Steyr Model 1912 Mauser

The Steyr Model 1912 were Gewehr 98 pattern bolt-action battle rifles produced by Steyr before World War I. They were designed for export market. During the war, they were also used by the Austro-Hungarian Army.

Repetiergewehr M.14
An Austro-Hungarian M.14
Type	Bolt-action rifle
Place of origin	German Empire/Austria-Hungary
Service history
In service	1912 — Present
Used by	See Users
Wars	Mexican Revolution World War I
Production history
Designed	1912
Manufacturer	Steyr
Specifications
Mass	3.97 kilograms (8.8 lb)-4.11 kilograms (9.1 lb)
Length	1,245 millimetres (49.0 in)-1,247 millimetres (49.1 in)
Barrel length	736 millimetres (29.0 in)-740 millimetres (29 in)
Cartridge	7×57mm Mauser
Action	Bolt-action
Feed system	5-round stripper clip, internal magazine
Sights	Iron sights adjustable to 1,800 metres (2,000 yd)

Design

The rifle was a close copy of the Gewehr 98. It had a pistol grip stock. The rifle featured an "H"-type upper band.^[1] The sight was tangent-leaf, graduated to 1,800 metres (2,000 yd) or 2,000 metres (2,200 yd).^[2][3] The upper hand guard was shorter.^[4]

The carbine and short rifle versions had a turned-town bolt handle and were shorter,^[3] with sights graduated until 1,400 metres (1,500 yd).^[2]

The version pressed into Austrian service in 1914 was only modified by using a bigger sling swivel.^[5]

Service

Austro-Hungarian field telephone crew equipped with the M.14 rifle at the Isonzo front in 1916

It was ordered by Mexico,^[3] Colombia,^[4] Chile,^[6] China,^[7] Mexican Model 1912 were used from 1913 by the Federal Army that fought during the Mexican Revolution.^[8] In 1914, 66,979 Mexican-contract rifles, 5,000 Colombian rifles and 43,100 Chilean rifles and carbines were pressed into Austria-Hungarian service as Repetiergewehr M.14.^[5]

The Czech vz. 98/22 was a close-copy of the Steyr M1912 and the vz. 12/33 carbine derives from the M1912 carbine.^[9] Some of the non-delivered Mexican Model 1912 rifles were modernized as 7.92×57mm Mauser Model 24B in Yugoslavia.^[10] In 1929, 5,000 M1912 short rifles, with a 560 millimetres (22 in) barrel, were manufactured by Československá zbrojovka Brno from Steyr spare parts.^[11] In 1961, Chilean M1912 were upgraded with a 7.62×51mm NATO 600 millimetres (24 in) barrel, as Modelo 12/61.^[12]

Users

Chilean soldiers with M1912 rifles during the Great Military Parade of Chile in 2014.

•  Austria-Hungary: Repetiergewehr M.14 ^[5]
•  Chile: Modelo 1912 and Model 12/61^[6]
•  Republic of China (1912-1949): ?^[7]
•  Colombia: Modelo 1912^[4]
•  Mexico: Modelo 1912^[10]
•  Kingdom of Yugoslavia: M24B^[10]