The Last of a Dynasty
Infanterie Repetier-Gewehr M.95
The M.95 straight pull rifle proved to be Mannlicher's crowning achievement. A sleek, light design it would prove to be a big upgrade for the infantry from their earlier wedge-locking rifles.
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An M.88 updated to the M.90 pattern via updated rear sight markings. This example also bears a handguard, which were occasionally added during the Great War
History
In 1895, the Imperial Ministry of War had decided to increase the amount of repeating rifles in stockpile in preparation of the great European war that loomed on the horizon. With both the Imperial Landwehr and the royal Honvéd also wanting to increase their own stockpiles, the question whether or not a new production run of the current M.90 infantry rifle would be started, or if a new model should be adopted.
Despite warnings about the disruption of a uniform armament, the technical military commitee decided that a "new 8mm repeating rifle for the existing cartridge with the carbine bolt M.90* shall be constructed" while "all previously made experiences, especially the weight reduction were to be included".
*The M.90 carbine, unlike the M.90 infantry rifle, featured a rotating bolt head with front locking lugs. Despite the model designation, the two models do not share the same action
By May of 1895 the commitee had already received several prototypes and by autumn of 1896 it had decided on a model to adopt.
The Infantry Repeating-Rifle Model 1895 fullfilled every need expressed by encompassing the ever so slightly modified M.90 carbine action, as well a marked reduction in weight. Where the M.88 pattern rifles weighed a tremendous 4.41kg (9.72lbs), the new model reduced this weight to only 3.65kg (8.05lbs). This was achieved by incorporating improved metallurgic processes, allowing for thinner metal to be used, especially for the barrel.
The overall changes, apart from the action, were:
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A thinner dimensioned barrel (18.5mm vs 22mm at the chamber)
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The rear sight got switched to a more flush fitting ladder sight, while the front sight did not sit on the barrel anymore, but on its own band. The volley sights were abandoned
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The M.90 carbine bolt cocking piece was modified to allow cocking with your thumb only
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The trigger guard was now directly connected to the magazine well
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The bayonet mount was moved from the side to the bottom of the barrel
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It was the first Mannlicher rifle to sport an upper handguard
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An M.95 Infantry Rifle in an elm wood stock. While walnut was the wood of choice for production, wartime necessities demanded other types being used as well
An early pattern Repetier-Stutzen. In comparison to the earlier infantry rifle it can be seen that it really is simply a shortened down version, safe for the front sight. While it can not be seen here, this example also differs in having a few early features that would disappear over time
While the infantry rifle was still going through trials, it was decided to also adopt a new shortened pattern for use with branches such as engineers and artillery. This pattern was to have the exact same features as the infantry rifle, with the exception of the front sight, which was again sitting directly on the barrel.
This Extracorps-Gewehr M.95, which was henceforth called Repetier-Stutzen*, was however not intended for cavalry use.
Mounted units of the army received their own short rifle pattern in the Repetier-Karabiner. Being the same length as the Repetier-Stutzen, it differs in the way the carry sling was mounted, as well as the front barrel band, which was neither equipped with a stacking rod, nor a bayonet mount.
The rifle, Stutzen and Karabiner were officially accepted in 1898, 1897, and 1899 respectively.
During the war more variants were introduced to allow for more varied sling mounting by converting both Repetier-Stutzen and -Karabiner to a pattern with both side- and bottom sling attachments - the Repetierstutzenkarabiner and the Repetierkarabinerstutzen.
Ultimately, more than 3.5 million M.95s of the various patterns were produced by ŒWG in Steyr, and FÉG in Budapest from 1914 to 1918 alone, with several hundred thousand having been made before the war as well. In the end, the rifle would outlast the empire it was designed for and continued being used in combat by other nations up until the 70s. Austria itself would use the M.95 as its standard rifle until the Anschluss in 1933, albeit with an updated cartridge. Hungary would attempt to replace the rifle in the 30s, but never managed to do so entirely.
* "Etwas stutzen" means "to shorten something" in German. Thus a Stutzen can be translated as a "short one" or "shortie"
