Steyr M40, M357, & M9: New Super M Series
Pistols
GSI is no longer the importer for Steyr
firearms. The new
The new Steyr M series pistols have excellent
state of the art features, some of which cannot be appreciated until you
actually test fire one. Read on if you want to find out more about this new
millennium pistol series.
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. And besides, Glock can
barely keep up with their own orders.
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 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.
The Steyr M (Medium)
Series
My Steyr Owner's Manual lists three M models:
the M40, M9, and the M357. All three pistols are out now. The M40 has been out
since Nov '99 and the M9 came out a month later. The M357 came out in the latter
half of 2000.
The "S" Small series began hitting the market
at the beginning of 2001.
The Steyr .45 caliber project, using 1911
style 8-round magazines has not made it to market, and I have no idea if it ever
will at this point. Time will tell.
Unsupported Versus Supported
Chambers
The Glock was born as a 9mm and then modified
into the now famous Glock 22, 23, & 35 .40 S&W models. The Steyr M40 was
born as a .40 S&W pistol and then the 9mm version was developed. That's why
the Steyr M40 is exceptionally beefed up with a very strong lock-up system, and
why it has an actual "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 by 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 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, most
expanded part of some fired brass. After the first measurement, rotate the brass
slightly and measure it again because the brass sometimes measures greater from
a certain angle because of the
In the
The diameter of the Steyr fired brass
measures around .428 -.4305 for full power loads. The Glock .40 and even a SW99
I tested can expand brass as much as .431 to .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.
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, especially concerning high-pressure cartridges.
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.
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 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 (SWC).
Now, I've never been able to get SWC rounds
to feed consistently in any of my Glock .45's. I've had some luck shooting SWC's
in Glock .40's as long as the right combination of magazine spring tension,
magazine follower type, etc are stumbled upon.
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. Double-check your pistol and bullet compatibility before buying a large
bulk order of course.
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 pressure on the front of the
trigger 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. Early
triggers had about an 8 lb. pull or so. After August, 2000, the standard trigger
pull became 5 lbs.
The trigger guard is angled 10 degrees
downward, leaving room for the ambidextrous 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 a typical double-action trigger
at all. It has a short stroke action (aprox. 1/8") with a very short reset, for
very accurate rapid fire.
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 Steyr has five safeties. The three passive safeties keep the Steyr
pistol safe to operate just like a Glock. 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. Actually, this rule is true for ALL
guns.
In my opinion, the short, clean, stroke of
the Steyr trigger feels better than the longer, 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 <G>
The Walther P99 pistol has some different
trigger modes as well. But I find its trigger pull way too long for my
preference, although some people seem to like it. Maybe, if a pistol does not
have a manual safety, the longer pull is considered safer, although proper
training is the real answer. I understand that Walther has recently introduced a
consistent short stroke trigger similar to Glock and Steyr pistols (I haven't
checked it out yet). Another example: the classic 1911 style single action
pistol is perfectly safe as long as one is properly trained and practiced at
thumbing the safety off and on during the firing and holstering sequence. Each
trigger style apparently has its aficionado's <G>
Since the M40 has a short trigger pull, it
might be more appropriate to compare it to a single action trigger. Of course
the M40 trigger cannot match a finely tuned single action trigger. But, for a
short stroke DA trigger with 3 passive safeties, "requiring" no manual safety,
unlike a single action pistol, it comes darn close. I'd say that single action
fans could adjust to the new Steyr M series pistol pretty easily. Don't forget!
You can use the Steyr ambidextrous manual safety if you want to. The safety
features are covered in depth a little farther down in this
review.
Some folks seem to believe that short stroke
triggers are for expert shooters only. I almost get the impression that they
suggest resting the finger on the trigger if someone is being held at gun point.
Not! It's been proven by the Portland, OR Police Department that it's just as
fast to pull the trigger if the finger starts from an extended position outside
the trigger guard. Having the trigger finger extended along the slide, outside
the trigger guard, is the safest possible technique to use until you are
actually going to pull the trigger, no matter what kind of pistol you have,
PERIOD! With adrenaline pumping through the body, I doubt if most people can
tell the difference between 2 lbs and 20 lbs. If your finger is on the trigger
and you are startled or trip or whatever, you could easily have an unintentional
discharge. So you sure do NOT want to rest your finger on the trigger while
holding someone at gunpoint. Even a beginner can be taught this simple
technique. Don't let poor techniques seen on TV and the movies be your
guide.
