Bolt Action Rifles. Wayne Zwoll

the M88 Commission action is not generally referred to as a “Mannlicher” action, other similar actions are, including those with the Schoenauer magazine. Some authorities have flatly stated that the Mann-licher-Schoenauer action has a receiver and bolt invented by von Mannlicher and a magazine invented by Schoenauer—but can the receiver bolt be Mannlicher when the bolt and receiver of its parent action, the M88, was admittedly based largely on Mauser features and those of the Commission? Incidentally, the Hungarian G98/40 (also known as the Model 98/40 Mauser) has a bolt and receiver based on the same design, but fitted with the Mauser staggered-column box magazine.

      M88 rifles and carbines are getting scarcer as each year passes. Beginning military arms collectors will find that obtaining either or both of these arms in original, very good condition is not as easy as it was years ago. Amateur gunsmiths, however, will find it much easier to obtain them, since there are still a lot of them around in a condition suitable for gunsmithing purposes—those in less than good condition, having been previously reworked or missing some parts. Speaking of parts, parts houses have long been out of bolt heads and extractors for the M88. So, unless you can make these parts, be certain they are not missing from the gun you plan to buy.

      In gathering information on the M88, I discovered two unusual items. I found the first one in the 1902 Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog, which listed and illustrated a sporting version of this rifle at $24. It was described as a Mannlicher six-shot, high-power sporting rifle in 8mm caliber as made by C.G. Haenel in Suhl, Germany. It had a sporting stock with a pistol grip and short forend, and the 25” barrel appears to be covered by a jacket. In describing the 8mm cartridge, the Sears catalog shows a maximum range of 4500 yards, a killing range of 3000 yards, and a point-blank range of 300 yards! The other item was a Golden State Arms advertisement in a 1958 issue of American Rifleman which still listed surplus M88 rifles at $9.95 each. These two items give us some idea of the time spread that these have been on the American market, indicate that a lot of them must have been made, and that there must still be a lot of them in this country.

      The M95 Netherlands (Dutch) rifle in 6.5mm caliber is a variation of the M88 action. It has the two-piece bolt and the Mannlicher magazine requiring a special clip.

      Left-side view of the M95 Netherlands (Dutch) rifle. Notice how the stock is made to cover this side of the magazine.

* The literal meaning of this letter “J” in English translation or terminology has been the cause of much confusion. In fact, the “J” in German printing stands for “I,” not our :J.”

German Model 98/40 FdH

      German Model G98/40 rifle.

      IN THE CHAPTER on the German Model 88 Commission action, I mentioned that the receiver and bolt of the very popular Mannlicher-Schoenauer action evolved from the German Commission-designed Model 88 action, and that several other rifles, including the Model 98/40, have a similar receiver and bolt. In the M88 Commission rifle, we see how the German Testing Commission copied some features from the 71/84 Mauser rifle, used some of their own, and incorporated a Mannlicher-designed single-column magazine to come up with a distinctive and smooth working action. This was followed by the Hungarian Model 1935, also with a Mannlicher single-column magazine. From this rifle, the Hungarian Model 98/40 and the German G 98/40 action evolved—changing the Mann-licher magazine for the Mauser staggered-column flush magazine.

      The German 98/40 (the G is usually dropped from the designation), as well as the Hungarian 98/40 (this rifle is more correctly designated as the Hungarian Model 43— “43” because Hungary adopted it in 1943), were created because of Germany’s dire need for military shoulder arms at the beginning of WWII. The Hungarian government arsenal in Budapest was tooled up to make the Mannlicher-magazined Model 1935 rifle, which, except for the magazine drawbacks, was a good rifle. Then by adapting the staggered-column Mauser magazine to it, and chambering it for the 8mm (8x57mm or 7.9x57mm) Mauser cartridge, the 98/40 was born. It is so designated because it has the basic M98 Mauser magazine and was adopted in 1940.

      The German Model 98/40 Rifle

      The German 98/40 rifle has a 23.6 ” barrel, is 43.62” overall, and weighs about 8.9 pounds. It has a two-piece stock similar to the British Lee-Enfield rifle, with the forend attached to the barrel by the front guard screw and two barrel bands. The muzzle barrel band contains a bayonet stud so the regular M98 Mauser bayonet can be affixed. Unlike the 98K Mauser barrel, the G 98/40 (G stands for Gewehr, German for rifle) barrel has no steps, but has a straight taper from the breech shoulder forward. The magazine holds 5 rounds.

      Markings

      The model designation of G 98/40 is stamped on the left receiver wall. The date (year) of manufacture, such as 41, which means 1941, is stamped on the top rear of the receiver ring. The factory code letters jhv are stamped on the top front of the receiver ring. The letters jhv are the code letters for the Metallwaren Waffen u Maschinenfabrik arsenal in Budapest, Hungary. The caliber (bore diameter), e.g., 7.91, is stamped on the barrel shoulder next to the receiver. The serial number is stamped on the breech end of the barrel, left side of the receiver ring, trigger guard, floorplate, buttstock socket and bolt, and with the last two digits of this number stamped on most of the other major parts.

      The 98/40 Action

      Although the Model 98/40 action closely follows the design features of the German 88 Commission action and some of the Mannlicher actions mentioned earlier, it has enough individual features to require a separate description. The receiver ring is about 1.735” long. The loading port is about 3.2” long with the higher left receiver wall made with a deep thumb notch like that in the M98 Mauser action. The receiver bridge is very long (about 2.25”) and split; that is, there is a slot milled through the top to allow passage of the bolt handle and guide rib. The front corners of this slot are grooved to accept the M98 Mauser stripper clips so the magazine can be quickly loaded. The bottom of the receiver is flat. The recoil lug, on the front of this flat, is about 1.60” wide and 2.25” deep. The magazine well is milled out of this flat, leaving an opening 3.30” long and cartridge-guide lips to hold the cartridges in the magazine and to guide them into the chamber.

      The magazine box is solidly constructed of sheet metal with reinforced ends, and the bottom of the receiver is milled to hold it securely in place. The rear wall of the magazine box also acts as a recoil lug and makes up for the small area of the main recoil lug on the front of the receiver. Recoil is mainly absorbed by the buttstock against the butt socket, while the rear of the magazine box and the recoil lug prevent the forend from moving forward.

      Inside the receiver ring, there are two shoulders which the breech end of the barrel contacts. They are divided by cuts made to allow entrance of the extractor and ejector. The barrel is threaded tightly (right-hand thread) into the receiver with the barrel made with a narrow shoulder to abut against the front of the receiver. A shallow groove cut across the face of the barrel provides room for the extractor and ejector to engage the cartridge rim. This breeching system is the same as used in the Greek Mannlicher-Schoenauer action.

      Left side of the German Model 98/40 action, opened.

      The inside of the receiver is milled out to accept the bolt assembly. Locking lug raceways are milled nearly the length of the action and inside the receiver ring to form locking shoulders for the two locking lugs on the bolt. Slight inclines on the approaches of these shoulders cam the bolt forward as the bolt handle is lowered.

      The bolt is of two-piece design with a separate bolt head which fits into the front of the