plastic parts on Steyr Pro Hunter!?!?
- Thread starter vpsalin
- Start date
Shroud is metal, safety is plastic. Its a relatively high quality gun but there is a ton of plastic (polymer for the guys who feel by using this word instead it somehow is more palatable). Stock flexes a lot as well. Action is incredibly smooth and the triggers are nice.
Safety wheel and the white button on it are plastic. Bolt shroud is metal as I recall. If you have scope on it, chances are you will break off the scope and the rings faster than anything bad happens to that shroud anyway.
Stock is ok, but its a very basic plastic.
Magazine is all plastic, follower and side catches too.
Practically no aftermarket parts at all.
For the price I would rather take Scout (around $1500 USD), pro hunter would be around that too anyway. But at least Scout it cool and unique, pro hunter.... very blunt I think, for the money and effort to get it... rather disappointing.
And if you want to pay steyr premium and wait for it for a year, get this:
Stock is ok, but its a very basic plastic.
Magazine is all plastic, follower and side catches too.
Practically no aftermarket parts at all.
For the price I would rather take Scout (around $1500 USD), pro hunter would be around that too anyway. But at least Scout it cool and unique, pro hunter.... very blunt I think, for the money and effort to get it... rather disappointing.
And if you want to pay steyr premium and wait for it for a year, get this:
gunrunner100
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- NW Ontario
Excellent rifles.
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
That's odd. Never seen it personally, but it could happen with any synthetic stock rifle if one torques the action screws down too tight. Fer instance, my Weatherby Vanguard S2 manual states a torque of 35 in. lbs. and that's what I use on 'er to keep it consistent for accuracy.
A big boo-boo that some folks make is to use Loctite on the screw threads when reassembling the rifle. Don't do it! Loctite, blue or red, will chemically break down the molecular structure of most all of the synthetics used in stocks made. It only takes a little smear or dribble on the stock & the breakdown begins. Steyr stocks & magazine parts are made of Makrolon & Loctite breaks this stuff down like acetone on styrofoam.
The only Loctite product made for use around plastics is Black Max. If one feels the need for securing the action screws on their plastic stocked rifles, just use a dab of Krylon paint on the threads. No real need to do so, as most folks will be best served by investing in a good inch pound torque wrench.
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Any time you see the older steyrs for sale, look closely at the bottom metal/plastic around each screw almost everyone I have seen is cracked or broken there. Even tikka reinforces the screw holes with a metal insert. As for the stocks, I had one come in the mail broken off at the wrist, and have seen at least 2 broken off at the front swivel stud. Again, I have no issue with plastic used on stocks (if it doesn't get brittle or break down) but on actual action parts I shy away... Just my $0.02
Can't believe folks pay upwards of 1500-2000$ in Canada for Steyrs version of a Tikka T3. They are considered an entry level/budget rifle in the UK New Zealand etc.
I have both handled and shot them before. Nothing about them in form or function could convince me they are worth what we have to pay for them in Canada.
I have both handled and shot them before. Nothing about them in form or function could convince me they are worth what we have to pay for them in Canada.
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- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
We get bent over for most everything in Canuckistan. Nothing new.
My comment wasn't about european manufactured rifles in general, it was specifically about the Pro-hunter model...Steyrs' mass produced, "affordable" rifle aimed at the european masses that somehow nearly doubles in price when it lands in Canada.
Price of admission with a niche market I guess.
- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
I think I'll keep my FN small-ring Mauser sporter, thank you very much. Milled steel, colour case hardened, and oiled walnut. Battle proven and will last a lifetime. I like the modern stuff as well, don't get me wrong, but when Steyr "Pro" series goes plastic... you know the future is going the same route: cheap to satisfy the corporate bean counters. They'll claim it's superior.
I haven't managed to break one yet, and have had various models over the years. That said, I took the time to look up the torque specs for the action screws. I would suspect people reefing on them is the major issue.
gunrunner100
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- NW Ontario
double gun raises a valid point. I have several Steyr models with the plastic or Makrolon trigger guard assemblies. All are in good condition thankfully, but I have seen some small cracks in others. The Steyr Pro Hunter, based on the SBS action, is entirely different from the earlier SL, L, M and S models.
- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
Good thing vpsalin, 'cause they aren't worth much more than a Tikka T3 (which I happen to like very much), and I won't pay a premium for synthetic parts on any rifle. I guess the days of paying premium and getting anything resembling hand finishing is long over? The older Sakos, Tikkas, early model 70's, etc. will be footnote in the chapter of how a quality rifle used to be built.
