Steyr M40: New Super .40 S&W M Series Pistol
The new Steyr M40 has excellent state of the art features, some of which
cannot be appreciated until you actually test fire the M40. The .40 S&W has
been maturing for a decade now. It really shows with excellent ammo and
pistols like the new Steyr M40 hitting the market. Read on if you want to
find out more about this new millennium pistol. (Note: Since I'm not paid by
advertisers, etc, I say exactly what I want, based on my experience <G> )
A Short Steyr History:
----------------------
Wilhelm Bubits is the mastermind of the Steyr pistol. He's a hobby shooter
who at one time worked for Glock, and was also a uniformed officer and later
a plainclothes officer.
Basically, Bubits was always critiquing pistols and finally decided to become
a designer, so he could build what he envisioned. He actually offered his
patents to Glock and was told that his designs did not follow their
"philosophy" of design.
So, Bubits ended up with Steyr Mannlicher, another Austrian arms maker, in
1997. A key player to bring Bubits' dream into reality was Steyr's engineer,
Fridrich Aigner. After two years and a lot of research and development, the
pistol has been christened.
Steyr Mannlicher has been making quality firearms since 1864. Ayoob sums up
Steyr's history well when he said that Steyr is a daring company that boldly
goes where no gun manufacturer has gone before, and has been successful doing
it.
For example: The Steyr Professional with it Cycolac stock was introduced 25
years ago and has changed the face of riflery, proving the superiority of the
synthetic stock. And the Steyr AUG was the first extremely successful
tactical rifle. Instead of just a custom-make of Jeff Cooper's Scout Rifle,
Steyr dared to actually manufacture it. And everyone who shot it, has
marveled at its execution.
So, with Steyr's two years of expensive development of the M series pistol
line, I'm expecting to see an excellent new product that will not have to bow
down to the competition.
The Steyr M (Medium) Series:
----------------------------
My Steyr Owner's Manual lists three M models: the M40, M9, and the M357. I
was told by Steyr's exclusive US importer, GSI, that the M357 Sig and 9mm
versions will be out in early 2000. You can contact GSI at www.GSIfirearms.com or call 205 655-8299.
There are plans to also expand the line into the "S" Small series and also
"L" Large series for calibers like the .45 ACP.
Unsupported versus Supported Chambers
-------------------------------------
The Steyr M40 was born as a .40 S&W pistol and then the 9mm version was
developed. The Glock was born as a 9mm and then modified into the now famous
Glock 22 and 23 .40 S&W models. That's why the Steyr M40 is exceptionally
beefed up with a very strong lock-up system, and why it has a "fully
supported chamber".
Some manufacturers of 9mm pistols simply rebarrelled, modified the breechface
and put in a stiffer recoil spring to develop their initial .40 S&W pistols.
Since the .40/10mm bullet is bigger than a 9mm, the only way to get the .40
to feed reliably was to create an intrusive feed ramp, and possibly an
oversized chamber to match. Thus the .40 S&W "Unsupported Chamber" was born.
This was a quick and dirty fix for some manufacturers to get to market fast.
Other manufacturers either started from scratch or went through the added
expense to redesign their 9's to safely handle the .40 with a well supported
chamber that still feeds reliably. These types of .40 pistols are therefore
safer to use, whether you shoot just factory ammo or reloaded ammo.
If you want to find out if your .40 has a well supported chamber, then do
this: Measure the diameter of the lower part of some fired brass. If your
brass measures over .429, especially .430 or greater, then your chamber is
oversized and you do not have a well supported chamber. Also, put a round
into the barrel and look at the 6-o'clock position of the chamber opening. If
the thin part of the brass wall is exposed, or too much brass is exposed, you
have an unsupported chamber. Both of these measurements are important to
determine if your chamber is well supported or not.
The Steyr M40 barrel chamber is as close to fully supported as any auto I've
seen. In the six-o'clock chamber opening, you see virtually "no" exposed
brass and the chamber is not oversized either. I kid you not! This is truly
amazing, especially since the rounds feed perfectly. A Steyr barrel does not
over expand and bulge the brass like a standard Glock .40 does.
The diameter of the Steyr fired brass measures around .427 -.429 for full
power loads. The Glock .40 can expand brass as much as .431 .433, which is a
huge difference. In other words, the Steyr M40 is friendly for using in
sports, reloading, and in agencies. It should give a little extra confidence
to anyone who carries a .40 caliber pistol. Fully supported "is" better.
Generally speaking, ammo and gun companies don't care about reloading safety
and case life. Some of the newer reloading manuals have strong warnings about
reloading for pistols with unsupported chambers.
One positive side effect of Glock's famous unsupported chamber and their
marketing omnipresence, is that some ammo companies have beefed up their .40
S&W brass so it has a better chance of surviving when fired in a Glock
chamber. To be fair to Glock, I must say that their 9mm and 357 pistols do
appear to have decently supported chambers and the brass is not devastated as
it is in their .40's.
The Barrel
----------
Conventional rifling is used in the barrel, for those that choose to use
lead. Bubits has stated that for the cost of being able to use lead and be
"handload compatible", there is no more than a 3 percent to 4 percent loss in
velocity.
The Steyr M series employs the Browning cam-operated tilting barrel system to
lock the action during firing.
For the Lead Bullet Fans
------------------------
I performed a little test just for you. I don't normally shoot lead because I
find it a little too messy. I bought 100 Oregon Trail Laser-Cast 170 grain
Semi Wad Cutters.
Now, I've never been able to get swc rounds to feed reliably in any of my
Glocks. From talking with others on the net, this is normal for Glocks. Well,
I'm glad to report that my Steyr M40 fed all 100 swc rounds "perfectly". This
is great news for sports shooters since a semi wad cutter cuts a larger,
cleaner hole in the paper. That's because a swc is not only a flat point, but
it has a 360 degree cutting shoulder that maximizes the size of the hole. Now
I just have to find some good bulk plated/jacketed swc bullets.
The Trigger
-----------
The Steyr, like the Glock, has a safety on the trigger. If the trigger gets
bumped from various angles, the trigger will not release. You need to put a
positive finger pull simultaneously on the trigger and the trigger safety for
the gun to fire. This is an important safety feature that some people just
don't get.
After shooting a few hundred rounds, I took the slide off to clean the M40. I
put a little high tech Tetra lube on the inner trigger workings with a q-tip
and then lightly removed any excess lube with the dry end of the q-tip. Oh,
and I applied a little tetra to the long trigger bar as well. After
reassembling the Steyr, the trigger action is silky smooth.
