Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Steyr mannlicher Model M question

I have had several Steyr Model M Professionals and MIII Professionals and they have all been matte blue finish or parkerized. I am in the process of buying a .270 MIII in matte stainless. When did they make a stainless version?

Pacecars,

I don't think that Steyr ever made rifles in stainless. By the pic that you posted, I don't believe that is SS... It's hard to say without having rifle in hand... But I'm betting that some previous owner had that rifle coated with Metalife SS. It looks similar to SS, but when compared side-x-side, you will see that the finish is smoother and not as porous as stainless, Also, when compared SxS, you'll notice that stainless is more silver colored and the Metalife SS has a greyer cast to it... It's really hard to tell the difference unless you have both in hand... but easy enough if you have both side by side...

Actually, Metalife SS looks much like French Grey , if you know what that is... Hope this helps...
GH

Steyr has/had made a stainless version of their pro hunter for years.... Not sure if they made the M in that material

I will find out when it arrives. Either way the price was right. I would assume the interior of the bore would not be coated if it was Metalife? Of course if it is not stainless that means Iam not losing my mind since I could not find any info anywhere on it. Might have to knock off a few more dollars off the price too even though it is still a very very good price. Thanks for the info.

Here are a few more pics. I wonder if the rings were done at the same time since they seem to match closely?

Interesting pic of the GSI stamp... I've never seen one with T'ville... All I've ever seen is Trussville, Al...

I suppose that Gun South, Inc. could have had them done. But I've never seen a reference to it... Back in that day, I had an FFL and always had it on file with Gun South, mostly becasue I was interested in in European rifles and they were a major importer.

I've had a keen interest in the M-III Professional ever since acquiring one in 6.5x57 some years ago. But in all honesty, I've never seen only about a dozen. All in .270 and '06 with the exception of the 6.5 that I own. I think I may have seen one in 7x64 once. If I did, I can't imagine why I didn't buy it. But like most everyone else, my pockets aren't always overflowing every time I find an interesting rifle...

GH

Speaking of interesting ones I should have bought, I ran across a M-III in .25-06 several years ago but waited about 1 hour too long and it sold. I have not seen one since.

One of the .270s that I had did have the same abbreviated stamp

Speaking of interesting rifles... I picked up a Carl Gustaf Deluxe (1970's production) in .25-06 recently. I never knew they were made in .25-06, and it's the only Deluxe that I've ever even seen... Don't know what I'm going to do with it... Too darn pretty to hunt with...

GH

...have a Mk3 Professional in 30.06 with the T'ville stamp and a Professional w/ iron sights in 7x57 Mauser that has Trussv.

Still have a brouchure with the Professional pictured along with the wood guns - no mention of a stainless version. Both mine are parkerized with the Mk3 equipped with a blackened bolt and the Professional a chrome bolt like the wood guns.

When I bought the 30.06, Steyr was selling down the Mk3's, a friend bought a .270 and there was a 25.06 on the rack. Both shoot great, the 30.06 puts 150g to 220g all in 3" at 100 yds.

Seems like a neat buy - no one seems to want to mess with metal or stock finish on Steyr's - might consider one of the many stock paints now on the market. Tell us how it shoots!

I was thinking that a spiderweb paint job may be in order. I did buy a Model M professional that the stock was broken in half at the back of the mag well for a couple of hundred bucks a few years ago. I found that no one makes a replacement stock unless you want to have a wood stock custom made. I was considering having this one Cerakoted but if it is already an after market finish (which I believe Grasshopper is probably right) I will probably leave that part alone and just have the stock done.

Hi,

I've worked three years as salesman for the french distributor of Steyr, in 2000-03. I used and owned lots of M before and always have but i never met a Steyr like that even in their catalogs and we were in close contact with them because of the military products we presented to some services. Steyr was able to make some special batches for importers as, for exemple, the SSG69 in 7-08 for the french market because of our dumb laws. To have it made they requested a minimum of 50 (fifty) rifles. They sold well so they made more for us.
Maybe that one you own was made for GSI with a special coating during the last years it was produced or may be it received the treatment grasshopper speak of. Better ask to GSI if it's always in service. The real stainless model was introduced with the SBS96 receiver and is not too old a product.

Marseille, thanks for the response. I was going to post in the European section since I figured someone their would have more experience with the Steyrs. I will call GSI Tuesday and see what they can tell me. Either way I like the look of this M-III. I can't quite warm up to the looks of the new SBS rifles but I hear good things about them. I know the M Professional is a homely rifle to most people but to me it is the perfect working gun and that stock fits me better than any I have ever tried. I hope I am smart enough to hang on to this one. I need to pick up an extra mag or two also.

I saw a version one time that was similar to an SSG with the longer receiver but it had a laminated stock and was in .243 and it was called a hunter version or something similar. Have you ever had experience with one of these?

pacecars,

Are you in need of a factory stock for a Model M? I just happen to know where there is one...

Not at the moment but what do you have? I could always change my mind. I sold the one I had with the broken stock after searching to no avail.

I have a black cycolac stock extra. My M-III Prof. has the green stock.

GH

I have had the brown, green and black and the green is my favorite. Have you ever bedded one of these stocks? Every one I have had shot exceptionally so I never tried it but I am curious.

Ronnie, my green stock Professional M in .270 has Trussv. AL stamped on it.
I am suprised at there being any stainless M's of any flavor.
Looks like you might have found something VERY special!

I reorganized my photobucket albums and thepics disappeared above so here they are: