The Chrome Moly Frame (CMF) Era. The first digit indicates the year, the second two digits indicate the month. For example, a serial number of 30161040 would be January of 1973. Some bikes have an extra one or two digit production code number such as 7, 51 or 54 ahead of the year, month, and serial number. Browning.22 Caliber Semi-Automatic Rifle. Production began in 1914. No serial number records exist for rifles manufactured at F.N. Prior to 1956. Post 1958 manufacture dates.
The Mannlicher-Schönauer Model 1952 Carbine
By the Guns and Shooting Online Staff
'The World's FinestRifle' was introduced in 1903 and manufactured without fundamental changeuntil 1971. The action was designed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher and thefamous spool magazine by Otto Schönauer. The Model 1903 military model wasadopted as the standard service rifle of Austria and Greece, chambered for the6.5x54mm M-S cartridge. Model 1903 civilian versions were offered as rifles orcarbines. Rifles came with typical sporting rifle half-stocks and23.5' barrels, while carbines were supplied with slender full lengthstocks and 17.7' barrels. Throughout its long production life Steyr ofAustria owned the rights to manufacture the rifle.
The 1903 Carbine was manufacturedonly in 6.5x54 caliber and became the inspiration for what are today known as'mountain rifles.' Its full length stock gave rise to the term'Mannlicher stock,' which is still used today to describe a sportingrifle with a full length stock.
There were numerous detail changes,including the shape of the buttstock, over the years. These changes accounted for thevarious models, which included the pre Second World War Models 1903, 1905, 1908,1910 and 1924 (High Velocity Sporting Rifle). There was a gap in the productionof Mannlicher-Schoenauer sporting rifles extending from the late 1930's to1950, due to Adolf Hitler and World War II. Post war models included the Model1950, Model 1952, Model 1956-MC, Magnum Rifle and Model 1961-MCA.
The signature Mannlicher-Schoenauercartridge was always the 6.5x54mm, but over the years the rifle was also chambered for manyother cartridges. The early actions were sized to the 6.5x54mm cartridge and were not longenough to accommodate the Mauser '57mm' cartridges (7x57, 8x57, etc.)or the even longer .30-06 Springfield and its descendents. As these became thedominant sporting cartridges around the world, the M-S action was lengthened toaccommodate them, hence the Model 1924, introduced in 1925 as the High Velocity Rifle.
The rifle that is the subject of this article is a Model 1952 Carbine in .270 WinchestercaIiber. In the U.S., Stoeger Arms Corporation was the official Mannlicher-Schoenauer importer and Steyr worked closely with Stoeger to produce rifles suitable for the American market. OurCarbine is marked, reading from front to back, 'Made in Austria / Original / Mannlicher / Schoenauer / Mod. 1952 / Kal. .270' in six lines on the top of the front receiverring. The right side of the front receiver ring is stamped with the serial number, as are the right rear side of the barrel andthe underside of the bolt handle. 'Stoeger Arms Corporation New-York SoleU.S. agents' is stamped in a circle on the bottom of the magazine floorplate, above a small Steyr logo. The left front of the receiver and left rear sideof the barrel show proof marks and the left side of the receiver is stamped,'Steyr - Daimler - Puch A.G., Steyr' followed by the bullseye Steyr logo.
The Model 1952 was the last M-Swith a straight comb designed for use with open, iron sights. The comb is highand thin with quite a bit of drop at heel, in the European style. The Model1956-MC introduced a high Monte Carlo comb designed for use only withtelescopic sights. The final Mannlicher-Schoenauer, the Model 1961-MCA, wore alower, compromise Monte Carlo stock that was intended to allow the use ofeither the supplied iron sights or a scope. (A full review of a Model 1961-MCACarbine can be found on the Product Reviews index page.) Because of itstraditional style stock, absence of stripper clip receiver cuts, steel safetylever at the right rear of the action (which became a plastic tang safety onthe 1961-MCA), swept back bolt handle (introduced with the Model 1952) and availabilityin modern calibers, some Mannlicher-Schoenauer fans consider the Model 1952 tobe the apex of the sporting rifle series.
