I am guilty of doing a early morning impulse buy from an internet dealer.  Always wanted one of these Greek Mannlichers, its an interesting design with it's rotary magazine.  Problem is they always seem to be priced sky high or have been bubba'd (and still priced high).  So like I said, I saw one this morning and jumped on it.  It is not all matching and has not been messed with.... mostly.  The only thing that doesn't belong is a peep sight that strangely mounts behind the bolt and swings to the side.  I figured a peep sight and non-matching would hurt the value a little bit, but decided to buy anyways.  After some after the purchase research, I found out it is a Lyman #36 peep sight and that the real steal may not have been the gun, but the sight that came with it.

Congratulations! Nice find. Now post pics.

BTW, it's "lode", not "load"

I'm pregnant with anticipation, so maybe not a typo.

TRG

"Lode" huh, now don't I sound ignant!  Almost as bad as when I had to be informed that it was a "Potluck supper", not a "Potlock supper".  Pics will be in a couple days, however fair warning is I am crap with a camera.  To atleast whet your appetite (did that idiom right didn't I), you can look at the recent additions at Liberty Tree Collectors to see the gun in question.

That, good sir, is a great find! Looks beautiful, and the Lyman #36 is (IMO) an awesome addition, even if it's not "issue".
Again, congratulations!

Neat! Good get.

I have a co-worker who says "olive cart" when he means "a la carte".

Rob

Ok, got it day after Thanksgiving.  Finally able to post some pics.  Again, I appoligise for being such a crappy photographer.

And for goofs and grins, here are the other acquisitions of the past few months.

1.) Romanian m44 with Bosnian Shield stamp.  Miss-matched bolt as is typical




2.) Finn Carcano with double SA stamp and no import mark




3.) Belgian Mauser 89/36.  Miss-matched as typical

Very nice!

Unfortunately, the added peep sight and the refinished stock hurt the value a lot more than "a little bit." They are permanent modifications and bring the value down to that of the completely sporterized rifle that it is, worth about the sum of it's parts.

I think that may be kind of a harsh assessment.  Sure, to a high end collector looking for a pristine military issue 1903/14 this rifle may only be worth the sum of it's parts.  I think to most however, this is an unusual rifle to find in any condition.  The rifle is not "sporterized" in the terms I think of.  The stock was inlet to allow for the peep, and I grant this hurts the value.  The stock was not however cut down, thinned, checkered, etc.  Yes, the stock also appears to have some sort of finish on it that likely was not original but from what I can tell, between WW I and the 50's, these rifles traveled quite widely and I am not sure (very little data on these rifles to start with) what the proper finish would be, what "re-arsenal" finishes may be used in the various Balkan/Mediterranean/Eastern European countries, and what "bubba" would have done.  At the end of the day it has a finish that is "suspicious" and some minor stock alteration to allow for the addition of a uncommon and valuable (if esoteric) Lyman sight.