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All that has been said about European hunters is true but they are exceptions, I for instance. As a former competition shooter, I came to hunting via guns, 36 years ago. Except for factory ammo I receive free for testing purposes (I'm a free lance gun writer), I never buy ammo and handload for all my shooting needs, be it target or hunting (BTW, I don't remember one instance where I was not able to improve precision by handloading). All my rifles average below MOA, including 9,3's and double rifle (i'ts not really necessary for hunting, I know it's all in the head but it instils supreme confidence). I visit the shooting range twice a week and fire around 2000 rifle rounds/year of assorted calibers.

To bucktale

Too bad you had such an old scope, no good for dusk and down. The Savage 99 are rarer than Winchester and Marlin in our piece of woods but i know some that went hunting season long in France. Mostly in 300Savage and 358Winch. I've got one in Quebec when living there in 300 (old one with magazine loading control hole in the receiver)
I have a Brno single shot in 22HP Savage, the time i bought it cost me nothing, so with a little work, it has a not so bad trigger now and a small S&B fixed 4power on it. With RWS bullets and a good handload it's an honest roe deer caliber if you stay inside 100 to 120meters. I use it sometime went i'm tired of my K1Merkel in 7x65R or my custom winch 70 in 270. Would have any fear to use it for a small hog in the 50kg range to the same distances. I found the RWS bullets better than the Hornady but they are not made today so i try to save them. Norma is always producing this caliber and they are OK.

For Andr�,

For sure you can improve a little bit on precision but for hunting purposes, as you said, it's only in the head.
I also shoot two times a week for business and pleasure with between 4500 to 6000 cartridges depend the year. Normally i reload for target shooting but at the end of the month i have a friendly shooting competition with military and civil friends (400 and 600m on 200m targets)no time, no envy to reload, i will use Remington match loading in 300WM in my Steyr SSG04.I know it will be up to the task if i do my best and don't cost too much.

Hello Marseille,

As told by grand_veneur in the Hunting Rifle section, I ask you about Gastinne-Renette:
�Did Gastinne-Renette still exist at Paris? I have a beautiful 12 ga side by side shotgun from them, made for my Greatgrandfather (a Frenchman) more than 100 years ago. Still in his original blue and in perfect working order...!!! The only marks in the barrels are : Gastinne-Renette A Paris, on top, and under the chambers : the nominal bore, 18,4 and Leopold Bernard -Cannonier a Paris.
I want to know more about this shotgun.
Thank you and Best Regards,

PH

Marseille,

I quote you below



Can you identify the SteyrM please?

http://www.steyrarms.com/products/hunting-rifles/ I am not at alll sure that this is the correct website for your Steyr rifle.

Hi PatagonialHunter,

No, it's a pity, but the Gastine-Renette gunsmith is out of business and the fantastic and beautifull shop, known by all the wealthy people, Kings and Queens of the 19 and 20th century was sold in 2002 to the french hair dresser group Jacques Dessange.
But for sure your shotgun is pricey piece of gunsmithing. Is it boxlock or side locks?

Dominique

Hi Savage 99,

The SteyrM was the one made on the rear locking lugs action (the same as the sniper rifle SSG69). The production stopped in 1996 when Steyr introduced the SBS 96 bolt, with front lugs that lock in a barrel bushing. The change was not a good idea, (in Europe and France for sure) cause the sales of the SBS never caught on that of the former model. These rifles had the typical Steyr removable rotary magazine made in synthetic material, they were thin, light, fast to the shoulder with a short bolt travel and short action (compare to SBS) and with an fantastic accuracy.
To be honnest the SBS is as accurate as the former model (i have both) and extremely resistant to over pressure and wear. But as a former salesman for the french distributor i always have a preference for the old one (not to be confused with Sch�nauer or M72). At the moment the sniper version SSG69 is always available in Europe.

Marseille,

Thank you so much for the detailed response on the SteyrM. Could you show a picture of one?

Thanks again

Reloading is pretty popular with British shooters, whether they are target target shooters or stalkers/hunters..

With target shooting, 50 cal/1000m shooting is getting more and more popular, although its been hampered by the shortage of 1000m ranges open to civvies..

The other thing thats getting more and more common is the use of sound moderators on centrefire rifle...They've always been nearly universal on .22LR rifles, but these days it seems you see more rifles of all types with them than without..

A 'silencer' on a rifle makes so much sense yet they are ignored for the most part in the USA. Heck I jump when the guy with the land behind our house shoots.

I have little experience with silencers or sound moderators as you call them. A few years ago a retired cop was at our club range shooting a .308 that he had bought from some department. It was amazing how little noise that powerful round made. He was going to use it for hunting a little north of me where I am in Connecticut.

I never saw him again at the range. Too bad as one would be cool.

They really do work well...These days, there are lots of models to choose from, with some being as slim as 32mm o/s diameter..