The trigger guard is angled 10 degrees downward, leaving room for a manual
safety. This trigger angle allows for a very natural, higher finger
placement.
The Steyr trigger is true double-action since the trigger continues to cock
the striker throughout the stroke until it is released. The Steyr trigger
does not feel like the typical double-action trigger at all. It has a short
stroke action with a very short reset, for very accurate rapid fire. The
Steyr trigger is a standard 4.8 lbs and can be varied for special needs by
law enforcement, etc.
Like the Glock, the Steyr striker mechanism is under partial tension
(partially cocked) when the trigger is fully forward. After the trigger is
pulled, the striker is fully at rest until the trigger is reset. The three
passive safeties keep the Steyr pistol safe to operate. You just have to
remember to engage your primary manual safety, the one between your ears, and
NOT put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire; this rule is
actually true for ALL guns.
In my opinion, the short, clean, stroke of the Steyr trigger feels better
than the mushier Glock trigger. I even grabbed a Glock armorer at my shooting
range so he could test fire the Steyr. He agreed that the Steyr trigger felt
better and the perceived recoil was less. But he told me not to tell anyone
Trigger Guard
-------------
The front of the large trigger guard is textured so those that like to grip
the front of the trigger guard will have a non-slip surface.
Take-Down Lever
---------------
Step 1: To disassemble the Steyr, you must first check to make sure the
pistol is empty with no cartridge in the chamber and no magazine inserted.
Then you have to pull the trigger, like the Glock, in order to release
tension to the striker mechanism.
Step 2: The take-down lever is quite easy to use. You simply press in the
integrated lock button slightly and then the take down lever can be swung
down easily so the slide can be removed. When the slide is reinserted onto
the frame, the take-down lever automatically pops into place. Very clean.
A person unaccustomed to a Steyr may very well think the take-down lever is
the manual safety, especially with the bold "S" and "F" markings adjacent to
it. This could give the owner just enough time to take control of the
situation during an emergency. With the manual safety on, this situation
could get downright confusing for a perpetrator.
Grip
----
The grip has one finger groove that should fit almost all hand sizes. The
upper rear of the grip frame is dished out, somewhat similar to the Beretta
guns. This allows the web of the hand to get in a little tighter and also
makes reaching the trigger easier.
The grip angle is 111 degrees. Basically, this means when you aim the Steyr,
you don't have to cock your wrist up or down since it is a natural point
shooting pistol. The bore axis is so low (lower than a Glock) that it's
almost like pointing your finger. A nice side effect is less felt recoil as
well.
The textured pattern on the grip is adequate to obtain a nonslip grip. I
personally like the more radical HK USP grip texture that almost feels like
sandpaper --- but some people think that's a little too much. At any rate,
the grip shape, along with the textured pattern, fits my hand perfectly.
Magazine Release
----------------
The magazine release is well placed on the left side of the frame so it's
easy to reach for a right or left handed person. When the pistol is laying on
it's side, the magazine release button is out of the way so it won't release
accidentally.
Magazines
---------
Steyr magazines are steel and drop-free, made by Mec-Gar. Since the double-
column magazine is tapered, it fits easily into the beveled magazine well.
The bottom of the magazine well has room to pull out a magazine should that
ever be necessary.
Out of curiosity, I loaded a .40S&W magazine with 10 357 Sig rounds. They
seemed to fit very well. I'm hoping that the magazines will be
interchangeable like the excellent Sigarms magazines are with either caliber.
Accessory Mount
---------------
The Steyr accessory mount on the frame, for light mounts, etc, has two
rectangular cut outs on each side of the frame, instead of the typical rail.
These recessed slots allow the mount to have a positive attachment, with no
movement whatsoever.
Slide
-----
The slide is super hard with a tenifer finish. The grasping grooves are well
spaced, giving the shooter a comfortable contact when operating the slide.
When you rack the slide, it is very smooth.
The Steyr slide is only 18 ml high compared to the Glock's 22 ml.
Slide Stop
----------
The slide stop has a generous 30 degree angle making it very easy to
manipulate. The owner's manual states that the strong slide stop can be used
to release the slide, if you prefer not to rack the slide.
Slide Rails
-----------
The slide rails are not molded into the polymer frame like a Glock and other
polymer brands. The Steyr is essentially a steel pistol, wrapped in polymer.
All the mechanical parts function on the steel sub-assembly, and the lock
bridge is much "stronger".
It's interesting to note that the rails are cut at a 45 degree angle. This
allows the slide and barrel to ride about 1/8" lower than existing pistols
with rails cut at 90 degrees. The Steyr bore axis is about 5mm lower than a
Glock. As a result, there is less muzzle flip, less felt recoil, and the low
bore axis helps to center the round coming out of the magazine into the
barrel chamber.
I shot the Steyr M40 side-by-side with a Glock 23 and the M40 did have less
felt recoil.
Sights
------
The standard Steyr comes with fast acquisition, triangular-trapezoid sights.
They can easily be swapped for traditional sights or night sights. The
standard front and rear sights are steel, unlike the Glock which uses plastic
sights (the front Glock sight is especially fragile).
The Steyr has a sight radius of 6.22", compared to a comparable sized Glock
23 with 6.02".
Loaded chamber Indicator
------------------------
There is a loaded chamber indicator in the back of the slide that can be seen
or felt. Glock does not have this feature.
Inside the M40
--------------
When I looked inside of the Steyr, I was pleased to see how strong and beefed
up all the parts are. This is one tough gun.
5-Point Safety System
---------------------
The Steyr pistol has a manual safety for those that are concerned about
retention issues. You can use it or not. Glock does not offer this option.
The Steyr has three reset action safeties so it can be carried safely without
using the manual safety, if desired. Along with the 3 reset action safeties
and the manual safety, there is an integrated lock (for storage purposes),
giving the Steyr an impressive total of 5 safeties!
The integrated lock is next to the take-down lever, located on the side of
the frame, and comes with two keys. The police version uses a handcuff key.
When it's locked, you cannot pull the trigger or take the pistol apart, but
you can load and unload the pistol.
I really like the Steyr manual safety because you don't have to worry about
toggling it on and off accidentally. And it's basically invisible if you
choose not to use it.
During a scuffle, or an operator slide rack error, or if the pistol skids
across the floor, a typical manual safety on the side of a slide or frame can
sometimes be toggled unknowingly. A Steyr manual safety system is less likely
to be affected by these same scenarios.
