Mauser M12 or Steyr Mannlicher CLll?

[XYZ]

Cheers for your comments Gents and to those of you who have first hand experience of the M12.
I think I will be ordering one in the very near future. Three month wait to get one in 30-06 from Germany.

 

[Southern]

Are you leaning toward the M12 in polished blue, walnut, with iron sights and 22-inch barrel?

Were you able to hold or shoot any Steyr CL II or M12, with scope or iron sights?

 

[XYZ]

Are you leaning toward the M12 in polished blue, walnut, with iron sights and 22-inch barrel?

Were you able to hold or shoot any Steyr CL II or M12, with scope or iron sights?

I will be leaning towards the walnut stock and matte finished blueing (according to what I read). Open sights will be useful if they're available.

I held and looked at an M12 Impact. No wooden stocked rifles are available locally.
I've looked at the CLll on many occasions and I actually prefer it to the SM12. The price difference between the two models is quite a hike.

 

[Southern]

The reason I asked is that the fit of the rifle is important with iron sights. You don't want to have to force your head down to line up the sights, or worse, to not be able to get the front sight down into the rear notch.

The only M12 I have held had no sights, but the synthetic stock had a very straight comb, like the Browning X-Bolt, set up for a scope. Photos of the walnut stocked M12 with open sights appear to have some drop on the comb, but I have not looked up the dimensions. The older Steyr Mannlichers, like any of the older rifles, had more drop than modern rifles, and the open sights align naturally and quickly. My 2014 Prohunter has enough drop on the synthetic stock for open sights, and the Classic and the SBS Forest are even better, yet both work as well as anything with the scopes, too.

If there is an outdoor show where you can handle and aim them, to check fit for yourself, I would urge your doing that.

 

[old keeper]

I expect you already know this Adrian but Steve Beaty at Ivythorn in Somerset handles Mausers.