I guess I have Steyr-Mannlicher fever, I ended up with a 450 Marlin and a 308 both pro hunters. The 450 Marlin has a camo stock, and sights. The 308 has a black stock and no sights.

I bought 10 boxes of various 308 ammo, and bought 2 boxes of the only 2 boxes of 450 marlin ammo that exhist.

I had a Tasco Titan 3-12x56 that I wasn't using, so I put in on the 308. I had a hard time finding mounts, I called New England Custom gun and ordered two sets of EAW mounts for 30mm scopes. They didn't have any in stock and told me it would be a few months, as they import them. So I bought a set of Warne 30mm high mounts and Warne bases and mounted the Titan in those.

So I am taking both rifles with me to Dad's in Wyoming for a couple weeks next month. Hopefully I can find a late season cow elk tag to break them in on. If nothing else the 308 will get rung out on some coyotes.

I ordered a 3-12x56 Docter for the 308, and a Trijicon 3.5-10x56 for the 450.

I am probably not going to mount anything on the 450 until the EAW mounts get here.

So then last night I am talking to the old man, and he decided that the 308 was the perfect rifle for him. And precedes to tell me that I am going to trade him for his Steyr 270 Stutzen Luxus (that I bought for me and he "borrowed" when he saw it).

So it looks like I am going be doing some trading with Cabelas for a Sauer 202 when I pick up my "new" 270. I also have a Weatherby Fibermark 270 Weatherby at home in Wyoming, that I don't use (and apparently Dad doesn't either, though the 340 Weatherby I bought he claimed ownership of instantly). So between the two 270s I should be able to keep the damage on the Sauer reasonable. I looked at the www.triebel.de website, and they have additional 202 barrels priced at $750 so Cabelas is shipping in a 30-06 and 9.3x62 Sauer 202 package to my local Cabelas, and I am going to get a 6.5x57 and 8x57 barrel on order from Triebel in a couple of months. So it looks like the Docter is going to go on the Sauer, since I don't own the 308 anymore.

I've got a Doctor on my new 308. Early days yet since I've only used it on the range but it seems to do the business.

Seth, it sounds like you have a healthy and fruitful relationship with your Dad - or perhaps he has a fruitful relationship with you Either way is fine.

I bought one of the Steyr Mannlichers (wooden stock, .270 Win) in the US about a year ago. The price was surprisingly good for a European rifle, we certainly don't find prices as low as that over here! In any event, my "excuse" for buying yet another rifle, was that I intended to pass it along to one of the nephews of my girlfriend who has taken an interest in shooting. Hopefully he will stick with it, and if he passes his hunting exam, this rifle will come his way.

I also ended up with Warne mounts. I happen to prefer Weaver type mounts (Burris Signature Zee), so the Warne mounts fit the bill perfectly at low cost. I probably have a Zeiss Conquest 3-9 lying around somewhere, that would fit well on a gun intended for Swiss mountain hunting.

Pity if you have to sell your .270 Wby, though. I have a soft spot for that caliber

- mike

I also have Warne QD rings and bases on my Steyr Mannlicher and also on my Sauer.

Excellent performance for a decent price - certainly compared to EAW. The Appel mounts are scarily expensive.

For scopes, current Meopta offerings are excellent value for money, they tend to be around half the price of similar models of S&B, Swarovski and Zeiss and give up very little in performance.

European rifles and scopes have gone up 25-35% in price in the UK over the past year.

My local dealer offfered me more in trade in value for my Sauer a few weeks ago than I paid for it new 5 years ago. An Elegance grade Sauer is about £2K at the minute.

Brian, makes your custom Sako an even better buy if that's the sort of money factory rifles are selling for.

Mike,

The new Steyr USA import company is now charging full Euro prices for new Steyrs. Pro Hunters are $1750, Frankonia has them for 1350 Euro. So the price is the same.

I am not a big fan of the 270 in any of it's guises. I like 257, 6.5, 7mm, 30, and 8mm as medium calibers, but the 270 leaves me cold.

99
Blazer's to WeeBee's to Steyr's .. You are a Restless soul..
AK

I still have two Weatherbys, and two Blasers. How's your shooting?

The Sauer in 30-06 and 9,3x62 is great combo, use the Leupold QR mount if you want to they are cheap and sturdy for the Sauer. The 6,5x55 is one of the best small calibers you can get in a rifle and that is truly Nordic cartridge that can be used for almost everything if the placing of the round is good enough.

The .450 Marlin is good to reload for your self, i think i have some data from a loading manual here i can get you tomorrow.

I bought two more rifles a Encore wtih two barrels 405 WCF and 45-70, and a 8mm Remington Magnum last night in a older M700 BDL. The damn m700 gun was perfect, I was looking for a 8x68 Sauer or Steyr, but I got this for $350 and so now I really don't need the 8x68.

quote:

Originally posted by mr rigby:
The Sauer in 30-06 and 9,3x62 is great combo, use the Leupold QR mount if you want to they are cheap and sturdy for the Sauer. The 6,5x55 is one of the best small calibers you can get in a rifle and that is truly Nordic cartridge that can be used for almost everything if the placing of the round is good enough.

The .450 Marlin is good to reload for your self, i think i have some data from a loading manual here i can get you tomorrow.

Per, I am not a big fan of QD Leupolds, I like Warne rings, but not their QD model either.

I am probably only going to get a couple more Encore barrels a 7mm-08 or 280 and a 300 or 7mm Magnum.

The 308 shoots little bitty groups with the Russian ball ammo, and I tried a couple rounds of my RWS Uni and Lapua Megas to see that it shot same POA.

I am off to hunt wildboars and red stags here in Maine tommorow. I'll post some photos after I get home.