Home Forums Hunting & Shooting The Lefty Forum Steyr Mannlicher Model M Left Hand 30 06

I just picked up a Steyr Mannlicher Model M in 30 06 and left hand. It came with a 6x fixed power Zeiss Diatal, West Germany made scope.

I have always admired these, but always out of my price range, until today.

First impressions are an ultra smooth action, the set trigger is exactly the way it is supposed to be, but will take time for me to get used to such a light pull.

The rifle handles well, really well.

If you find a deal on a Model M in left hand, it is worth consideration.

I have one as well that I bought 10–12 years ago. I’ve felt for a long time these rifles were “undervalued” in the US market. They are accurate, attractive, and extremely well made. I’m sure you will enjoy yours!

Congrats! Don't see too many come up for sale. I have one in 6.5x55 I bought 30-some years ago. Had the choice of single or double set triggers, I chose a single to give more room for a gloved finger. Very accurate with Norma factory loads but I could not go past starting loads with reloads or the bolt lift would become stiff.

OMG, that full stock model is gorgeous!

Wow!!

The 6.5x55s are the “Holy Grail” of that model. I foolishly passed on one years ago, then settled for an ‘06.

Good job! I have been dreaming of one for years. Nice that it’s a 30-06 too. I don’t see many Steyrs where I’m from. One guy here has a Zephyr rimfire that’s awesome, among his other awesome guns. He is one of those that tends to buy high quality. I dream of them making a run of lefty’s in that model someday.

Yeh, but they have 2 faults. 1. Weak plastic trigger guard/magazine well and fragile plastic magazine. 2. The rear locking bolt doesn't handle the very high breech pressure over about 62000 psi... cases stretch too much as a consequence.

I do not load high pressure but rather for accuracy so I doubt that known flaw will be a problem for me.

The plastic trigger guard, on an otherwise very well built rifle, is disappointing. I am not seeing the magazine, for hunting, as being too fragile for its designed usage.

The only flaw on my rifle is cracks in the plastic trigger guard assembly at the front screw. It is beyond my capability to understand how they could put that on this rifle.

Do they make an aftermarket piece out of steel or aluminum to replace the POS?

**apparently I have reading comprehension issues - I just realized this is the LH forum. My post below was about RH versions. Sorry**


As mentioned the bottom metal is where they dropped the ball. Pretty much everyone you see will be cracked at the screws. I rebuilt (new barrel, new stock, new bottom metal) a professional for a friend last year. Wildcat composites makes a copy of the professional stock in fibreglass/carbon fiber which was a huge upgrade from the brittle plastic of the original, both stiffer and lighter. My buddy tracked down and ordered an aluminum bottom metal from a gunsmith in Austria who casts them, and while it did end up working, it was a huge pain in the ass.

There is a gentleman in the UK who has absolutely beautiful cnc machined bottom metals for the L, and I was actually trying to talk him into producing them for the M - which he was open to at the time, but unfortunately lack of interest in his L length turned him off.

No they don't make an after-market one. Mine cracked as well when torqueing up the action screws. I got a custom-made steel one made...much better, but lots heavier. And also be careful not to get excess rifle solvent on either the trigger guard/well or magazine.

Can you tell me where you got yours made and post pictures of yours? This sounds like a solution.

Mine is in my rifle and I'm not pulling it apart to take photos as I then have to resight it at the range. It looks exactly the same as the plastic one except for the strengthening struts, which it doesn't need because it is made of steel. It's CeraKoted in a graphite black which matches the parkerized finish (mine is a Professional). It weighs exactly 8.1 oz (after cutting out an oval shaped hole in the side wall to lighten it) which is 6.2 oz more than the plastic one (1.9 oz), which is something you would need to consider. Aluminium would be better because of the weight penalty with steel. I paid approx. $800 20 years ago for it to be made (there's a lot of work involved) and the gunsmith who made it has moved onto other specialist work on custom guns, and doesn't do that sort of work anymore -he is in the USA but not near Texas and wouldn't appreciate me giving his details out. The whole rifle needed to be given to the gunsmith as it is a one-off custom made and fitted job. Accuracy improved significantly because I can tighten the action screws up to the desired torque and the stock is pillar bedded. However, the weight brings the rifle and scope to just over 8 1/2 pounds which is one pound more than I want for a medium caliber and it's still got the fragile plastic mag.

Thank you for this information. It appears you have done what should have been done at the factory at inception. Job well done and congratulations for upgrading successfully.
I'll look around and see if I can find someone to make one for me.

The Austrian guy selling cast aluminum ones may make a LH version if you are desperate. But the one I used was not a simple drop in mod. It’s a casting, and still needs some finessing to make everything fit as it should. The other problem is he doesn’t speak English, and wanted payment sent (not electronically).

