I won! New (used) rifle questions...

[Smokey Joe]

Lightning struck! I won a used Steyr sniper rifle, apparently an SSG-PII (it has the set trigger) in a raffle @ a local gun show. Picked it up last night (boy is it a heavy gun!) and now am trying to learn all I can about it.

It's something of an odd beastie, at least by American standards, at least IMX. Rotary 5-round magazine, double set trigger, light plastic stock on an otherwise heavy rifle, lever-removable 'scope mounts, rear-locking bolt.

It came with a 'scope marked "Swarovski." I guess that's a plus. Unusual reticle, though. Not the stock 'scope according to the manual.

It's an ordinary .308 Win for ammo, so no difficulty there. Still need some SMK's--I presume 168 grainers. @ the show, got military cases, Varget, and a Lee Collet neck-sizing die. (Already have RCBS FL and bullet seating dies. Will be ordering some worthy Lapua or Norma cases.)

Now, here's where I need the help: Somewhere in my downloaded reading matter on the rifle, there was a vague suggestion (threat?) that if I used a cleaning rod wrongly, I'd pop some bushing out of the barrel, which would have to be replaced by an official Steyr gunsmith. The owners' manual mostly wants the bbl cleaned using a drop-weight and a brush or cleaner on a string but at one point does refer to using a cleaning rod "of the correct size."

So, what's the deal? Must I use a drop-weight and string for cleaning? Will I pop a bushing out of the bbl with a cleaning rod? It's hard to believe something in a gun bbl would be so fragile.

Comments? Suggestions? The Steyr website does have a generic manual for the SSG's which does not even mention the double set trigger. It has the same pages and pages of dire warnings with which American manuals come; not much on the actual care & feeding of the beastie.

Any experienced SSG-PII owner/operators out there?

 

[jpwilly]

First congrats!!! Must be nice to win never happens to me.

Secondly, WHERE'S the PICTURES = 1700+ posts...you should know better!

 

[bobotech]

Congrats!!

 

[rangerruck]

wow, a swarvi scope, that glass is proly as much as the rifle, good get!!!!
not sure of bushing, but you could buy yourself 3 or 4 boresnakes, one to regularly dunk in your cleaner fluid, one for oil and such , and another one, or two for the swabbing out/drying purposes; keep these the cleanest. when they get dirty, throw them inside a sock, and then into the washing machine.
just spank the others off on the top of a bench or somehting, to keep the big chunks and crud off, so you don't send it back through your bbl.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Thx so far for comments...

Ranger Ruck--The use of a boresnake had occurred to me. Mebbe I'll go that route until I learn about this bore-bushing business.

While I'm at it, how do you remove the bolt?? Believe it or not, the generic SSG manual doesn't cover that! So far, removing the bolt has been a Chinese puzzle. Everything else seems to be pretty straightforward.

Have never shot a set-trigger rifle; was hoping to today but no. Now it'll have to wait 'til Mon. Dry-firing shows that the set trigger is very light.

Did get hold of 100 Nosler Custom cartridge cases, and I have a box of Nosler 168 grain Custom Competition bullets, so I'm set for the moment for loading.

Will publish a range report when, as, and if. JP Willy, I WILL include pix. I "never" win raffles, either; just consider the price of the ticket a contribution to whatever good cause is raffling. I almost hung up on the guy that called me to tell me I'd won, as being some sort of sales pitch. But he was very nice about it, and they treated me nicely when I picked up the gun, too.

 

[jpwilly]

He he, I was just harrassing you!

I don't know a thing about that rifle but I'm assuming there's not a bushing in there that can be damaged by your standard bronze brush or pushing patches through it. For goodness sake is shoots bullets down the same bore that's not exactly a delicate thing. But if you're worried about it a couple of bore snakes and your in business as well. Get some foaming copper remover for good measure.

 

[juk]

We need pics! Sounds like that raffle ticket paid for itself!

 

[C-grunt]

WOW. Thats a hell of a win there. I remember a guy on my local board selling a Steyr "sniper" model a while back. Not sure if it is the same model but it had the rotary mag and was going for a pretty penny. Plus that Swarovski scope is surely some knock off el cheapo brand

 

[DRYHUMOR]

Smokey Joe, good on ya. That's a nice rifle to have won.

My book doesn't say anything about about a bushing. The cleaning method described is with a "boresnake" type cleaner. It is most similar to an HK 91 cleaning kit. I use a regular rod.

To remove the bolt, fully depress the front trigger, that will release the bolt.

You didn't say what tube size your scope was, if it's a 26mm or a 1" and you want to go to 30mm look here:

http://www.talleyrings.com/rimfire.php

The rings fit right to the dovetail. They are very solid and robust.

