Help translating Chinese

Very cool rifle with even cooler history behind type.

Chinese manufacturing history of pretty much everything is very complicated and interesting.
 
Definitely Mannlicher enblocs,just different ones since Austrian won't hold 303 case.

Last pictures shows opening for them in bottom of mag well.
 
My point wasn’t whether it was a Mannlicher clip system, just rather it uses the M88/95 clip system or a different style of clip. 7.62x55r is the caliber and apparently it can be made from 7.62x54r brass so it could be the same clip as the rim size of 7.62x54r and 8x50r is very similar
 
I’ve spoken to a member on gunboards who collects/writes about Chinese arms and he’s confirmed that m95 clips will work without modifications. He’s also provided more translations of Chinese sources. I’ll have it in hand in a couple days and will be able to confirm. Loading with smokeless powder should also be fine, the Chinese made their ammo with British cordite.
 
Last edited:
快利 "Kuaili" 乙未 Year. This is a Chinese calendar year. The Chinese calendar repeats every 60 years. 1895 is most likey what makes sense. 造 This is made or manufactured.

Also to note, this is written in traditional Chinese and not simplified Chinese.
 
Last edited:
frank30 said:
I’ve spoken to a member on gunboards who collects/writes about Chinese arms and he’s confirmed that m95 clips will work without modifications. He’s also provided more translations of Chinese sources. I’ll have it in hand in a couple days and will be able to confirm. Loading with smokeless powder should also be fine, the Chinese made their ammo with British cordite.
Click to expand...

Very interesting!

I can't wait to see more photos. Mannlichers have always been a soft spot of mine, and the odder the more fascinating to me.
 
Mumbles Marble Mouth said:
快利 "Kuaili" 乙未 Year. This is a Chinese calendar year. The Chinese calendar repeats every 60 years. 1895 is most likey what makes sense. 造 This is made or manufactured.

Also to note, this is written in traditional Chinese and not simplified Chinese.
Click to expand...

“Firearms” on gunboards passed on a very good translation of the traditional Chinese. I don’t think it’s very easy to make it comprehensible, he sent everything to me on the condition that I don’t share the file, otherwise I’d be including a link. It’s answered most of my questions. These were apparently made with the finest steel available according to the source so I think I’ll be loading up mild loads and firing it.
 
frank30 said:
“Firearms” on gunboards passed on a very good translation of the traditional Chinese. I don’t think it’s very easy to make it comprehensible, he sent everything to me on the condition that I don’t share the file, otherwise I’d be including a link. It’s answered most of my questions. These were apparently made with the finest steel available according to the source so I think I’ll be loading up mild loads and firing it.
Click to expand...

I think its comprehensible to me. Kuaili is a name, 1895 made. I'm assuming here that in perfect English it means Kuaili Model 1895.
 
Last edited:
Yes that’s what he had told me, no issues with the name but the chinese sources on development, production, and trial results weren’t very clear when put through google translate. He had said the stamp says arsenal, date (1895) and the model
 
7.62x55r would likely be very similar. If the bullet was based of 7.62x54r it is basically a 7.7 by our measurements.

A .303 in metric is 7.7x56r main difference would potentially be case head size
 
Ok so I fireformed the 303 Brit with a very very light load. It isn’t chambered in 303 Brit. The body of the case is too narrow. The 7.62x54r case is better but too short. After looking through my books I think the best thing to do is is start with an 8x56r case, fireform to set the shoulder forward and neck resize. Thoughts?
 
It should work, the only real issue I can think of being it might be hard to chamber the rounds since it is a straight pull design and neck sizing would leave them pretty much right on size to begin with.
 
I recall reading, I want to say in Gun Collectors Digest, an article about the guns of central Asia, the author stated that he found an empty unknown cartridge case behind a rock in the Gobi, IIRC he wrote it was about 8mm and longer than the 7.62 Russian.
 
She runs! I was able to make ammo and modify an m95 clip to work, I’ve attached pics for any one interested. In the ammo pic from top to bottom is 303 Brit, 7.62x54r, and “7.62x55r”
805DFF1A-C572-4BD9-A02F-ED85D9E0D97F_zpsfw1guvfi.jpeg

F3C0BB16-EB81-454D-A41D-B560C7C6083B_zpsgwk2ko6v.jpeg
 
Yes, a bit of file work and it fits no problem. I’m going to load up a fair amount of ammo and take it out shooting this weekend
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom