Once again a question to all the European hunters and shooters here.

Are the SIG STR/SHR970 rifles poplar in Europe? They were imported in to the US for a few years, then a problem came up due to pricing and marketing, and for the time being they are not being imported any longer. I own a synthetic SHR970 rifle in 25-06 Rem, and love it. Do any of you own one of the many variations of the this rifle? Or do you know anyone that does? What are your impressions of this rifle.

Just curious.

In belgium i haven't seen one yet, but i know that in Germany "Frankonia Gunshop" sell's these guns.
I would like to buy one in The swiss military caliber 7,5 x 55 but i haven't find a dealer selling them. I have seen these guns at the IWA Gun fair in Germany and they look very well made.

Gentlemen

I have seen these rifles on a few gun fairs in Sweden and they seems to be very well built. There are a few models aviable in Sweden and I think that it's a better gun than the sauer 202. I really like the double row magazine and trigger.

It avilable in some really neat calibers like 7X64, 6,5X65. 7mm rem mag. etc. I think you can get in in 270, 280 and 300 win as well.

/ JOHAN

You see a few (they have not been on the market that long) here in Switzerland. � think they are actually manufactured here in Switzerland, so maybe this is where you should encounter them It would probably be an exaggeration to say that they have been a roaring success...

- mike

mho
That I have seen a few I guess it depends on the importers, why you haven't is because of conservative gun shop owners in Switzerland

I think that the reason why it hasn't been takeing off is that there have noot been manny inches of test or pictures in magazines about it.

My impressions is that it will be a stiff competitior to other rifles in this price category. I could actually think of owning one

/ JOHAN

Johan, my brother in law was thinking of buying one in Switzerland. So some people at least seem to be taking notice (even here in Blaser country - I know you'll like that ).

If you want one of these, is it an option to have it imported to Sweden?? What I was thinking of, is (as 25CalNut told us) that they were sold at VERY reasonable prices in the States, before this led to the import stop. So,,, it is still possible to find them in the States, brand new for maybe 5-600$ (not sure of the exact price, but certainly less than 1K$). That is a lot cheaper than what we can get them for here in Switzerland, and knowing Scandinavia, it would probably a lot cheaper than in Sweden as well...

So, would this difference in price make it worth the hassle of doing the export/import?? If yes, search some of the other forums for the name of this rifle, not long ago somebody posted a link to a dealer who had a few for sale at the old US prices.

Just a thought.

- mike

Johann, the reference in the earlier thread may have been to this site Auction Arms , search for "Sigarms SRH" (transposed letters mandatory... SRH, not SHR!). There are still a few available. Price is right, although this is an auction, so who knows what they might end up at? Auction closes soon, so if you are interested...
- mike

[ 09-11-2003, 14:24: Message edited by: mho ]

Here are a couple more sites that have SHR970s for sale. Some of these rifles are used, and some new.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/fast.cgi?guncat=2385

http://www.valorcorp.com/products/product.asp?item=1220110

Here is another site that shows the SHR and the SHR Match rifles and gives info on them. Can't tell, but they may sell them as well. But since I can't read the language it is in, I am not sure what the page says. Looks like Swedish to me, but then again, I could be wrong(happens from time to time)!
http://www.landro.no/SHR970.htm

Thanks for the replies on this topic. If any of you decide to get one, you will not be disappointed.

Good Hunting and Shooting!

mho

the price in Sweden is aboutn 1000-1400� depending on model and gun shop.

It's to much paper work to buy anything from USA. The Amrrican statedepartment seems to think that all terrorists are getting their guns in a legall way and that behind every name there is a mustaffa or muhammed hideing. I hate to deal with them...Their regulations is nothing than a infringement on the shooting community.

What is the Price in Coco clock land?

/ JOHAN

Johan, is the price you listed for Sweden in Euro's? If so, wow! $1100 to $1500 US, that is up there. I picked mine up for $420.00, taxes and everything. SIGARMS in the US was selling, (back in August of this year they were), barrels and magazines for the rifle. For a new barrel they were charging $395.00.

How much of that 1000-1400 Euros goes to taxes? Just curious.

I have heard that if the rifles are ever imported back into the US they will be in the $1000 price range. Still it would be worth the money at that price.

I just received an email from one of the European sales reps for Swiss Arms. He said that there are no American companies that are currently interested in importing the rifle. There is a Canadian firm that is a rep for Swiss Arms. Here is their address: http://www.theshootingedge.com/tse/firearms/swissarms.html

I also asked him when the Swiss Arms web page will be back up and running. He stated that it will be 6 to 8 weeks before it is finished.

Just thought I would pass this information along to all of you.

Here is a pic of my SHR970 in 25-06.



And here is a pic of what I used to shoot..., not at wildlife though!

The new owners of Blaser (which in the meantime absorbed Sauer, Sig, Mauser)seem to have given the kiss of death to the SHR 970. This rifle, in fact a crossbreed between the Blaser R93 and the Sauer 202, was introduced at a very low price and aimed at the U.S market where the parent rifles were too expensive to fetch a significant market share. In Europe, the SHR 970 was looked upon as being too "bottom of the line" and didn't sell (for just the opposite reason) while, OTOH, rising the U.S. price to a profit making level would take it into the near "custom" category. A regrettable situation for the rifle was really well made and carried along many qualities of its "genitors". We could conclude by saying that this is another proof -albeit looked at from the opposite end- that one generally gets what he pays for

Here is the "skinny" from a US distributor: The rifle was originally built under military contract as a training rifle. I believe he said it was the Swiss Army. This contract underwrote production and allowed the rifle to be offered in the US and elsewhere at very attractive prices. They no longer have that contract and rifle production is supported by retail sales alone. I was told that although not listed in the US catalog, it can still be special ordered from Sig but costs in the $1200 to $1400 USD range. Hope this helps.

I handled a 970 the other day. It was fiberglass stocked. It was $450 american. I was less than impressed. It did say "made in switzerland" on the barrel. Probably not a bad rifle at all, but I don't buy cheap rifles any more. The largest calibre it came in was the 300 winchester magnum.

By the way, this was at a gun shop that is also a large distributor. I'd rather spend the 1200 dollars and get a real sig sauer, the 202. That is a fine factory rifle.