Steyr 1897???Need info

Has anyone heard of the Steyr 1897? That is what is stamped on the side of the receiver and what I was told it was. It is chambered in 6.5x54r(not the rimmed 6.5x53r). I have heard of the round but not the gun. Is it any good, what country made it, is it worth more than $200, Etc.:feedback:

 

I keep seeing Mannlicher when I try to pull info in the cartridge, so I don't know. Maybe Steyr made a few to fire a Mannlicher cartridge?

I see one at auction on Gunbroker. It is at 220 bucks and reserve was not met.


Now where you would find ammo for it????????

 

Apparently all I can find on this is that it might be a Dutch 1895 (the 1897 stamped on the side is the date this one was made) not to be confused with the Austrian 1895(known as the m95) which I have one of. the dutch 1895 was made by both Steyr and Hembrug and is a Mannlicher design similar to the Austian 1895 only chambered in different calibers Steyr in the 6.5x54r and the Hembrug in the 6.5x53r. Other than that I'm not sure. If anyone else can shed any light on these guns it would be appreciated. I have the chance to purchase a Steyr for just over $200 and want to know everything I can before I make a desision. I do know that I can get reloading stuff for the 6.5x54r caliber and the guy has 2 of the original enblock clips for it so I won't have to shoot it one round at a time.

 

Can you post a picture of the reciever and the side? Is M95 marked on the top of the reciever? I have a M95 marked on the top and steyr 1903 on the side. It is probably Austria or Hungary as the country.

 

Definitely not an m95 I have one and know about those guns this is different than that. I guess I forgot to add that the bolt design is like other guns you have to turn it up then back not the straight pull like the m95.

 

lots of Steyr info

a bunch of info here

Manowar's Hungarian Weapons

but I can't find a Steyr in the 6.5x54, only 6.5x53R. maybe its in there somewhere.

 

The 6.5x54r is an earlier, rimmed version of the 6.5x54 Greek cartridge. The British called it the 256 Mannlicher. It was used in a few commercial single-shot and combination rifles, as well as Dutch and Romanian bolt-action military rifles. Commercial hunting ammunition was once loaded in Europe and England. Brass can be made from 303 British cases.

Condensed from COTW.

tom

 

Steyr 1897

I have an 1897 Steyr. However mine has been identified as a Norwegian Krag. It has the classid Krag action, and is chambered for 6.5x55. Mine has Steyr and 1897 on the barrel band on top of the gun.

 

The older i get the more i realize i have alot more to learn about guns
hfreyer, very fine unusal rifle!

frenchy

 

A Little Info u Don't Know About the 1897 Styer

I know that it has been a long while since you posted your question. Styer is an excellent firearm and yes the ammo is obsolete but there was a change in the 1897 Styer that few know about. The 1897 Styer was rechambered into a new caliber. This was done to a huge amount of the firearms by just re-drilling the barrell from a 6.5mm to 8mm. So after they rechambered and drilled the barrell the 1897 Styer is now a 8mm Mauser! There is only one way to recognize if a Styer was rechambered. On the top receiver where the M95 is stamped there is an additional "M" stamped after it. It will say M95M, the second "M" is for Mauser where it was rechambered to the 8mm. The second "M" can obviously be seen that it wasn't part of the original M95 stamping. So if you have the M95M 1897 Styer then it is worth the $$$. The 8mm Mauser is the German ammo that is readily available every where. I owned the M95M and it is an extremely accurate and sweet rifle to have in any collection.

Let me know if you read this comment!

Mike

 

hmm. the M95M were 8x56R M95s that were converted with new bolt, fixed en-bloc clip, and barrels in 8x57. They are straight pulls. His gun is a turnbolt, and prob has a split receiver, and is a non-rimmed 6.5x54. I'm thinking it was probably a Steyr-Mannlicher but without pictures who knows.

The 6.5x54 was an amazing cartridge for the time. It was used by Karamojo Bell to kill many elephants and made into fine custom rifles in England.

I bet it looked like this:

 

Yes your correct Bob, some of the M95 Steyrs were converted to 8x57 mauser for german use. And they were straight pull.