Steyr employs a very different technique to both activate and de-activate the
manual safety:
To activate the manual safety, you pull down on a small lever on each side of
the frame. Interestingly, these two levers are in the same basic position as
the Glock take-down levers and they are protected by a slightly recessed
polymer molding. This action lowers a small safety bar from the "top" of the
trigger guard. Note: If the trigger is in the fully back position, you cannot
activate the manual safety since the trigger is already deactivated.
You would normally activate the safety with your supporting hand. If you
cannot or choose not to use your supporting hand, you can simply move your
thumb to the other side of the frame, and slightly shift your grip with the
lower three fingers and the thumb to maintain control of the pistol. Then,
you can pull the levers down "easily" with your trigger finger and your
thumb. It's a lot easier to do than to explain. At any rate, most
combat/defensive type shooting has both hands on the gun most of the time
anyway, so this is not a big deal.
When the manual safety is on, you can still rack the slide to load and unload
the pistol. In fact the Owner's Manual recommends having the safety on during
the loading & unloading stage.
To release the safety, you simply press "up" against the safety bar with your
trigger finger, which is a distinctively different action than pulling the
finger back to fire the pistol. Once you are trained with releasing the
Steyr manual safety to fire mode, it's just as "easy and fast" as toggling
the more traditional manual safety with your thumb.
Out Of Battery
--------------
Firing out of battery should not be an issue with the Steyr series. It has a
very strong positive lockup. As soon as the slide begins to go back, the
firing pin tension is also reduced so the firing pin should not have the
momentum to set off a primer.
I always check all of my spent brass before reloading. I have yet to find a
primer strike that is not in the center.
Lubrication
-----------
Besides the directions in the owner's manual, I'd recommend using a high
Tech lubrication like Tetra or some equivalent. While regular gun oil works
fine, Tetra actually penetrates the metal surface. Even if you wipe the metal
dry afterwards, it's still lubricated. Tetra is especially good to use in
areas like the firing pin recess, where you want to very lightly dab a touch
of Tetra, but not to the point of having oil oozing in the area; it should
almost appear dry after lubing. I've found Tetra works well on any moving
part, even plastic, such as the inside trigger mechanism.
Petroleum based lubs have a tendency to collect grit and grime.
Lubing is one area where Glock shines. It can work almost dry, with low tech
lube, and with high tech lube. On the other hand, since it's so easy to get
lube, does it really matter?
Accuracy
--------
There is no other out-of-the-box service grade pistol that will out shoot the
Steyr M40. The slide to frame fit is tight, and built specifically to
increase accuracy. After all, who cares what caliber you're using if you
can't hit what you're aiming at.
Torture testing
---------------
In June '99, Bubits tested an early M40 prototype by firing 10,000 rounds
through it within two days. He lubricated it once at the beginning of the
session only. Then he sprayed the pistol with an air hose after every 500
rounds but otherwise did not clean it thereafter. He had 5 malfunctions, one
of which was a dead primer. He tweaked the extractor to fine-tune the gun. It
only gets better from here, folks.
Will the Steyr pass the torture tests of being frozen, burned, buried,
dropped from helicopter, run over, etc? I don't know and I don't care. It's a
nice marketing ploy, but as long as my Steyr can handle reasonable testing,
such as the frisbee test, etc, that's good enough for me and any kind of
shooting I'll be doing.
I'll be using my M40 in IPSC shooting as well as for a defensive weapon.
That means I'll be firing it in cold, hot, dusty, & wet conditions. And I
need to be able to reliably pump at least 200 - 300 rounds through it at any
given match. Right now I'm feeling good that the Steyr M40 will do just fine.
Once again, I really like the fully supported chamber for this kind of
shooting; And as a result, I feel more confident when carrying the M40 for
defensive purposes as well.
I examined my M40 after shooting 1000 rounds. There were literally no wear
marks anywhere. The slide-frame fit is superbly engineered. I did find a
little black paint that had been rubbed off on top of the slide stop lever.
This examination increases my confidence in the M40 substantially.
Steyr Service
-------------
Since the M series is new, Steyr obviously does not have an extensive
armorer/repair program throughout the U.S. yet. That should change as the
pistol catches on. For now, you must send your pistol to GSI for repair,
although their turnaround time is just a couple weeks or so.
Holsters
--------
Steyr has selected Galco and Safariland to make holsters, along with their
own polymer holster. Others are sure to follow.
Owner's Manual
--------------
Steyr did a great job on the M Series Owner's Manual. The manual provides all
the necessary safety and pistol information, as well as some excellent
pictures. There is even an attachment which quotes some important Federal
Laws.
Early Model: M40 Glitch
-----------------------
Like any good review, I can't just say all nice things <G>
Keep in mind that I have one of the very first Steyr M40's that entered the
U.S. market and it's not exactly uncommon to work out an initial bug or two.
Glock has gone through a number of major changes since 1992. I'd like to say
up front that I cannot find any showstoppers regarding the Steyr.
After shooting 1000 rounds through my new Steyr M40 during the first two
weeks, I've noticed several ding marks on top of the slide, in front of the
ejection port. This is caused from brass. While it has indeed knocked a
little of the black finish off, the super hard metal is still fully protected
because of the tenifer treatment.
The angle of the brass ejection is very inconsistent. The brass sometimes
flies over my right shoulder, sometimes to the right, sometimes to the front
right, sometimes almost straight up, and every once in awhile I get one right
on the forehead.
GSI/Steyr informed me that I was one of the lucky few who have experienced
this problem. Luckily, Steyr "does" know how to fix this issue and I'll be
taking advantage of it in the near future. It ain't a show stopper, folks.
Despite this, my M40 appears to be jam free, even when using lead reloads and
cheap remanufactured ammo. I've tried limp wristing with one hand, shooting
'gangsta style' (pistol sideways), and shooting extremely fast rapid fire.
I cannot get the Steyr to fail.
I bought a "second" M40 and tested it as well. My second M40 did almost 100%
better regarding the ejection issue. The brass consistently flew over my
right shoulder or to the right. There were no major brass dings on top of the
slide like on my first pistol. There's a little scoring on top of the slide,
right next to the rear of the ejection port edge, but it's pretty subtle. I
lot of people may not even notice or care.
My first M40 has a serial number series of 16xx and the second one, 21xx.
I know of one other case where a new M40 owner degreased it and then began
having severe trigger problems. GSI told him that they would either fix it or
replace it within a couple weeks.