Mine is of the "old style" and is quite bulky although in the pic it also has a neoprene cover on it as well....It is a modular design so I can buy conversions to use it on different calibers if I so wish..Plus I can add or remove baffles to make it shorter or longer, depending on the application.



The other advantage of them is that they reduce the recoil to virtually nothing, in fact its unusual not to see the bullet strike with it fitted..

I'm not 100% sold on this particular model and I'm considering getting a slimmer less bulky one, but I beleive the noise reduction is not so effective..

Regards,

Peter

Thank you Dominique,

It is a sidelock. It was made well before 1910. But, apart of their 65 mm chamber, it is a truly modern shotgun: Steel barrels (as I told signed by Leopold Bernard), ejectors and a perfect pull of the triggers. It was used, a lot, by my Greatgrandfather, my Grandfather, an uncle and me. I send, a few years ago, to one of the best gunsmith for shotguns in Argentina, for adjust its slight loosness and open the choques to a 1/4 and 3/4 (from 3/4 and full original choques). But apart from it, it has its original blueing and all.
I have had also a Mannlicher-Shoenauer GK with a latteral base and rotary scope mount with the Gastinne-Renette brand on it. It is one of the best scope mount I have had. It is sad to know this firm doesn�t exist anymore.
Best Regards,

PH

Steyr M Luxus fullstock in boat cabin - sort of dark.


Steyr M Luxus rifle with Warne QD rings, oil finish.

Pete E,

I am so glad that you brought up this topic of 'silencers'. Here in CT in particular we have a good supply of deer and other varmints as well and even though the state is small and heavily populated there are places to hunt.

In fact the state law reads that if the private land where we have permission has ten or more acres then a rifle can be used. Frequently this land is near other houses. A silencer would be wonderful.

I intend to pursue this tomorrow on my gun shop trip.

Here is a picture of deer in CT in season. There are houses up to the left in those woods and in fact I am in the barnyard of a farm. The distance to the deer is about 250 yards. The white stuff is snow.

Looks like a job for a .300 Whisper with a Griffin suppressor.

A stop at the local class 3 dealer told me that they want to sell me a silencer and have 'some' experiance at it. Others told stories of poor work done through them on the installation.

They said $700 to $900 for one complete silencer and then $200 for the permit. Its not clear that one can be done for the .243? The clerk said one for a .308 would work on a .243 also?

I will stop at another store next week and ask more. So much to do now that spring is really here. Got to get the boat in the water and I don't even have the mooring in!

Savage 99,

A new centrefire mod here will set you back between $275 and about $500 depending on the type. Add another say $100 to have the muzzle threaded and the rifle reproofed...

Theres very little to be done as far as fitting...The muzzle needs threading and possibly the barrel cutting down and recrowning...Not all moderators are threaded the same though so its important to find somebody who knows what they are doing..1/2" UNF is a fairly common thread here but some feel something a bit beefier is better...I would recommend a mod that sleeves back over the barrel as they have a second bushing that takes some of the strain of the front threads..

Regards,

Peter

Hi Savage, Hi Pete,

In France we can't use silencers to hunt but they are free to buy and use on shooting range. We have some good models made in France but we also use Finn BR Tuote, English LEI or Swiss Brugger 1 Thomett. I own a 30-221Whisper (sorry 30-221 not to worry JDJ) made on CZ 527 small action, with Sierra 220 and 240 matchking and french ball powder SP3 (about H110/296 burning rate) i get an air rifle noise and not a powerful one...
For Savage i send an Steyr M picture. This one is in 7x64Brenneke caliber, about the 280 power but developped in 1917. With his new S&B 1,5-6 scope this rifle is less than MOA performer with RWS Evo or H-Mantel or KS from zero to 300m, max hunting distance allowed in France shot on Millet plastic rest.

Sorry picture so small got prob with photo bucket...

Here silencers are considered as forbidden gear. Not only using one, but owning one, even without owning any rifle with a muzzle tread, could lead you to jail or at least cost you your hunting licence and your right to own guns.

Marseille, nice rifle you have. I do not like so much the plastic parts one those Steyr, especially the magazine well and its screw but all steel luxus models are just so fine.

I've read some complaints about the security of the double set trigger they have.

Hi Grand veneur,

How are you? How the weather in Belgium?
About the stetcher (german model two triggers) i ain't got any problem with them on the Steyr M or Luxus but got one with an old Sch�nauer i had. With such trigger you must not play with the set trigger weight and stay to factory settings, light enough for precise work without being dangerous.
Regards
Dom

Hi Marseille, fine Thanks, unlike the weather ... black clouds, hard rain ... so usual, so typical

And you ?



Former owners of Mannlicher M were claiming about the fact their rifles fired when the set trigger was touched from behind. It seems that the particularity was explained in the owner's manual.