If you go to the site of any more or less well-known manufacturer of weapons, then in the catalog of the offered products you can find a lot of a wide variety of models for every taste and color. The Steyr catalog cannot boast of such a variety of weapons. Strictly speaking, the title of the article is not entirely correct, since, at the moment, the Austrian company does not offer pistols, but, in fact, one pistol in various versions in terms of dimensions and ammunition. It is hard not to notice that recently the company Steyr Mannlicher does not please the consumer with new weapons, modernizing and selling previously developed models. The same design of the monitored pistol was developed in 1999 and slightly updated in 2014. Obviously, since there is still demand for the product and it is competitive, it means that it has not yet become obsolete and can be sold, which is quite reasonable, however less, I would like to see something new from the manufacturer. In the meantime, let's get acquainted with the "old" pistols.
Various options for modern Steyr pistols
Work on the new weapon began in the mid-90s of the last century and already in 1999 the company presented the M9 pistol chambered for 9x19 and 9x21. A little later, a version of this weapon appeared already for ammunition.40 S & W - M40, and on its basis, by replacing the barrel, it was possible to make the M357 chambered for.357SIG. In parallel with the development of weapons for other cartridges, the company also created a compact model of weapons designed for concealed carry, namely the Steyr S pistol, which was offered for 9x19 and.40S & W cartridges.
For all variants of M pistols, the barrel length is 101 millimeters with a total length of 176 millimeters. The mass of the L9 pistol is 747 grams without cartridges. This pistol is fed from magazines with a capacity of 10, 14, 15 and 17 rounds. M40 pistols weigh 767 grams, and M357 pistols - 778 grams and use magazines with a capacity of 10 or 12 rounds.
The dimensions and weight of the compact S pistols are the same regardless of the ammunition used. The barrel length of the pistol is 91 millimeters with a total weapon length of 168 millimeters. The height of the pistol is 117 millimeters, and its thickness is 30 millimeters. Weight without cartridges 725 grams. Standard magazines for this weapon have a capacity of 10 rounds, but you can use more capacious ones, however, they will protrude beyond the handle of the weapon.
In 2014, the company Steyr of its weapons, during which the ergonomics were improved, as well as the "survivability" of the pistol when operating in adverse conditions. In the design of the weapon, little has changed, visually the pistol before and after modernization can be distinguished by the handle, the seat for attaching various additional devices and the shape of the safety clip. The main differences are not so noticeable and relate mainly to the processing of the working surfaces of the weapon and their coating.
In the process of modernization, the company also expanded the line of pistols, in which models of pistols C and L appeared. Model of pistol C occupies an intermediate place between S and M, in fact it is a pistol with a shortened barrel, but has a full-size handle for holding. The L model pistol is positioned as a sport pistol, differs from the M model in a longer barrel.
In the name of the weapon, the modernization was reflected in the addition of the A1 designation to any of the pistols options.
The characteristics of the pistols this time are more varied, let's start with the most compact - S.
S pistols are available in three weapon variants S9-A1 and S40-A1. The first designation hides models of pistols chambered for 9x19 and 9x21 cartridges, the second designation, as you might guess, is assigned to the pistol version for.40S & W ammunition. S9-A1 pistols have the following characteristics. Barrel length 92 millimeters with a pistol length of 166, 5 millimeters. The height from the pistol grip to the rear sight is 123 mm. Thickness - 30 millimeters. The mass of the weapon without cartridges is 664 grams. The standard magazine is a magazine with a capacity of 10 rounds, but, as in the previous version, you can use more capacious magazines with a capacity of 14, 15 and 17 rounds, resigning to the fact that the magazine will stick out from the handle of the weapon.