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, pointing in a safe direction
of course.
Step 2: The take-down lever is quite easy to
use --- somewhat similar to a classic SIG. You simply press in the integrated
lock button slightly, which is next to the take-down lever, 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.
While a detailed disassembly is the job of a
Steyr trained armorer, I can give you a rough idea of how to do it. Behind the
take-down lever is a diagonal disassembly mark. You line up the take-down lever
with this mark. After removing the manual safety, and depressing the integrated
lock button, the entire modular steel housing can be lifted out of the frame.
This entire process can be accomplished within seconds. I don't recommend
experimenting with a complete disassembly unless you have been trained to do it.
There's some little parts that could easily get lost or possibly inserted
incorrectly.
Grip
The grip has one finger groove that should
fit almost all hand sizes, large and small. 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.
Actually, some people who are used to
oversized, large grips may at first complain that the Steyr grip is too small.
I'm sure that grip socks will be made available for the Steyr to satisfy the
needs of some owners. I'm 6' 1" and have long fingers, And I find the Steyr
quite pleasant to shoot.
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. You can always go to a hardware store and buy a foam sanding block to
roughen up the grip a little more.
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. The magazine release does not have
sharp edges like the Glock does. Lefties seem to be able to work the magazine
release easily.
Magazines
Steyr magazines are steel and drop-free.
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. It turns out that
the .40 and 357 Sig magazines for the Steyr are perfectly interchangeable ---
nice engineering job.
New Steyr magazines are a heck of a lot
easier to work with than a new Glock magazine. I typically can only get 8
cartridges in a Glock magazine for the first week or so until the magazine
spring starts slowly breaking in.
Magazine Catch
The magazine catch is made out of metal, not
polymer. So the high-quality steel Mec-Gar magazine directly contacts a metal
magazine catch. You will therefore not have a problem of the magazine catch
wearing out.
I'm only aware of two torture tests so far.
One is discussed in detail later in this review, in which Bubits pumped 10,000
rounds through one M40 within a two-day period. GSI has also shot several
thousand rounds through several Steyr pistols. The pistol parts are holding up
very well as of this writing.
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, and it gives a very
distinctive look to the Steyr pistol.
Slide
The slide is super hardened with a tenifer
finish, similar to the Glocks, and then a dull blackened finish is applied. The
grasping grooves are well spaced, giving the shooter a comfortable contact when
operating the slide. When you rack the slide, it is quite
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. The mechanical parts function on a steel
sub-assembly, and the lock bridge is very "strong".
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. Trijicon has mentioned they will support the
new Steyr pistols.
I personally believe these standard stock
sights are the best I've had on a pistol. It's so easy and fast to find the
large, triangular front sight during speed shooting --- wonderful. For accuracy
shooting, use the tip of the front triangle for superb accuracy.
These 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 23/19/32 with 6.02".
Loaded chamber
Indicator
There is a loaded chamber indicator in the
back of the slide that can be seen or felt. The chamber indicator is captivated
and can handle up to a triple charge before popping out. There is also a drill
hole on top of the slide so you can visually see a loaded
round.
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
that is excellently engineered to last a long time. I was told that Steyr has
test fired the M357 up to 20,000 rounds and the pistol was still in excellent
shape.
5-Point Safety System (6 including the
Loaded Chamber Indicator)
The Steyr pistol has an ambidextrous manual
safety for those that are concerned about retention issues. You can use it or
not. The Steyr manual safety is very similar to several popular rifles that use
a similar safety. More on that below.
The Steyr has three passive 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. The civilian version uses a two pronged key. When
it's locked, you cannot pull the trigger or take the pistol apart, but you can
load and unload the pistol.
The integrated lock is not meant to be used
in speed drills. You carefully insert the key and push the lock in, then rotate
counter-clockwise to lock the pistol. You then push the lock in, and turn the
key clockwise to unlock the pistol. During the unlock phase, it's best to keep
turning the key clockwise until you feel pressure as you pull the key out so the
lock pops out into position easily. It's a snug fit. You can also pull the slide
back a little or lightly press the trigger to help pop the lock out into
position, although these two latter methods are non-standard and should not be
necessary. The manual safety can be on/active during the use of the integrated
lock for extra safety.
