8x56MS. I hear you on the mannlicher carbines and their hadleablity.
I had rwo model 1903 carbins that some low life stole from my vehicle while I was getting gas and taking a whiz break. That was in Elko nevada and I was on the way home from my annual deer hunt.
I've kept looking for a decent replacement, but the prices hace gotten so outrageoulsy high that you'd think they were made out of gasoline. Guy want $1,500 for one that looked like it had been in both world wars and lost both times.
I went to the Ruger RSI rifles. Mine just all happen to be chambered to the .308 Winchester. They are the older push feed version which I prefer over the later Mark II. As I mention earlier, they are a bit fussy to load for, but they come very close to the Mannlicher-Schoenaur in feel. At least the ones I have do.
I really screwed up about a year ago. Guy had an M-S in 8x58, the carbine, and I wasn't sure if it had a .318" bore or a .323" bore so I passed on it. I lloked it up when I got home and damn! A .323" bore. I'm still kicking myself. $800 and the bore was mint. The wood was a bit on the well used side, but a trip to my friendly and expensive gunsmith would have taken care of that problem. (I could have done most of the wood work myself, but it was the checkering I'm afraid to mess with.)
Paul B.