Yugoslavian (Serbian) Mannlicher M.95 Rifles and Carbines

Yugoslavia (Kingdom of Serbs Croats & Slovenes):
Puska M95, Karabini M95

The M1895 rifles (Puska M95) and carbines (Karabini M95) were also used by Serbia - who had received them after WW1 as war reparations. Serbia converted an estimated 123,000 M1895 rifles to 7.92x57mm (see below). The Carbines/Stutzens were used in their original configuration by the Gendarmerie.

Receivers, bolts or barrels may have Serbian/Yugoslavian markings such as: Crowned 'C', Crowned 'H', Crowned 'M' and Crowned 'T'. (Sometimes under the stock)

Austro-Hungarian unit mark on buttplate, meaning:
2nd Bosnian-Herzegowinian (Infantry) Regiment, Weapon Number 6390

'RZK' on M.95 buttstocks = Remontni Zavod Kragujevac = Repair Arsenal, Kragujevac

Yugoslavia (Kingdom of Serbs Croats & Slovenes):
Karabini M95/24 7.92x57mm conversions

Serbia converted approx. 123,000 of the Mannlicher M1895 rifles, including a few M1890 carbines to 7.92x57mm. The 1st approx. 7500 weapons were marked with the addition of '/24' to the M95 legend on the receiver. From about the 7500 serial they replaced the '/24' stamp with an 'M'. Both '/24' and 'M' have similar features as described below.
Please provide your serial number between 6300 and 8500, and if it is a '/24' or an 'M'.
Most of these '/24' marked Mannlichers found their way to Greece:
- Either by as a Sale or a Contract to the Greek army, or
- Carried there by escaping Yugoslav Partizans
Either way, the Germans who captured these rifles considered them as Greek origin. Official German designation: 'Karabiner 505(g)' abbreviated 'K505(g)'. Another source provides a German designation as: 'Karabiner 494(g)' - Greich Mannlicher 95/24.
The Germans considered captured M95M marked Mannlichers as Yugoslavian origin. Official German designation shown below.

Yugoslavia (Kingdom of Serbs Croats & Slovenes):
Karabini M95M 7.92x57mm conversions

Serbia converted approx. 123,000 of the Mannlicher M1895 rifles, including a few M1890 carbines to 7.92x57mm. The 1st approx. 7500 weapons were marked with the addition of '/24' to the M95 legend on the receiver. From about the 7500 serial they replaced the '/24' stamp with an 'M'. The belived to mean 'Mannlicher' (or for 'Modified' by other sources) Anyone having an M90 version of this conversion, please contact the author.
Both BUDAPEST and STEYR (shown below) marked rifles were converted.

Yugoslavian M95M's captured during WW2 received the following official German designation: 'Karabiner 505(j)' abbreviated 'K505(j)', also referred to as: 'jug Mannlicher M95'. An alternate source provides the German designation as 'Karabiner 494(j)'

Receivers were cut for the standard 7.92mm Mauser chargers and for the thumb-cutout.

The original Mannlicher extractors were modified for the Mauser cartridge, which is the weak point of this conversion. It is hard to find an M95M with an intact extractor. The extractor tends to break when the bolt is closed with a cartridge already in the chamber. The extractor does not have enough flexibility to jump over the cartridge's rim while it is held in place in the chamber. With normal feeding from the magazine, the cartridge has enough place to move sideways for the extractor's edge to snap in place without excess bending.

These rifles have a clip permanently fixed in their magazines and therefore can be loaded with the standard Mauser 5-round charger.

The difference between the M95M clips and standard M95 clips. In each view the M95M 7.92mm permanently installed clip is shown on top and the standard removable 8x50mm M95 clip is shown below it.

The magazine-bottom openings of the M95M rifles were permanently closed, as shown on the upper rifle's mag, while the lower rifle has an original M95 magazine for comparison.

Some of the Carbines/Stutzens were retained and used in their original 8x50mm caliber

The new barrel length and the front sight arrangement is similar to the Belgian FN24 Mausers (or Serbian M24 Mausers). The original M95 nosecaps were retained to utilize the existing M95 bayonets. Some rifle parts were stamped with 'V' ('B' in Cyrillic)

Some rifle parts were stamped with a Cyrillic B

The rear sight arrangement is also similar to the Belgian FN24 Mausers (and Serbian M24 Mausers)

Cyrillic Serbian marked rear sight base

The stocks were cut-down from long rifle stocks. These modifications were made by Serbian arsenals. 'AT3' cyrillic for ATZ = Artiljerijskio Technicki Zavod (Artillery Technical Factory), in Kragujevac, Serbia.
The successor of the AT3 factory was 'BT3', cyrillic for VTZ = Vojno Technicki Zavod (Military Technical Factory), in Kragujevac, Serbia.

The M95M 2-piece handguards are jointed under the rear band.

Front and rear sling swivel arrangements. M95M's intended for the Infantry rifles had bottom swivels only. M95M''s intended for the Cavalry had both bottom and side swivels

The Serbians serialized most major parts as shown. The highest M95M serial number reported is 122832. Please e-mail the author if you have a higher serial number

Bayonets were the standard M95 type, 360mm overall, 248mm blade length, 15mm muzzle ring. These bayonets were stamped with 'AT3' or 'BT3'.
The Elite Guard was supplied with the 1924/40 Kindjahl Bayonet. It has Skull & Crossbones on the scabbard and an unusual attaching system with no muzzle ring. Very rare, worth US$2000+ (2005).

Several M95M detail photos courtesy of Gunhorde on Gunboards.

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