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Buckstix’s recent post about a Sauer 8x57 taken into military service 1914/5 reminded me of this old veteran taken into service on the other side of the conflict at the same time.

It started life as a Model 1892 Steyr Mannlicher Romanian service rifle.

At some point prior to 1914 Daniel Fraser converted it to a stalking rife. He used the original military stock cut down to half length, added a longitudinal foresight dovetail for a caterpillar sporting foresight, a 3 leaf (all folding to clear the view for the Lyman cocking piece peep sight) express sight and cut a transverse dovetail for the Lyman sight at the back of the cocking piece.

The bolt handle, originally straight is curved down.

He marked the barrel “Shot and Regulated by” with his address and stamped a D. Fraser cartouche on the right side of the butt.

Then (note the British Government crossed flags Proof or Acceptance mark stamped partly over the NITRO PROOF mark on the barrel) it was taken into British military service.

A number of Mannlicher rifles in this calibre have been observed with these marks.

The late Tony Edwards, author of 4 volumes on British substitute standard Great War small arms, was unable to find any documentation on their purchases or deployment.

Theories include sniper use, sniper training or Royal Navy use to sink mines by trawler crews.

Almost got it all in frame!