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer actionhas been described in previous articles, but we will review it here. The M-S isa cock on opening, controlled feed, turn bolt action with dual front lockinglugs. Bolt rotation is approximately 90-degrees. The extractor is a large clawmounted at the right front of the bolt, while the sliding ejector is mounted atthe front left side of the bolt. The ejector flips the fired case clear of theaction when it contacts the husky bolt stop in the left side of the split rearreceiver ring. The force of ejection depends on how hard and fast the bolt isoperated, so fired cases can be thrown well clear of the action or depositedgently in the hand, as desired.
The M-S controlled feeding system is completelydifferent from the familiar Mauser 98 system also used in Winchester Model 70,Kimber 84 and similar modern rifles. The machined M-S extraction/ejection partsare smaller, tidier and probably stronger, but more expensive to fabricate and fit. Aswith a Model 98 Mauser, cartridges should normally be fed from the magazine,not single loaded directly into the chamber, although the extractor is beveledenough to allow it to over-ride the rim of a chambered cartridge if the bolt isclosed smartly.
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The Schoenauer rotary magazine is easily removed, without tools, for cleaning. It holds five .270 Winchester cartridges and is loaded from the top, through the receiver's generous ejection port. Its design positively retains each cartridge in place, preventing the battering of bullet tips due to recoil. Cartridges are fed from directly below the bolt in a straight line for optimum feeding reliability. These magazines are machined for a specific cartridge, in this case .270 Winchester only. A button at the top right side of the receiver's ejection port allows ejecting all of the cartridges from the magazine at once.
The bolt release is a convenientlever at the left rear of the receiver. Bolt disassembly can be accomplishedwithout tools, merely by removing the bolt from the receiver and turning thecocking piece. All screws, even the rear sling swivel screw, are indexed andthis was done throughout the entire production life of M-S rifles and carbines.The barreled action, including the bolt, wears a highly polished, bluedexternal finish, while the interior of the contoured barrel is hand lapped to amirror finish. After 1952, the bolt handle was polished and left in the white.
All models came with a flat'butter knife' bolt handle that was located well forward of thetrigger guard. This was due to the design of the action, which has a split rearreceiver ring through which the bolt handle passed as it was drawn back. Thismostly eliminated the bolt wobble that plagued the Mauser 98 action. However,the split rear receiver ring was to cause trouble later, when the use oftelescopic sights became widespread, as it prevented the use of conventionalscope mounts on top of the receiver. Scoped M-S Rifles and Carbines are usuallyfitted with side mounts or, later, the specially designed Redfield top mount.
The buyer had the option of anexternally adjustable double set trigger or an internally adjustable singletrigger. (Stock removal is required to adjust the single trigger.) The double set triggerwas the more popular option. The single and double set trigger models camewith different trigger guards. Our Model 1952 came with a single stage triggerthat was set to release at a clean four pounds, so we left it alone.
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Like all M-S rifles, there is awing safety at the back of the bolt that blocks the striker. In addition, theModel 1952 has a scope friendly, two position 'shotgun' safety at theright rear of the receiver. The bolt's wing safety locks the bolt closed whenin the safe position; the receiver safety does not, allowing the magazine to beemptied with the safety on.
The front receiver ring and the topof the striker wear very fine stippling to break-up light reflections thatmight interfere with using the open sights. Both the front and rear sights aredovetail mounted, allowing great latitude for drift windage adjustment. Indexmarks allow centering both the front and rear sights. There is a second, hinged, taller rear sightblade, which is all the elevation adjustment provided.The taller of the two rear sight leaves is marked '300,' supposedly indicatingyards, but no load is specified.
