Mannlicher Schoenauer 1952 muzzle brake
I have come across a full-stock Model 1952 Mannlicher-Schoenauer carbine in caliber .30-06, manufactured in 1953. It has what at even close inspection appears to be an integral muzzle brake at the muzzle, forged with the barrel, the brake of larger diameter than the barrel, slotted at the top, couple vent holes at the bottom. I don't have a Stoeger's catalog for those early years, and was wondering if anyone has such, and sees this muzzle brake offered. Or has seen one of these rifles with integral muzzle brake; I have not. Later editions of the Shooter's Bible don't show anything like this. All else seems original on this rifle, much used on many hunting trips in its years afield.
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Never saw the like. Got pictures? 0 -
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Yikes! New at posting photos, guess I didn't size them correctly...[:(] 0 -
One more try... A learning process, I hope! 0 -
I've seen a lot of M S's over the years. Never saw one with a muzzle break.
Whoever did this one, was a top notch gunsmith. In the 3rd photo down, there appears to be a visible seam. Where the MB was attached to the barrel. My guess it was probably Silver soldered, to the original barrel.
Anything is possible? My WAG is that it was done after the Carbine was sold, rather than by Steyr in Austria.
Shooting 30-06 in a short barreled carbine, would be no fun. But I don't see a muzzle break helping much. If anything it would increase the muzzle blast, even though cutting down the perceived recoil.0 -
The way the notches were machined in the brake. it appears it was patterned after a Cutts Compensator. As shown in this photo off the net. 0 -
I suppose it is an unusual deal. I took a strong magnifying glass to it and believe I see the following: the muzzle brake and the band at the end of the barrel, which is also the front sight ramp, is very closely fitted to the barrel and probably silver soldered to the barrel. Not an integral, machined part of the barrel. No silver solder shows, and the "seam" is nearly invisible. I looked at my other M-S rifles, a 1910, a 1963 MCA, and a 1950, and they all have the end of the barrel band combined with the ramp sight, also very, very closely bitted. That is what I believe I am seeing. I suspect it came from Steyr that way, rather than aftermarket, though I have never seen it as a factory option. Thus my original request, if anyone had ever seen the option advertised, or another M-S rifle with the muzzle brake. 0 -
Never seen a muzzle brake option for a MS and my Gun Digests and Stoeger's catalogs go back to the 1950s. The muzzle brake design looks like it is from the 1950s. I also know a gunsmith who can seamlessly attach muzzle brakes and only under the right light conditions can the seam be seen. Either way, this is the first time I've seen a picture of a muzzle brake on a MS. 0 -
I have a few MS rifles but am certainly no expert. My favorite is a Model 1952 made in '53 half stocked in 257 Roberts with a Jaeger side mount. I've never seen a factory offered brake and I think the question has to be asked, why would the factor in 1953 put a brake on what is essentially a hunting rifle. I know the little rifle delivers a robust push with the 30.06. Still, that doesn't seem sufficient for MS to offer this as an option. 0 -
That Cutts compensator will take enough of the whack out of that rifle to make it fun to shoot.
It's not a bad price considering what all was wrong with it. But, you'd have to spend some money to make it right. The crack on the left side of the stock is something I definitely would not leave sit and shoot it. I'd actually get that done asap as the stock will dry out and crack more.
Added: I'm irritated in that I tried to post last night on this, but my internet here is atrocious0 -
Observations
I personally have never seen an M-S with a muzzle brake attached.
There is nothing special about making the attachment point of a brake invisible. I have done as many as 12 a day complete with threading the barrel, matching the taper and timing the brake. Every gunsmith should be capable of this level of work.
Something in the back of my mind was nagging me about the familiarity of the full-stock rifle with a brake. Then I happened to watch "Last of the Dogmen" with Tom Berenger. Sheriff Deegan carried such a rifle, albeit in a maple stock, in the cave scene near the end of the movie.
Best.0
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