From the September, 2000 issue, pages 231 - 234

Last year, I purchased a portion of the library of a deceased collector of military rifles. Among the files were many old technical manuals and sales catalogs. The most notable of the catalogs is one developed and printed in the English language for the world famous Oesterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft in Steyr, Austria. Dating from around 1896, this catalog contains a detailed three page list of Steyr arms production contracts that may well be the most important part of the document.

I have word processed the entire document for MRJ readers. If you study it carefully and analyze certain sections, I think you will find this to be an excellent source of new data, particularly about arms that have virtually disappeared from collector view today. My favorites are the Persian contract for 23,000 Werndls, the contract for 12,100 Kropatschek carbines for the Hungarian gendarmes, the 150,000 Roumanian Martini-Henry’s, the 4,000 Commission 88 carbines made for Peru and Brazil (2000 each), and the conversion of all but 5,000 M1886 Straight-pull rifles from 11 m/m to 8x56 m/m.

I want to point out that the catalog has been transcribed verbatim, to include British spelling and some unusual turns of phrase. I have changed nothing. The use of the word "swords" , presumably in place of "bayonets" in the early part of the catalog is confusing, but may well mean "sword bayonets". Also, the European use of quotation marks around inventor names ("Mannlicher", Fruhwirth", etc.) is continued, as is the format, font size and structure of the original.

Regarding the dating of the document, I have estimated circa 1896 based on the fact that the listed Dutch M1895 Mannlicher turn bolt rifles and the Norwegian Krag Jorgensen’s (M1894) were still in production ("in work"), while the Austro-Hungarian M1895 service rifle and carbine contracts are not yet listed. (Admittedly, security concerns could have caused this exclusion as well.)

The 9 ½" x 12 ½ " 50 page catalog is soft bound in maroon cardboard covers. It is entitled "The Repeating Rifles of the MANNLICHER SYSTEM". The bottom of the cover is marked in gold leaf with the name of the famed arms agent "Aug. SCHRIEVER & Co., Liege, (Belgium). On the inside cover, there is a printed London address: Max Baker, 1, Arundel Street, Strand W.C. Further down the page, there is an ink-stamped address: Bohwarte & Hammer, 3, East India Avenue, London, E.C. The body of the catalog consists of elaborate color technical drawings, exterior and cutaway, of the M1888/90 Austro-Hungarian straight pull rifle, and the 6.5 m/m Roumanian M1893 and M1895 Dutch turn bolt rifles. The catalog was printed in Liege by Aug. Bernard, Imprimeur-Editeur, Rue Lambert-Le Begue, 13.

The text follows:

The Oesterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft

Have turned out since 1868

• 70,000 Muzzle-loading rifles, converted into breech loaders
• 600,000 Infantry Rifles, model 67, system "Werndl", for the whole army of the empire
• 11,000 Werndl carbines
• 12,000 Repeating rifles, "Fruhwirth", for the gendarmes.
• 400,000 Infantry Rifles, system "Werndl", model 73, for the army and the reserves.
• 100,000 Carbines and rifles of the same system for special army corps.
• 12,100 "Kropatschek" repeating carbines for the Hungarian gendarmes.
• 309,000 "Werndl" rifles, model 76 and 73, converted for cartridges model 77.
• 100,000 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, model 86, calibre 11 m/m.
• 1,100,000 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, model 88, calibre 8 m/m, for the army and reserves.
• 95,000 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, model 86, calibre 11 m/m, converted for cartridges model 88, calibre 8 m/m.
• 105,000 "Mannlicher" magazine carbines, model 90, calibre 8 m/m, for cavalry, gendarmes, etc.
• Several hundred thousand barrels, locks, stocks, etc and swords for the Austro-Hungarian War Office.
• 114 Complete mitrailleuses.

1. For the German Empire

• 350,000 Infantry rifles, model 71.
• 210,000 Carbines, model 71.
• 55,000 Cavalry carbines, model 66/71 converted.
• 20,000 "Werder" rifles, model 66/71, for BAVARIA.
• 250,000 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, German model 88, calibre 7.9 m/m.
• 56,000 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, German model 88, calibre 7.9 m/m, for SAXONY.

1. For Roumania

• 150,000 Martini-Henry rifles and carbines, model 79, calibre 11.4 m/m.
• 120,000 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, model 92, calibre 6.5 m/m, with swords and scabbards.
• 14,000 "Mannlicher" magazine carbines, model 93, calibre 6.5 m/m.
• Also, several hundred thousand barrels, stocks and other pieces.

1. For Greece

• 216,000 "Gras" infantry rifles and carbines, model 74, calibre 11 m/m, with swords, scabbards, and a large quantity of spare pieces.

1. For France

• 25,000 "Kropatschek" repeating rifles, model 78, calibre 11 m/m, with swords and scabbards.
• 300,000 "Gras" locks, with the same quantity of swords and scabbards.

1. For Holland

• 53,850 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, model 95, 6.5 m/m, with swords. In work.

1. For Norway

• 20,000 "Krag-Jorgensen" rifles. In work.

1. For Portugal

• 57,800 "Kropatschek" repeating rifles and carbines, calibre 8 m/m with bayonets.
• 8,000 "Mannlicher" magazine carbines, model 93, calibre 6.5 m/m.

1. For Persia

• 23,000 "Werndl" rifles and carbines with bayonets, calibre 11 m/m.

1. For Bulgaria

• 140,000 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, Austrian model 88, calibre 8 m/m, with swords and scabbards.
• 6,000 "Mannlicher" magazine carbines, Austrian model 90, calibre 8 m/m.

1. For Chili (sic)

• 20,000 "Gras" rifles, model 74, calibre 11 m/m.
• 5,000 "Kropatschek" repeating rifles, model 78, calibre 11 m/m.
• 32,000 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, Austrian model 88, calibre 11 m/m, with swords and scabbards.

1. For Montenegro

• 20,000 "Werndl" Rifles, model 73, calibre 11 m/m, with bayonets.

1. For Peru

• 12,000 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, German model 88, calibre 7.9 m/m, with swords and scabbards.
• 2,000 "Mannlicher" magazine carbines, German model 88, calibre 7.9 m/m.

1. For Brazil

• 1,400 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, German model 88, calibre 7.9 m/m with swords and scabbards.
• 2,000 "Mannlicher" magazine carbines, German model 88, calibre 7.9 m/m.
• 1,000 "Kropatschek" rifles, calibre 8 m/m, for the navy.

1. For Siam

• 15,000 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, Austrian Model 1888, calibre 8 m/m, with swords and scabbards
• 6,000 "Mannlicher" magazine carbines, Austrian Model 1890, calibre 8 m/m

1. For China, Japan, Honduras, Transvaal

• 70, 000 "Mauser" model 71 Rifles, calibre 11 m/m, with swords
• 8,000 "Guedes" rifles, model 85, calibre 8 m/m
• 27,500 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, Austrian model 86, calibre 11 m/m, with swords
• 48,300 "Mannlicher" magazine rifles, Austrian model 88, calibre 8 m/m, with swords and scabbards
• 6,940 Mannlicher magazine carbines, Austrian model 90, calibre 8 m/m
• 31,900 Mannlicher magazine rifles, German model 88, calibre 7.9 m/m with swords and scabbards

In addition, the (Steyr) works have produced several thousands of samples and other rifles to special designs.

The works at Steyr can turn out actually: