Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908
- Category
- Rifle
- Barrel
- 502 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.04 kg
- Introduced
- 1908
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908 is an Austrian bolt-action sporting rifle chambered for the 8x56mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer cartridge. Built on the celebrated Mannlicher-Schoenauer action with Otto Schoenauer's spool-type rotary magazine, it was offered most often as a full-stocked carbine with a slim 19.75-inch barrel, flat butterknife bolt handle, two-leaf rear sight and a double set trigger. Prized by hunters for its exceptionally smooth action and fine handling, it remained a benchmark of European sporting-rifle quality until production was interrupted by the Second World War.
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer action paired Ferdinand Mannlicher's smooth bolt with Otto Schoenauer's rotary spool magazine, and the resulting sporting rifles earned a near-legendary reputation among hunters worldwide for their slick cycling and accuracy, with Ernest Hemingway among their admirers.
The 8x56 M-S chambering was one of several larger-bore options offered on the Model 1908; the same model was also produced in 7x57mm and other calibers. Not to be confused with the rimmed 8x56mmR Steyr military cartridge used in the M95 service rifle.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Steyr Arms
- Category
- Rifle
- Country
- Austria
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1908 to 1939
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 502 mm
- Overall length
- 1010 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.04 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Striker fired
- Trigger
- Set trigger
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Fixed box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Walnut
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 661 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 2854 J
- Effective range
- 300 m
- Maximum range
- 3000 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Rotary magazine
Full length stock
Double set trigger
Butterknife bolt handle
Two leaf rear sight
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 1,612 rifles | 3.04 kg | 3.50 kg | Lighter than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 1,557 rifles | 1010 mm | 1080 mm | Shorter than about 70% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 1,659 rifles | 502 mm | 584 mm | Shorter than about 70% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 1,611 rifles | 5 | 5 | Holds more rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908
How much does the Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908 weigh?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908 weighs 3.04 kg (6.70 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908 is chambered in 8x56mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer.
How many rounds does the Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908 hold?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908 holds 5 rounds, fed from a fixed box magazine.
How long is the Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908 is 1010 mm (39.8 in) long overall, with a 502 mm (19.8 in) barrel.
Who makes the Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908 is made by Steyr Arms (Austria). It was designed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher and Otto Schoenauer.
When was the Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908 introduced?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908 was introduced in 1908 and discontinued in 1939.
How does the Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908 operate?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908 uses a bolt action, and its firing mechanism is striker fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Civilian hunters and sportsmen
- 1908
Provenance
Confidence in this record
72%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/mannlicher-schoenauer-1908' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "mannlicher-schoenauer-1908", "name": "Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1908", "manufacturer": { "id": "steyr-mannlicher", "name": "Steyr Arms", "countryCode": "AT", "foundedYear": 1864, "website": "https://www.steyr-arms.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": "Austrian rifle manufacturer, founded 1864. Currently produces hunting and sporting rifles.", "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "updatedAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "version": "a826cd329c11aab62c76039016717ad94b5d38e37df48de00a5a6800ce0b3c60" }, "category": { "id": "rifle", "name": "Rifle", "description": "Long-barreled firearms designed for accurate shooting" }, "country_of_origin": "AT", "year_introduced": 1908, "barrel_length_mm": 502, "weight_empty_g": 3040, "action_type": "bolt_action"}