Yesterday's Weapons Forums

So I went into one of the dealers that I buy from today. He is web based and is by appointment only. I went in to checkout and pick up a Finish capture 91/30 nagant that was all original, a early century import. While I was there the owner was talking to me and he pulled out a very long rifle, on the rifle it was marked M1886 and CEWFG STYER. It had a very smooth bolt action with a tube fed mag and a cut off switch. After surfing the web for 4 hours looking for info I do believe it is a Kropatschek rifle. Most of my gun books have very little or no info on these. I have been unable to come up with an average value. This one is in good shape, no rust stock is nice but no stamps and the blue is about 90%. Does anyone else have one of these? do they sell ammo for them? I found all the reloading stuff and brass at buffalo arms, but I just want to shoot it not play. Does anyone out there have some better info on them. I am not sure if this was the best place to post, but it is an Austro-Hungarian rifle.

Portugal bought about 50,000 of these in 1886. Most wound up in the colonies and were used against the Jap. army in WW2 - as recently as the 60s in some of the colonial independence squabbles. Nearly all are actual combat vets. Closely inspect the muzzle ring - you will likely see evidence of a bayonet having been mounted.

Ammo is a hand load proposition only. I gnashed my teeth and sprung for RCBS dies so I could form 348 brass into 8x60R. I use the same Lee bullet as I do for M.95 = .329 and it works just fine. I have a starting load listed in the reloader forum.

Pricewise, I'd say between 250 & 350. More if all matching as the bolts seldom match. I think they were stored separately. I gave right at 300 for both of mine.

There are 2 varieties - with & without a handguard. The latter is called the 'colonial model'. The hand guard was supposed to keep barrel heat from burning the shooter's fingers during a prolonged exchange.

Theses are very well made and FUN to shoot! SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

Do you want to sell a few of the rounds??? I would love to shoot mine at least once. I found the dies and brass and stuff but I don't think I would shoot it more than a few times so it does not seem to be worth the investment in the reloading gear.

i've seen two types of ammo for these rifles. for the first 10 years of their service, they used a black powder round. 8x58R. In 1896, they went to a smokeless powder round, 8x60R. I've only found 2 boxes of 8x60R in several years of searching, and it was headstamped 1924. haven't tried to shoot any of it. never have seen any loaded black powder.
nice rifles, gotta get around to shooting mine one of these days. y'all have a good day, Keith

I saw a die set (used) really cheap in a local hole in the wall. I went back but someone snagged it in the mean time. The brass can be made easily formed from 348 win. They should take a standard 8mm bullet (slug your bore for actual diameter) so it shouldn't be overly expensive to get into.

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It's 5 o'clock and it's watermelon time.....................
because you can't drink beer & load rockets - TXPete