I have actually started using the integrated
lock when I do not have direct control of the pistol since it is so convenient.
Obviously, during concealed carry, you do not want to use the integrated lock!
As a side note, the integrated lock is a very inexpensive part and very easy to
replace.
Of course all locks can be picked with the
right tool, even the generic handcuff lock. Overall, the integrated lock is an
excellent feature, and it sure beats misplacing an external lock or forgetting
one during transit. And while someone is looking for a plastic fork to break in
half in order to pick the lock, this gives you valuable time to protect yourself
and your loved ones.
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.
For pistol owners in general, the Steyr
manual safety is a bit different from what they are used to. On the other hand,
there are a number of rifles with the safety in the same general location as the
Steyr pistols: M-1 Garand, the M-14 or Springfield Armory M-1A rifle, or the
Ruger Mini-14 or Mini-30. And the new Vector pistol from
To activate the ambidextrous 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 use just one hand by simply moving 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. And remember, the Steyr
is safe even without having the manual safety activated, as long as the trigger
is not pulled.
You can also activate the manual safety while
holding the pistol in the normal two handed position. You simply use the index
finger on each hand to easily push the lever down on each side of the slide. In
this way the transition from the two handed fighting stance to activating the
manual safety is fast and efficient.
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 the first joint of your trigger finger, which is a
distinctively different action than pulling the trigger finger backward to fire
the pistol. It's a sequential thing. You must first release the manual safety
before you can pull the trigger. You cannot do both actions simultaneously.
Whenever your finger is going inside the trigger guard, you better be very
aware that you are going into action. All this accidental discharge data is
nothing but operator sloppiness and/or poor training. 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. As I have already
said, you do not have to use the manual safety if you don't like it. With
Steyr's 3 passive safeties, it's just as safe to carry as a
Glock.
About That Manual Safety (A
Summary)
Above, I mention three different ways to
activate the manual safety.
The fastest and most efficient way to release
the manual safety is to simply thrust your trigger finger all the way through
the trigger guard (without shifting your grip), even extending the finger out
the other side. The finger might even be lightly touching the side of the
trigger at this point. (Remember that even if the side of the trigger is bumped,
it's virtually impossible to fire the Steyr unless the trigger safety and
trigger are pulled in unison -- very important concept.) Next, using the first
joint of the index finger, or even slightly lower on the finger, push up. You
will find that the finger naturally pushes up and forward slightly. After the
manual safety is deactivated, you can either quickly place the finger on the
trigger to start shooting, or, you can extend the index finger outside and above
of the trigger guard in anticipation of an event. This will alleviate accidental
discharges caused from being startled, from tripping, from an adrenaline rush,
etc.
You can also use the supporting hand to
deactivate the manual safety. You simply wrap your supporting hand around the
top of the slide and use the index finger to push the safety lever up. This
might be a good technique if you want to take the safety off and go into search
mode, as opposed to firing right away.
Generally, if you try to deactivate the
manual safety with the tip of the index finger (not using the first joint), you
will find it more difficult if not impossible to deactivate the safety. Like any
manual safety system, you must practice on a regular basis. You should not have
to readjust your grip to flip the safety off. I've even taught my eleven year
old daughter how to deactivate the manual safety without shifting her grip, and
her fingers are 1/2 inch shorter than mine. And yes, I keep my pistol locked
when its not under my control so nobody can get to it.
Once you can manipulate the manual safety
with ease, you can flip it on and off just as fast as a traditional thumb based
manual safety, especially while drawing from a holster.
Now, some gun enthusiasts are appalled about
having a manual safety so near to the trigger. To me, that's as silly as being
appalled that a cartridge is so near to the barrel. It's different all right,
but it's just as safe as other manual safeties. I have found it virtually
impossible to pull back on the trigger and release the manual safety
simultaneously -- by design, it's a sequential procedure. And it is
naturally ambidextrous. Remember that you don't even have to use the manual
safety if you don't want to. There are three other passive safeties making it
just as safe to carry as Glocks and other modern auto pistols, which do not have
manual safeties. The Steyr simply has the benefit of
choice!
