight isn't a Bulgarian contract rear sight but a Austrian-Hungarian rear sight as it only has the numbers on the one side. The bolt is a Bulgarian contract bolt but it is mismatched to the rifle. Finally it is missing the stacking hook on the rifle.

My questions are does anyone know what the 'N' marking on the stock means? I have found some reference to the marking on receivers instead of the makers mark for Austrian-Hungarian M95s but no evidence as to who did it (rumours being possibly subcontracted parts). I am also wondering who might have captured the rifle. The rear sight likely means that they also had stocks of Austrian-Hungarian M95s as well.

The 'E A' marking I have found no reference to, and I hope someone knows as it might shed some light on where this rifle has been.

It took many hours to clean this rifle up to this point. It was covered in old dried cosmoline, and I needed to do some light gunsmithing to make it functional again. Punching the rear sight notch on one of the leafs to straighten out a bent in one (brass punch and brass hammer), adding in a bottom magazine spring as there was none (taken from a shot magazine I have which doesn't work), and filing a burr off the front sight (a couple quick passes with a fine file).

I did get this rifle off a fellow CGNer and am very happy to have had that opportunity. Well here is some photos, any help or information that can be provided is appreciated.

 

[diopter]

They are nice rifles.
This one is in 8x56R and is relatively gentle recoiling even with Nazi marked ammo.

 

[Eaglelord17]

Very nice, out of curiosity which contract is it?

 

[diopter]

 

[Eaglelord17]

Very nice, heres a photo of my other two, both are 8x50r and both are the 1903 contract as well. One I suspect is a restored sporter (sanded stock which is not a original Bulgarian stock as well as having several lined out serial numbers on it), and the other is about as close to all matching you will ever find a Bulgarian M95 (only the bolt is mismatched).

 

[diopter]

Speaking of striked out......

 

[Eaglelord17]

The bluing on your magazine seems to be very strong, nice to see.

I am going to be doing some parts changing today I think. Need to put a stacking hook from a drill rifle on to the Budapest 1909 on here, and switch the stock and magazine off the drill rifle with the restored sporter. Maybe might do some photos and a rifle tepee afterwards.

 

[The Kurgan]

Very nice rifles!! I want one so bad... but I am picky and finding one in good condition with a good+ bore is tricky. My great great grandfather served in the Austro-Hungarian army and was killed somwhere in the Balkans in 1873. He likely carried a M1867 Werndl–Holub, but an M95 still appeals to me. I'd love to find a nazi marked one in good+ shootable condition.

 

[bearhunter]

Eaglelord7, as you most likely know, a lot of those rifles were used as "war reparations" after WWI. That's on reason why so many of them are mixmasters. Also, when the Austro/Hungarian empire fell apart these fine rifles went in all different directions. When they first started coming into Canada, very few of them were in any better than GOOD only condition and were sold by International at that grade and an appropriate price. The first rifles in were from a hodge podge of nations. Some were converted in the same manner that the Gewher 1888 rifles were so that they didn't need separate Mannlicher style retaining clips. These were stamped with an "M" on their receiver's ring. They were also modified by being rebarreled and having their bolt heads replaced to accept the 8x57 rimless round. The receivers also had a notch milled to accept the longer S patrone bullets.

The rifles in the pics are great simply because they are chambered for their original design. Not only that, they are "long" rifles. I stayed away from those when they came in because they were usually not well maintained and many had been used as drill purpose rifles, even though they weren't marked as such. Some of them had their chambers milled out and their bolt faces welded over as well. I seem to remember the DP rifles sold for under $10. I bought one with the idea that I could put a 303 Brit chambered barrel on it. That's when I found out the 303 Brit cartridge had issues staying in the chargers and feeding.

There were some long rifles that came in that were in VG to EXC condition. I didn't get a chance at any of them. Those were picked over and many went across the border to the US.

