If there is no S or H, your rifle might still be in the original 8x50mmR Mannlicher caliber. Do not attempt to fire 8x56mmR ammo in an original 8x50mmR rifle. 🏛️ Unit Markings on the Buttplate
Many M95s were updated after World War I, which changed their markings: M95 Steyr Full Restoration
, which indicate the rifle was sold to or used by Bulgaria, a common fate for many M95s.
| Serial Prefix | Model | Caliber | Est. Year | Original Army | Notes | |---------------|-------|---------|-----------|---------------|-------| | 1A – 5000A | M95 Stutzen | 8x50mmR | 1896–1900 | Austro-Hungarian | Low serial, early production | | 5001A – 30000B | M95 Stutzen | 8x50mmR | 1900–1914 | Austro-Hungarian | Pre-WWI | | 1B – 60000B | M95 Long Rifle | 8x50mmR | 1897–1915 | Austro-Hungarian | Rare pattern | | 1C – 99999C | M95 Carbine | 8x56mmR | 1916–1918 | Austro-Hungarian | Late war carbine | | 1D – 20000D | M95/30 | 8x56mmR | 1930–1938 | Austrian (Bundesheer) | Converted interwar | | 1E – 50000E | M95/24 | 8x50mmR | 1924–1938 | Yugoslavian | Refurbished in Kragujevac | | 1F – 80000F | M95/34 | 8x56mmR | 1934–1940 | Bulgarian | Re-chambered, "S" stamped | steyr m95 serial number lookup
Before diving into lookup tools, you need to locate the correct serial number. On a Steyr M95, the primary serial number is stamped on the , just above the magazine well and behind the barrel shank. Secondary (assembly) numbers appear on the bolt, floorplate, buttplate, and stock.
The Steyr M95 (also known as the M1895) is one of the most enduring and recognizable straight-pull bolt-action rifles ever produced. Chambered in the powerful 8x50mmR and later 8x56mmR Mannlicher cartridges, these rifles served the Austro-Hungarian Empire through World War I and found second (and third) lives in the hands of Bulgarian, Greek, and even German forces during World War II.
What do you see on the metal just above the wood line? If there is no S or H, your
The following table is compiled from surviving Austrian and Hungarian factory ledgers and collector anecdotal data:
Represents Budapest, indicating the rifle was made or proofed in Hungary. The Eagle: The Imperial Austrian Habsburg Eagle.
The M95 is over 50 years old, but removing a serial number is a federal felony (US 18 USC § 922(k)). Also, you will destroy collector value. | Serial Prefix | Model | Caliber | Est
Without a serial number lookup, you might fire the wrong ammunition in a 120-year-old rifle—a potentially dangerous mistake.
If there is a large "S" or "H" stamped over this area, it may partially obscure the original date. 2. Manufacturer Codes
Since no official centralized database exists for these military surplus rifles, this feature would aggregate known data from collector forums, published reference books, and user-submitted logs.