Help Identifing this Old German rifle

[Mike]

Hello All, I need to ask the experts on this forum for help. I have exhausted myself, spent countless hours trying to find out the Make, model, caliber and year of this rifle.

Mannlicher Schoenaur?
This first photo shows a single trigger sport style stock. The rifle has factory installed sling studs and round knob bolt type. The butt is steel plate. The rear site is a flip-up style called a peep site. From my research this M-S is said to be a M1909 but with only one picture I’m not convinced. Found more pictures for m1911 looked very similar. Could this be a Mauser?IMG_2174.jpg

This next view shows a German proof mark crown over N (Smokeless Powder proof) this proof law was in effect until 1939 so this rifle should be 1939 or older. The next proof mark St.m.G / 18 gr. Shows bullet weight and type testing for years after 1912. The third number is the rifle S/N 29258 found in many more locations. Along with two to three digits on all components.

IMG_2145.jpg

This picture shows the 8,7 mm bore size for a 9mm, 9.3mm or 9.5mm cartridge? Than the 57mm cartridge length. Here is another guess the 445-date code? Proof mark?IMG_2142.jpg

[mike ford]

Mike,
Your rifle is not a MS at all. Rather it is a New Model Haenel Mannlicher, most likely model 1909. The magazine floorplate release is the military type rather than the more common type that actuates by hand. By the proof marks, it is chambered for 9x57. This model rifle was a modification of the M88 Commission rifle design, to avoid Mauser patents. The form of the proof marks was started in 1911-12 and the number of leftover Mauser 98 actions from WW1 made the Mauser patent workaround unnecessary. Consequently your rifle was made between 1911 and around the end of WW1. This seems to be a simple version of this rifle similar to the Armee Model of the pre WW1 Mauser 98. You can be proud to have it. Member Axel has written about these rifles in earlier postings on this Forum, I recommend you go back and read his postings.
Mike

[Axel E]

Your rifle is a Haenel improved model 1909, basic economy grade #5. Here is the page from the contemporary Haenel catlog:

Translation:
Grade St.P.Nr.5 Stripperclip loading Hunting rifle Haenel system, Model 1909. Bolt with gas shield, bent bolt handle with pear shaped knob; Barrel Krupp´s cast steel, round; with V-frontsight on short, matted base, standing rear sight with one small folding leaf, ordinary double pull trigger; halfstock without cheekpiece, checkered pistolgrip, sling swivels; all parts blued black. Mark 85.-
Available in 7mm (7x57), 8mm (8x57I), 9mm(9x57), jacketed bullets.
Total length about 112cm., weight about 3.1 kg´

The rifle is identical to mine, 9x57 too, serial number 25754. The photos show it below my 8x57I Haenel model 1900, upgrade # 9.

[Axel E]

The Haenel M 1900 was sort of a parallel development to the Mannlocher – Schoenauer. Both were intended to update the basic M88 "Commission"action to a flush, closed bottom, stripper clip loading magazine . As the Mauser patents were still valid, neither Steyr nor Haenel could use the now common staggered column magazine with the W – shaped follower spring. So the Steyr factory combined Louis Schlegelmilch's basic turnbolt action with Schoenauer's rotary magazine. Haenel, Suhl, combined it with their own box magazine with a leverwork follower, 1900 DRPatent # 120862. Haenel also added a two part firing pin, a gas flange and an improved ejector, protected by several DRGMs, to create their model 1900.
Some years later Haenel further improved their rifles to their model 1909: They streamlinrd the action, added a guide rib to the bolt, redesigned the bolt stop / ejector housing and replaced the clumsy magazine floorplate latch of the 1900 with a neat push button on the left side of the stock, ahead of the triggerguard.

[sharps4590]

Where's the peep sight? The "flip up" sight on the barrel is more correctly a sort of Express sight.

[Mike]

Thank you, You guy's are great. I ended up with a hand full of rifles from an old friend may years ago. I still have no use for this rifle I'm not a collector or have the tools or time to reloaded. If any one on the forum is interested let me know.