[jjeremiahjjohns]

I've come across a Steyr L in .243, full stock, middlin' scope mounted, exc. condition claimed. Man wants 1200. Any of Y'all know these guns? Thoughts on quality, shootability, value, durability, handling, just plain sexyness or lack of it, whatever?

 

[NITRO]

Steyr ProHunter/Forester

jj,
I have no experience with any Steyr and respond to your post only to inform you that cdnninvestments.com has the grey synthetic stocked ProHunter in 260 Rem and 270 Win with either 20" or 23.5" barrel for $549.99. They are also throwing in the Forester walnut stock at no additional charge.

You could order the 260 with the 20" barrel, have a Mannlicher style stock installed, add a Leupold VX-I 3-9x40, rings, mount, and sling and still come in under $1200.

I am seriously considering the 270 with the 23.5" barrel to use as-is with a good quality 3-9x40 scope. I have purchased several guns from cdnn and highly recommend them.

 

[llsierra]

Hi,
I have a LOT of experience with the Steyr-Mannlicher Model L, the .243 WCF in particular, as I own four of them.

Pricing Steyr-Mannlichers is Very Difficult. If the carbine is from the late 1980s, and early 1990s, the owner probably paid anywhere from 1000 to 1800 dollars for it, and want to recover his money. In reality, the gun is worth anywhere from 600 to 900 dollars in todays market. I made the mistake of buying Steyrs at the high prices, and I know I will never get the return off of them, so I have to learn to live with the problem. The new SBS versions are very nice, very modern, and definitely less expensive.

As to performance, oh Lord do these guns shoot!!!!!!!!!!!!. I lost count of the number of woodchucks I zapped with my .243 L rifle. It is like a ray gun, so is my carbine. The SM is probably the most accurate out of the box rifle ever made. It is easy to handle, reliable, never jams.

If you can talk the seller down to a price you can accept, and you want the rifle, then get it.

Note: when these guns came on the market in the late 1960s, they could be had for $88.00, I know, because that is what I paid for my first one.

LLS