How serious is Steyr about selling handguns here?

halfmoonclip

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Had a couple of their 9s, maybe 15 years ago. Liked how they felt, their low bore axis, and could hit things with their weird sights. Somehow, those came with ban-era 10 round mags, and I discovered that full-capacity mags weren't to be had. For that reason, I sent them down the road, for nickles and dimes. The counterman at my local shop didn't even want one on trade. He said he lost his ass on his last one.
In the interim, I acquired an AUG, which is now made domestically, in Birmingham. Really like it, and, between its inherit accuracy and a low magnification scope, the darn thing always works, and shoots sub minute groups with green tips.
Will Dabbs penned an article in American Handgunner, about the Steyr M9-A2. He got some details wrong, but it was a glowing report (yeah, I know, they all are). But most of what he said recalled my personal experience with the older pistols.
Finally got the nomenclature figured out; three sizes, C/compact, M/medium, L/large, and the A2 designates modular components for grip size.
It took some serious rooting to find one for sale, and an M is now on the way from Buds. I'll follow up with some observations.
My question, why is Steyr so tentative in our market? They did invest in a domestic plant, upgrade the pistol's design, and began supplying full cap mags.
Somebody described them as the best pistol that nobody shoots.
Thoughts, disparaging remarks, or general wild-ass guesses?
Thanks,
Moon
 
I believe it is not just an American market problem. Even here in Italy Steyr pistols are little known, not very widespread (almost not at all), little advertised and with an importer who gives the impression of being little interested in pushing them onto the market which here in Italy is based solely and exclusively on authorized gun shops. So it would be enough to make good launch offers to the gun shops and they would be available and viewable for potential customers. Personally I find it an excellent product even if I don't like the fact that the firing pin safety is not in the slide but in the frame, which makes me quite nervous. However, some years ago I was about to order the L9-A1 model sight unseen as a range-only pistol. A friend of mine also had the original Steyr shoulder stock that he bought because it fit his Glock; he sold it a few years ago; I regret not buying it just to have it because the original Steyr stock is almost impossible to find. Subsequently I made other choices and the Steyr M9/L9 dropped from my radar.
As for the pistol itself, my impression is that it is essentially indestructible; one of the seemingly sturdiest designs I've seen, at least in my opinion.
 
25 years old question. They hired great engineers, but forgot to invest in the sales department.

The outcome has been predictable.
This may cover it as well as anything. Though, again, why invest in a factory in Alabama, if this market is of no interest.
Moon
 
I have handled a couple of the M9s. I also liked the low bore axis, but that was about the only allure for me with a gun that otherwise looks like a S&W Sigma which was heated at the top of the grip so it could be squished upwards at the rear to give a few degrees more rake.

I believe it is not just an American market problem. Even here in Italy Steyr pistols are little known, not very widespread (almost not at all), little advertised and with an importer who gives the impression of being little interested in pushing them onto the market which here in Italy is based solely and exclusively on authorized gun shops. So it would be enough to make good launch offers to the gun shops and they would be available and viewable for potential customers. Personally I find it an excellent product even if I don't like the fact that the firing pin safety is not in the slide but in the frame, which makes me quite nervous. However, some years ago I was about to order the L9-A1 model sight unseen as a range-only pistol. A friend of mine also had the original Steyr shoulder stock that he bought because it fit his Glock; he sold it a few years ago; I regret not buying it just to have it because the original Steyr stock is almost impossible to find. Subsequently I made other choices and the Steyr M9/L9 dropped from my radar.
As for the pistol itself, my impression is that it is essentially indestructible; one of the seemingly sturdiest designs I've seen, at least in my opinion.

Fortunately, Italy has about as many great domestic options as the USA, perhaps even more when you include "classy" and "refined" as criteria. Uberti/Pedersoli make way nicer Winchester copies than Winchester ever did IME. The Uberti Special Sporting 1886 is a thing of beauty that I need to add to my collection!
 
I had heard from a friend of friend who knows the CFO if the company which gives marketing a tremendous budget.

Unfortunately marketing spent most of it on booze and hookers and spent the rest on advertising.💩
 
Mine is somewhere between me and Buds', though the holiday has certainly complicated things.
Have a feeling they make enough revenue from aug sales…..and handgun sales fall by the wayside.
The AUG is just so weird you have to love it...and be reminded it is also the STG77, so its been around for a long time.
And the Austrians have followed the advice offered in The Graduate...plastics. Suspect the poly FCG was an effort to reduce the already butt-heavy design.
I had the MSAR version, which was quite a good copy, but concern for parts and magazines led me to swap it on the real thing, made domestically. The MSAR even had the fluted barrel, and original style optic, so it might have been a half pound lighter.
My Steyr AUG has been stone reliable, and shoots sub 1" groups with Green Tips and a 2.5x optic.
Anyway, affection for the AUG is part of what sent me looking for a Steyr pistol.
Moon
 
Mine is somewhere between me and Buds', though the holiday has certainly complicated things.

The AUG is just so weird you have to love it...and be reminded it is also the STG77, so its been around for a long time.
And the Austrians have followed the advice offered in The Graduate...plastics. Suspect the poly FCG was an effort to reduce the already butt-heavy design.
I had the MSAR version, which was quite a good copy, but concern for parts and magazines led me to swap it on the real thing, made domestically. The MSAR even had the fluted barrel, and original style optic, so it might have been a half pound lighter.
My Steyr AUG has been stone reliable, and shoots sub 1" groups with Green Tips and a 2.5x optic.
Anyway, affection for the AUG is part of what sent me looking for a Steyr pistol.
Moon
I had always wanted one……and bought it sight unseen when they were selling them with a $50 mail in rebate for $350ish? Definitely the best striker trigger on a pistol directly from the factory. IMG_0533.jpeg
 
I tried to post on this thread earlier, but don't see my post, so perhaps something went wrong. I have a Steyr M40, which is the early 40-caliber version of the Steyr pistol. I like it a lot; it's probably my favorite among my autos. I like the sights, and find it easy to use. The only thing I don't like about it is the proprietary accessory rail...it's not Picatinny-compatible. The early Steyr pistols were outfitted with these, which was a marketing mistake by the company, because consumers didn't want a rail that wouldn't accept off-the-shelf aftermarket accessories. This was a big strike against sales when the pistol was introduced. Steyr has corrected this mistake, but it left the company starting way behind the pack in a crowded, competitive field.
 
Classic Firearms did a video on best full size striker fired pistols and included the Steyr. All four of the reviewers did not like shooting it to say the least. Just their opinions of course. I have not tried one myself but would like too but never seen one to rent or at the factory shoot at my huge local gun store.

 
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Classic Firearms did a video on best full size striker fired pistols and included the Steyr. All four of the reviewers did not like shooting it to say the least. Just there opinions of course.

A little more serious then selling these:
 

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Classic Firearms did a video on best full size striker fired pistols and included the Steyr. All four of the reviewers did not like shooting it to say the least. Just their opinions of course. I have not tried one myself but would like too but never seen one to rent or at the factory shoot at my huge local gun store.


Ha. One of the guys would take a single stack Hi-Point over it . . . right.
 
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