Anybody familiar with a Steyr 8x56?

Question

I saw a Steyr 8x56 at a pawn shop for a little over $100 today. I have a 8MM Mauser, and I know the cartridges are different (8x57 vs 8x56), but I was wondering is these rifles are any good. I am beginning to collect old military rifles, and I was wondering if it would be a worthwhile addition.

Also, I've seen the guns on a few websites, but the ammo seems to be really scarce. And, a website I saw said that the gun requires a clip to load, and it was not included. Anybody know where I can get a clip?

Answer 1

The Mannlicher Steyr rifle was near the bottom of the pack for WWII rifles in functionality and accuracy. It did not age as well as the Mauser and Mosin did.

Ammo is getting scarce but you can get clips anywhere, as most of the ammo came on clips and then people sell their extra clips on Ebay, etc.

This round packs a punch, especailly in the little light carbines. It, like 7.62x54r and 8mm Mauser was designed for a full sized rifle then used in carbines. They will bruise your shoulder more than a Mosin carbine or a 98 Mauser carbine, that is for sure.

If you want a shooter, don't get one. If you want a cheap WWII rifle that you can shoot a few times then retire to the collection shelf, it's perfect.

Answer 2

i have one and like  it very much. you can get rounds, check

cheaper than dirt, shotgun news and go to the gun shows for it. takes some practice rolling the bolt  in the palm of your hand, try to force it and it will bind. 8x56r is corrosive ammo.

so clean after every use. i have a 4in butt pad and it still leaves a bruise. when you buy the boxes of ten rounds, the "clips" come with each group of 5. nice rifle, $100 is good price.  go for it... happy shooting

Answer 3

Hm. Austrian Steyr...would that be a straight-pull? Had one. Kicked like a mule, but nice rifle. If this one's clean and serviceable, 100 bucks isn't bad. You can still find ammo for it (although I'd take it to a 'smith and have it checked out first). I can't recall what type of clip those take, but you might try Gun Parts, Inc. They specialize in old stuff like that.

Answer 4

The 8x56 Mannlicher-Schoenauer is a classic hunting cartridge, but if it's a military rifle, I suspect what you saw was a Hungarian M31 or one of its variants, which is yet another different cartridge, being rimmed where the M-S is rimless. So be especially careful before you buy and try to feed it the wrong 8x56 cartridge! The Hungarian is also .329 caliber, so even handloading may be more of a challenge than you anticipate.

Answer 5

You have a lot of good info already on this, but, as a military rifle collector myself, let me give you a couple of pointers.

1.  Make sure the gun itself is unmodified, ... i.e. no one's drilled the receiver for scope mounts, cut off the original military front site, replaced or altered the stock.

2.  Verify that all numbers that can be visually seen match the serial number on the receiver. The bolt is the most important of these, but the value as a collector's item drops if there are mismatched parts.

3.  If this partiular rifle is stamped Steyr, as you said, it is Austrian, ... if it were stamped Budapest, it is Hungarian. Budapest is the more desireable, but both are fine examples of World War I (Austro-Hungarian Empire) military rifles that were modified between the wars and used by the axis powers in WW II.

4.  The receiver should also be stamped with a 'S' - this indicates that the rifle has been modified from the original caliber 8x50R caliber to 8x56R. Some were also later modified to 8 MM Mauser, but this is most likely 8x56R, ... but never assume, ... always have a competent gunsmith fill you in before attempting to fire.

5.  Condition and matching numbers are the most important things to a collector. These rifles are quite common now, but as I can tell you from eons of collecting, ... what's common today is often quite valuable twenty years or so downstream.

So if it's in good condition, this Mannlicher 1895 or M95, as the others have said, is worth the $100 price tag. It's not overly valuable right now, ... but one thing's for sure, they don't make 'em anymore, ... and never will, ... so to add it to your collection may pay off in the long run.

Answer 6

My grandfather has the Hungarian model, he has a magazine with which he can still order ammo for it. I'll have to ask him which it is and get back to you about it.