quote:

Originally posted by 390ish:
I also have a SM mdle. 1956 in 30-06. It is my favorite rifle, but I somehow managed to break the set trigger and for the life of me cannot find a fix that is not terribly expensive. It kicks worse than and 30-06 I have ever shouldered but is a fine hunting rifle. From what I gather folks have fewer issues with the pro-hunters and foresters than the high end offerings with the contemporary steyr products.

I would feel comfortable taking my pro-hunter anywhere.

SORRY 390ish, but the rifle you have, highlighted in RED above is not the proper mod designation, it should read MS instead of "SM" Mod 1956 is not a Steyr-Mannlicher, but a Mannlicher- Schoenauer, two very distinctly different rifles! The Steyr-Mannlicher rifles can't even compare with the Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifles!

The Steyr-Mannlicher didn't come out till 1967, and at the same time the Mannlicher- Schoenauer rifle was discontinued! They are both made by Steyr-Daimler-Puch A.G in Steyr, Austria, but are a long distance away from each other in quality, not only of fit and finish, but of over all design. The mannlicher-Schoenauer are a far better rifle in any way you can name, than the Steyr Mannlicher.

The MS mod 1956, is a CRF action, and is the smoothest action I've ever experienced in a bolt rifle, They are bedded to almost a suction fit in the wood, the cold hammer forged barrels are as accurate as any barrel ever made by any method, and they will out last just about any other barrel while useing very hot handloads. The rotery magazines in the Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifles are as dependable as any type I've ever used. Top this off by the fact that there are absolutely no plastic parts in the Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifle, and the reason the rifle was discontinued, was because it was so expensive to make they couldn't be sold at anything like competive priceing. SO!, out came the Steyr Mannlicher, a push feed rifle with many plastic parts, including the rotery magazine, whict had to removed from the rifle to load, and held in the rifle by a little springloaded latch. The magazine in the Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifles also had a removable magazine, but it was under a floor plate, the could be removed by hand, for cleaning, but was be loaded from the top open bolt just like a Mauser, and for instant un-loading of the magazine the is a button in the action opening that can be pushed down that lets the spring push all the rounds in tha magazine out into your hand!

I've owned several of the Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifles of all the models from 1903 to M72 S/T chambered for 458 win mag, which is a push feed,and an MCA 458 WM, the favorite rifle of the elephant hunter Richard Harland,and still have a 1961 MCA rifle,chambered for 243 win, but just one Steyr- Mannlicher, and the M/S M72 that was pleanty for me of those two!

EDIT: The paragraph above was missleading, and has been corrected! The R. Harland rifle is an MCA 458, not an M72! The M72 is the only Mannlicher-Schoenauer center fire rifle I'm aware of that was a pushfeed, and was a transition piece between the Mannlicher-Schoenauer,and the Steyr-Mannlichers. Sorry if i confused anyone! I'm the one that is confused as a rule, and this is one of those times!


However, I can say I didn't have anywhere near the trouble Shootaway reports with my S/M, or the M72, and they were very accurate, but I just couldn't warm up to the Steyr-Mannlicher,with it's plastic parts, after owning the Mannlicher-Shoenauer rifles, and I can't abide a push feed rifle of any make!

Mannlicher went the same way Remington, and Winchester did by going to push feed rifle that were toughted as "IMPROVEMENTS" when the real reason was, they were simply changed because they were cheaper to make, and none were an improvement over the older rifles! IMO!

/

I thought the SM's were all push feed? I believe the Sako 80's are CRF though.

I'm just hoping to find a Mannlicher-Schoenauer in 458. The only thing Mac forgot was the "c" in the name.

/

Such negativity. Must be a result of bad experiences with the older model Steyr-Mannlichers.

I never owned one of those, but I do stand by my original comment concerning the SBS 96, Steyr-Mannlicher's latest model. It is reliable, incredibly strong (they've been proofed to 120,000 psi) and the rifle is dead accurate.

It's the same action as is used in the "Scout" rifle that Jeff Cooper consulted with Steyr to develop.

As for the composite magazines, I have three of them and they all function very well. The use of plastic does not bother me, as it appears to be quite tough.

I also think the SBS 96's roller tang safety, which can lock the bolt and trigger both, is among the best out there. It's a three position job, and quite handy and easy to use.

