information on Steyr M-A1, help please

[richiequan]

What do you guys think of the Steyr M-A1?
i'm new gun owner and just got it and wanted to know what you guys think of the gun. i'll be useing it for real life situation as i am a police reseve in south africa.

 

[timothy75]

I've read good things about it but have no first hand experience. Just because its not as popular as others doesnt mean its no good. You really should go shoot a couple hundered rounds through it and tell us how it works. Good luck

 

[Zundfolge]

I own a pre A-1 M-40 (and owned an S40 which was stolen :banghead: ).

Excellent pistols all the way around. Well built, accurate, nice ergonomics, both mine have been dead on reliable (only a couple of ammunition related stoppages with the M40 and not once single stoppage with the S).

The only difference between the M and the M-A1 is the plastic parts of the frame (and the manual safety is now optional on the A1). Some like the new grip better than the old one, however I've not handled and A1.


Only issue is the sights ... you either love 'em or hate 'em (I hated them for the first 10 minutes I shot ... then I figured them out and love 'em and wish I could get some for my other non Steyr guns).

Also, during break-in on some of them they have a tendency to eject brass straight back ... kind of annoying, but after break-in of about 200-300 rounds the problem goes away. I haven't had this problem (my M came pre-broken-in by the previous owner, and my S just worked perfectly brand new ... DAMN I miss that pistol ).

I trust my M with my life (and trusted my S ... which I actually preferred both carrying and shooting ... did I mention how much I miss it?).

Anyway, an M-A1 in any caliber should make for a nice duty piece.


On a side note I also own a RAP 401 (which you might be familiar with as they used to be issued to South African police) ... no where near as nice a pistol as my Steyrs.

 

[pocketgun]

I hated them for the first 10 minutes I shot ... then I figured them out and love 'em and wish I could get some for my other non Steyr guns.

Try this LINK. You may need to call/email for availability.

 

[Zundfolge]

I've seen those ... they are not quite the same thing. The front sight sticks up WAY TOO much. And they don't line up the same way.

Actually if one is building a custom pistol they can use any old sights they want ... I'm thinking a 10mm CCO with Steyr sights would be sweet
(of course it would cost me so much I wouldn't want to carry it)

 

[CAnnoneer]

I've shot one. Nice, accurate, high-quality gun. Interesting triangular sights. Comfortable handle angle.

But, it requires a tight grip. If you limpwrist it, it will not cycle properly. So, train with it to make certain you use it properly, especially since you say you are a new gun owner.

 

[Zundfolge]

...it requires a tight grip. If you limpwrist it, it will not cycle properly.

I've done tons of weak hand drills and never had problems with limpwristing mine. But individual guns of any make might be more sensitive to limpwristing than others of the same make.

Thats why you want to put plenty of rounds downrange of various type and manufacture and under varied conditions before you depend on it for your life.

 

[Gary G23]

One of my IDPA shooting buddies had a M9-A1. We were shooting a major match a couple of weeks ago and the darn thing went full auto. He traded it off on the way home for a Sig.

 

[10-Ring]

All & all, I like it...the sights tho, would either be replaced or I would need some serious trigger time to get used to them.
What I like most about that gun is the trigger and the grip

 

[pocketgun]

If you buy one and take the sights off, I have a lead on someone who might buy them from you...

 

[Flashpoint]

One of my IDPA shooting buddies had a M9-A1. We were shooting a major match a couple of weeks ago and the darn thing went full auto. He traded it off on the way home for a Sig.

I wish statements like this would come with more info. Like, it went full auto because...or Craftsman tools are better than Snap on because... When they don't have any validating statements they just always come across as hearsay.

 

[Flashpoint]

BTW, I think that a Steyr would make a very good first gun and would perform well for your intended purpose.

 

[hartzpad]

I had both a Steyr S9 and M9 and they were both reliable for the first 1200 rounds (but they always ejected onto my head). Then they started failing ot extract no matter how well or how often I cleaned the extractors. I loved everything about the pistol except for the failures to extract and the slightly too extreme grip angle.

I hear that the new M-1A series Steyr pistols have an updated extractor to cure the ejection and failure to extract problems that many people have with the 1st gen pistols. I now have a Smith and Wesson M&P 40 that IMO is more ergonomic than the Steyr. But I think that Steyrs had some great features and were a big improvement on a lot of Glock's characteristics. Too bad many Steyr owner's had the same problems that I did with reliability.

 

[pocketgun]

One of my IDPA shooting buddies had a M9-A1. We were shooting a major match a couple of weeks ago and the darn thing went full auto. He traded it off on the way home for a Sig.

He told the dealer is was dangerously defective, right?

 

[Mortech]

I love my M357 , its one of the most accurate carry guns I own . The Trap sights are very quick to use , once you to get use to them . I consider the casings landing on the head a secret initiation into the Steyr Club , but mine stopped doing that after only 200 rounds .

 

[richiequan]

thats guys, yeah i need to get use to the sight i think. its very different, any tips anyone could give me would be great.
i like the gun and havent had a promblem yet, i put around 800 round down the chamber and havent had a problem. only thing right now is getting use to the triangle sight.

thanks, tips would be great.

 

[Gary G23]

"I wish statements like this would come with more info. Like, it went full auto because...or Craftsman tools are better than Snap on because... When they don't have any validating statements they just always come across as hearsay."

hearsay?
I was there. The damn thing did a three round burst on a standards stage. You don't want me to tell you about it just because I wan't standing there with a video camera at the time?

 

[Flashpoint]

hearsay?
I was there. The damn thing did a three round burst on a standards stage. You don't want me to tell you about it just because I wan't standing there with a video camera at the time?

Sure, tell, just tell all. Like how the gun was acting before and after the FA. Was the trigger pull suddenly different, were there any worn parts, etc...?