Steyr Kropatschek M1886 Infantry Rifle

This is a scarce Steyr Kropatschek M1886 Infantry Rifle, chambered 8mm obsolete calibre. Very few of these rifles were made, around 49,000 in total.  The receiver is marked 1886 with Portuguese Royal Crown over the initials LI, this is the cipher for King Luiz I, who reigned from 1861 to 1889.  Designed by Alfred Ritter von Kropatschek this rifle shares many design features with the French Mle 1878 rifle and incorporates a clever spoon shaped cartridge lifter mechanism to feed rounds in from the loading tube which runs underneath the barrel.