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.