If you fully remove the scope with the levers, it should return very close to zero. Your rings may be serialized to the rifle, if they are, always keep them with the rifle.

The magazines are hard to find at good prices. Look for them, and buy them when you see them. A good price for 5 rd mags is anywhere from $50.00 to $75.00, above that, it's up to you. If you can find a 10 rd for less than $150.00 buy it, they go typically over $200.00.

If you pick one or two mags, try to use one most of the time. They will crack on occasion on the clear side, it doesn't inhibit function, and super glue will take care of it.

Barrel is a 1 in 12 twist.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

Pictures or it didn't happen....

 

[Smokey Joe]

Thx so far for comments...

OH Gun Guy--Pix after range testing. Promise.

Dry Humor--Thanx! Bolt slides right out using yr method. I'd been trying to depress both triggers at once, and other fancy tricks. Simplicity succeeds once again!

'Scope is a 1.00"-er. It's at least as clear as my upper-end Leupolds, or my Bushnell 4200 Elites--I don't see swapping it out any time in the near future. All it says on it is: "Swarovski Optik/ Z F M/ 10x42/ Made in Austria."

As to extra mags, YEEKS!

If you can find a 10 rd for less than $150.00 buy it, they go typically over $200.00.

I guess a Steyr-Daimler-Puch rifle is the same way for spare parts that a Daimler-Benz auto is: Price-eee!

Rings don't appear to be serialized, but they'll stay with the rifle regardless--They're like Ruger rings in that regard; they won't fit anything else!

One final thing I like about this rifle is its understatement--it does NOT have a whole durn paragraph on the bbl about safety and manuals. The stamping is limited to the serial #, proof marks, ".308 Win.," the maker's name and the model, the importer's stamp, and "Made in Austria." Even the famous hammer marks on the bbl are understated, though they're clearly there.

Well, Happy Fathers' Day to all Dads everywhere. Shoot well, and encourage your kids to enjoy it, too.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

Smokey Joe,

if that scope is a bottom post scope, with a horizontal crosshair, it's actually pretty easy to use once you get used to it.

Mine has no commercial markings on it, other than ZFM 6 X 42 Z, and a serial number. 26mm tube.

It's user friendly though, metric adjustments.

 

[Badger Arms]

Dis tread iz useles withot pichers.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Range report...disappointed...

Took the Steyr out to the range, finally. Had a good practice session w/the .22 rifle @ 50 yd, then headed over to the "big range." Set up the Steyr with my benchrest rests, and tried shooting @ 100 yd.

Lo & behold the blankety-blank thing was hitting about 18" high!! OK, well, it's set up for long-range I guess. And the vertical adjustment was bottomed. So set up a target @ 200 yd (as far as my club has a range.) Well, @ 200 yd it was 3 feet high. Allright, this is crazy. But I want a shot group, anyhow, so set up a target @ 200 for a POA, and another target 3' up, for a POI. That worked as far as getting a group was concerned.

But, what a group!! Ugh! Used Fiocchi match ammo for 10 shots. Well, mebbe it just doesn't like Fiocchi. So I tried Federal Gold Medal Match. Only 5 shots were enough to show that it wasn't so good with that, either.

A "sniper rifle" that won't group with Fed GMM. Really.

Just to see if I was having an off day, I got out my .243 target rifle--Nope, 4/5 really good, and I pulled one. That's @ 200 too. (Yeah, this swimming coach can swim, this drama critic can act.) Anyhow, I think I'm qualified to say that if that Steyr is what Austrian police use for a sniper rifle, they've got problems.

Bottom line: I really did like the double set trigger on the Steyr. And it is heavy enough to pretty much blank out a .308's recoil. And the stock fits me well enough. The Swaro 'scope is clear as a bell, and focusses easily for 100 or 200 yd. I can live with the unusual post-and-crosshair. BUT: I've got a lot of work to do if I'm going to use this as a target rifle. First, the 'scope will have to be front-shimmed to get the POI down to the POA (if that's even possible!) and then I'll have to find a load the rifle likes enough to stay well inside 1 MOA.

Photos: Rifle, one side. Rifle, t'other side. Group with Fiocchi Match ammo. Group with Fed GM Match ammo. Group shot with my Ruger 243.

ETA--There is a load indicated for the Ruger. I am NOT recommending this load for any other use. Always use a published loading manual.

 

[juk]

Slick rifle. It may be that the rifle just doesn't like 168s. I would try bullets in the 150-155 range. Kinda weird how the scope is like that. Could it be that the rings are reversed?

