Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo
- Category
- Rifle
- Barrel
- 600 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.40 kg
- Introduced
- 1956
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo is an Austrian bolt-action sporting rifle built by Steyr on the classic Mannlicher-Schoenauer action with Otto Schoenauer's spool-type rotary magazine. Introduced in 1956, it moved the line toward modern scope use with a half-length walnut stock featuring a raised Monte Carlo cheekpiece and a swept-back bolt handle, and it was chambered for popular hunting cartridges such as the .30-06 Springfield, .270 Winchester and the traditional 6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer. Renowned for its exceptionally smooth cycling and fine handling, it carried the Mannlicher-Schoenauer sporter's reputation for quality into the scoped-rifle era until Steyr ended the line in 1972.
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer's butter-smooth rotary-magazine action earned a near-legendary following among hunters worldwide, and the Monte Carlo restyling of the 1950s was Steyr's answer to the rise of the telescopic sight, dressing the old spool-magazine rifle in a scope-friendly high-comb stock.
The Monte Carlo half-stock configuration was offered alongside the traditional full-stock carbine and was designed to ease the use of telescopic sights. Both single and double set triggers were available. The M1956 was superseded by the Model 1961 MCA (Monte Carlo All-purpose). Specific per-caliber barrel and weight figures vary by configuration; the values here reflect the standard .30-06 half-stock rifle.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Steyr Arms
- Category
- Rifle
- Country
- Austria
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1956 to 1972
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 600 mm
- Overall length
- 1092 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.40 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Striker fired
- Trigger
- Set trigger
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Rotary
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
- 880 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 4515 J
- Effective range
- 300 m
- Maximum range
- 3500 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
Half stock
Monte carlo cheekpiece
Swept back bolt handle
Scope ready
Set trigger option
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 75 .30-06 Springfield rifles | 3.40 kg | 3.40 kg | Heavier than about 60% |
| Overall lengthAmong 73 .30-06 Springfield rifles | 1092 mm | 1100 mm | Shorter than about 60% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 75 .30-06 Springfield rifles | 600 mm | 584 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 78 .30-06 Springfield rifles | 5 | 4 | Holds more rounds than about 80% |
Answers
Questions about the Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo
How much does the Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo weigh?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo weighs 3.40 kg (7.50 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo is chambered in .30-06 Springfield, .270 Winchester, and 6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer.
How many rounds does the Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo hold?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo holds 5 rounds, fed from a rotary magazine.
How long is the Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo is 1092 mm (43.0 in) long overall, with a 600 mm (23.6 in) barrel.
Who makes the Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo is made by Steyr Arms (Austria). It was designed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher and Otto Schoenauer.
When was the Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo introduced?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo was introduced in 1956 and discontinued in 1972.
How does the Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo operate?
The Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo 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
- 1956
Provenance
Confidence in this record
63%
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-schonauer-m1956-monte-carlo' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "mannlicher-schonauer-m1956-monte-carlo", "name": "Mannlicher-Schoenauer M1956 Monte Carlo", "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": 1956, "barrel_length_mm": 600, "weight_empty_g": 3400, "action_type": "bolt_action"}