Mannlicher M1885 Trials Rifle
Steyr Mannlicher · Rifle · Prototype · 1885
Also known as: Mannlicher Model 1885, M1885 Mannlicher
Overview
The Mannlicher M1885 was an experimental straight-pull bolt-action trials rifle designed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher and built by Oesterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft (Steyr). Patented in Britain in May 1885, it was a prototype intended to replace the obsolete single-shot M1867 Werndl-Holub, chambered for the black-powder 11x58mmR Werndl cartridge and fed by a five-round en-bloc clip. Its wedge-lock straight-pull action and en-bloc clip that dropped from the bottom of the magazine when the last round was chambered directly led to the adopted M1886, the first straight-pull service rifle of any nation.
Specifications
| Action Type | Straight Pull |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | En Bloc Clip |
| Muzzle Velocity | 440 m/s (1444 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2323 J (1713 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1800 m (1968 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 11x58mmR Werndl · primary — also known as 11mm Werndl, 11x58R Austrian, M1877
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: En Bloc Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Wing Safety
- Features: Straight Pull Bolt, Wedge Block Locking, En Bloc Clip Feed, Clip Drops From Magazine Bottom
Service history
Operators
- Austro-Hungarian Army (trials)
Production
Production years: 1885-1886
Trials/prototype rifle produced in small numbers for evaluation; not adopted for general service
Origin
Country of origin: Austria
Designer: Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher
Discontinued: 1886
Notes
The M1885 was a developmental stepping stone rather than a mass-issued service weapon; exact physical dimensions of the trials rifle are not well documented, so weight and length are left unspecified. Its cartridge and general layout mirror the production M1886 that followed it. The clip-drop feature it introduced became a hallmark of subsequent Austro-Hungarian Mannlicher service rifles.
Background
Patented in the United Kingdom in May 1885, the M1885 introduced the trick of the en-bloc clip falling out of the bottom of the magazine the instant the last cartridge was chambered - a signature quirk that would define Austro-Hungarian Mannlicher rifles for the next three decades.