You can get new OEM guards here, and snooping around on the 'net I came across an aluminium unit that accepts AIC magazines here.
Would kinda ruin the aesthetics of the rifle though.

I speak German. Can you send me this persons information?

The thing with many of these European rifle manufacturers is that some of the characteristics are exceptional (like the barrel quality and accuracy on the Steyr and the overall finish) and then they spoil the complete package by doing something really dumb. And it's not just Steyr. I really would like to also get a steel magazine made, but besides the cost, it would add perhaps 4 oz and bring the all-up weight including scope, getting close to 9 lbs...which is ridiculous. The stock weighs approx. 36 oz on mine and because it is much wider adjacent the magazine due to the wide rotary magazine, I can't get a McMillan carbon fibre (such as their Sako Hunter stock) or other brand that is wide enough and then have it inletted for the Steyr action. But the Steyr is a very good rifle...except for the plastic trigger guard/well and plastic magazine. Note: plastics have improved since 35 years ago.

I will ask my buddy for the contact info. I believe these are his units, but remember they are cast not machined. https://shop.miedler-waffen.at/Steyr-Mannlicher

The guy named Dr.Strangelove on the UKVarminting forum designed and cnc machined some for the L size and his are in a different league. As I mentioned he wasn’t very keen on making variations due to lack of demand, but I bet if there was half a dozen or more guys looking for something he would likely make them.

Thank you very much for this. It looks like a viable solution.

Big J, what's the quality like with the Wildcat Composite stocks? Do they inlet the stocks and there is only minor finishing? - it's not clear on their website. When I searched a few years ago, I couldn't find anyone that made a suitable stock.

Quality is excellent, however unless you live here in Canada, they are only available as blanks. Their stocks are extremely stiff and quite light. Unlike some other companies he uses carbonfiber in the forend as standard practise with no price mark up. He also offers most if not all his stocks in two different weights, ultralight or standard. It’s also important to know the inletting is cast in, not machined.

If you order a plain blank, you will need to sand and fill the mold seam lines, drill and tap the two marked aluminum blocks to accept sling studs, glue on your recoil pad, pillar bed, glass bed, and paint the stock. There also may be other minor work needed, but if you’re at all handy they aren’t hard to finish.

I believe he is also willing to fill and sand, install studs and he keeps decelerators without the steel inserts instock which he can install at additional cost.


If we are specifically talking about his Steyr model, it is a dimensional copy of the professionals stock.

Thanks for that information.

BJ, thank you for pointing us to http://www.wildcatcomposites.com/steyr.html#features10-1w
These ring the bell for me.

I can't find anything that says he does not ship fully inletted stocks to the USA. If that is the case, I have a friend in Edmonton. Can he buy the stock and ship it to me legally or is there some law about finished rifle stocks not being legal to ship the the USA from Canada?

It’s not a case of not being willing to send them, it’s a matter of the USA import restrictions. He sold many to the states until the USA made some sort of change where he no longer was allowed. Things may have changed by now, I’m not sure.
Stuart is a friendly guy, a phone call would clear it up.


I should also clarify, all his stocks are inletted, but need minor fitting and finishing. If you are Canadian, you can send him your rifle and he is willing to fit and finish the stock.

Anything firearm related going between US and Canada has to be declared and getting it through is a big hassle.

Quick update, I am 100% surprised, but this is the most accurate rifle I own now. I shot with my go to handloads that I use for other rifles, 1/2" groups with 56 grains of IMR 4350 and Hornady 180 grain RNs. I literally shot it as received, did not touch anything, and fired a group at 100 yards. I could not see holes with the 6x fixed power Zeiss that was on it at 100 yards, but when I went of the the target the group was tightly centered in the x ring. I fired another group, same thing. Opening day shot the biggest 12 point buck I have ever seen in our county. I am pretty sure this will be my go to rifle the rest of my life. I have since put a 3 x 12 S&B on it and with the excellent dimming illumination on it, I love it even more. This bolt is much, much smoother and handles much better than my left handed Mausers.

I love everything about this rifle except the magazine and the POS plastic floorplate. What were they thinking?

Had this rifle in right hand 308win. Even though I'm a left this rifle actually fit me so well and was so smooth I could actually operate right handed without it feeling too awkward.

Your spot on about the material around the trigger guard and magazines. The plastic on these is really quite awful. A great shooting and handling rifle with some awful materials. It's almost there but has a few knocks holding it back.

While they are accurate and smooth I would still always have an Mauser 98 type design for more durability.

100% agreed on Mauser reliability. If I could have only one bolt rifle, it would be my custom left handed Mauser.

Saw one of those sell a couple of days ago. I rarely see the stutzen style rifles with a left-handed bolt so it's always notable when one appears.