Rare Austrian Schulhof Patent M1888 Rifle (AL7139)

The Schulhof rifle was one of the many guns tested during the U.S. Magazine Rifle Trials of 1890 in which the Krag rifle was selected in 1892. The Schulhof's rotary magazine was very advanced at the time. It has features similar to the Norwegian Krag and the later Model 1941 Johnson rifle. The door on the right side of the  magazine is rotated down to open it for loading. This raises the follower out of the way so cartridges can be dropped in. When the door is closed the follower is released to guide the cartridges in the magazine. The left side of the magazine has a rectangular opening for a magazine cutoff which is not present. The 30.5" round barrel has an excellent bore with frosting in the grooves. It has a standard inverted V front sight seated on a block and a military style ladder rear sight graduated from 100 to 300 meters on the base and 400 to 1500 meters on the ladder. The barrel has the oval Belgian ELG proof with the Liege "Perron" proof mark forward of it and a star over D just forward. The star over D is repeated on the left front of the receiver. The left side of the receiver is engraved in large letters SCHLHOV'S PATENT. Below and to the right is a small oval with S.J.&D. inside. The gun is approx. 30 caliber. The 30US (30-40 Krag) cartridge will not chamber as it is too long. The bolt is similar to the Krag as it has a single locking lug, an internal firing pin, and a large cocking knob. The bolt appears to be the only numbered part with 19 on three parts. There is no bolt safety lever like the Krag, but it appears that the cocking knob can be rotated to the side to provide some level of safety. The gun has approx. 92% blue with the buttplate and trigger guard turning. The two piece stock, whith a checkered wrist and forearm, is very good with numerous issue dents and dings throughout. The cleaning rod is ablsent and the sling swivels are present The action functions correctly. Joseph Schulhof died in 1890 and the rfle was tested but not adopted so it quickly faded into obscurity. This is the only Schulhof rifle we have had in over 50 years.