Steyr M95 - Deactivated or Not?

Bohemian

Bohemian

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Hey guys,

I received a Steyr M95 from my grandparents and am wondering how to find out if it has been deactivated or not. I don't have access to a range right now to test fire it. The bolt works properly and the barrel is clear. How do I know if its functional without test firing it?
 
Remove the bolt and let it close, if the firing pin protrudes then it most likely is not deactivated. The firing pin should stick out "approx" 1/16".
 
Pblatzz said:
Remove the bolt and let it close, if the firing pin protrudes then it most likely is not deactivated. The firing pin should stick out "approx" 1/16".
Click to expand...

Not the best Idea. Getting the bolt cocked and back in is a BI*CH.
(been there, done that)
not fun in the rifle and "orrible" in the carbine!

Oh, and I GUARENTEE the bolt will snap closed once it's out of the reciever! The usual method is to use a coin between the two parts of the bolt when removing it.
 
If you are lucky you can sometimes pull the bolt head back forward with your fingers and keep it straight and in position long enough to get it back onto the track. Your fingers may be a bit sore afterwards though. I just never felt comfortable with the coin trick as it nearly pinched me once.
 
John Sukey said:
Not the best Idea. Getting the bolt cocked and back in is a BI*CH.
(been there, done that)
not fun in the rifle and "orrible" in the carbine!

Oh, and I GUARENTEE the bolt will snap closed once it's out of the reciever! The usual method is to use a coin between the two parts of the bolt when removing it.
Click to expand...

If you cant the bolt to the right it will not snap / close on you when one carefully removes it, if you cant it to the left it will snap shut. They are tight but one can do it with rag or cloth.
 
Honestly, if it goes click and the receiver and barrel aren't welded solid, you are probably good to go.

All you need it the proper en bloc clip and some ammo. (probably the bigger challenge!)
 
Crisco 1 said:
Is there a large hole milled on the top of the barrel or reciever?
Click to expand...

This is probably the most important question asked in this thread, if there is a hole there and everything else works when you go to fire live ammunition you could get seriously hurt :eek:
 
If this is a gift from grandparents which has been around a long time, I wouldn`t bee too paranoid about it. Bunch of these came in in the early 1960s and they worked just fine; I have just loaded up a bunch of ammo for mine. This modern-day PARANOIA regarding firearms just did not exist. The modern attitude came from the same batch of Commies who have been re-engineering this country socially since Trudeau and Pearson let them scuttle any inclination to get involved in Viet-Nam...... apart from as the Official Lunch Supplier to Victor Charlie. IFAW, Greenpeace, PETA, ARA and a hundred others: ALL started by the same crowd of left-wingers and social-activist wingnuts who populate the CPC-ML, NDP, the Left wing of the Lieberal Party and Wendy`s so-called "Coalition"..... and all of them living (very well indeed) off YOUR tax dollars.

Interesting point: some of the 1960s imports were the comparatively-rare Bulgarian 1903 contract. They are marked "STEYR - 1903" on the left-hand receiver rail and have a receiver-ring marking of a crowned bear rampant (looks like he`s dancing). Mine is an 8x56R conversion (12mm "S" n the chamber) but some could still be in the original 1888/90 cartridge, the standard 8x50R. You can run either on converted 7.62x54R brass.

Getting that darned bolt IN is an exercise in frustration. Pull the bolt-head FORWARD while twisting away from you, hold in position with thumb pressure on the locking-lug, inset in the boltway and slide forward. Takes 2-1/2 hands and the strength of a rabid gorilla, but it can be done.

Pencil idea is good. Just use a pencil WITH a rubber eraser. #### the rifle, drop pencil down the barrel, raise the muzzle s the pencil eraser is in contact with the bolt-face, aim carefully and squeeze. If the pencil comes rocketing out of the muzzle, you have a shooter. NOT recommended when aiming at small pussycats, gerbils, chipmunks and the like.

Most important point: congrats on the FINE gift. You have one of the most HISTORIC rifles ever made. Enjoy it for what it is, go get a CD of marches by Franz Lehar (BE SURE "Ljuk-Ljuk" is on it), have a Wienerschnitzel with Kaiserschmarren for dessert and enjoy!

And be sure to thank your grandparents sincerely.

Ain`t nobody else ever gonna give you something THAT nice for free!
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smellie said:
Getting that darned bolt IN is an exercise in frustration. Pull the bolt-head FORWARD while twisting away from you, hold in position with thumb pressure on the locking-lug, inset in the boltway and slide forward. Takes 2-1/2 hands and the strength of a rabid gorilla, but it can be done.
Click to expand...

it helps while doing this to press the trigger forward (or is it pull it back? whichever way the bolt release works).
 