It's clearly not for everyone, though, since it is a modern, non-traditional design, and takes a bit of getting used to.

/

You are right MacD. Mine is a MS, not a SM. The floor plate has a little Steyr stamp on it, and my scope covers up the fancy roll stamp across the top of the barrel or action that has everything but the barrel maker's home address on it.

The guy that gave me mine had a slew of these rifles. I was 14 at the time and the first deer I ever shot was with his 1956 in 7mag. He told me that he had them in 375 H&H as well as 340 Weatherby and that the Weatherby was more than a handfull to shoot. You seem to know a lot about these rifles. Do you know someone who you would feel comfortable fixing a set trigger that was broken clean at toward the topside? Mine is pure hell on white tails with 165 grainers.

quote:

Originally posted by ALF:
mrlexma:

No negativity, I love MS's and SM's but sadly this plastic let me down

For years and years I swore that anything with "plastic" in it that shoots will not cross my safe door..... well I have recinded on that but we have to face facts.

Polymers in whatever form has a limited natural lifespan ( I tell this to all my patients who are about to get a knee or hip replacement...... the weak link is the fact that the bonds in polymers let go with age and the stuff breaks down)

So why did I believe this would not happen in guns ?...... a hundred years from now our grandchildern wont have any collectable guns cause all these new fangled polymer guns will have lost all their stocks, grips and parts due to the failure of polymers !

Damn this SM ' its not even 35 years old and already it's falling apart just from standing in a safe...

Sorry for your troubles. I wonder how long the most modern polymers used in these kinds of engineering applications will last, with proper care of course?

I was just reading some comments by Boddington on these rifles in his Safari Rifles book. He brings up the valid question...what place does a removable magazine have on a hunting rifle? You can work the answer from different angles but it's still a good question.

I contacted Hallowells, Thad Scott, Champlins, and Schwandt today regarding a MS 458. Between the 4 of them, with who knows how many years experience, they had only seen 4 or 5 of them and nothing at all recent. Fizzle.

quote:

Originally posted by yukon delta:
what place does a removable magazine have on a hunting rifle?

I'd take a box mag that doesn't fall out, over a fixed mag that dumps because of poor latches.

How about fixing the latch?

Sure, maybe I should have said poorly designed latches. My .458 forinstance seemed to be just holding by a whisker. SOME people may not notice/worry until it let go, at the worst moment of course.
Some wood was removed to allow the bottom to close more, but . . .

Another design I have does the same thing in a different way, just needs a push to aid the spring. Again an accident waiting to happen to the unwary.

So, what's so wrong about a detachable mag??
A few spare ones are a handy way to carry extra ammo. Heavens, one could even have different types of projectiles in some.

Does anyone know if the newer SM SBS rifles have plastic or steel bottom metal and are the mags plastic or metal? CDNN currently has the Classic Half Stocks for $1299

Thanks,
Andy

I own entirely too many Steyrs, Mannlicher-Schoenauers, Steyr-Mannlichers, M-72s and the current SBS-96. They all shoot well, including the 7x64mm S-M I've taken to RSA and the .30-06 and .270 MCAs I have also used over there. Cannot have a better rifle for plains game, and in the magnums, they will do the Big Five as well.

LLS

GOD please stop them men from CLINGING to those POSSM'S and deliver them a Ruger.

quote:

Originally posted by HAY-MAN:
GOD please stop them men from CLINGING to those POSSM'S and deliver them a Ruger.

yeah they will allways make a good fence post, comparing rugers to steyrs is a bit off imho.

best regards

peter

I've owned and built as many Rugers as I now own Steyrs and I must say that only 1 Ruger ever shot as well as ANY of my Steyrs. I still have that RSM Lott and none of the others. My SBS Prohunter 300 Win Mag performed flawlessly in RSA last year Taking game from 90 to 409 yards. They may fall apart 50 years from now - But I won't need to worry about that.

quote:

Originally posted by adrook:
Does anyone know if the newer SM SBS rifles have plastic or steel bottom metal and are the mags plastic or metal? CDNN currently has the Classic Half Stocks for $1299

Thanks,
Andy

I can now answer my own question. Steel bottom metal and steel bottomed polymer mags. I got the last .243 that CDNN had. Gorgeous rifle.