Classic/traditional sporting rifle recommendations

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Jack3

Well-Known Member
Calibres aside for a moment - I'm on the search for a second-hand classic/traditional looking wooden-stocked sporting rifle. I'm currently looking at the following two options:
  • Steyr Mannlicher Classic or Luxus
  • Heym SR 21
Does anyone have any first-hand experience with either? Or any others I should add to the shortlist?

Also looking at the Mauser M12 Expert in wood but struggling to find anything S/H in the calibres I'm looking at and a bit pricey new...

*For background, I already have a Sauer 100 in 6.5CM and a Remington 700 in .223 (both plastic stocks) so looking for something a little prettier in .308 or 30-06 for big Scottish Reds and African plains game...
 
I have an M12 and it is a decent working rifle but it is not as nice as many rifles out there.

I own Schultz and Larsen rifles as well. They are an order of magnitude better and if you want a classic rifle made from quality steel with barrels that shoot unbelievably well, you would do well to include them in your considerations.
 
Schultz and Larsen make beautiful rifles but they’re a little out of my budget. Ideally looking to spend £1.5-2k.
 
Can't go wrong with a good barrel condition Parker Hale M81 Classic as the bolt is Mauser 98 so if there is an issue most places in the world with a good gunsmith should be able to fix any issues. Here's mine laid on the ground. In .30/06. There's a lot in .270 WCF but yes they do exist in .308 WCF and .30/06. What I would never ever suggest is one in any of the American belted magnum calibres. They just don't seem to feed reliably as made by Parker Hale. There seems to have been no work on the receiver done. For a search then, as ever the current still live Holt's Sale of Unsold Lots is worth a look?

NLRIFLE.jpg
 
enfieldspares said:
Can't go wrong with a good barrel condition Parker Hale M81 Classic as the bolt is Mauser 98 so if there is an issue most places in the world with a good gunsmith should be able to fix any issues. Here's mine laid on the ground. In .30/06. There's a lot in .270 WCF but yes they do exist in .308 WCF and .30/06. What I would never ever suggest is one in any of the American belted magnum calibres. They just don't seem to feed reliably as made by Parker Hale. There seems to have been no work on the receiver done. For a search then, as ever the current still live Holt's Sale of Unsold Lots is worth a look?

View attachment 342977
Click to expand...

The most sensible option.

The older Remington 700's and Model 7's had some decent timber too.

I believe Howa 1500's still have a wood option, which looks quite good.
 
Jack3 said:
Calibres aside for a moment - I'm on the search for a second-hand classic/traditional looking wooden-stocked sporting rifle. I'm currently looking at the following two options:
  • Steyr Mannlicher Classic or Luxus
  • Heym SR 21
Does anyone have any first-hand experience with either? Or any others I should add to the shortlist?

Also looking at the Mauser M12 Expert in wood but struggling to find anything S/H in the calibres I'm looking at and a bit pricey new...

*For background, I already have a Sauer 100 in 6.5CM and a Remington 700 in .223 (both plastic stocks) so looking for something a little prettier in .308 or 30-06 for big Scottish Reds and African plains game...
Click to expand...
I had a Heym SR21 for 7 years or so, in .308. Beautiful rifle, wonderfully made and a joy to handle. It looked and felt the part, and I really wanted to like it.

However, I had consistent problems with it that I never managed to solve, despite sending it off multiple times to some excellent smiths and spending a stupid amount of money on it.

The first major problem is that the action and barrel have an odd arrangement that puts a lot of stress on the action. It acts as a sort of canteliver, resting on a little bump in the underside. This means that unless the bedding is flawless and the action screws torqued perfectly, the grouping is inconsistent - most commonly you get two groups, about 2.5 inches apart. Even after getting it rebedded twice, and putting into a PSE stock, I never really solved this.

Second, the magazine release catch jams easily, and the only way to get it loose is to take the action out of the stock.

Third, the firing pin spring on mine was a bit weak, and I started getting misfires from light strikes.

So: it’s beautiful gun, that’s made to an extremely high standard, but which has serious design flaws. I would advise against one.
 
There have been some real bargains recently both here and in Holts.
Rifles by Proctor, Wharton etc at a fraction of their cost.
Keep looking, find a style you like and then look for a rifle that you both like and can afford.
 
Probably unlikely to find second hand but for new try looking at the Anschutz 1782, in your price range and a choice of wood grades.
superb build quality with accuracy, guaranteed, to match.
 
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