Grizzly Adams said:
One would think this would not need explaining.:D

Grizz
Click to expand...

One would think, I read a thread a few days ago that indicates that it is worth saying though...

http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=25597

Different rifle but it was indeed deactivated and then at a much later date "repaired" by a gunsmith. The poor guy lost a good chunk of his thumb, and was very lucky. It could have been far worse.
 
ou can trip the bolt release by pushing the trigger forward on the M-95. Carcano is relaed somewhat: you pull the trigger. I just use the bolthead and boltsleeve to trip the thing. Still takes 2-1/2 hands and King Kong's big brother with his thumb on the locking lug.

Much better just to leave the thing in.
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Now the question is, do you have a rifle in 8x50R or one updated to 8x56R
The latter will have an S on the reciever.
I reformed 7.62 x 54 russian cases to the later cartridge.
Bullets for either one are NOT .323 but .329
 
I saw that thread with the SMLE as well but there were two huge holes in the left and right side of the receivers, partially covered up by the fore stock but clearly visible in the pictures. There wasn't much common sense apparently in order to recognize something like that.

The only thing I can forgive is lack of familiarity with an SMLE or a milsurp in general but I won't go much further than that.

The gun smith that "repaired" it should be stripped of his certification. Any idea if this actually happened ?

PlinkerM1 said:
One would think, I read a thread a few days ago that indicates that it is worth saying though...

http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=25597

Different rifle but it was indeed deactivated and then at a much later date "repaired" by a gunsmith. The poor guy lost a good chunk of his thumb, and was very lucky. It could have been far worse.
Click to expand...
 
From reading the thread and seeing the pictures of the firearm post accident I get the impression that the accident actually happened... It looks like the guy just got excited about his new gun and failed to inspect it properly before shooting it. The gunsmith that made it shoot should never be allowed to touch another firearm again. The guy who lost part of his thumb is equally to blame because it was obvious that the firearm was unsafe and yet he carelessly fired it and suffered the consequences.

The only reason I brought this up is because I have no idea what the OP's level of knowledge is. My own is fairly limited and this thread was an eye opener. I'm the kind of guy that researches things, and then starts to play. Other people play and slowly research. Accidents happen, negligence is prominent generally, and the required information is often brought to light after the fact. I highly doubt that the OP in this thread is in any danger, but then again maybe there's some holes in his rifle that aren't supposed to be there and he doesn't know any better...
 
Okay, let's take paranoia to its max.

Check that both locking lugs are actually there on the bolt, right up at the front, one on each side of the cylindrical shaft.

Operate the bolt slowly once, back and forth, and check that the locking lugs actually rotate into the locking recesses, a quarter-turn.

Put a CORK into the chamber, put your lips over the muzzle and blow pressure into the barrel. If there is no resistance, you have a problem. If it gets hard, very quickly, to add more pressure to the barrel, it means that you don't have any nastyugly sideways holes that have been covered up. Knock the cork out of the chamber, get some ammo and head for the range.

Ammo for these rifles is RIMMED and so the headspace issues ("The sky is falling! The sky is falling!") are comparatively minor. Only thing to watch for is if it is marked "M.95M", which means that it is an 8x57 conversion.... in which case normal headspacing checks should be undertaken, although it is quite likely that the rifle is safe. These things were built for armies, all of them, and armies are not commonly issued with weapons which are more dangerous to their own side than to the enemy.

And be sure to thank your grandparents.

@plinker: Plinker, I think the best advice anybody ever gave anybody in this hobby is very simple: "Buy a gun, buy a book". The very best single book I have found anywhere on firearms problems is "Hatcher's Notebook". I have been reading it and re-reading it since about 1962 and I STILL learn something every time I open it. You can download it for free, along with a couple of hundred more good books, over at milsurps dot com. Get on, take out a (free) membership, get onto whichever forum interests you and start learning. Lot of fun and some of the best people in the world are over there.... and they all are willing to help.

Hope this helps.
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Here's a few sites about M95's

ht tp://www.hungariae.com/Mann95.htm

ht tp://www.carbinesforcollectors.com/m95.htm

ht tp://world.guns.ru/rifle/repeating-rifle/at/steyr-mannlicher-m95-e.html

ht tp://www.surplusrifle.com/steyrm95/ammunition.asp
 
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