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I picked this up at the 100 yard point of Short Siberia this morning, my guess is it is 8x55R and the head stamp would suggest it is military issue and Bulgarian, so easy enough to identify. Look at the shoulders, add the Bulgarian markings...

Can anyone identify it and the family of rifles it might be shot in given the shoulder angle and head stamp...

Bulgaria used a Steyr Mann. during WWII in 8x56R, not 55, I seem to remember.....

Hang on, I'll go and look at some old fashioned books!!!

Yep, Bulgaria used the Mannlicher M1895, adopting it in 1897, in the original caliber of 8x50R and making them in Budapest from 1903 onwards. In 1930 they adopted the Austrian 8x56R cartridge and began to acquire all the M95's they could from around Europe and rebarrelling them in 8x56R.

Bulgarian Headstamps: "Rampant Lion" at the 12 o'clock position and a cyrillic 'CA' or 'B0' arsenal marking at 6 o'clock position.

'CA' = Cyrillic SA superimposed, Sofia Arsenal,

'B0' = VF (Cyrillic B and Phi) Voenna Fabrika (Military Factory).

The 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position shows the date of manufacture.

Don't you just love proper books!!

Sim G wrote:Bulgaria used a Steyr Mann. during WWII in 8x56R, not 55, I seem to remember.....

Hang on, I'll go and look at some old fashioned books!!!

Spot on. 8x56R or 8mm Hungarian M31

Well that did not pose much of a mystery then. I had never seen one myself and certainly not aware of anything like this being military issue in 1940.

Ah well, it will be bunged in the pot with the other curios.

Thanks guys :goodjob:

I have the M95 infantry rifle and that ammo is a wee bit pokey in it! Last time at Diggle i was shooting a cast boolit load that showed promise and was a lot easier on the shoulder. :mrgreen:


PeterN2 did a good ammo foto post over on MAH some time ago, he has some Nazi stamped rounds/clips too....

http://www.milsurpafterhours.com/bb/vie ... =20&t=1025

A couple of schnapps of my Austrian M95....

I see there are some cheap Steyr straight pull 8mm on GT,

Interesting additions but as previously mentioned I bet the recoil is "interesting"

DM

jjvc, thanks for posting the pictures, is the factory ammunition easy enough to come by these days?

My local, friendly RFD picked up my latest 250 round can ovenpaa, it doesn't seem to be a problem to source.

Joe