120 year old Steyr never ceases to amaze me.

[breacher]

It started off life as a Dutch service rifle. Then sporterised by Gibbs of Bristol and sent to Manton and Co of Calcutta. Ended up back here and sat on a shelf in a shop for years as it is pretty much obsolete - 6.5x55r ( old version of 6.5x54ms ). Brass is £2 and made by only one place worldwide. Kynoch will make up ammunition as a one-off if you order 100 at £4 each !

The rifle has been been cut down to 16" which the experts say is too short. The scope rail is an old accessory rail from the side of an AR15 ! Scope is a Vortex. Mod is an Ase Utra.



I managed to trim and reform .303 cases and make up a batch using the 160gr as used by Karamojo Bell etc on their Elephant hunts ( this calibre has taken more than all the other calibres combined - though 7.62x39 is sadly catching up ) My equipment and skills are basic to say the least when it comes to reloading. I used one old factory case as a template for case length with a household measuring tape as I have no micrometer etc As I said - BASIC !!

Anyway to date I have been getting 2 - 2.5 moa which is fine for deer at 100 yards or so. But today I decided to do a proper test at the tunnel range under Kynoch premises. Rifle was sandbag rested front and rear.

Had to fire 4 rounds to zero ( as I had bubba'd a new scope rail onto it myself ) then the next 2 gave me this - .4moa............



It was warming up now so I allowed it to cool down and tried one more round on each of the two remaining targets in case the slight right hand drift was due to heat.

And here they are - when the two targets are overlaid they cloverleaf !



I often get tempted to buy a new stalking rifle but its hard to part with something that works, cost very little to buy etc. Just goes to show, you dont HAVE to have something modern with a free floated barrel to achieve a tight group.

[snayperskaya]

Very nice indeed , I bet it would have some interesting stories to tell........if only these old rifles could talk!.

[Ovenpaa]

I will never let my more 'modern' M1900 Gibbs Steyr go, it is the 6,5x54 again with 160 grain jacketed round nosed bullets albeit not solids as WDM Bell would have used.

[lasbrisas]

I will never let my more 'modern' M1900 Gibbs Steyr go, it is the 6,5x54 again with 160 grain jacketed round nosed bullets albeit not solids as WDM Bell would have used.

Can I ask where you get the round nosed bullets from, as technically these are what my Type 38 Arisaka should use but I am currently using the normal spitzer type.

[froggy]

Congrats for getting the "old girl" talking so eloquently again ...

[breacher]

I will never let my more 'modern' M1900 Gibbs Steyr go, it is the 6,5x54 again with 160 grain jacketed round nosed bullets albeit not solids as WDM Bell would have used.

Can I ask where you get the round nosed bullets from, as technically these are what my Type 38 Arisaka should use but I am currently using the normal spitzer type.

Hornady do a 160gr soft point round nose.

[Ovenpaa]

I picked up the last couple of boxes of Hornady 160 round nose from Hannams end of last year, however I did spot some in the old staple type boxes at a local shop a couple of weeks ago albeit at modern prices so they must still be around.