Dutch Hembrug 1906

[track]

I got this guy from a friend of a friends estate. I cant find any info on it. I dont even know what it ca shoots? Its in good shape, with not much wear and tear. No pitting or rust. If anyone has any ideas where to go or what it is worth I would appreciate the help. Will try to post the pic's of it. thanks Al

[Jim Watson]

My word.
It appears to have once been an 1895 Dutch Mannlicher carbine made, as marked, in 1906.
The handguard and barrel bands have been discarded along with the rear sight. The "bottom metal" including trigger guard and magazine has been removed and replaced with a simple bent strap trigger guard like a .22. That probably reduced its operation to a single shot.
Caliber is 6.5x53R, which is not widely available except from custom loaders.

Resale value is very low, consider it a memento of your friend.

[Charles Ellis]

If it is chambered for the 6.5x53R cartridge,cases can be made from 303 British brass.The rim needs to be reduced in o.d. and thickness by .010-.015 inch,the case is then trimmed to proper length and then resized.I don't know where to get any load data,but I would certainly keep them on the light side.

[Gewehr98]

I have a couple of them, one a cavalry model, the other an artillery model.

Here's the cavalry model, with asymmetrical stock covering the "horse" side of the box magazine (not visible in photo):

http://mauser98.com/dutch95-3.jpg

You can use either .303 British or .30-40 Krag brass to make 6.5x53R ammo. I load 160gr Hornady RN bullets to better approximate the original 6.5x53R military loads.

While the Dutch and Romanian M-95 Turnbolt Mannlichers are rather rare here in the USA, they really haven't seen much of a jump in collector's prices compared to other military rifles of their vintage. Scarcity of ammo doesn't help, but they're still a very nice, well-made firearm. Enjoy yours!

[BlueTrain]

This has no relevance to the question but Hemburg is where the original AR-10s were manufactured way back when.

[dutchy]

Back in the early 80's I bought a swedish m96.
The first few years I reloaded original 6,5 mm fmj flat base nikkel plated delaborated bullets from before WWII. I bought them by the bags and they were dead cheap. accuracy was not brilliant though. If they hit something on their way to the target, they flew everywhere even perpendicular to the target, punching a silhouet shaped hole in it.
BTW the powder I used was fine, until somebody explained to me that it was taken out of decommissioned landmines. Did smell bad, though.

Just to let y'all know....