THE BULGARIAN M-95 STRAIGHT PULL RIFLE
BY MARION MERICLE
At the Gainsville, Ga. gun show, about 10 years ago, I purchased a M-95/34 carbine from a fellow dealer, Ben Powell, that does not sell military rifles, for $45.00. It had a Bulgarian Lion with crown M-95, crest on the receiver ring, like the one in: "Handbook of Military Rifle Marks 1866-1950," second edition, by: Hoffman & Schott on page 7 illustration #1. On the left receiver rail is Steyr 1903 illustration #2a, page 7, serial #2370I, no import marks. In a shipment from "Century Arms," I received 4-99 one out of 4- M-95 I received was another Bulgarian Lion Crown Crest on the receiver ring and Budapest 1909 on the left receiver rail, illustration #2b, page 7, serial #5499B, with of course, Century import marks. This gun is an M-95 carbine with the short rear sight, not a rifle converted to a carbine like my other Bulgarian M-95/34 with the long rifle sight. This gun cost less then $100.00, a keeper for sure. These two Bulgarian carbines are the only ones I have ever seen. The regular Austro-Hungarian M-95 have nothing on the left receiver rail and "Steyr M-95" page 3 illustration #6 or Budapest M-95 page 29 illustration #1 on the receiver ring. In other words they are -not dated. I would like to have a Bulgarian M-95 long rifle as I know they were made because the first carbine mentioned in the article was converted from a rifle. The lion crest crown is slightly different on the Steyr & Budapest made rifles.
If any other members have more to add on the Bulgarian M-95 let us know.