The weapon was chosen instead of the Greek-designed "Philippidis gun" ('Οπλον Φιλιππίδου), itself based on an earlier model of the same Austrian manufacturer, after intense lobbying against the Greek design in 1905.
An improvement of the Mannlicher-Schönauer was designed by Lieutenant Rigas Rigopoulos during World War II (spring 1941), incorporating both modified and totally redesigned parts to dramatically increase firing performance.