Steyr Mountain rifle experience? Opinions?

[Richard.Howe]

I just picked up a 20" Steyr Mountain rifle in .308, with a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 mounted up top. It was deal I couldn't pass up -- and after shooting it, it's pretty accurate with factory ammo, and a good fit for me as a swamp rifle down in Loosianer. I never saw one before buying mine.

The design is unfamilar to me. The safety wheel is plastic and the trigger looks like it has some kind of melted plastic retainer holding it in place. Nonetheless...I've seen this setup being sold for anywhere between $1000 and $1500.

But -- the barrel is hammer forged and the styling is nice (relatively, for a synthetic gun). Nifty external swirl extends the length of the barrel. LOP is adjustable and the safety integrity rivals the Win m70 for security. Trigger is good with a teeeeenincey bit of barely-there creep. 'Course the scope is nice.

How has yours help up? What do you know about this "uncommon" gun?

Who is providing factory service these days?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Sparky]

I've owned 2 Steyr Mountain rifles as they call the carbines.
The 308 kicked like a mule and it was traded off for a sporting clays shotgun. The other in 260 Remington was quirky. It shot 120 grain and lighter bullets fine. heavier than 120s it didn't like. A frien who works at GSI ( former steyr importers) told me the rate of twist on the rifling was too slow, like 1 in 9.5.
Everybody else used 1 in 9 for 260s. And Steyr uses 1 in 9 for its 6.5x55 rifles. Go figure!
They are well made , reliable rifles, but the safety system does take some getting used to.

 

[esldude]

Have one in .243 which is very accurate with factory ammo. 5 shot groups usually under an inch at 100 yards. I like the styling of the stock, the fit of it. Trigger is far above average. Is a very handy rifle over all. Safety is different, with time I decided I liked it.

In general, has become my favorite centerfire bolt gun.
Had a 4-12x Nikon on it, which I moved to another rifle. So it now has a 6x 42mm Nikon Monarch on it.