Shooting my 102 year old rifle

gmerkt · Oct 21, 2019

Austrian Army M1895, made in 1917, rechambered to 8x56R circa 1939. Long rifle with heavily pitted bore. Factory service ammunition dated 1938. Out of 30 rounds, four failed to fire. They were saved, I've already salvaged the components to re-use include conversion of the Berdan cases to accept Boxer primers.

100 yard target. Minute of angle grid.

This isn't the best shooting in the world. There is a core of a group there. 26 holes from 26 discharges. But then again, I'm not the best shooter in the world either. Original open sights. Considering the age of the rifle, I'd say it's still a lethal weapon. And that's one of the things that the gun-haters so dislike about firearms. Their relative permanence. Given even moderate care, they will last indefinitely.

In case you missed it in another post, it's the upper rifle in the following picture:

ma96782 · Oct 21, 2019

Nice.

Aloha, Mark

Flymph · Oct 22, 2019

DangerDog · Oct 22, 2019

Nice old rifle. Safe to say most our firearms will outlive us. Well done

7empest · Oct 22, 2019

That rifle is 80 years my senior and functions better than I ever will

DangerDog · Oct 22, 2019

7empest said:
That rifle is 80 years my senior and functions better than I ever will

Haha! I'm planning on living forever so my firearms gotta try an keep up

Oldest rifle I ever shot was an M1903 my Grandpa has.

Phantom Man · Oct 22, 2019

I'll bet you could cut that group in half or 1/3 of that size with hand loads.

CountryGent · Oct 22, 2019

Very nice. One of my friends / colleagues has one of those and he likes it quite a bit; his laughter whilst shooting said is a combination of amusing and disturbing. I don't have a picture of my Pálinka-swilling goofball pall so armed, but how about a brunette with one of the Austro-Hungarian classics?

And I lost my train of thought. Cheers, friends.

Medic! · Oct 22, 2019

Nice.

I'm shooting ammo that's nearly 70 years old. :s0060:

CLT65 · Oct 22, 2019

I need to break out my old Steyr M95 too, one of these days. I don't shoot mine with original ammo anymore though. That stuff really kicks in a light, short rifle! I shoot cast, gas checked, powder coated bullets in it. I haven't shot it in years, need to get it out and see what it will do.

My oldest rifle is a Mosin-Nagant dated 1897, with a SIG barrel. My oldest gun is one I just bought- an H&R break open .32 revolver that I just bought for $100. It was made in 1891.

gmerkt · Oct 22, 2019

Previously in short M95 carbines I've fired better groups with handloads. Softer-shooting loads than factory military ammo. I like IMR 4895 for loading the 8x56R, but one of my better loads was with IMR 4320. Which might make some sense since the original cut sheet powder seems on the slow side. But waste not, want not, because I have about 800 plus rounds of the military stuff on hand that I got cheap. Should last a while.

Capn Jack · Oct 22, 2019

Medic! said:
Nice.

I'm shooting ammo that's nearly 70 years old.

Hah! I'm wearing a body that's over 80 years old.

bsa1917hunter · Oct 22, 2019

Now come on. You make it look like 102 year old rifles don't shoot well. I'll have to disagree.. I shoot mine quite a bit. I may in fact, be shooting one of mine tomorrow, if things go right, like it did a couple years ago:

They shoot quite nicely in fact:

Accurate too? You can be the judge of that:

Lilhigbee · Oct 22, 2019

Buffalo Arms has brass and the correct size bullets, .329", for your 8X56R.

Boboclown · Oct 22, 2019

I enjoy mine. Straight pull gang is best gang.

marcusp323 · Oct 22, 2019

Taking out the ol' 7mm rolling block tomorrow. Shot decent last time, even with these older eyes & having to do the Kentucky windage thing cause the front sight was so far off. Still, managed to hit an 8" steel plate at 100 yds last 10 shots so I was happy. Just picked up a Martini Cadet to try out too. More fun with ancient relics

Pyro · Oct 23, 2019

For PRVI new brass (boxer prime) go to www.powdervalleyinc.com $59.00 / 100
best price in town

Ownerus · Nov 3, 2019

102 is only middle aged in gun years. This old guy is 138. Haven't fired him in a long time but long ago I was able to shoot a 100 yd group off hand that I could cover with a paper plate. Doubt he's gotten any worse since except for my part of the equation.

DeanMk · Nov 11, 2019

CountryGent said:
Very nice. One of my friends / colleagues has one of those and he likes it quite a bit; his laughter whilst shooting said is a combination of amusing and disturbing. I don't have a picture of my Pálinka-swilling goofball pall so armed, but how about a brunette with one of the Austro-Hungarian classics?

View attachment 627037

And I lost my train of thought. Cheers, friends.

Works for me! :s0152:

Still have my brother's '95 Chilean Mauser around here somewhere.
Mine's got the bent over bolt handle and the cut down stock.
It's a little older, though. We're thinking around 124 years old now. =)

Dean