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Austro-Hungarian Rifle Trials 1914-15 |
Only a trial quantities of these rifles had been made. The trials were cancelled and the projects were abandoned due to WW1, and the Mannlicher M95
production was restarted. A number of M1912 Mauser rifles and other weapons waiting delivery to Chile, Colombia, Mexico and
elsewhere were sequestered and issued to Austro-Hungarian troops.
Note: Great Britain was also looking at replacing their .303 SMLE rifles with 7mm Mauser type Pattern-13 rifle, but did not proceed because of the start of
WW1.
Four known rifle variants were entered eventually for the Austrian trials:
1. A Mauser M1914 designated Gew.98 Mauser in an M.95 stock, in 8x50r caliber, for more information see below
2. A Mauser M1914 designated copy of the M1912 Mexican Mauser, in 7x57mm caliber
3. A Mannlicher 14.M designated straight pull Mannlicher, in 7x57mm caliber
4. A Mauser M1915 designated Mauser Mannlicher-Schönauer hybrid rifle, in 7.92x57mm caliber
The Infanterie-Repetier-Gewehr M1914 was a standard Gew 1898-type Mauser chambered for the Austro-Hungarian standard M1893 rimmed
8x50mm cartridge. The Austrian-style stock had a sharply pointed pistol grip. The barrel band and nose cap was similar to the Mannlicher M95's.