.376 Steyr Safety-bolt Hunter

30 September 2003, 13:20

Alberta Canuck

Had a bit of a range session with my new Steyr Safety-Bolt Hunter .376 yesterday, and really liked it. Haven't seen anything on here about that model...so have I said a dirty word in mentioning it? Or maybe I was just asleep....

Tried both Hornady loads in it, the 225 gr. spire point Interlock, and the 270 gr. Interlock. As it came from the factory, its iron sights were dead on at 200 meters. On well enough to hit clay pigeons on our range's sand berm shooting offhand with the 225 Hornady stuff, anyway.

Don't have a scope on it yet, as my rings & bases have been back-ordered. When they arrive, will be putting on something in about a 1.5x5 variable.

Bought a case (300 rounds) of Hornady brass from Graf's, and plan to use mainly Barnes-X bullets for serious stuff, along with a variety of my own cast slugs for plinking.

Has anyone out there done any reloading for it that they'd like to share info about?

Any comments on the rifle itself? Mine slicked up considerably with a few hundred cranks of the bolt handle and discerning application of a product similar to dri-slide....

Appreciate any comments you folks have...

AC

[ 09-30-2003, 04:24: Message edited by: Alberta Canuck ]

30 September 2003, 14:09

leo-too

Go to the wildcat catridges and developement forum and click on the one that goes like: The .284 winchester case verses the .376 steyr case.

30 September 2003, 17:06

Dr. Duc

CDNN had the ammo cheap and I bought enough to last the rest of my life. I'm impressed with the rifles' accuracy but it gets heavy and the balance is funny with a European scope on it. I'm going to have to find a light 2-6x33.etc. I does kick a bit with 270 loads and I'm not recoil shy. I'd say more than my 375 H&H and sharper than a 416. I'm looking forward to using it for something after I bought it. The close out price was too good to pass up.

30 September 2003, 17:51

elmo

A handfull of AR folks have these rifles and we all like 'em just fine. If you do a "search" you will find plenty of info and some pet loads. I have a Leup 1.75 x 6 Vari-X III in Leup dual dovetail mounts on mine, and think it's a pretty good match. I wound up useing high rings to deal with a bolt clearance issue, so keep an eye out for that potential problem when choosing scope and mounts.

Elmo

01 October 2003, 18:12

Alberta Canuck

Thanks, you guys...and will follow your advice.

Particular thanks to Elmo for the "heads up" on the scope clearance. Was sitting here working the bolt some more on mine last night, and wondered if that "crank" in the bolt handle might be a little high for a lot of scope eyepieces to clear.

Actually, that surprises me a bit, for the handle on my Steyr '69 brown-stock SSG .308 Match clears all scopes pretty easily, as does the handle on my Steyr Professional 8x57. This one seems to be a bit retrograde in that the handle does appear to lift higher than those on the earlier models.

Thanks again, y'all...
AC

[ 10-01-2003, 09:15: Message edited by: Alberta Canuck ]

02 October 2003, 16:06

Mike Smith

Elmo is right about the clearance but if I remember right you can use medium height rings as well. It was just the low rings that were a problem.

04 October 2003, 03:33

tiggertate

I like mine too but I cannot get down on the iron sights with the prohunter stock. Anyone else have this problem?

04 October 2003, 04:58

Slingster

quote:
Originally posted by tigertate:
I like mine too but I cannot get down on the iron sights with the prohunter stock. Anyone else have this problem?

Some people have to cheat forward on the stock to do so. I would consider them as emergency backup and rely on a scope as a standard sighting system.

04 October 2003, 05:13

jeffeosso

Goto Big Bores forum and search on the steyr.. it's a great round...

jeffe

05 October 2003, 12:18

tiggertate

Slingster: Thanks, I thought it was just me. By the way, I have a Ching Sling on my 416 Reimngton; great idea. The stock is a Clifton. Do you know what happent to him?

06 October 2003, 02:52

Slingster

tigertate:

I keep hearing rumors of Brent Clifton's location, but so far I've not been able to contact him. I don't think he's in the gun business anymore.

Thanks for the kind words about the Ching Sling. On that .416 you should try my new Safari Ching Sling: twice as wide for more carrying comfort and just as steady.

06 October 2003, 06:35

Slingster

FYI, I got this loading data from Steyr, which they got from a customer:

Pro Hunter 20" barrel
Barnes 270gr XLC
61gr of Ramshot TAC
2.496 fps
10mm (0,39") group

06 October 2003, 07:15

tiggertate

Slingster: Who has 'em in the Houston area or do sell by mail? I got my first one from Brent when he built my stock right about the time he moved to Medina, TX.

06 October 2003, 11:37

dogworker

Tigertate,
I have the same problem with the stock. Was looking at rebuilding the gun but some advice on the gunsmith forum put it in the "too hard to do" category. The only thing I did that helped was add a couple spacers and ride forward on the stock. I have a ghost ring in the rear scope base and it works but the sight picture is not quite right. For what it's worth.
The gun though is a nice shooter and will flatten big pigs and such from any angle. HunterJim used it in Africa with success. It's a keeper.
Jeff

06 October 2003, 12:29

tiggertate

I like mine too... I hunt & occasionally guide on a game ranch and bought mine to have something compact to follow a hit Gemsbock or Eland into the scrub-oaks. I was hoping to dismount my scope for the dark brush and use the iron sights but it appears not to be. Still, its a great gun otherwise. If I get to go Africa it will go, too.

06 October 2003, 12:35

HunterJim

AC,

We have been trading posts on the .376 Steyr for a year or so, as suggested the search function should find those AR threads.

Also I wrote it up for African Hunter, and that article is on their website.

http://www.african-hunter.com/eland,_shangaan_hunters_and_the__376_steyr.htm

Slingster has also authored articles on the cartridge and the Steyr rifles for AH, but I don't think those articles are available on line.

jim dodd

06 October 2003, 12:52

Slingster

quote:
Originally posted by tigertate:
Slingster: Who has 'em in the Houston area or do sell by mail? I got my first one from Brent when he built my stock right about the time he moved to Medina, TX.

You could mail order from Galco directly or get a referral from them to a local distributor in your area: www.usgalco.com

06 October 2003, 14:05

tiggertate

Thanks, Slingster. HunterJim: I've read and enjoyed both 376 articles and they are still online. I've also followed a lot of the other threads with interest but posted this before I saw anything on stocks. Dogworker, Lone Wolf Stocks says he can do the 376 ProHunter in his Stalker line. Much better for iron sights but I forgot to ask him how he was going to handle the trigger guard. I have some of his work and it is first class.