Regarding the Steyr Pistol Firing Pin
Safety
Some popular guns like many of the 1911's do
not have a firing pin safety. Steyr took a slightly different approach than
using the typical spring and plunger technique that Glocks and some others
use.
According to Mr Bubits, Steyr was classed by
BATF with a firing pin block, which is not a direct firing pin safety.
That means that the reset action trigger system is a combination of different
safeties (trigger and drop-safety), and the firing pin block which work
together. Therefore, Steyr pistols have a firing pin block that serves as the
firing pin safety, which has been thoroughly tested by said
company.
Out Of
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. Like most modern pistols,
the Steyr has a disconnector so it should not be able to fire out of
battery.
I always check all of my spent brass before
reloading. I have yet to find a primer strike that is not in the
center.
My Steyr pistol passes the
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 lubes have a tendency to
collect dirt and grime.
Lubing is one area where the Glock shines. It
can work almost dry.
Accuracy
There is no other out-of-the-box,
service-grade, compact 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. 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 for reliability.
Will the Steyr pass the torture tests of
being frozen, burned, buried, dropped from helicopters, run over, etc? I don't
know. It's a nice marketing ploy, but as long as my Steyr can handle
"reasonable" torture testing, such as the flying frisbee test, etc, that's good
enough for me and any kind of shooting I'll be doing.
I'll be using my Steyr M in IPSC &/or
IDPA 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 was told that Steyr has test fired the M357
up to 20,000 rounds and the pistol was still in excellent
shape.
I examined my M40 after shooting 1000 rounds
through it during the first two weeks of ownership. There were no wear marks
anywhere. The slide-to-frame fit is superbly engineered. I did find a little
black paint that had 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
Holsters
Steyr has selected Galco and Safariland to
make holsters. Blade-Tech has ramped up to support Steyr as well. There are
probably others that I'm not aware of.
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 an attachment that quotes some
important Federal Laws.
Steyr M Series
Issues
Some of the early Steyr pistols dinged up the
top of the slide a lot from ejected brass. Steyr did come out with an ejector
port tapering fix. The top, front of the ejector port edge is now tapered at
about 45 degrees instead of 90 degrees. And at the top, back, right of the
ejector port, it is now angled at approximately 45 degrees instead of a 90
degree corner.
I picked up a second Steyr M40 to test. There
was some scoring on top of the slide, right at the rear edge by the ejection
port. I doubt if most people would notice or be concerned about
it.
Another Steyr customer degreased his Steyr
M40 and then began having severe trigger problems. GSI told him that they would
either fix it or replace it. Some people have had problems because of not
cleaning and lubricating their pistols properly. A few of my Glock buddies were
appalled that a pistol can actually require more than 3 1/2 drops of lubrication
<G>
I heard about one M40 that shot fantastic for
about 50 rounds. Then the firing pin stopped denting the primer. The owner sent
it in to GSI for repair.
One of my two M40's did have trouble
resetting at times, for no obvious reason. This problem was later fixed by using
precision drilled holes in the metal sub-assembly. This annoying problem has
affected a few other Steyr owners as well, although some of them refer to it as
not going into battery. The good news is that Steyr will fix or replace the
offending pistol -- Steyr does have excellent service.
In late May, 2000, I bought a 3rd M40 with a
serial number in the 10,000 series. And all the above bugs have been worked out.
Steyr made a few internal changes and manufacturing improvements to fine-tune
the Steyr M pistols. The recoil spring seems to be slightly stronger, so the
slide reset is very solid.
In late August, 2000, I sent my 10,000 series
pistol to GSI for the new generation trigger upgrade. My pistol was back in
three days! GSI paid the return shipping cost and gave me a $35 gift
certificate. Folks, now that's service.
Before the upgrade, my trigger was around 8
lbs. After the upgrade, it is 5 lbs. The really big improvement is that no
matter where you place the trigger finger --- high, medium, or low on the
trigger --- the trigger is "smooth, crisp, &
consistent"!
So, the bottom line for the new Aug, 2000
trigger upgrade is, "Wow"!
