Steyr-Mannlicher M1888

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Steyr Mannlicher M1888

Model 1888 Mannlicher
Type Service rifle, Bolt-action rifle
Place of origin  Austria-Hungary
Service history
In service 1888–1945
Used by Austria-Hungary, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Persia, Philippines, Poland, Thailand, Chile
Wars Philippine Revolution, 1891 Chilean Civil War,
Boxer Rebellion,
First Balkan War,
Second Balkan War,
World War I,
World War II(Volkssturm)
Production history
Designer Ferdinand von Mannlicher
Designed 1886
Manufacturer Steyr-Mannlicher
Variants M85, M86, M86/90, M88/90, M90, M88/95, M88/24
Specifications
Cartridge 8x52R, 8×50mmR Mannlicher, 8x56mmR Steyr / Hungarian, 8x57 mm IS
Caliber 8 mm caliber
Action Straight-pull Bolt-action
Feed system 5-round en-bloc clip (stripper clip in M88/24), internal box magazine

The Steyr Mannlicher M1888 was a bolt-action rifle used by several European armies 1888–1945. Derived from the 1885 and later 1886 models, it was the first rifle that utilized the "enbloc clip".

History

The M1888 was a direct and immediate descendant of the M1886 Austrian Mannlicher, this rifle too was a straight-pull, bolt action, box magazine repeater on the von Mannlicher design. As early as the beginning of production of the M1886 the need and desirability for a small bore rifle was evident. This rifle is virtually identical to its predecessor but for chambering a newly designed 8mm cartridge, loaded originally with black powder and denominated 8x50R.

M88-90

Shortly thereafter, the M88 was converted to semi-smokeless as soon as such reliable propellant became available. The round was designated as the 8x52R Austrian Mannlicher cartridge. The "converted" rifles were denominated M.88-90.

M90

Later, when full smokeless powder became available, the cartridge was returned to an 8x50R configuration and the rifles designated M.90. The sights of existing black powder 8mm Mannlicher rifles were converted to accommodate smokeless ammunition by the functional arrangement of screw mounting re-graduated sideplates onto the outsides of the existing rear sight walls. M1888 rifles built from and after 1890 had new sights and were denominated M.90 or are sometimes referred to as M1888-90. A sizeable number of M1886 11mm rifles were converted to 8mm by rebarreling and re-sighting. These were denominated M.86-90.

References

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