Today we are looking at a uniquely Ethiopian carbine, a hybrid M90/95 Mannlicher. It began life as an Austrian-issue M90 carbine proofed in 1892. It served through World War One, and was probably given to Italy as war reparations in the early 1920s. Italy then sent it to East Africa, where is served in the AOI during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia. After World War Two, it was retained by Ethiopia, and at some point its stock and associated hardware (and cocking piece) were replaced with M95 pattern parts. It ended up in storage in Ethiopia until just recently imported into the US by InterOrd/Royal Tiger.
You can check InterOrd/Royal Tiger’s web site for all sorts surplus rifles like this…
I’ve watched a few YT vids about various rifles imported from Ethiopia by Royal Tiger. To say they were poorly maintained would be an understatement. Many barely qualify as wall-hangers. It pains me to see such classic historical arms in such disrepair. More so since RT is charging top dollar for rusty relics in broken stocks often with missing parts.
I suppose we can’t do anything to fix the guns without ruining collector value (whatever is left, anyway).
I’ve seen some vids where buyers order 5 rifles from RT in the hope of getting enough spare parts to make one shootable gun, sometimes to no avail since the bores are trashed. As for collector value these guns have none as is and can’t even be restored, they’re too far gone.
Allow me to point out that Bulgaria was a member of the Central Powers, so it is possible – emphasize possible – that this weapon went to Italy as a reparation and thence to East Africa. I’m no expert on the subject, but the Bulgars did pay a limited amount before the reparations were cancelled by the Entente. Whether some of the reparations was in the form of weapons is unknown to me. So maybe, just maybe…
Certainly the former Austro-Hungarian empire successor states handed over considerable equipment to Italy, Romania, Greece, etc. etc. so that the AOI colonial forces did have a lot of M95 Steyr-Mannlichers and Schwarzlose MGs and so on and so forth.
Dave, The point is that the Bulgars did a modification to their M90’s to turn them into hybrid M90-M95’s like this weapon, so maybe, just maybe, the Ethiopians got it like this rather than being modified in Ethiopia. The smart money is that it was modified in Africa, but there is that slim chance
A good basic rifle.
Like it !
It’s difficult to find a good casino, and I can testify that you have to rely on professionals. For example, a successful casino is established. I know it; now I need to think of the casino-parimatch777.org/login parimatch. I hope I can help you and recommend some things you can do while here, and I encourage you to read it. I hope that I can help you. Look around and learn about this place all you can!