Steyrs from WWI era

[Marcus99]

I just recently picked up the top one, a Steyr-Mannlicher M1905. Reloading for it is turning out to be a bigger headache than I anticipated but otherwise I can't complain as I've wanted one for a while and this one is in great shape minus a slightly bent recoil spring plug.

Now to find a Roth-Steyr M1907

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

I've been following your adventure on another thread on anther site..... You have far more patience than I do!

Congrats

 

[USMA-82]

Very nice. However, you really shouldn't accept a "slightly bent recoil spring plug" - you need to sell this example to someone with lower standards - like me.

Besides - notice the gaping hole in my Austrian-Hungarian collection just screaming for a Mannlicher 1905:



*

 

[Marcus99]

I've been following your adventure on another thread on anther site..... You have far more patience than I do!

Congrats

lol, well not exactly "patience" per se. I'm waiting on a form 4 for a suppressor and purposely picked a project that would keep me busy in the gun room until fall semester of law school starts. The fact that I've really wanted one of these for a long time coincided well with that.

That thread has certainly turned out to be entertaining and very informative though; we've already covered chamber sleeves, Argentinian military numbering, the recoil spring plunger & slide movement, and eventually my results reloading 7.63mannlicher.

Thanks for the compliments!

Very nice. However, you really shouldn't accept a "slightly bent recoil spring plug" - you need to sell this example to someone with lower standards - like me.

Besides - notice the gaping hole in my Austrian-Hungarian collection just screaming for a Mannlicher 1905:



*

Haha; tell you what...how about you give me that ugly Roth Steyr so I can complete my Steyr collection. Hell, I'll even take that Frommer Stop too : )

If you want to keep your collection restricted solely to Austro-Hungarian arms that actually may have served in the A-H military in WWI, you wouldn't want a M1905 like mine which is Argentinian (a number of these were imported in the 1960's I believe, and most I have seen are in the 5xxx S/N range). Instead, look for a M1905 with three lines of lettering on the left side and two lines (System Mannlicher) on the right. These were commercial production and are much rarer in the U.S., but hold a chance of having been privately purchased and served in WWI as apparently many were by officers. There is also the M1900/1901 with a shorter grip and is even rarer.

 

[JuergenG]

Congrats Marcus, that 1905 is a beauty.

 

[dwarven1]

I just recently picked up the top one, a Steyr-Mannlicher M1905. Reloading for it is turning out to be a bigger headache than I anticipated but otherwise I can't complain as I've wanted one for a while and this one is in great shape minus a slightly bent recoil spring plug.

Now to find a Roth-Steyr M1907

Friend of mine has a 1912 Argentinian Steyr, I believe. I seem to recall that it was converted to 9mm Parabellum... I think. Been a while since I've seen it. Oh, and don't bother asking me for contact info; he inherited it from his dad and isn't going to sell it.

However... if you're having trouble reloading for that Steyr, might want to contact Nickle at [email protected]. He's a member here and a commercial reloader and does a LOT of hard to find calibers. He just might be able to help you out.

Ross

 

[JuergenG]

Friend of mine has a 1912 Argentinian Steyr, I believe.

Likely a Chileno

 

[dwarven1]

Likely a Chileno

It looks exactly like the left hand gun in that pic. I've got pix of it at home that I can upload tonight. Or I can contact Carl and get him to send me new pix.

 

[Marcus99]

Friend of mine has a 1912 Argentinian Steyr, I believe. I seem to recall that it was converted to 9mm Parabellum... I think. Been a while since I've seen it. Oh, and don't bother asking me for contact info; he inherited it from his dad and isn't going to sell it.

However... if you're having trouble reloading for that Steyr, might want to contact Nickle at [email protected]. He's a member here and a commercial reloader and does a LOT of hard to find calibers. He just might be able to help you out.

Ross

There are a number of various Steyr M1911's (1911 is the first year of production, 1912 the year it was adopted by A-H). In order of rarity (IMO) = Commercial, Romanian(with crest), Bavarian/Nazi, Chilean, A-H. In order of value (IMO) = Nazi, Romanian(with crest), Chilean, Bavarian/A-H...I have no idea where commercial would fit in as I've never seen one for sale (it has an adjustable rear sight and no military acceptance proof.

The one you mention if converted to 9mm Luger is possibly a Nazi. I've heard both that a chamber sleeve was used and/or that Mauser made new 9mm Luger barrels. They were usually reblued. I've shot one and it is a little snappier than the 9mm Steyr. It is also possible that a home-made conversion was done, or that someone took a Nazi barrel and put it in another Steyr Hahn.

I already reload for 9mm Steyr = my Steyr Hahn has seen about 1k of my reloads. I'll be reloading for the M1905 once I get the proper RN FMJ bullets and the recoil spring plug squared away (I already have the dies and brass).

 

[Marcus99]

Thanks to an extremely generous lugergunboards member I will have an undamaged recoil spring plug to start shooting my M1905. Thank you straight pull!

I was busy in my reloading room this evening. 7.63mannlicher has been hands down the most fussy and difficult round I have loaded yet. Here is what I can say thus far having only loaded and not tested or shot the loads yet.

- I lost 2 of my 50pcs of brass due to stuck casings. I contribute this to one or a combination of several causes:

• CH4D dies I am quite sure are steel and not carbide. My first casing was stuck due to not using lube, but the second one stuck was the 45th round I was resizing and lubed well.
• The shell holder is not a perfect fit; it is a little too loose. I am using a .32acp shellholder which is the closest I am aware of to fitting a 7.63mannlicher rim, and is recommended on the CH4D website. Once when seating a primer the case jumped out of the shellholder.
• The brass (formed from 32-20 brass) may be slightly too oversized for the CH4D resizing die. The rim is also somewhat different from the original. It would be great if say Fiocchi would produce a run of 7.63mannlicher with truly correct brass. Hopefully being new brass those 2pcs will be the only ones I loose - this brass is VERY expensive.

- I used Hornady 71gr FMJ RN bullets intended for .32acp. When seating there is very little neck tension; you could easily seat the bullet with your finger. So I used an above-average taper crimp. I don't know how much that will impact accuracy but I had little choice.
- The .32acp bullets are very close, but not identical to the original. The original is more spitzer-like. I am not sure if that difference is the cause of the fact I could only get 9 out of 10 of my cartridges loaded (once I got the 10th one it). I have successfully loaded 10 original cartridges several times.

I like to consider myself a fairly well experienced reloader. Never before have I had so much trouble loading 50rds. Fellow reloaders; you know how you get into a "pace" once you get working at your press? Not with this cartridge, as the attention to detail and vigilance must remain exceptionally high. This is definitely not for the beginner.


Original left; reload right.

 

[GunCollector]

Hi all, I just acquired a Roth Steyr Auto Model 1907 8mm. It didn't come with a barrel. Does anyone know where I can get a barrel for it?

thanks!