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.
== 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. The sight was tangent-leaf, graduated to 1,800 metres (2,000 yd) or 2,000 metres (2,200 yd). The upper hand guard was shorter. The carbine and short rifle versions had a turned-town bolt handle and were shorter, with sights graduated until 1,400 metres (1,500 yd). The version pressed into Austrian service in 1914 was only modified by using a bigger sling swivel.
Service
It was ordered by Mexico, Colombia, Chile, China, Mexican Model 1912 were used from 1913 by the Federal Army that fought during the Mexican Revolution. 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. The Czech vz. 98/22 was a close-copy of the Steyr M1912 and the vz. 12/33 carbine derives from the M1912 carbine. Some of the non-delivered Mexican Model 1912 rifles were modernized as 7.92×57mm Mauser Model 24B in Yugoslavia. In 1929, 5,000 M1912 short rifles, with a 560 millimetres (22 in) barrel, were manufactured by Československá zbrojovka Brno from Steyr spare parts. In 1961, Chilean M1912 were upgraded with a 7.62×51mm NATO 600 millimetres (24 in) barrel, as Modelo 12/61.
Users
Austria-Hungary: Repetiergewehr M.14 Chile: Modelo 1912 and Model 12/61 Republic of China (1912-1949): ? Colombia: Modelo 1912 Mexico: Modelo 1912 Kingdom of Yugoslavia: M24B
References
Ball, Robert W. D. (2011). Mauser Military Rifles of the World. Iola: Gun Digest Books. ISBN 9781440228926.
== See also == Mexican Mauser Model 1902 Mukden Arsenal Mauser