The S40-A1 pistol has a slightly longer barrel - 96 millimeters. Accordingly, the total length of the weapon increased, which became equal to 170 millimeters. The height is the same as the 9mm model - 123mm. Weight increased slightly to 678 grams. The pistol is fed from magazines with a capacity of 10 rounds, but magazines with a capacity of 12 rounds.40S & W can also be used. There is no information that there is a version of this weapon chambered for the.357SIG cartridge, but there is a kit for adapting the pistol to this cartridge. The kit includes a barrel and a return spring with a guide. With this adaptation, the shutter mirror and magazine will not have to be changed, since the.357SIG cartridge is based on the.40S & W.
As mentioned earlier, with the modernization of the pistol, the Model C appeared, which took an intermediate place between the models S and M. This pistol, like the S pistols, is presented in only three variants with two designations. The C9-A1 model is offered in a version chambered for 9x19 and 9x21 cartridges. It is worth noting that the option for 9x21 ammunition is available not only for Italy, but for everyone. The barrel length of nine-millimeter weapons is 92 millimeters, while the total length of the pistol is 170 millimeters. The height of the pistol is 132 mm, the thickness is 30 mm. The weight of the weapon without cartridges is 766 grams. The pistol is fed from magazines with a capacity of 15 or 17 rounds, which can be "cut" to a capacity of 10 rounds in accordance with local legislation.
A variant of the C40-A1 pistol, chambered for.40S & W, has a barrel length of 96 millimeters with a total weapon length of 175 millimeters. The height of the pistol is 132 millimeters. The mass of the pistol is 780 grams, excluding ammunition. The pistol is fed from magazines with a capacity of 10 or 12 rounds. There is also a kit for this variant of the weapon that allows it to be adapted for use with.357SIG cartridges.
In general, the niche of models with the designation C is not entirely clear, since the S pistols clearly cannot be attributed to the so-called subcompact.
Model M after modernization was immediately presented with four models of weapons chambered for 9x19, 9x21,.40S & W and.357SIG. Subsequently, the model of the pistol chambered for.357SIG was replaced with a set that allows the use of these cartridges in weapons chambered for.40S & W, and the pistol can be ordered immediately adapted for these ammunition.
Pistols M9-A1 and M40-A1 differ in numbers only in weight and magazine capacity, the rest of their parameters are identical. So the barrel length of the weapon is 102 millimeters with a total pistol length of 176 millimeters. The height of the pistol is 136 millimeters, and the thickness is still the same 30 millimeters. The weight of the nine-millimeter weapon variants is 766 grams without cartridges. The.40S & W version weighs 776 grams. Nine-millimeter pistols are fed from magazines with a capacity of 10, 14, 15 and 17 rounds. In the version chambered for.40S & W cartridges, power is supplied from magazines with a capacity of 10 or 12 rounds.
And finally, completing the tedious part of the material about Steyr pistols, the pistol variants marked with the letter L. These pistols are presented only in versions chambered for 9x19 and.40S & W cartridges, but conversely there are kits for converting from one caliber to another. The manufacturer endowed the L9-A1 version of the weapon with a barrel length of 115 millimeters, the same barrel length for a pistol chambered for.40S & W. The length of both versions of the pistols is also the same and equal to 188.5 millimeters. The nine-millimeter pistol is 142 millimeters high, while its larger caliber version has a slightly lower height of 136 millimeters. Both pistols are 30 millimeters thick. The weight of the nine-millimeter pistol is 817 grams without cartridges. Food is provided from stores with a capacity of 17 rounds. The magazine can be "trimmed" to 10 rounds to meet the requirements for civilian weapons in individual countries. The pistol chambered for.40S & W has a mass of 838 grams and is fed from a magazine with a capacity of 12 rounds, the capacity of which can also be shredded.
It should be noted that within the framework of one version of the weapon, the transition between all the proposed ammunition can be carried out by replacing individual nodes. So the M9-A1 pistol, after replacing the magazine, barrel, bolt cover and return spring, becomes a full-fledged M40-A1, so that, in principle, within the framework of one version of the weapon, the division by ammunition is rather arbitrary.