 

[interlock]

great rifle

........don't wreck it. don't bore snake it. You can damage the all important crown by using a snake.

get a rod, a jag, a phosphor bronze brush and some good solvent. i use tetra or forrest bore foam.

First off liberally soak a patch in solvent run it through and leave it overnight. then brush it (if really dirty) or swab it throught. then clean as per makers instructions.
you will also need a chamber guide (or a pice of plastic tubes that fits.) it is a great rifle and a great scope. if it is in good barrell shape it will be an ultra tack driver.

interlock

 

[DRYHUMOR]

SmokeyJoe, at least it groups, that's a good thing.

When I first got mine years ago, I zeroed at 25 yds and got a 9/16 inch group, went to 300 yds and it went to 2 inches. This was with Hornady 168 gr match. I've since removed the original scope, there's a Mk4 on it now.

I would recommend pulling the barreled action out of the stock and doing a little inspection to see if all's well. Check the barrel, etc. Make sure there are no tight spots, contact points. Then pull off the scope and disassemble the rings.

Mic the scope tube and confirm it's a 1 inch, mic the rings and confirm they are 1 inch. Put it all back together with consistent screw tension and try again.

As far as I know Steyr didn't offer rings with MOA built into them for long range, they should be the same height off of the reciever, and one of them should have an additional block going accross the lower portion to orient/ID it as the front ring.

It's got to be a simple problem, but it may be hard to find. If you don't get better results, I'd try that scope on another rifle, to verify the scope.

Pic below is a set of Talley rings, 30mm. They are a lot cheaper than the Steyr 30mm rings and prob more robust.

 

[rangerruck]

I agree; turn the rings 180degrees, and then switch positions. Also a lighter ammo, and yes , the german style triangle post and crosshair, is more of a fast acquisition/put 'em down hard kinda thing- you will have to work, and work, to get really group happy with it. you will need to learn exactly where the tip of the verticle post, is going to exactly put your bullets; centering between the horizontal reticles, will be up to you.

 

[panrobercik]

At least you know why the rifle was raffled ... I would look at the crown and than just try some reloads . Barrel floating , loose/ overtightened screws... there's got to be way to make it shoot....

 

[DRYHUMOR]

If the stress starts to get to you, on trying to make it shoot, I'd be happy to discuss taking it off your hands.

I'd hate for a free rifle to ruin your mellow.

 

[gunnie]

whence removed, check underside of the rings for dings. check "claws" for damage also. assure that when the handles are fully engaged, there is no movement possible between ring and reciever.

PII's love 168gr SMK fed gold match, not the ammo at fault here.

i know you are not wanting to go higher, but just for grins, sandbag it and with bolt removed, center the bore on an easily seen target up close. verify the reticle actually moves when adjusted.

ZFM's are quality glass, as noted above the post is designed more for speed than target type use.

DO NOT leave solvent in the bore overnight that contains amonia, same will attack the chrome lining in the bore.

gunnie

 

[Smokey Joe]

Thankyou, Thankyouverymuch...

Oops, that's Elvis.

But seriously, thanks very much for all the interest and comments. Will be acting on them.

PII's love 168gr SMK fed gold match, not the ammo at fault here.

I kinda thought so. That is the "gold standard" of factory .308 ammo, is it not??

Have a match to shoot this weekend, and the Steyr will not be making that trip. It'll be the .22 and the .243. Will get at it next week, sometime, in between items on the honeydew list.

More comments of course will be welcome!

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I won a used Steyr sniper rifle, apparently an SSG-PII (it has the set trigger) in a raffle.

Now THAT'S a good day!

 

[SeekHer]

How often have you shot a post reticle? FYI they are not sniper issue in Europe but designed for hunters, primarily, although there are a small number of the post type that are tactical...

You might want to switch the scope to a more conventional American reticle--you've got a $1,000 scope there...

I'd not blame the rifle but the scope as you first said, you had problems with the set at 100 yds...send it to Swarovski, they will repair it if broken and probably at no cost to you but shipping--that's what a lifetime warranty is good for!

Take it off, mount another scope, try it at 25 yds to see how it shoots, then after set up move to 100 yds and see what groups you get...if better then the Swarovski you'll know that it's the scope and not the rifle...

You could ask the original owner why he parted with it?

 

[paintballdude902]

why not take it to 100yds and rezero the scope? ( did i miss that idea)

once you get it pretty much on point at 100 sit there and shoot a box or 2 to get used to the scope then shoot for a grouping

i had an issue similar with a buddys model 70 he would get about a .75 inch group at 100 but i couldnt get better than 2 inches. we spent another weekend with it and that was all i shot by the end of the weekend i got a .65 group just took time to get used to it