Designed by Austrian firearms designer, Ferdinand Mannlicher as an update to the Model 1886 and Model 1888 wedge locking rifles. The 1895 utilizes a rotating bolt head that upon closure of the bolt locks into recesses inside of the receiver. The rifle still featured the same straight pull action as utilized in the previous models. The carbine variant or “Stutzen”, such as this example, were produced for special troops, such as cavalry, and stormtroopers. The 1895, like its predecessors, was loaded using a five round enbloc clip of 8x50mmR ammunition that was inserted into the rifle and would fall out of a hole in the bottom of the magazine once the last round was chambered. During WW2, German soldiers referred to this rifles action as “Ruck-Zuck” which roughly translates to back and forth, in reference to this rifles straight pull design. This rifle was manufactured by the Steyr arsenal in Austria, the receiver is marked “STEYR/M. 95”. The barrel shank is marked “18” indicating the barrel was manufactured in 1918. Right side of the buttstock is stamped “AOI” which translates to “Africa Orientale Italiana” or Italian East Africa. This marking indicates this rifle was issued to colonial troops and Italian troops in East Africa, which consisted of Somalia, Eritrea, and Ethiopia pre WW2.