I think it's a '95

[Mikey]

Need a bit of help properly identifying a mil-surp that was a inheritance gift to a buddy.  My Small Arms of the World identifies this rifle as a Spanish 7mm Model 1895 Carbine.  The bolt looks like it's a 98 style bolt as it does not have that 'end of the bolt' tab as do the 96/38s and the action has a oblonged cutout on the left side near the bolt head, which I would surmise is a gas relief cutout.

Caliber is 7mm.  There is no crest on the action and nothing to mark it as to country of origin.  The bolt locks up nice and tight and the bore is very sharp and clean without pitting or rust.  The stock is not even beat up but it is not new. 

This rifle has been around for at least 30 years if not more. It has some minor surface rust from sitting in a closet for about 20 years or so but looks like it should clean up very nicely.  I will take the rifle to a gunsmith to check for proper headspace to make sure it is safe to shoot.

My buddy did not know if he should have this rifle sporterized of if he should clean it up and leave it as a memento to his cousin whose father obtained this a long number of years ago and hunted with it regularly.  I recommended we clean it up, get it checked out for safety, get some new ammo, shoot it a bit, clean it and leave it as it is. 

If any of you folk are knowledgeable about M95s I would appreciate any insights.  Thanks.  Mikey.

[1911crazy]

There is a cutout on the left side for when loading ammo with stripper clips.  Now when looking at the rear of the bolt on the stock the receiver butter flies out on both sides thats a '95.  On the 93's and the 96's the receiver stays straight without spreading out. You can actually put a 93 receiver in a swede stock, i have done it. I have a few of these in long rifles and carbines in chilean and in spanish the 7mm's are awesome and fun shooters.  You have close to the power of the larger bores yet the recoil of the 6,5mm swede. These are small ring mausers.

Now if it has a 98 style bolt it maybe a 1908 brazilian or a mexican mauser these were in 7mm too.  The 1908 brazilian 7mm mauser came in both shorter carbines and the long barrel mauser too. The 1908 would also have the fatter / larger 98 stock too.  I'm not sure if some of the the spanish 7mm were 98 bolts.  I'll have to do some checking in the military mausers of the world book.

Its too bad most of the mexican 7mm mausers were used as platforms for doing builds because of there stronger receivers with the 98 bolts.

Any pic's???

[mrbigtexan]

i would say that with the oblong gas relief, it is probably a '93, but only if it has a flat spot on the bottom of the bolt.

[1911crazy]

Yup the 93's have a flat bottom bolt and the 95's have the round bolt.

[1911crazy]

In the world book of military mausers it does show a spanish model 1933 in 7x57 mauser.  Its a short rifle only 42" long with a straight bolt handle. At the sametime they show the 1933 in 8x57 too.  But both seem to have a 98 style bolts.