GENERALLY:  A straight-pull, bolt action, box magazine repeater, the Mannlicher was designed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher and was the first magazine rifle adopted by Austrian Infantry. The then current Austrian infantry rifle, the Werndl, though a strong and safe action, was prone to severe fouling by heavy use which prevented the drum from rotating, and as a single shot was fast becomming obsolete. A modern magazine rifle was needed and an Austrian commission was charged with the responsibility for finding a suitable replacement. The M1885 Mannlicher trials rifle proved promissing and, with a number of improvements, became the M1886, officailly adopted June 20, 1886. The rifle went into full production at a time when 8mm cartridges were already showing greater potential and the radically new (the cartridge, not the rifle) Lebel 8mm smokeless rifle was making all of Europe's rifles obsolete. Work on a rifle firing an 8mm cartridge began almost immediately and production on the M1886 soon stopped, in favor of a nearly identical rifle chambered for the more modern cartridge. This became the M1888 Mannlicher. It appears that a large number, if not nearly all of the Austrian M1886 rifles were converted to 8mm, denominated M1886-90. Practically all of the M1886 rifles encountered in the US today (including the one shown here) were contract rifles for South America, principally Chile.

PHOTO: The rifle shown is a M1886 11mm Mannlicher, probably built by Styer for export to South America.

DISTINGUISHING CHARECTERISTICS:  The first straight-pull military rifle adopted for regular infantry, it is distinguished by a very large box magazine that drops down below the receiver, ahead of and seperate from the triggerguard.  It chambers the 11mm Werndl cartridge (now also known as the 11mm Mannlicher). The stock is inletted for a finger grip below the rear sight. It has no rod but the nosecap is fitted with a short stacking rod similar to the M71/84 Mauser.

MISC NOTES:  Sales to South America - I don't know much at all about the South American sales.  I can tell you that all of the rifles that I have seen with South American markings are serial numbered with two letters and the serial number, e.g., DDxxxx  or QQxxxx and that I have been told (though not seen it in print which would make it true of course!) that these types of serial numbers denoted export rifles.  Books I have read tell me that virtually all of the 11mm Mannlichers were converted to 8mm M1888s.... BUT .... there are plenty enough of them around so either 1) they weren't all converted in such large numbers or 2) those around, which bear the double letter ser numbers (all I have seen do) were made not for Austria but for export.   That's my best guess.

Can anyone help me with any information??
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