And I know of other new M40 owners who are having zero issues. It should only
get better.
So you have to ask yourself, "Do I buy now and take a chance, or wait several
months to get a newer model M40?" If you happen to get a pistol with the
extreme problem as my first M40, then it can still be fixed or replaced
within a couple weeks by GSI. Reread this review once more and remember all
the good features and then make your decision --- Your Choice. I personally
think the Steyr M series is the hottest thing on the market.
Specifications, from my Owner's Manual:
---------------------------------------
Length/slide: 6.97"
Height: 5.35"
Width: 1.18"
Sight radius: 6.22"
Barrel length: 4.00"
Barrel rifling: RH, 6 groove
Length of twist:M40 ?; M9 ?;
Trigger system: Reset Action System
Trigger pull: 4.8 lbs.
Trigger travel: .16"
5 safeties:
3 reset action safeties: Trigger, Drop, and Firing Pin Safeties
1 Manual Safety
1 Integrated lock with two keys
1 Loaded chamber indicator
caliber M40 M9 M357
magazine capacity 10 10 10 2 commercial mags in gun box
Law Enforcement 12 14 12 3 police mags in gun box
Weight (without mag.) 23.87 23.17 24.45
Weight of empty mag. 2.97 2.97 2.97
Steyr M40 retail price: $669
I bought mine for: $569
Chronograph Data for the Steyr M9 (from Handguns, Oct '99):
Note: (M40 stats are unavailable at this time)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Group Size Velocity
Cor-Bon 90 gr jhp +P 2.0 1515
Black Hills 115 gr jhp 2.4 1201
Federal 115 gr jhp 2.3 1147
Hornady 115 gr jhp 1.6 1122
Remington 115 gr jhp +P 1.8 1222
Federal 124 gr nyclad ball 2.3 1116
Federal 124 gr jhp hydra-shok 1.8 1103
Hornady 124 gr jhp xtp 1.6 1058
Norma 124 gr jhp moly-coated +P 1.2 1185
Cor-Bon 125 gr jhp +P 1.4 1226
*Average is the average of five five-shot groups rounded to the nearest
1/10".
In Summary
----------
The Steyr M40 is a nice looking pistol that's about the same size as a
Glock 19, 23, 32. All the edges of the Steyr have been rounded. It's the most
comfortable .40 caliber light weight pistol I've ever held and shot.
Regarding felt recoil, some people have claimed that the Steyr M9 (9mm
version) feels more like a pellet gun than a 9mm pistol.
Obviously, the Steyr M series is a new kid on the block and has to prove
itself to agencies by surviving various testing procedures. From what I've
seen with my own Steyr M40, this will be a moot point.
One amazing thing about the Glock design, besides its market share, is that
it only has 34 parts, compared to 53 Steyr pistol parts. Of course, the
Steyr has more functionality built into it, and Steyr even lists the Pistol
Box as 1 part; Obviously, Steyr is not trying for a 'least parts' record
From what I've seen, the Steyr M Series is made to last. Having 'less parts'
is not always better in the grand scheme of things.
The Glock is not without its own limitations. As long as you use known,
tested "factory" ammo in a well maintained Glock, the unsupported .40S&W
chamber will most likely serve you well. But a lot of people shoot
remanufactured ammo and reloads and even lead through their Glocks all the
time, exacerbating this problem, not to mention bad lots of factory ammo
occasionally.
Dean Speir has compiled a large database of Glock kB!'s (kabooms; case
failures) from Glocks. Some of his most recent material can be viewed on the
Calibers Web site, at greent.com/40Page. I also wrote a related article
called, "You Say kB! and I say Case Failure", located at www.glockmeister.com
and on www.recguns/XN.html.
The new Steyr M40 with its fully supported chamber, is safer to shoot in a
wider range of shooting disciplines than a standard Glock .40 S&W. And the
Steyr feeds at least as reliably as a Glock due to some fantastic
engineering.
In the Steyr Safety condition 1, with its trigger safety, drop safety, and
firing pin safety, it is just as safe to carry as a Glock. The Steyr is also
"easy to use" just like a Glock. Even the trigger mechanism feels fairly
similar to a Glock, although it is not mushy as a Glock trigger.
The Steyr Safety condition 2 is activated when using the manual safety.
Glock does not have this capability. For those that want a retention
safeguard of some kind, this is an important consideration. The manual safety
is completely invisible if you choose not to use it, and it cannot
accidentally be toggled on.
The Steyr Safety condition 3 (the integrated lock) is also unique to this
model. Glock does not have this capability. For those with children, etc,
this could be an important consideration. The gun cannot be taken apart or
fired when this mode is activated. The integrated lock is basically
unnoticeable since it blends into the pistol so nicely.
The Steyr has a loaded chamber indicator in the back of the slide that can be
seen or felt. Glock does not have this capability.
The Steyr can easily shoot SWC (semi wad cutter) bullets. The Glock does not
have this capability.
I just cannot help but end this personal review with a quote from Massad
Ayoob, regarding the new Steyr M Series pistols, who quoted William
Shakespeare, "Something wicked cool this way comes".
References
----------
Combat Handguns; Dec '99; "New Steyr M9/M40" by Paul Johnson.
Combat 2000 Annual; Display until April 30, 2000; "The Steyr M: Wicked
Cool"
by Massad Ayoob.
Guns; Oct '99; "Steyr M9" by Massad Ayoob.
Handguns; Oct '99; "Road Testing the new Steyr M9" by Kerby C. Smith &
David W. Arnold. www.GSIfirearms.com; Home web page of the exclusive U.S. importer of Steyr
Mannlicher; 205-655-8299
Steyr Pistol Owner's Manual; buy a Steyr pistol to get one
Laser-Cast Reloading Manual, by Oregon Trail Bullet Company; 800-811-0548; www.laser-cast.com
Version 12.04b.99
Steyr M357 Addendum
-------------------
If you want the Steyr M357 (the 357 Sig version) to come out quickly, be sure
to call GSI and Steyr to cast your vote. Currently, GSI has stated that the
M357 might be out in the 1st quarter of 2000 or so.
GSI: www.GSIfirearms.com or call 205 655-8299
Steyr Mannlicher: www.smg.steyr.com/english or call (+43 7252) 896 - 0
Because of bullet technology advancements, the 357 Sig is the first
bottlenecked cartridge to become commercially successful in this century.
