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

Some here have seen this as I sent pics of it to them(MP- Leighton) when I bought it a couple years ago but I haven't posted it on this new classic single barrel section.The adjustable cheekpiece is marked G.M.454.It is really well done,the border is all done in horn,all the screws are alined as well.Do any other collectors have or seen one like it?




and now the cheekpiece,here is the switch with the GM 454 mark;



here it is down,note the horn border to make it fit smooth,works like it did when it was built 97 years ago!

Dave,

Some adjustable cheek rests were a factory option. The photo below is from a Von Lengerke & Detmold Import Record book that is in the custodianship of Griffin & Howe. The M-S rifles and carbines were received in December 1920 from Johann Springer's Erben of Vienna, Austria. The quantities received are broken down by caliber, barrel length, make of telescopic sight, and the presence of an adjustable cheek rest. The serial numbers are on the next page. Do you believe that your M-S has the factory cheek rest? Not all VL&D Mannlicher's were so marked. In one instance, VL&D ordered 100 Mannlichers but had their name engraved on only 80 of them. If you will send me the serial number I'll see if your gun is in the VL&D records.

research@griffinhowe.com



Compliments of Griffin & Howe, Inc.

Hi Bob,
and thank you for your post and info.The serial number is 2856,I should also add it has Krupp barrel and Van Hafner on the barrel-I have seen one other Van Hafner M/S not near as nice as this one but I suspect they where a retailer/gunsmith.

Noticed you are from Morristown,when I lived in NJ,(my brother is still in Creskill) I did lots of work out there,very nice area.I can remember all the wonderful seeing eye labs being trained around the square in Morristown.

Best,
Dave

Dave,

There is a Mannlicher-Schoenauer, number 2856, in the VL&D records but it is a model 1905 and that caliber would be 9x56MS. Sorry that I couldn't be of more help. Morristown is a very nice area but it can't make up for the ridiculous gun laws in NJ where there is no such thing as an antique firearm and even a 400 year old matchlock requires a NICS check for purchase. As a fellow PA native once said - the only good thing about New Jersey is it keeps the ocean out of Pennsylvania.

Very nice rifle Dave. I wish all of the German rifles that I own, or will own came with this option. I hate raising my head to use a scope.

Bob,
thanks for looking in the G&H book (I did enjoy going the their shop in Benardsville when in NJ)I pulled the gun out of the safe to be sure I had the number correct-it is, the name on the barrel is VaL Hafner-Kessel however.I suspect this was a war trophy,perhaps built by Val Hafner and purchased as a barreled action-been told that was the only way they sold them,the Krupp barrel added along with the cheekpiece and engraving,then stocked.
I do remember all those FID cards and pistol purchase permits,thank goodness they are in the past.My brother showed me his property tax bill when I was down there-a bit over 10 times what I pay here !NJ is a great place to have "been from".Miss the resturants and friends but would never thnk of moving back.

Mike,
thanks,it is a nice rifle and the cheek piece really works well,lots of time spend putting it on the rifle.I need to find a proper scope for it and waffle between period or something it deserves like a S&B.I have the mounts.

Maybe one day I will run across another G.M. 454 cheekpiece "system" Have guessed Gebruder Merkel but have never have seen another.