Like many European sighting systems, a greatdeal of innocent ignorance on the part of the shooter is assumed by this vaguerange marking. We discovered at the rifle range that the lower rear sight leafput the 145 grain bullet from the Federal Fusion Light (low recoil) cartridges (MV2200 fps) that we were testing about 1.0' below the point of aim at 50yards, which is tolerable. The high (300) blade printed about 5.5' high at50 yards with this load.
Unlike almost all modern rifles,Mannlicher-Schoenauers were supplied with European walnut stocks that do notneed slenderizing. The forend and pistol grip are oval in cross section andpetite in circumference. The three panel, hand checkering is cut at around 20lines per inch and wraps around the forearm. The hand finished stockincorporates a shadow line cheek piece, fluted comb and a moderately curved pistol grip with a black cap. 1.0' sling swivels are supplied. Our test rifle'soriginal black butt plate was replaced by a ventilated, white line recoilpad for a rather short 13-1/4' length of pull. We used a PachmayrDecelerator slip-on pad to increase the length of pull to 14-3/8' duringour time at the range.
Specifications
·Type: Bolt action repeater
·Model: 1952 Carbine
·Caliber: .270 Winchester
·Magazine capacity: 5 cartridges
·Barrel length: 20'; hand lapped bore
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·Trigger: Single stage, adjustable; 4 lb. pull
·Metal finish: High polished bluing
·Sights: Dual leaf 'U' notch rear, rampmounted silver front bead; removable side plate for side scope mounts
·Safety: Dual,
·Stock: Full length stock of European walnut w/cheekpiece; hand checkered with high luster oil finish
·Weight: Approx. 7 lbs. (empty)
·Overall length: 40.5'
·MSRP (1955): Standard grade $205.75; Deluxegrade $245.75; Super Deluxe grade $345.75
The standard grade M-S Carbine was generallyequivalent to a deluxe grade modern rifle. Special stock dimensions to ordercould be supplied on the standard Model 1952 for an additional charge of $35. Notwithout reason was the Mannlicher-Schoenauer known as the 'Gentleman'sRifle' and the 'World's Finest Rifle.' However, true high grade Mannlicher-Schoenauerrifles and carbines were available with factory engraving and stock carving inDeluxe, Super Deluxe and Custom grades (the latter to customer suppliedpatterns, including gold and silver inlays at extra cost). The Super Deluxegrade included essentially 100% engraving coverage on the receiver, magazinefloor plate, bolt handle and trigger guard.
The retail prices for these fine Mannlicher-Schoenauerrifles seem absurdly low by today's inflated standards. However, it should beremembered that in 1955 the Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in .270 calibercarried an MSRP of $120.95 and a Remington Model 721A was only $79.00. Thingswere different in the years immediately following the Korean War! TheThirty-Third Edition of Fjestad's BlueBook of Gun Values (the current edition as of this writing) quotes the usedprice of a Model 1952 Carbine as $2000 in 100% condition and $1300 in 95%condition.
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The rapid increase in the cost ofmanufacturing Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifles throughout the 1950's and 1960'seventually drove the retail price above what the average shooter could affordand sales declined. After 1971, Steyr could no longer afford to produce traditionalMannlicher-Schoenauer rifles. Steyr still makes Mannlicher rifles, but they nolonger use the Schoenauer spool magazine or the action designed by FerdinandRitter von Mannlicher. They are good rifles with many modern improvements, butthey are not the same. (You can read a review of a modern Steyr Mannlicher FullStock Carbine on the Product Review Page.)
Anyone who has used a classicM-S rifle understands the appeal of this fine firearm. Its bolt action isthe smoothest ever made. It is the only bolt action we know of thatwill close and lock itself if themuzzle of an empty rifle with a open bolt is swung down to point at theground while the trigger is held back. This is partly because of theoutstanding workmanship put into these rifles and partly because the Schoenauerspool magazine does not drag against the bolt, as does the follower in the boxmagazine of a Mauser style rifle. Shooting one of these M-S rifles brings back echoesof an earlier, more gracious age.
Note: The review of this rifle, including shooting results, can be found on the Product Reviews page.