[tjm22shot54]

just picked up a nice m95 steyr carbine today , seems like when you cock the bolt the safety only engauges if you push foward on the trigger , is this normal? im new to these rifles . will post pictures later. thanks. tjm22shot54

 

[Nick]

To engage safety you have to pull the cocking piece slightly back.

 

[wyowillys46]

You shouldn't have to move the cocking piece or the trigger at all to engage the safety with the striker cocked or uncocked.

 

[tjm22shot54]

nick was right about the bolt piece, it does work but does not seem normal for a safety operation, could there be a problem with the safety? tjm22shot54

 

[Nick]

nick was right about the bolt piece, it does work but does not seem normal for a safety operation, could there be a problem with the safety? tjm22shot54

It's OK, don't worry. This action pulls back the firing pin, that's why you either have to push very hard on the safety, or pull the cocking piece a bit.

The same principle is true when applying the safety on the Steyr 1912 pistol - you have to pull the hammer further back from the cocked position before you could put it on "Safe".

 

[tjm22shot54]

thanks guys for the help, will post a picture of the steyr 95, this one is in very good condition nice stock. tjm22shot54

 

[MGMike]

It's OK, don't worry. This action pulls back the firing pin, that's why you either have to push very hard on the safety, or pull the cocking piece a bit.

The same principle is true when applying the safety on the Steyr 1912 pistol - you have to pull the hammer further back from the cocked position before you could put it on "Safe".

Sorry, but I beg to differ on both points. The safety on both an M95 Mannlicher and an M1912 Steyr pistol --if with original matching parts and/or properly fitted--are designed to be applied without manually retracting the striker or the hammer. There will be some felt resistance, as the safety must cam back the striker (or hammer) slightly so that if the trigger is pulled in the interim, the sear will re-set and the gun will remain cocked when the safety is disengaged. However, it should not require two hands. If the safety cannot be so applied, the parts are mismatched or worn and in need of adjustment or replacement.

M

 

[Nick]

Sorry, but I beg to differ on both points...

Point one is a moot point - I wrote "push hard or..." This doesn't require two hands.

 

[MGMike]

Okay, then. If you have to push HARD, it's only SLIGHTLY out of adjustment. It wasn't designed to work that way.

M

 

[Nick]

All I wanted to say is that M.95 safety is not as smooth as the one on the SMLE, for example. It needs a harder push than some people are used to.

 

[Devo]

Speaking of the M95 safety, how safe is it to have a round in the chamber, safety on with the action un-cocked? Anyone know what k.u.k. (or Bulgarian) regualtions were for carrying the M95 into the field? (Chamber empty -or- round in chamber, un-cocked, safety on -or- round in chamber, "cocked & locked").

Thanks,

Devo

 

[Nick]

The Bulgarian regulations (and I am certain the A-H too) do not allow carrying of a loaded rifle, period (except for the sentries). The loading is executed only at the command of the present NCO or officer. The safety is applied immediately after "stop firing/seize fire" command, and then the weapons are unloaded at the respective command.

On the front line things were different, of course. Who knows how the weapons were handled? The perception of "dangerous" and the priorities definitely change under these circumstances.

 

[wyowillys46]

Like MGMike stated if the parts are in good condition and not worn it should be safe to have a round in chamber with the striker down and safety on. The safety will cam the firing pin off the primer.

 

[Nick]

... The safety will cam the firing pin off the primer....

...which is the reason why we feel resistance when applying the safety.

 

[8mm man]

It's just the mixed parts. the rilfes have been reworked so many times they just don't lin e up as well with the mixd parts as when they were fitted at assembly. I've gone through my rilfes and swapped parts round so they all work well now.

I have one rifle with the original bolt and boy is it smooth working and nice.

 

[MGMike]

Like MGMike stated if the parts are in good condition and not worn it should be safe to have a round in chamber with the striker down and safety on. The safety will cam the firing pin off the primer.

Waitaminnit! I didn't say THAT. I said that applying the safety would cam the striker off the SEAR. That is when the striker is COCKED. That is so that the sear will reset if the trigger is pulled with the safety on; otherwise the striker would be released when the safety was disengaged and an AD might result.

I ventured NO opinion about what happens when the safety is applied with the striker in the forward (uncocked) position. My instinct is that, as in a Mauser and most other bolt-action rifles, it is probably UNsafe to lower the striker on a chambered cartridge. Whether the safety retracts an uncocked striker enough pull it completely out of contact with the primer is difficult to check, and whether it does or doesn't may depend on how well the bolt is fitted in any particular rifle. This is especially so given the fact that so many of these guns are mixmasters with bolt parts that are obviously, to varying degrees, misfitted.

My belief is that, in any situation that justifies having a cartridge loaded in the chamber, one is better off with the striker cocked and safety on; it resolves all doubt. Otherwise, leave the chamber empty.

 

[Merle1948]

Like MGMike stated if the parts are in good condition and not worn it should be safe to have a round in chamber with the striker down and safety on. The safety will cam the firing pin off the primer.

I have seen cases where if the safety was engaged & the trigger pulled the firing pin will drop when the safety is released; not every time but often enough to make it interesting. I don't know if dirt or wear was the culprit, but it really doesn't matter. This is best discovered by dry firing!

Frankly with any old rifle, I take extra precautions UNTILL I am positive it operates correctly each & every time.

 

[wyowillys46]

Didn't mean to put words in your mouth. I merged what should have been two separate thoughts/sentences. You are right MG, the safety does not retract the striker far enough from the primer to be safe. My fault.

When I think about it, why would you want to have a round chambered with the striker down anyways?

 

[MGMike]

Didn't mean to put words in your mouth. I merged what should have been two separate thoughts/sentences. You are right MG, the safety does not retract the striker far enough from the primer to be safe. My fault.

When I think about it, why would you want to have a round chambered with the striker down anyways?

It's okay, no harm done.

It further occurs to me that when the striker is lowered to the uncocked position with a cartridge in the chamber, the sear is no longer holding back the firing pin. The firing pin tip will be resting against the primer, under pressure from the striker spring. A good bump on the striker thumbpiece may cause the rifle to fire.

If the safety is applied, it may or may not retract the striker sufficiently to withdraw the firing pin tip completely below the surface of the bolt face. As I said before, that might depend on the individual rifle. If the firing pin tip is still partly protruding from the bolt face, there may be enough slop in the bolt/receiver/chamber/cartridge relationship to allow the primer to be indented under some circumstances. HOWEVER: More important-- What happens if the safety is then disengaged? Remember that you can't open the bolt or re-cock the striker with the safety on. When the safety is taken off, the firing pin will return to rest against the primer, unrestrained by either the sear or the safety, and you are back to a dangerous impact-sensitive condition.

All in all, I think it's a poor idea to decock the striker on a chambered cartridge, whether you apply the safety afterward or not.
M

 

[richardwv]

Safeties for these rifles are fitted parts that a century later may or may not be with their original bolt. One that works smoothly is either a case of someone having fitted that particular safety to that particular bolt (factory or else wise), or simply blind luck. However as long as the safety can be readily engaged through slight backward pressure on the cocking piece or through a little extra oomph, it passes as acceptable to me for occasional range use. Neither condition would be good for a rifle used for hunting and would become an annoyance in a regular shooter. Fixing these little nit noids is what long winter evenings are for, where one has the luxury of fine tuning the collection so come next spring those annoyances will be gone (to be replaced by annoyances in firearms acquired in the meantime).