Hello all,

I'd just like to pick your brains. A friend of mine is in the process of buying himself a .308 for stalking in the UK. He's had a look at a Mannlicher stutsen (secondhand, had almost no use) with Apel swing off mounts and a Swarovski 6 x 42 for 900 quid, but he's obsessed with the idea of a sako that a dealer has for sale, this dealer said that �900 is 'well over the top' (Quote!) and that 'Mannlichers break their stocks' which I thought sounded like sales-bollocks from a man trying to shift a �300 sako!
Do any of you think the stock thing's likely and do you think �900 is too much?

Many thanks

Eric

Eric,
if purchased new that set up would be around �1600, if the rifle is in as good a condition as your friend is purporting it to be, then it sounds like decent value. I personally have heard no "tales" of mannlicher stocks breaking. I have heard that there have been problems with some Sako barrels wearing out prematurely, but this may also be rumour. At the end of the day, your friend should buy what suits his needs best and trust his own judgement, after all he will be the one using it.

Eric, I can't really comment on the price, others will do the honours here... I take it the Steyr in question here is the one with the rotary magazine, yes?? If that is the case, then the stock around the magazine well is indeed a tad thin. This was also the case for the predecessor - the Mannlicher-Schoenauer, which also had the rotary mag. So breakages are not unknown. When that is said, I think that in all fairness it must also be said, that this is an EXTREMELY rare occurrence. I have heard of a total of 2 breakages, vs. countless Steyrs working perfectly to their owners delight. Other wooden stocks can also break - mind you.

In general, the Steyr-Mannlicher "Stutzen" (i.e. full stock), is one of the most accurate full stock rifles you can lay your hands on. Not that there are any flies on the Sako either. If I had the cash, I would probably go for the Steyr myself - I like those Stutzens!
- mike

I have had a SM with a full length stock for about 30 years.
308 of course.
I have hunted with it quite a bit. They are excellent rifles.

�900 sounds a fair price but not exactly a bargin. A guy I know has just bought a decent condition Sako L591 with steel mounts and the same Swaro scope for �350 complete! Thats what I call a bargin!

I have not heard of any major problems with the stocks on those apart from the "usual" ones concerning a fully stocked rifle, much of which i am sure are old wives tales,

Regards,

Pete

The only Mannlichers that I have ever heard to have broken stocks were the original 1903-1923 "toothpick" models. Beginning is 1924 the stocks were "beefed" up a little, and even more with the post-war models.

One of my friends has a Steyr Mannlicher that is about 10 years old and I'm pretty sure it's fired less than 1.000 shots. It's a 30-06 with a normal (non-stutzen) stock. A couple of weeks ago he told me that he broke his stock for the third time! Every time it just split behind the receiver, probably due to bedding problems.