That's because we no longer have to rely on a straight walled case to push
the largest diameter bullet possible to get the job done anymore. For more
information on the 357 Sig, you can contact www.greent.com/40Page
The new Steyr M40 has excellent state of the art features, some of which
cannot be appreciated until you actually test fire the M40. The .40 S&W has
been maturing for a decade now. It really shows with excellent ammo and
pistols like the new Steyr M40 hitting the market. Read on if you want to
find out more about this new millennium pistol. (Note: Since I'm not paid by
advertisers, etc, I say exactly what I want, based on my experience <G> )
A Short Steyr History:
----------------------
Wilhelm Bubits is the mastermind of the Steyr pistol. He's a hobby shooter
who at one time worked for Glock, and was also a uniformed officer and later
a plainclothes officer.
Basically, Bubits was always critiquing pistols and finally decided to become
a designer, so he could build what he envisioned. He actually offered his
patents to Glock and was told that his designs did not follow their
"philosophy" of design.
So, Bubits ended up with Steyr Mannlicher, another Austrian arms maker, in
1997. A key player to bring Bubits' dream into reality was Steyr's engineer,
Fridrich Aigner. After two years and a lot of research and development, the
pistol has been christened.
Steyr Mannlicher has been making quality firearms since 1864. Ayoob sums up
Steyr's history well when he said that Steyr is a daring company that boldly
goes where no gun manufacturer has gone before, and has been successful doing
it.
For example: The Steyr Professional with it Cycolac stock was introduced 25
years ago and has changed the face of riflery, proving the superiority of the
synthetic stock. And the Steyr AUG was the first extremely successful
tactical rifle. Instead of just a custom-make of Jeff Cooper's Scout Rifle,
Steyr dared to actually manufacture it. And everyone who shot it, has
marveled at its execution.
So, with Steyr's two years of expensive development of the M series pistol
line, I'm expecting to see an excellent new product that will not have to bow
down to the competition.
The Steyr M (Medium) Series:
----------------------------
My Steyr Owner's Manual lists three M models: the M40, M9, and the M357. I
was told by Steyr's exclusive US importer, GSI, that the M357 Sig and 9mm
versions will be out in early 2000. You can contact GSI at www.GSIfirearms.com or call 205 655-8299.
There are plans to also expand the line into the "S" Small series and also
"L" Large series for calibers like the .45 ACP.
Unsupported versus Supported Chambers
-------------------------------------
The Steyr M40 was born as a .40 S&W pistol and then the 9mm version was
developed. The Glock was born as a 9mm and then modified into the now famous
Glock 22 and 23 .40 S&W models. That's why the Steyr M40 is exceptionally
beefed up with a very strong lock-up system, and why it has a "fully
supported chamber".
Some manufacturers of 9mm pistols simply rebarrelled, modified the breechface
and put in a stiffer recoil spring to develop their initial .40 S&W pistols.
Since the .40/10mm bullet is bigger than a 9mm, the only way to get the .40
to feed reliably was to create an intrusive feed ramp, and possibly an
oversized chamber to match. Thus the .40 S&W "Unsupported Chamber" was born.
This was a quick and dirty fix for some manufacturers to get to market fast.
Other manufacturers either started from scratch or went through the added
expense to redesign their 9's to safely handle the .40 with a well supported
chamber that still feeds reliably. These types of .40 pistols are therefore
safer to use, whether you shoot just factory ammo or reloaded ammo.
If you want to find out if your .40 has a well supported chamber, then do
this: Measure the diameter of the lower part of some fired brass. If your
brass measures over .429, especially .430 or greater, then your chamber is
oversized and you do not have a well supported chamber. Also, put a round
into the barrel and look at the 6-o'clock position of the chamber opening. If
the thin part of the brass wall is exposed, or too much brass is exposed, you
have an unsupported chamber. Both of these measurements are important to
determine if your chamber is well supported or not.
The Steyr M40 barrel chamber is as close to fully supported as any auto I've
seen. In the six-o'clock chamber opening, you see virtually "no" exposed
brass and the chamber is not oversized either. I kid you not! This is truly
amazing, especially since the rounds feed perfectly. A Steyr barrel does not
over expand and bulge the brass like a standard Glock .40 does.
The diameter of the Steyr fired brass measures around .427 -.429 for full
power loads. The Glock .40 can expand brass as much as .431 .433, which is a
huge difference. In other words, the Steyr M40 is friendly for using in
sports, reloading, and in agencies. It should give a little extra confidence
to anyone who carries a .40 caliber pistol. Fully supported "is" better.
Generally speaking, ammo and gun companies don't care about reloading safety
and case life. Some of the newer reloading manuals have strong warnings about
reloading for pistols with unsupported chambers.
One positive side effect of Glock's famous unsupported chamber and their
marketing omnipresence, is that some ammo companies have beefed up their .40
S&W brass so it has a better chance of surviving when fired in a Glock
chamber. To be fair to Glock, I must say that their 9mm and 357 pistols do
appear to have decently supported chambers and the brass is not devastated as
it is in their .40's.
The Barrel
----------
Conventional rifling is used in the barrel, for those that choose to use
lead. Bubits has stated that for the cost of being able to use lead and be
"handload compatible", there is no more than a 3 percent to 4 percent loss in
velocity.
The Steyr M series employs the Browning cam-operated tilting barrel system to
lock the action during firing.
For the Lead Bullet Fans
------------------------
I performed a little test just for you. I don't normally shoot lead because I
find it a little too messy. I bought 100 Oregon Trail Laser-Cast 170 grain
Semi Wad Cutters.
Now, I've never been able to get swc rounds to feed reliably in any of my
Glocks. From talking with others on the net, this is normal for Glocks. Well,
I'm glad to report that my Steyr M40 fed all 100 swc rounds "perfectly". This
is great news for sports shooters since a semi wad cutter cuts a larger,
cleaner hole in the paper. That's because a swc is not only a flat point, but
it has a 360 degree cutting shoulder that maximizes the size of the hole. Now
I just have to find some good bulk plated/jacketed swc bullets.
The Trigger
-----------
The Steyr, like the Glock, has a safety on the trigger. If the trigger gets
bumped from various angles, the trigger will not release. You need to put a
positive finger pull simultaneously on the trigger and the trigger safety for
the gun to fire. This is an important safety feature that some people just
don't get.
After shooting a few hundred rounds, I took the slide off to clean the M40. I
put a little high tech Tetra lube on the inner trigger workings with a q-tip
and then lightly removed any excess lube with the dry end of the q-tip. Oh,
and I applied a little tetra to the long trigger bar as well. After
reassembling the Steyr, the trigger action is silky smooth.