The rifles I end up with were chambered in 8X56R with the .329 bullets. They were also carbines. Some of them were purpose built as carbines and some were long rifles that had been cut down. You could tell the difference easily by the rear sights and the slightly different diameter muzzles and very high front sights. They were FTRed and beautiful but they were all mixmasters and they had excellent bores. I still have one and I like it. It's also very accurate with proper diameter bullets.

International offered both the 8x50R and 8x56R on chargers in boxes of 15 rounds, in chargers. The 8x50R ammo was all dated post WWI to the mid twenties. The 8x56R was mid thirties and later dated with German eagle stamps.

I can remember a lot of very uninformed people running these great rifles down. All sorts of BS about them being weak, like the Ross. Nothing could be further from the truth. They are very strong and the receivers are very rigid. I don't believe there is an easier receiver on a military rifle to mount a scope onto. They're great rifles. They fought a lot of civil and international battles and are swimming in history. Sort of the Rodney Dangerfields of the milsurp firearms. At least now, those familiar with their operation and capabilities are showing them some well deserved respect.

 

[Eaglelord17]

These rifles are really neglected by the collecting community at large. The Bulgarian ones in particular I find quite interesting as I never realized how much of a pivotal role Bulgaria played in WWI and the lead up to it, before I got one and started doing some research. They were called the 'Balkan Prussia' for a reason and it wasn't because they were a sit around nation.

The Bulgarian ones weren't really as used for war reparations as the Austrian-Hungarian ones were (also the breaking apart of a empire somewhat has a way of spreading your arms about). Part of what makes them so interesting is that all the Bulgarian ones in the original caliber are almost guaranteed to be captured somewhere.

The one above I posted on another forum site and the best guess as to the meaning of the 'EA' on the stock is 'Erzeugungs Abteilung' which was a repair/refurbishment facility in Austria-Hungary which also made some small items (like Ersatz M90 carbine bayonets). This also works with the Austrian-Hungarian rear sight. Unfortunately that is about as much as I can glean off the markings as there is no other markings to denote who captured it. I don't even know how it got back to Austria-Hungary, maybe a rebuild after damage between the Balkan Wars and WWI, or maybe sent there during WWI. Then from there it would have had to find its way back to Bulgaria, or into the hands of another nation somehow who kept it in its original caliber (which really isn't many nations, the Czechs, and the Italians being the main contributor to 8x50r rifles on the market). The rifle was covered in cosmoline so someone placed it in storage somewhere.

Very nice rifles!! I want one so bad... but I am picky and finding one in good condition with a good+ bore is tricky. My great great grandfather served in the Austro-Hungarian army and was killed somwhere in the Balkans in 1873. He likely carried a M1867 Werndl–Holub, but an M95 still appeals to me. I'd love to find a nazi marked one in good+ shootable condition.

The 'Nazi' marked ones are almost always fakes applied with stamps to sell them better. Correct examples will only exhibit one waffenant applied to them and that was if it went into refurbishment at a German facility during WWII (which wasn't many as Germany didn't have much of them to begin with and only those damaged went).

I had one what was a 'police' carbine, used by the internal security forces in Bulgaria post-WWII. It had a new taller front sight to hit on target at 100m with the leaf folded and 8x56r ammo. The bore was also VG condition. Unfortunately I sold it at a very good rate as I fell for someones story (wanting to honour their ancestor) and they then flipped it a month later for 200$ more than what I sold it at. Still miss that little carbine, it actually was a great shooter.

 

[fredqc]

Been lucky enough to find few different m95 over the years. I will try to do family picture tomorrow

 

[Coffice]

The M95 series of rifles are some of my favourite. I love these Mannlicher-style units. I have a gorgeous M95/30 and have a few lines on some long rifle versions I have yet to convince my wife that are truly as necessary as I deem them...

Best part for me is my LGS carries new factory ammo so they can have steady use.

