Bulgarian M95 in 8x50r

Eaglelord17

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Hi all,

Recently I just acquired another Bulgarian M95 in 8x50r. This one isn't as 'pure' a example as my other one, but the bolt is significantly smoother (smoother than my Swiss rifles even), so I think this one shall be fun to shoot.

I suspect it is likely a restored sporter due to the fact it is in a Austrian stock with a lined out serial number, and the other one doesn't match the rifle. The stock also seems to be lightly sanded.

This rifle does however appear to have seen combat, as the magazine well seems to have been shot at one point. When the rifle is held right handed, that bullet strike would line up right with your center of mass provided your facing towards the enemy, which also might explain how this rifle remained in the original caliber.

Well here are some photos.

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Bottom example is the pretty much original rifle, top is the new one

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Showing the numbers stamped into the bolt handles

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Showing both the Bulgarian Crests and the vent holes on a Bulgarian bolt

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Showing a close up of that nice crest

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Both of these rifles are from the 1903 Steyr Contract which was the first contract Bulgaria had.

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One side of the new stock

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The other side, both of these indicate to me the stock is either a drill rifles or from a stripped down M95, unless someone captured both Bulgarian and Austrian M95s and ended up switching the stocks without converting the rifle to some other standard (very unlikely)

https://www.milsurps.com/vbpicgallery.php?do=big&p=3546
Only other marking on the stock, which if someone knows what it stands for would be appreciated. Very hard to search for the words 'OP' on the internet with M95 thanks to the new stupid WWI battlefield game.

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Look number 1 on the bullet strike. I suspect it would have come from the small side as it lifted the edge upwards, not inwards had it been struck from the other direction.

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Another view of the same strike, showing better the peening on the side.
 
Why do you think the stock is from Austrian M95? Bulgaria had both contract rifles and reparation M95s so stocks were mixed. This stock has gone through Bulgaria for sure as serial on right side indicates.
 
I think it is from a Austrian M95 as it doesn't have the Bulgarian Lion Cartouche my other Bulgarian M95 in 8x50r has, though maybe later Bulgarian contract M95s didn't have the cartouche, I don't know (and its not like there is a lot of 'pure' examples around to compare to).

What are your thoughts on the rifle? Do you think it was possibly captured, or somehow missed the re-working to 8x56r in Bulgaria? The hand-guard is heavily sanded, the stock might just be worn a bit (maybe lightly sanded). I am leaning towards the restored sporter route, but I don't know 100% for sure.
 
Can you post a pic with cartouche?
It's hard to say with these rifles. My Bulgarian contract is also Bulgarian refurb, has S and EP bolt in typical Bulgarian manner, stock renumbered but does not match. I suspect that some 8x50 rifles also came from Bulgaria, probably not all of them were reworked. Most of my M95s are in 8x50, will need to find some time to study them for Bulgarian treats.
 
Nice cartouche. However I would not lean towards the capture theory based on the fact rifle is still in 8x50. Not much of info about S conversion in Bulgaria and I'm skeptical about the Bulgaria was able to do this. On another side we know for sure Bulgaria got a lot of M95s during WW2 fronm Germans after they rearmed Austrians and pushed Hungarians to M43. So Bulgaria probably had quite a mix of both 8x50 and 8x56 rifles and surplused them later as they were.
 
I thought the Bulgarians sent most of there rifles to Austria to be converted to 8x56r (as otherwise they would be significantly more common). I personally am leaning towards the restored sporter theory myself, but there is no way to prove either way.

Unfortunately there isn't much info out there on these as they are a not a popular nation to research despite their significance (The Germans commented when WWI was over they lost because Bulgaria capulated just before them). They were also pretty involved in the region being called the Balkans Prussia.
 
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