The trigger guard is angled 10 degrees downward, leaving room for a manual
safety. This trigger angle allows for a very natural, higher finger
placement.
The Steyr trigger is true double-action since the trigger continues to cock
the striker throughout the stroke until it is released. The Steyr trigger
does not feel like the typical double-action trigger at all. It has a short
stroke action with a very short reset, for very accurate rapid fire. The
Steyr trigger is a standard 4.8 lbs and can be varied for special needs by
law enforcement, etc.
Like the Glock, the Steyr striker mechanism is under partial tension
(partially cocked) when the trigger is fully forward. After the trigger is
pulled, the striker is fully at rest until the trigger is reset. The three
passive safeties keep the Steyr pistol safe to operate. You just have to
remember to engage your primary manual safety, the one between your ears, and
NOT put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire; this rule is
actually true for ALL guns.
In my opinion, the short, clean, stroke of the Steyr trigger feels better
than the mushier Glock trigger. I even grabbed a Glock armorer at my shooting
range so he could test fire the Steyr. He agreed that the Steyr trigger felt
better and the perceived recoil was less. But he told me not to tell anyone
Trigger Guard
-------------
The front of the large trigger guard is textured so those that like to grip
the front of the trigger guard will have a non-slip surface.
Take-Down Lever
---------------
Step 1: To disassemble the Steyr, you must first check to make sure the
pistol is empty with no cartridge in the chamber and no magazine inserted.
Then you have to pull the trigger, like the Glock, in order to release
tension to the striker mechanism.
Step 2: The take-down lever is quite easy to use. You simply press in the
integrated lock button slightly and then the take down lever can be swung
down easily so the slide can be removed. When the slide is reinserted onto
the frame, the take-down lever automatically pops into place. Very clean.
A person unaccustomed to a Steyr may very well think the take-down lever is
the manual safety, especially with the bold "S" and "F" markings adjacent to
it. This could give the owner just enough time to take control of the
situation during an emergency. With the manual safety on, this situation
could get downright confusing for a perpetrator.
Grip
----
The grip has one finger groove that should fit almost all hand sizes. The
upper rear of the grip frame is dished out, somewhat similar to the Beretta
guns. This allows the web of the hand to get in a little tighter and also
makes reaching the trigger easier.
The grip angle is 111 degrees. Basically, this means when you aim the Steyr,
you don't have to cock your wrist up or down since it is a natural point
shooting pistol. The bore axis is so low (lower than a Glock) that it's
almost like pointing your finger. A nice side effect is less felt recoil as
well.
The textured pattern on the grip is adequate to obtain a nonslip grip. I
personally like the more radical HK USP grip texture that almost feels like
sandpaper --- but some people think that's a little too much. At any rate,
the grip shape, along with the textured pattern, fits my hand perfectly.
Magazine Release
----------------
The magazine release is well placed on the left side of the frame so it's
easy to reach for a right or left handed person. When the pistol is laying on
it's side, the magazine release button is out of the way so it won't release
accidentally.
Magazines
---------
Steyr magazines are steel and drop-free, made by Mec-Gar. Since the double-
column magazine is tapered, it fits easily into the beveled magazine well.
The bottom of the magazine well has room to pull out a magazine should that
ever be necessary.
Out of curiosity, I loaded a .40S&W magazine with 10 357 Sig rounds. They
seemed to fit very well. I'm hoping that the magazines will be
interchangeable like the excellent Sigarms magazines are with either caliber.
Accessory Mount
---------------
The Steyr accessory mount on the frame, for light mounts, etc, has two
rectangular cut outs on each side of the frame, instead of the typical rail.
These recessed slots allow the mount to have a positive attachment, with no
movement whatsoever.
Slide
-----
The slide is super hard with a tenifer finish. The grasping grooves are well
spaced, giving the shooter a comfortable contact when operating the slide.
When you rack the slide, it is very smooth.
The Steyr slide is only 18 ml high compared to the Glock's 22 ml.
Slide Stop
----------
The slide stop has a generous 30 degree angle making it very easy to
manipulate. The owner's manual states that the strong slide stop can be used
to release the slide, if you prefer not to rack the slide.
Slide Rails
-----------
The slide rails are not molded into the polymer frame like a Glock and other
polymer brands. The Steyr is essentially a steel pistol, wrapped in polymer.
All the mechanical parts function on the steel sub-assembly, and the lock
bridge is much "stronger".
It's interesting to note that the rails are cut at a 45 degree angle. This
allows the slide and barrel to ride about 1/8" lower than existing pistols
with rails cut at 90 degrees. The Steyr bore axis is about 5mm lower than a
Glock. As a result, there is less muzzle flip, less felt recoil, and the low
bore axis helps to center the round coming out of the magazine into the
barrel chamber.
I shot the Steyr M40 side-by-side with a Glock 23 and the M40 did have less
felt recoil.
Sights
------
The standard Steyr comes with fast acquisition, triangular-trapezoid sights.
They can easily be swapped for traditional sights or night sights. The
standard front and rear sights are steel, unlike the Glock which uses plastic
sights (the front Glock sight is especially fragile).
The Steyr has a sight radius of 6.22", compared to a comparable sized Glock
23 with 6.02".
Loaded chamber Indicator
------------------------
There is a loaded chamber indicator in the back of the slide that can be seen
or felt. Glock does not have this feature.
Inside the M40
--------------
When I looked inside of the Steyr, I was pleased to see how strong and beefed
up all the parts are. This is one tough gun.
5-Point Safety System
---------------------
The Steyr pistol has a manual safety for those that are concerned about
retention issues. You can use it or not. Glock does not offer this option.
The Steyr has three reset action safeties so it can be carried safely without
using the manual safety, if desired. Along with the 3 reset action safeties
and the manual safety, there is an integrated lock (for storage purposes),
giving the Steyr an impressive total of 5 safeties!
The integrated lock is next to the take-down lever, located on the side of
the frame, and comes with two keys. The police version uses a handcuff key.
When it's locked, you cannot pull the trigger or take the pistol apart, but
you can load and unload the pistol.
I really like the Steyr manual safety because you don't have to worry about
toggling it on and off accidentally. And it's basically invisible if you
choose not to use it.
During a scuffle, or an operator slide rack error, or if the pistol skids
across the floor, a typical manual safety on the side of a slide or frame can
sometimes be toggled unknowingly. A Steyr manual safety system is less likely
to be affected by these same scenarios.