Appearance and ergonomics of pistols
The appearance of modern Steyr pistols is quite interesting, and it is very difficult to confuse this weapon with anything from the monotonous mass on the market now. First of all, the unusual handle of the weapon is striking, which, despite its unusual appearance, turns out to be quite comfortable. But it should be noted that it is convenient only for those who have an average palm size; for people with large palms, the thickness of the handle will be insufficient, while the pistol does not have replaceable pads that would at least partially compensate for this shortcoming.
The second thing that catches your eye is the lack of a safety switch, which is already the norm for modern pistols. The only thing that prevents accidental firing is the automatic safety button on the trigger and the relatively heavy trigger travel. You can also mention the lock located near the lever for disassembling the weapon. This lock, in theory, should exclude the possibility of the use of weapons by children or in the event of theft of a pistol. In fact, the device of this lock is so simple that you can open it using office supplies without having a special key.
The pistol sights consist of an unregulated rear sight and front sight, which are mounted on the bolt cover in dovetail mounts. The manufacturer himself offers a choice of several options for sighting devices that can replace the standard ones. Conversely, you can purchase weapons from many dealers with a completely replaced front sight.
If we talk about personal impressions, then this is one of the few pistols that I managed to get to know personally. He left a very positive impression, especially in the process of shooting. Apparently, the low-set barrel of the pistol plays a significant role, since there is no feeling at all when the weapon leaves the aiming line when fired. In fact, the weapon, of course, deviates from the line of sight, but very quickly returns to the starting point, which is facilitated by the pistol grip and the location of the barrel.
Steyr pistol design
The basis for the Steyr pistols now on the market is the short-travel automation system. The barrel bore is locked when the tide enters the window for ejection of spent cartridges above the chamber. The system is not new, it has been used in many other models of weapons from different manufacturers, has established itself as optimal for short-barreled weapons, for sufficiently accurate shooting at distances of up to 50 meters.
The firing mechanism is a striker with a pre-cocked trigger when the trigger is pulled. It is the pre-platoon that determines the pressure on the trigger when firing, which to some extent affects the accuracy, but it provides relative safety and the ability to carry a pistol with a cartridge in the chamber, which in turn makes it ready for immediate use immediately after extraction. The fashion for this firing mechanism was introduced by another Austrian, and, judging by the products of other companies, such a trigger is really justified and, with the proper quality, is reliable.
In general, at the moment it is impossible to find something unusual in the design of Steyr pistols, all solutions are familiar and have already been tested by time.
Conclusion
Recently, Steyr has received frequent criticism, and the criticism is aimed precisely at the fact that the arms company does not introduce new products. Is it worth criticizing for the fact that having created a successful example of a weapon, the company continues to modernize and improve it, instead of creating dozens of other models, which it is not yet known how they will show themselves in operation. In addition, the company does not only deal with short-barreled weapons, from time to time you can see new items from it, which, although they do not create noise around them, are always distinguished by quality and reliability.
If we return to the pistols of the Steyr company, then they did not receive wide distribution due to a slightly higher cost than that of similar weapons from other manufacturers. Nevertheless, these pistols are quite actively used by law enforcement agencies in Austria, Germany, Georgia, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey and the UK. These pistols have received well-deserved accolades in the civilian market in the United States and Europe.
It is very doubtful that the designers of the Steyr company are not currently developing new weapons, because earlier the designers of this company had quite interesting solutions in the field of firearms. The fastest way is that the leaders simply look at things soberly and are in no hurry to fill the market with their products, which would be inferior to the currently produced samples in terms of characteristics. Even one mistake with one single sample of weapons can significantly affect the reputation of a company, which will be very difficult to restore in the future. Moreover, if not the most successful model of weapons enters the market, then even less successful ones follow it, which finally kills the consumer's confidence in the company, an example of this can be Remington, which still cannot take the lost place.
So it is not worth scolding Steyr for the fact that at the moment they offer, in fact, only one pistol. Rather, this is even a plus for the company, since it is easier to monitor the quality of the manufactured products, and the consumer does not need to suffer from the problem of choice if he settled on Steyr pistols.
Source: steyrarms.com