I have communicated on some of the online
talk forums with a few people who continued to have problems with their Steyr
pistols, even after the upgrades. I do know that these owners were turned off
because of their experience. On the other hand, there are a number of other
Steyr owners who are satisfied customers. So, you make your decision
accordingly. If you are the cautious type, you may want to wait until some
agencies jump on board and the product matures more. Another way to make up your
mind is to remove the outspoken high scores, and the outspoken low scores, and
go with what happens to the average owners out there.
Don't be naïve and expect no problems with a
brand new pistol design. Even Glock and SIG (to name just a couple) have had
teething problems. The new HS2000 which has a lot of excited people jumping on
board (the temporary $250 price helps a great deal), has had some bad reports
from a few customers. Every gun has its good points and bad points. And you will
always be able to find someone out there to provide some negative comments about
any given pistol model.
I do have a concern that Steyr is now up for
sale and GSI is holding back and not doing anything new with Steyr until they
find out where they stand with the new buyer, whoever that might
be.
Taking Advantage of Cutting Edge
Ergonomics and Safety
Since the Steyr M (Medium) & S (Small)
series pistols are a new creation, the manufacturer could take advantage of the
latest advances in ergonomics and safety. Therefore, the Steyr pistols can
easily meet the most strict "common sense" State firearms safety laws.
Specifications:
Length/slide 7.05"
Height:
5.03"
Width:
1.18"
Sight radius: 6.22"
Weight: 28
oz.
Finish:
Black Oxide Tenifer
Barrel length: 4.00"
Barrel rifling: RH, 6
groove
Length of twist: M40
M9
M357
15.98"
9.85"
16"
Trigger system: Reset Action
System
Trigger pull: 5 LB's (as of new trigger upgrade 08/00;
adjustable at the factory)
Trigger travel: 1/8"
6 safeties:
3 reset action
safeties: Trigger, Drop, and Firing Pin Safeties
1 Ambidextrous
Manual Safety
1 Integrated lock
with two keys
1 Loaded chamber
indicator
caliber
M40
M9
M357
magazine capacity
10
10
10
Law Enforcement
12
14
12
Weight (without mag.) 23.87
23.17
24.45
Weight of empty mag. 2.97
2.97
2.97
Steyr M40 retail price:
$669
Commercial pricing: $450 -
$500
Steyr S (Small) Series
Specs:
Length/slide 6.53"
Height:
4.6"
Width:
1.18"
Weight:
22.5oz.
Barrel length: 3.58"
Magazines: 10 rounds in 9mm, .40, and 357 Sig
Chronograph Data for the Steyr M9 (from
Handguns, Oct '99)
|
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".
Chronograph & Accuracy Data for the
Steyr M40 (from Handguns, Aug 00)
|
Cartridge |
Group Size Smallest |
Group Size Largest |
*Average |
Average Velocity |
Standard Deviation |
|
Cor-Bon 135 grain JHP |
2 1/4 |
4 5/8 |
3 3/8 |
1278 |
46 |
|
Norma Black Diamond 155 gr JHP |
2.0 |
3.0 |
2 3/8 |
1271 |
08 |
|
Hornady 155 grain XTP |
1 1/2 |
3 1/2 |
2 5/16 |
|
|
|
|
2.0 |
4 3/8 |
2 3/8 |
|
|
Note: 5-shot groups fired in the Petersen
Ranch Ballistic Tunnel from a Ransom Rest.
*"Average" is the average of five five-shot groups.
Please see my M357 article for more details
at my site listed below.
In Summary
The Steyr M40 is an ergonomic, well thought
out pistol that's about the same size as a Glock 19, 23, 32. All the edges of
the Steyr have been rounded. It's very comfortable to hold and shoot. Just
looking at and handling a Steyr pistol in a store is not good enough. Shoot it
several times and that's what will really sell you on this pistol, along with
its excellent features.
Regarding felt recoil, some people have
claimed that the Steyr M9 (9mm version) feels more like a pellet gun than a 9mm
pistol. I really like the M357 model. A friend of mine who hasn't shot a pistol
in ten years was amazed how mellow even full power 357 Sig loads
were.
Obviously, the Steyr M series is a new kid on
the block and has to continue proving itself. From what I've seen with my own
Steyr M40 and M357, this is a moot point.
