However, the Greek Army showed interest in the promising design and requested two forms to be developed - a full-length service rifle and a shortened carbine model. The rifles were collectively bundled under the "Model 1903" designation and, in each version, the rifle's carried five ready-to-fire cartridges fed manually by single round introduction or through five-round "stripper" clips. Both guns were sighted through traditional means (iron front and rear) and the rotary action was consistent between the designs. All told, the full-length rifle weighed 8.3lb against the carbine's 7.9lb carry weight. The rifle was formally adopted into Greek service in 1903 and could accept a 9.84-inch-bladed bayonet at the muzzle section for close-in work. Like other service rifles of the period, the Mannlicher-Schonauer was of considerable length for the average infantryman and the action was of completely manual function, requiring the operator to manage the bolt to extract spent cartridges and introduce fresh ones. The cartridge in question was the unique 6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Schonauer round with good accuracy out to medium range though, in time, additional cartridges were introduced to satisfy a greater customer base.
Muzzle velocity was 2,225 feet-per-second and effective range could be met out to 600 meters through a trained shooter - though sighting was possible between 200 and 2,000 meters. The full-length rifle was 48.3 inches long compared to the carbine's 40.4-inch length - the latter making for a more manageable firearm from horseback or in confined spaces.
The rifle went on to be utilized across a plethora of conflicts related to the period, ranging from the First and Second Balkan Wars (1912-1913) and World War 1 (1914-1918), to the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922) and even World War 2 (1939-1945). 1914 saw the rifles updated to the "M1903/14" standard which included full-length handguards, stacking rods, and cleaned up actions. These, and their counterpart "M03/14" carbines, were only available in limited numbers to the Greeks during The Great War. M1903/14 rifles also went on to bear the mark of Breda of Italy and were stamped into the 1920s after being refurbished for the Austro-Hungarian Army and, later, further revamped through spare parts.
Beyond its interest by Portugal and formal acceptance by Greece and Austria-Hungary (limited numbers), the rifle was also identified in use with Albania and through the warlord armies of the Republic of China.
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