rifle identified

well-I figgered it out! One of the fairly recent acquisitions of mine from the Legion was a rifle Identified as a French "Novocheck" Well-I never heard of such a critter-but then theres ALOT of things I dont know.
Everytime I'd talk about it-no one seemed to know about it.
Well-my superior sleuthing skills reveal its actually a:
Steyr Model 1886 Kropatschek Rifle (8mmX60R)
No doubt I'll have a bear of a time finding ammo.
It needs a bath in the worst way-but I'm VERY impressed with the smooth action of the bolt
Hoadie

Geeze Cookie-I'd love to!(If I knew how!) Lookit the trouble I had getting that LAST batch to ya!(You got 'em-didnt ya?Please say yes..it took a lifetime to get THAT done!)
Hoadie (the Techno-saur)

Hoadie,

George that was nice of you to say thank you

hoadie wrote: Cookie Monster wrote: George that was nice of you to say thank you ????? whats that all about?

Guys just start you a My Space and put your Pics on there then copie and post on the forum... as long as they are on your My Space they will stay on the forum.....

hoadie wrote: HEY THANX Smokey!

 That's, what CM was saying you were being nice about ! Thing that scares me is I really think you want it!

   Dave ..the dubius

These are the four types of Port. Krapotcheks described in Rifles of the World.  The artilery carbine, the short rifle, the long rifle and the "colonial" (the long rifle with a hand guard added to aid in controlling convection currents of the hot barrel in the tropics!).  I also included fore and aft group shots and a closeup of the four locks.  The rear sight was changed when they went to smokeless powder and the colonial shows the modified sight while the long rifle has the black powder sight. 

 

From top to bottom:  M1886 Kropatschek Infantry Rifle
                                 M1886/89 Kropatschek Infantry Rifle ("Colonial" rifle)
                                 M1886 Kropatschek Short Rifle
                                 M1886 Kropatschek Carbine
 

The Model 1886/89, sometimes called the Colonial varient, is the infantry rifle fitted with a clip-on handguard from the front of the sight to the middle barrel band.  It is suggested that the handguard was fitted to rifles issued to colonial troops to reduce the effect of sifficulty sighting due to radiated barrel heat.
 

The M1886 Kropatschek Short Rifle.  Virtually identical to the infantry rifle except for its length, the sight and a magazine capacity of 6 rounds; (only 4800 were ever produced).
 

Model 1886 Kropatschek Carbine.  Tubular magazine capacity is 5 rounds.
(only 4000 were produced)
(note turned down bolt handle on the carbine.  The rifles and short rifle each have straight bolt handles.  It doesn't look it but all varieties are fitted with cleaning rods).