I collect rifles in 8x57 mauser and didn't realize these were chambered in that cartridge. Anyone every owned or fired one?
Here is the dumbed down story on them; Essentially during WWI, Steyr worked on and developed an improved 98 mauser bolt action rifle better suited for trench warfare. However, they were unable to produce the rifle because of economic strain and the war. When the war ended and the Austro-Hungarian Empire lost, the losing countries were unable to buy or build new military rifles, so Steyr had designed a rifle that they could not sell and make money on in Europe. However, the ruler of the North Eastern part of modern day China(Manchuria) was looking for modern weapons, so he worked out a deal with Steyr to where some of the machinery and technical information required to domestically produce the rifles was sold to Manchuria.
Thus the Steyr design lived on and many high quality rifles were produced.
And now I want one
Here is the dumbed down story on them; Essentially during WWI, Steyr worked on and developed an improved 98 mauser bolt action rifle better suited for trench warfare. However, they were unable to produce the rifle because of economic strain and the war. When the war ended and the Austro-Hungarian Empire lost, the losing countries were unable to buy or build new military rifles, so Steyr had designed a rifle that they could not sell and make money on in Europe. However, the ruler of the North Eastern part of modern day China(Manchuria) was looking for modern weapons, so he worked out a deal with Steyr to where some of the machinery and technical information required to domestically produce the rifles was sold to Manchuria.
Thus the Steyr design lived on and many high quality rifles were produced.
And now I want one