Steyr employs a very different technique to both activate and de-activate the
manual safety:
To activate the manual safety, you pull down on a small lever on each side of
the frame. Interestingly, these two levers are in the same basic position as
the Glock take-down levers and they are protected by a slightly recessed
polymer molding. This action lowers a small safety bar from the "top" of the
trigger guard. Note: If the trigger is in the fully back position, you cannot
activate the manual safety since the trigger is already deactivated.
You would normally activate the safety with your supporting hand. If you
cannot or choose not to use your supporting hand, you can simply move your
thumb to the other side of the frame, and slightly shift your grip with the
lower three fingers and the thumb to maintain control of the pistol. Then,
you can pull the levers down "easily" with your trigger finger and your
thumb. It's a lot easier to do than to explain. At any rate, most
combat/defensive type shooting has both hands on the gun most of the time
anyway, so this is not a big deal.
When the manual safety is on, you can still rack the slide to load and unload
the pistol. In fact the Owner's Manual recommends having the safety on during
the loading & unloading stage.
To release the safety, you simply press "up" against the safety bar with your
trigger finger, which is a distinctively different action than pulling the
finger back to fire the pistol. Once you are trained with releasing the
Steyr manual safety to fire mode, it's just as "easy and fast" as toggling
the more traditional manual safety with your thumb.
Out Of Battery
--------------
Firing out of battery should not be an issue with the Steyr series. It has a
very strong positive lockup. As soon as the slide begins to go back, the
firing pin tension is also reduced so the firing pin should not have the
momentum to set off a primer.
I always check all of my spent brass before reloading. I have yet to find a
primer strike that is not in the center.
Lubrication
-----------
Besides the directions in the owner's manual, I'd recommend using a high
Tech lubrication like Tetra or some equivalent. While regular gun oil works
fine, Tetra actually penetrates the metal surface. Even if you wipe the metal
dry afterwards, it's still lubricated. Tetra is especially good to use in
areas like the firing pin recess, where you want to very lightly dab a touch
of Tetra, but not to the point of having oil oozing in the area; it should
almost appear dry after lubing. I've found Tetra works well on any moving
part, even plastic, such as the inside trigger mechanism.
Petroleum based lubs have a tendency to collect grit and grime.
Lubing is one area where Glock shines. It can work almost dry, with low tech
lube, and with high tech lube. On the other hand, since it's so easy to get
lube, does it really matter?
Accuracy
--------
There is no other out-of-the-box service grade pistol that will out shoot the
Steyr M40. The slide to frame fit is tight, and built specifically to
increase accuracy. After all, who cares what caliber you're using if you
can't hit what you're aiming at.
Torture testing
---------------
In June '99, Bubits tested an early M40 prototype by firing 10,000 rounds
through it within two days. He lubricated it once at the beginning of the
session only. Then he sprayed the pistol with an air hose after every 500
rounds but otherwise did not clean it thereafter. He had 5 malfunctions, one
of which was a dead primer. He tweaked the extractor to fine-tune the gun. It
only gets better from here, folks.
Will the Steyr pass the torture tests of being frozen, burned, buried,
dropped from helicopter, run over, etc? I don't know and I don't care. It's a
nice marketing ploy, but as long as my Steyr can handle reasonable testing,
such as the frisbee test, etc, that's good enough for me and any kind of
shooting I'll be doing.
I'll be using my M40 in IPSC shooting as well as for a defensive weapon.
That means I'll be firing it in cold, hot, dusty, & wet conditions. And I
need to be able to reliably pump at least 200 - 300 rounds through it at any
given match. Right now I'm feeling good that the Steyr M40 will do just fine.
Once again, I really like the fully supported chamber for this kind of
shooting; And as a result, I feel more confident when carrying the M40 for
defensive purposes as well.
I examined my M40 after shooting 1000 rounds. There were literally no wear
marks anywhere. The slide-frame fit is superbly engineered. I did find a
little black paint that had been rubbed off on top of the slide stop lever.
This examination increases my confidence in the M40 substantially.
Steyr Service
-------------
Since the M series is new, Steyr obviously does not have an extensive
armorer/repair program throughout the U.S. yet. That should change as the
pistol catches on. For now, you must send your pistol to GSI for repair,
although their turnaround time is just a couple weeks or so.
Holsters
--------
Steyr has selected Galco and Safariland to make holsters, along with their
own polymer holster. Others are sure to follow.
Owner's Manual
--------------
Steyr did a great job on the M Series Owner's Manual. The manual provides all
the necessary safety and pistol information, as well as some excellent
pictures. There is even an attachment which quotes some important Federal
Laws.
Early Model: M40 Glitch
-----------------------
Like any good review, I can't just say all nice things <G>
Keep in mind that I have one of the very first Steyr M40's that entered the
U.S. market and it's not exactly uncommon to work out an initial bug or two.
Glock has gone through a number of major changes since 1992. I'd like to say
up front that I cannot find any showstoppers regarding the Steyr.
After shooting 1000 rounds through my new Steyr M40 during the first two
weeks, I've noticed several ding marks on top of the slide, in front of the
ejection port. This is caused from brass. While it has indeed knocked a
little of the black finish off, the super hard metal is still fully protected
because of the tenifer treatment.
The angle of the brass ejection is very inconsistent. The brass sometimes
flies over my right shoulder, sometimes to the right, sometimes to the front
right, sometimes almost straight up, and every once in awhile I get one right
on the forehead.
GSI/Steyr informed me that I was one of the lucky few who have experienced
this problem. Luckily, Steyr "does" know how to fix this issue and I'll be
taking advantage of it in the near future. It ain't a show stopper, folks.
Despite this, my M40 appears to be jam free, even when using lead reloads and
cheap remanufactured ammo. I've tried limp wristing with one hand, shooting
'gangsta style' (pistol sideways), and shooting extremely fast rapid fire.
I cannot get the Steyr to fail.
I bought a "second" M40 and tested it as well. My second M40 did almost 100%
better regarding the ejection issue. The brass consistently flew over my
right shoulder or to the right. There were no major brass dings on top of the
slide like on my first pistol. There's a little scoring on top of the slide,
right next to the rear of the ejection port edge, but it's pretty subtle. I
lot of people may not even notice or care.
My first M40 has a serial number series of 16xx and the second one, 21xx.
I know of one other case where a new M40 owner degreased it and then began
having severe trigger problems. GSI told him that they would either fix it or
replace it within a couple weeks.
And I know of other new M40 owners who are having zero issues. It should only
get better.
