Identifying Your Rifle
Markings
On this page you will find all markings you would normally find on your M.95
Manufacturer & Model Designation
Two simple stamps stating the manufacturer of the rifle, this can either be Steyr for ŒWG or Budapest for FÉG, and the model designation M.95.
Position: Receiver Top
Acceptance Stamp
The acceptance date is a small stamp that oftentimes can be overstamped or illegible due to (even minor) pitting.
Depending on where the rifle was accepted it either has the format Wn - *Double Eagle* - Number or
Bp - *Crest or Shield* - Number. The letter code stands for the accepting arsenal. Wn for the Viennese Arsenal, Bp for the one in Budapest. The number stands for the year of acceptance (not manufacture!) and would be a two digit code, except for the years 1900-1909, which bear a single digit. Early guns occasionally also use the last three digits of the acceptance year.
Position: Barrel Shank Top
Serial Number
There are four places you would find your serial number at. The bolts were not numbered in Austro-Hungarian arms despite being hand fit to the rifles. As the serial numbers were reused every fiscal year they sadly do not hold any valuable information.
Positions: Barrel Shank Left Side, Receiver Left Side, Buttstock Left Side, Upper Handguard Left Side (only the last two digits, just under the rear sight)
Proof Stamps
Two tiny stamps, the proof marks also often times become illegible over time, however if they are present they either show the Imperial eagle, or the Hungarian crest for the respective arsenals again.
Positions: Receiver Right Side, Barrel Shank Right Side
Parts Acceptance Stamps
These can be found in the form of a 'K' in the case of Steyr made parts or 'R' for Budapest made ones. Note that a Steyr made receiver can have a Budapest made bolt and vice versa. In the process of refurbishment and repairs bolts and other parts were mixed together.
Position: Cocking Piece, Safety Lever, Tang, Trigger, Magazine Floor, Bolt Head, Bolt Handle Root
Contract Rifles
Tsardom of Bulgaria
Crest
In addition to the model designation, Bulgarian contract rifles bear the Bulgarian coat of arms in place of the manufacturer.
Position: Receiver Top
Contract Year Stamp
Contract rifles are the only ones that carry an actual production year that is akin to the contract year. The format for this is always "Manufacturer Year", for example "Budapest 1909". As these are also the acceptance years, no acceptance mark can be found on the barrel shank
Position: Receiver Left Side
Serial Number
In addition to the usual serialisation, you would find a serial number on either the bold handle knob, or the handle itself.
Positions: Bolt Handle Knob, Bolt Handle
Proof Stamps
Bulgarian proof stamps present themselves in the form of the Bulgarian lion. The positions remain the same.
Positions: Receiver Right Side, Barrel Shank Right Side
Stock Cartouche
Akin to the one on top of the receiver, a Bulgarian crest can be found in the form of a stock cartouche on the left hand side of the stock, to the left of the serial number.
Position: Buttstock Left Side
