I guess you have to be a little older, or haven gotten into guns in a certain era to really love the aesthetics of these rifles, but in my younger days these were the absolute $hit. These come from a time when 'sniper' rifles tended to sport wide forends, pistol grips, and if they were European made, textured wood grip panels. Rifles like this the WA2000, Mauser SP66, Sauer 2000 etc. While the SSG 69 normally sported the synthetic stock, Steyr made a few SSG 69 models with wood stocks. The Sport and the Match could be had with synthetics, but for aesthetics you needed the wood stock, with the palm swell, wide forends, and in the case of the Match, a UIT rail.
While I have owned a number of Steyrs (Elite, SSG 04A1 etc) I had never owned, or intended to own a 69, but always loved the look of these rifles. You dont see many of the wood stocked versions in Canada, but in the last two years I was able to pick up one of each. The Match has a much heavier barrel, and its weight reflects that, and in this case, came with metallic sights. At the muzzle the barrel is just shy of .9 inch, while the Sport is .1 inch smaller in diameter. Additionally, the crowns are different, with the Match having a target (70s style) crown. The Match was required to produce a 3cm 10 shot group at 300 metres, from the factory, being tested with 190gr ammo.
You can find endless variations of these rifles, mainly due to the modularity of the SSG 69 package, including three styles of bolt handles, various iron sights, and no sight combinations, as well as various calibers, with the Sport commonly showing up in Europe in 243 and 7mm-08. Additionally, Single, and match trigger packages can be found, as well as sling swivel combinations, etc.
In the case of the Sport, it came with a vintage weaver rail adapter, but modern picatinny rail adapters can be had (and luckily I have a spare for the Match). The Sport has a target base installed, but that can be swapped for a rail, or Steyr QD style rings as well.
Having decided that I was to old to use 10X anymore, a few years ago I sold off my last S&B PMii 10X42. It seemed next to no time passed, and the SSG Sport showed up. In order to recreate a classic style package I now needed a 10X42, and after checking on how the prices had skyrocketed over a decade (I was quoted 4000$+), I decided to just keep and eye open for some classic glass. My first find via CGN was none other than an Accuracy International branded S&B 10X42.
Admittedly pure blasphemy putting AI on a Steyr, it was all I had....
After a prolonged search I was able to pick up a 90s era 10X42, with a circle/cross hair reticle, to add to the AI, and just recently, I bought another PMii that I am pretty sure was my old one I sold a few years ago, so I thought I would just show folks a comparison of the 2 PMiis, and a regular 10X42.
Accuracy International (30mm tube)
S&B PMii (30mm tube)
S&B 10X42 (one inch tube)
The AIs had a lazer shield coating, which does give the lenses a different colour, but doesnt affect the image quality. They also have the ballistic range dialing on the turret for elevation, which the normal PMii lacks. Finally, there is some discussion on line about the internal setup of these scopes, and their zeros. Specifically that being intended more for long range you have limited depression at close range, which seems true. My AI unit is nearly totally depressed at 100m using bases with no cant.
While I have owned a number of Steyrs (Elite, SSG 04A1 etc) I had never owned, or intended to own a 69, but always loved the look of these rifles. You dont see many of the wood stocked versions in Canada, but in the last two years I was able to pick up one of each. The Match has a much heavier barrel, and its weight reflects that, and in this case, came with metallic sights. At the muzzle the barrel is just shy of .9 inch, while the Sport is .1 inch smaller in diameter. Additionally, the crowns are different, with the Match having a target (70s style) crown. The Match was required to produce a 3cm 10 shot group at 300 metres, from the factory, being tested with 190gr ammo.
You can find endless variations of these rifles, mainly due to the modularity of the SSG 69 package, including three styles of bolt handles, various iron sights, and no sight combinations, as well as various calibers, with the Sport commonly showing up in Europe in 243 and 7mm-08. Additionally, Single, and match trigger packages can be found, as well as sling swivel combinations, etc.
In the case of the Sport, it came with a vintage weaver rail adapter, but modern picatinny rail adapters can be had (and luckily I have a spare for the Match). The Sport has a target base installed, but that can be swapped for a rail, or Steyr QD style rings as well.
Having decided that I was to old to use 10X anymore, a few years ago I sold off my last S&B PMii 10X42. It seemed next to no time passed, and the SSG Sport showed up. In order to recreate a classic style package I now needed a 10X42, and after checking on how the prices had skyrocketed over a decade (I was quoted 4000$+), I decided to just keep and eye open for some classic glass. My first find via CGN was none other than an Accuracy International branded S&B 10X42.
Admittedly pure blasphemy putting AI on a Steyr, it was all I had....
After a prolonged search I was able to pick up a 90s era 10X42, with a circle/cross hair reticle, to add to the AI, and just recently, I bought another PMii that I am pretty sure was my old one I sold a few years ago, so I thought I would just show folks a comparison of the 2 PMiis, and a regular 10X42.
Accuracy International (30mm tube)
S&B PMii (30mm tube)
S&B 10X42 (one inch tube)
The AIs had a lazer shield coating, which does give the lenses a different colour, but doesnt affect the image quality. They also have the ballistic range dialing on the turret for elevation, which the normal PMii lacks. Finally, there is some discussion on line about the internal setup of these scopes, and their zeros. Specifically that being intended more for long range you have limited depression at close range, which seems true. My AI unit is nearly totally depressed at 100m using bases with no cant.