One amazing thing about the Glock design,
besides its market share, is that it only has 35 listed parts, compared to 53
Steyr pistol listed parts. Although, Glock uses a few little tricks by combining
some parts. I would say the Glocks really have at least 42 parts or so. Of
course, the Steyr has more functionality built into it, and Steyr even lists the
Pistol Box and lock keys as parts; Obviously, Steyr is not trying for a 'Least
Parts' record :) From what I've seen, the Steyr M Series is made to last.
The Steyr pistols have a fully supported
chamber. On the other hand, as long as you use known, tested "factory" ammo in a
well-maintained "Glock", their unsupported .40S&W chamber will 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.
For those that might be interested, some kB
(kaBoom!) information can be found at the Calibers Web site, www.greent.com/40Page
. I also wrote a related article called, "You
Say kB! and I say Case Failure", located at www.glockmeister.com.
But with the millions of Glocks in the market
and the millions of rounds being fired through them, obviously the Glocks are
holding their own pretty darn well. However, I personally prefer to use a good
Bar-Sto or KKM .40 barrel in a Glock because these barrels are far kinder to the
brass than a Glock barrel, and they appear to feed reliably as well ---
apparently Glock Inc. disagrees with me.
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.
The Steyr Safety condition 2 is activated
when using the ambidextrous manual safety. 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 safety location is a proven design on several popular rifles and
the Vector pistol, although it may at first appear strange to some traditional
shootists.
The Steyr Safety condition 3 (integrated,
limited access lock) is an excellent feature. For those with families and/or
storage needs, this is 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, which is really a 6th
visual/tactile safety feature. There is also a drill hole on top of the slide so
you can visually see a loaded round.
The Steyr can easily and safely shoot lead
bullets -- not recommended if using the polygonal rifling of a standard Glock
barrel.
There are dovetails at the front and rear of
the Steyr slide for the standard all-steel sights.
The large triangular front sight is excellent
for fast aiming during speed shooting. And the tip of the front triangular sight
helps zero you in for excellent accuracy.
The Steyr pistol has an even lower bore axis
than the Glock.
The Steyr pistol has less felt recoil than a
similar sized Glock 23.
The Steyr M40 has a shorter, crisper trigger
pull than the standard Glock.
People with small or large hands can easily
adjust to the Steyr grip.
The side of the Steyr pistol only has a
simple slide lock lever and that's it -- very simple to
operate.
The street price of Steyr pistols is
generally equivalent to Glock pistols.
The Steyr S (small) series pistols are a
perfect complement to the compact Steyr M series that is now available. I'm
really looking forward to the S357 model.
The slide rails are integrated into the main
steel housing of the Steyr, which is a "steel pistol" that happens to be wrapped
in a very strong "polymer". This makes it a beefy design. A Glock, H&K, and
Walther P99 are conversely "polymer pistols" that mold the metal slide rails
directly into the "polymer".
If I could take the liberty to compare
pistols to cars, I would say that the new Steyr pistol is the "manual shift"
smart gun of the 21st century, while the "automatic" electronic smart guns may
or may not ever be street worthy, based on current
reports.
Note: As of late 2000, all Steyr pistol
articles have been written based on early prototype or very early production
pistols. The up-to-date pistols are taking full advantage of the fine tuned
Steyr manufacturing plant and new trigger update.
I just can't help but end my Steyr M info
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
The Complete Book of Handguns; 2001; "New
Steyr M .40 S&W: New Breed Autopistol"; by Massad
Ayoob
Guns & Weapons For Law Enforcement; "New
Steyr M-Series M9mm/.40" by Wiley Clapp
Handguns; Aug 2000; "Steyr M-40 Packs A
Punch" by David W Arnold
Combat Handguns; Dec '99; "New Steyr M9/M40"
by Paul Johnson.
Combat 2000 Annual; Display until
Guns; Oct '99; "Steyr M9" by Massad
Ayoob.
Handguns; Oct '99; "Road Testing the new
Steyr M9" by Kerby C. Smith & David W.
Gun World; Jan 2000; "M is for Modern:
Steyr's New M-Series Pistols" by Gary Paul Johnston.
U.S. Steyr Importer;Dynamit
Nobel ; Home web page of the
exclusive
Steyr Mannlicher;Steyr-Mannlicher; (+43 7252) 896 - 0
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