doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com 1903 Mannlicher-Schoenauer - Dates

I pulled the stock of my "new-to-me" Mannlicher with the hope of dating the gun. (I was surprised to find that a comprehensive code of serial numbers and dates did not exist for the commercial sporters, but hoped I'd find an internal date on the gun.)

I knew the gun was post-1912 based on the proofs. The name on the scope (Emil Kerner & Sohn) provided another clue as the "& Sohne" nomenclature first shows up in the mid-1920s. The serial number on the gun is 9857 and the serial number on the scope is 6581. (This is an original M-S in 6.5x54 with the original Zeiss Zeilvier 4x scope in claw mounts. )

Once I got the gun apart I did not find the date code (or at least the date code in the form I expected to find it.) Stamped in two spots on the underside of the action were the numbers "14037* .19." I am not sure how to interpret that code. Anyone have any insight?

Below are a few photos of the gun:

Ken, I'm no help but have to say that's a nice looking rifle.

14037 ... proof house number for this gun (or batch of guns)
19 ...... proofed in 1919

This is standard numbering for Mannlicher Schoenauer.

With kind regards,
Jani

Jani - thank you, much appreciated.

Ken

Surely that rifle design has to be in the Pantheon of Graceful Guns.

It's a sweetheart for sure!

What a delightful little rifle. It's about the perfect upstate Pennsylvania deer rifle: short, lightweight, handy and packing enough punch to take one down as far as you're likely to see a buck. Enjoy it.

Thanks for the nice words on the gun. I am very happy with it. Hopefully it gets some action on Virginia deer and maybe some NC pig in the next year or two.

Any idea where I can find an appropriate leather sling for the gun? The sling hooks are rather narrow in the early guns - 3/4".

Ken

Based on the serial number and location of the markings on the scope it was made in 1923 or early 1924, so was added by Kerner a few years after the rifle was made. Zeiss production records were destroyed during the war, but collectors of German sniper rifles have reassembled most of the major model transitions and serial number sequences.

Beautiful little rifle, by the way. I may have a sling or two that would be appropriate for it; I'll take a look in my gun room to see what I have available.

Nice 3/4" European slings available at Jeff's Outfitters.