The one I'm hoping to get my hands on is an M95m, like mentioned in this thread they have been tinkered with by the former Kingdom of the Yugoslavs government to use the 8x57 cartridge (something I have a lot of). Another kindof M95(s) I'm very interested in is the hodgepodge actions which were a mixture of Mannlicher + local-firearms-developer ie, Mannlicher-Carcano (not that that is a very accurate term but you get the idea).

I'll have to get some pictures of my carbine to share!

 

[Military Surplus Lover]

Finally found a really nice m95 long rifle in 8x56 that is in really good shape a couple weeks ago. It's all matching. Not sure what kind of refurb it saw other then being converted to the new calibre. They are nice shooters, I just wish that I didn't have to aim a foot under my target to hit it. Hoping to find a nice carbine some day.
https://m.imgur.com/a/jBiGz

 

[fredqc]

Finally found a really nice m95 long rifle in 8x56 that is in really good shape a couple weeks ago. It's all matching. Not sure what kind of refurb it saw other then being converted to the new calibre. They are nice shooters, I just wish that I didn't have to aim a foot under my target to hit it. Hoping to find a nice carbine some day.
https://m.imgur.com/a/jBiGz

The other part often numbered is the front band. Both my refurb m95 rifles had the last 2 numbers of the serial there

 

[fredqc]

Here is a pictures of the m95 i found and kept over the years because they all have something i like:

1- Budapest m95 in 8 X56. Awesome bore. Matching barrel, receiver, bolt (stamped) and frontband

2- Steyr m95 in 8 X50. Matching barrel and receiver bolt has no serial ( i read they were only serialized when rebuild in 8 x 56??). What i really like about this one is an ersatz sling that came with it

3- Steyr m95 in 8 X56. Bulgarian steyr contract. Matching barrel, receiver, bolt (electropencil) and frontband

4- Budapest carbine in 8 X56. Normal carbine sight

5- Steyr carbine in 8 X56. reworked rifle sight

6- Budapest carbine in 8 X50. AOI italian colonial service marking

7- Steyr m95 rifle in 8mm, BT3 rebuild. All matching (bolt, boltface, barrel, receiver, stock, magazine and triggerguard). I like the been there look... The bayonet under it is not a proper one. Looking for one in case someone have on to sell
Full m95m album here
https://ibb.co/album/bPBzka

 

[Military Surplus Lover]

The other part often numbered is the front band. Both my refurb m95 rifles had the last 2 numbers of the serial there

You are right the front band is stamped with the number. Nice collection!

 

[Coffice]

Here is a pictures of the m95 i found and kept over the years because they all have something i like:

1- Budapest m95 in 8 X56. Awesome bore. Matching barrel, receiver, bolt (stamped) and frontband

2- Steyr m95 in 8 X50. Matching barrel and receiver bolt has no serial ( i read they were only serialized when rebuild in 8 x 56??). What i really like about this one is an ersatz sling that came with it

3- Steyr m95 in 8 X56. Bulgarian steyr contract. Matching barrel, receiver, bolt (electropencil) and frontband

4- Budapest carbine in 8 X56. Normal carbine sight

5- Steyr carbine in 8 X56. reworked rifle sight

6- Budapest carbine in 8 X50. AOI italian colonial service marking

7- Steyr m95 rifle in 8mm, BT3 rebuild. All matching (bolt, boltface, barrel, receiver, stock, magazine and triggerguard). I like the been there look... The bayonet under it is not a proper one. Looking for one in case someone have on to sell
Full m95m album here
https://ibb.co/album/bPBzka

I am surprised how short the M95m is! I don't know my history of them too in-depth but I wonder if they were made from both Stutzens and long rifles?

Here is a picture of my M95/30 Carbine. My stock has been stamped with >six< different serials...how's that for longevity!

 

[Eaglelord17]

bolt has no serial ( i read they were only serialized when rebuild in 8 x 56??).

Bulgarian M95s always had stamped bolts, but Austrian-Hungarian ones (i.e. the vast majority) didn't have the bolts serialized. Other nations did serialize them afterwards though.