9 . 5×57mm Mannlicher - Schönauer The 9 . 5x57mm Mannlicher - Schönauer ( MS ) cartridge was adopted for the M - 1910 MS rifle and carbine in 1910 . ( Note : The word Schoenauer is often spelled Schönauer with an “ umlaut ” over the “ o ” ) . The 9 . 5x57mm MS is also known as the 9 . 5x56mm MS , the 9 . 5x56 . 7mm MS , and the . 375 Rimless Nitro Express ( RNE ) x 2¼ ( primarily in England ) . The cartridge may have been created by Westley - Richards and Eley in 1908 ( rather than by the Oestereichischer Waffenfabrik - Gessellschaft , Steyr ( OWS ) ( Austrian Arms Manufacturer - Association , Steyr ) ) , but no production rifles in this caliber have been found prior to the M - 1910 . This development by or on behalf of Steyr was probably an answer to the development by the noted British gunmaking firm of Holland & Holland in 1905 of their . 400 / . 375 Rimless Belted Nitro Express , designed for their specially modified Mannlicher - Schoenauer rifle ( they imported the actions from Austria , but built the rifles in house ) . Whether the development of the 9 . 5 x 57 mm Mannlicher - Schoenauer cartridge originated with OWS or with Holland ' s British competitor , Westley Richards certainly was the principal promoter of the new 1910 Model Mannlicher - Schoenauer rifle as evidenced by catalogs of the time . The 9 . 5 × 57mm MS is the last pre - war proprietary cartridge by Steyr and their most powerful until the recent advent of the . 376 Steyr , which has its antecedents in the 9 . 5 x 57mm . Loads . Factory loads were manufactured with a round - nose bullet at from ( from the carbine ) to ( from the rifle ) . This performance ranks the 9 . 5x57mm on par with or superior to similar medium - bore cartridges such as the 9x56mm Mannlicher - Schoenauer , 9x57mm Mauser , . 35 Winchester , . 348 Winchester , . 358 Winchester and 9 . 3x57mm . It was superior to the well - established British . 375 Flanged Nitro Express , which only developed about 1950 to 2000 fps with the same weight of bullet , and tread closely on the heels of the well - regarded . 400 / . 350 Rigby and . 400 / . 360 Westley Richards cartridges , howbeit these benefitted from a bullet weight of significantly greater sectional density . Since this is normally shot from a rifle , the recoil is quite vigorous . The recoil energy of from this combination is about 50 % more than an average American 30 - 06 rifle , but light by the standards of other African game cartridges such as the . 375 H & H Magnum . Ammunition and arms catalogs of the era describe a standard loading of a 270 gr " metal - covered " ( i . e . , jacketed ) soft nose bullet . No other bullet weights or patterns are shown , although it is possible that full metal jacketed or other patterns or weights of bullets may have been produced at some time . Curiously , Kynoch lists loads for the 9 . 5mm Mannlicher - Schoenauer with a 45 grain charge of smokeless propellant ( for a muzzle velocity of 2200 fps ) and the " . 375 Rimless Nitro Express " with a reduced 43 grain charge ( for a muzzle velocity of 2100 fps ) . This may have reflected the differences in the regulation of the sights by the respective manufacturers and distributors , between Westley Richards for the higher powered Mannlicher - Schoenauer loading and the trade rifles with the generic . 375 Rimless Nitro Express loading . Cartridge cases are available from specialist dealers in obsolete cartridges . However , cases are easily reformed from the nearly identical 9 . 3 x 57 mm , or the 7 . 92x57mm Mauser , both of which remain in production and continuing popularity in Europe . There are no unusual considerations for handloading this cartridge . Any modern bullet of . 375 caliber from 235 to 270 grains will work well , although bullets that intrude deeply into the case may be undesirable due to the relatively small case volume . Heavier bullets of 300 to 350 grains are not advised for hunting because the muzzle velocity will be about 2000 fps or less , which is insufficient to provide normal expansion in most contemporary bullets ( which have much thicker jackets than bullets manufactured in the early 20th century ) . Hunting . The cartridge and carbine were primarily made for serious hunting in Africa or India . They were made to be carried over long distances in a hot climate and shot only rarely ( the classic " safari " ) . But when shot , it was usually done quickly , at close range , and at an animal that can maim or kill the shooter . Although the 9 . 5x57mm MS was considered light for four of the “ big five ” in Africa ( elephant , hippo , cape buffalo , and rhinoceros ) , it could handle any thin - skinned game including the dangerous ones . It was considered by some African guide - hunters to be an ideal lion gun and cartridge combination in the years just prior to World War I . Part of the reason the combination was highly regarded was the handling characteristics of the carbine it was chambered in . The carbine was light , well balanced , and had front and rear sights that were ideal for “ snap ” shooting . The front sight was a “ German silver ” bead that was visible in almost any light and the 2 - position , folding rear sight was a wide spaced “ V ” ( which made it easy to align the sights quickly ) . There were numerous alternate sights available from the factory and the aftermarket . The power of the cartridge ( for stopping dangerous game quickly ) was also praised . History . Introduced in the 1910 Model rifle , the cartridge was quickly overshadowed performance - wise by the . 375 H & H Magnum when it became available two years later ( in 1912 ) , albeit the latter was only available in magnum length or specially modified Mauser rifles and therefore remained for some time a more expensive alternative . The 9 . 5x57mm was still used in Africa into the 1950s . As with most of the proprietary Mannlicher - Schoenauer cartridges , with the notable exception of the 6 . 5x54mm MS , the 9 . 5x57mm MS cartridge has not been produced by anyone other than Kynoch since the beginning of World War II ( and only sporadically from them and their successors ) .