So you have to ask yourself, "Do I buy now and take a chance, or wait several
months to get a newer model M40?" If you happen to get a pistol with the
extreme problem as my first M40, then it can still be fixed or replaced
within a couple weeks by GSI. Reread this review once more and remember all
the good features and then make your decision --- Your Choice. I personally
think the Steyr M series is the hottest thing on the market.
Specifications, from my Owner's Manual:
---------------------------------------
Length/slide: 6.97"
Height: 5.35"
Width: 1.18"
Sight radius: 6.22"
Barrel length: 4.00"
Barrel rifling: RH, 6 groove
Length of twist:M40 ?; M9 ?;
Trigger system: Reset Action System
Trigger pull: 4.8 lbs.
Trigger travel: .16"
5 safeties:
3 reset action safeties: Trigger, Drop, and Firing Pin Safeties
1 Manual Safety
1 Integrated lock with two keys
1 Loaded chamber indicator
caliber M40 M9 M357
magazine capacity 10 10 10 2 commercial mags in gun box
Law Enforcement 12 14 12 3 police mags in gun box
Weight (without mag.) 23.87 23.17 24.45
Weight of empty mag. 2.97 2.97 2.97
Steyr M40 retail price: $669
I bought mine for: $569
Chronograph Data for the Steyr M9 (from Handguns, Oct '99):
Note: (M40 stats are unavailable at this time)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Group Size Velocity
Cor-Bon 90 gr jhp +P 2.0 1515
Black Hills 115 gr jhp 2.4 1201
Federal 115 gr jhp 2.3 1147
Hornady 115 gr jhp 1.6 1122
Remington 115 gr jhp +P 1.8 1222
Federal 124 gr nyclad ball 2.3 1116
Federal 124 gr jhp hydra-shok 1.8 1103
Hornady 124 gr jhp xtp 1.6 1058
Norma 124 gr jhp moly-coated +P 1.2 1185
Cor-Bon 125 gr jhp +P 1.4 1226
*Average is the average of five five-shot groups rounded to the nearest
1/10".
In Summary
----------
The Steyr M40 is a nice looking pistol that's about the same size as a
Glock 19, 23, 32. All the edges of the Steyr have been rounded. It's the most
comfortable .40 caliber light weight pistol I've ever held and shot.
Regarding felt recoil, some people have claimed that the Steyr M9 (9mm
version) feels more like a pellet gun than a 9mm pistol.
Obviously, the Steyr M series is a new kid on the block and has to prove
itself to agencies by surviving various testing procedures. From what I've
seen with my own Steyr M40, this will be a moot point.
One amazing thing about the Glock design, besides its market share, is that
it only has 34 parts, compared to 53 Steyr pistol parts. Of course, the
Steyr has more functionality built into it, and Steyr even lists the Pistol
Box as 1 part; Obviously, Steyr is not trying for a 'least parts' record
From what I've seen, the Steyr M Series is made to last. Having 'less parts'
is not always better in the grand scheme of things.
The Glock is not without its own limitations. As long as you use known,
tested "factory" ammo in a well maintained Glock, the unsupported .40S&W
chamber will most likely serve you well. But a lot of people shoot
remanufactured ammo and reloads and even lead through their Glocks all the
time, exacerbating this problem, not to mention bad lots of factory ammo
occasionally.
Dean Speir has compiled a large database of Glock kB!'s (kabooms; case
failures) from Glocks. Some of his most recent material can be viewed on the
Calibers Web site, at greent.com/40Page. I also wrote a related article
called, "You Say kB! and I say Case Failure", located at www.glockmeister.com
and on www.recguns/XN.html.
The new Steyr M40 with its fully supported chamber, is safer to shoot in a
wider range of shooting disciplines than a standard Glock .40 S&W. And the
Steyr feeds at least as reliably as a Glock due to some fantastic
engineering.
In the Steyr Safety condition 1, with its trigger safety, drop safety, and
firing pin safety, it is just as safe to carry as a Glock. The Steyr is also
"easy to use" just like a Glock. Even the trigger mechanism feels fairly
similar to a Glock, although it is not mushy as a Glock trigger.
The Steyr Safety condition 2 is activated when using the manual safety.
Glock does not have this capability. For those that want a retention
safeguard of some kind, this is an important consideration. The manual safety
is completely invisible if you choose not to use it, and it cannot
accidentally be toggled on.
The Steyr Safety condition 3 (the integrated lock) is also unique to this
model. Glock does not have this capability. For those with children, etc,
this could be an important consideration. The gun cannot be taken apart or
fired when this mode is activated. The integrated lock is basically
unnoticeable since it blends into the pistol so nicely.
The Steyr has a loaded chamber indicator in the back of the slide that can be
seen or felt. Glock does not have this capability.
The Steyr can easily shoot SWC (semi wad cutter) bullets. The Glock does not
have this capability.
I just cannot help but end this personal review with a quote from Massad
Ayoob, regarding the new Steyr M Series pistols, who quoted William
Shakespeare, "Something wicked cool this way comes".
References
----------
Combat Handguns; Dec '99; "New Steyr M9/M40" by Paul Johnson.
Combat 2000 Annual; Display until April 30, 2000; "The Steyr M: Wicked
Cool"
by Massad Ayoob.
Guns; Oct '99; "Steyr M9" by Massad Ayoob.
Handguns; Oct '99; "Road Testing the new Steyr M9" by Kerby C. Smith &
David W. Arnold. www.GSIfirearms.com; Home web page of the exclusive U.S. importer of Steyr
Mannlicher; 205-655-8299
Steyr Pistol Owner's Manual; buy a Steyr pistol to get one
Laser-Cast Reloading Manual, by Oregon Trail Bullet Company; 800-811-0548; www.laser-cast.com
Version 12.04b.99
Steyr M357 Addendum
-------------------
If you want the Steyr M357 (the 357 Sig version) to come out quickly, be sure
to call GSI and Steyr to cast your vote. Currently, GSI has stated that the
M357 might be out in the 1st quarter of 2000 or so.
GSI: www.GSIfirearms.com or call 205 655-8299
Steyr Mannlicher: www.smg.steyr.com/english or call (+43 7252) 896 - 0
Because of bullet technology advancements, the 357 Sig is the first
bottlenecked cartridge to become commercially successful in this century.
That's because we no longer have to rely on a straight walled case to push
the largest diameter bullet possible to get the job done anymore. For more
information on the 357 Sig, you can contact www.greent.com/40Page