An Taín Hunting Outfitter
Well-Known Member
The Steyr Prohunter is 'THE' best hunting rifle ever made.
A bold statement but let me explain in better detail.
When I first embarked on buying a rifle and had chosen a Steyr Prohunter I happened to go online and read nearly every post on this particular rifle. Ever had a cold and tried to diagnose yourself online? God you would start calling all your ex-girlfriends for a sympathy ride assigning yourself to the grave by Friday! Same with all the minor issues that go along with this rifle and nearly every other rifle on the market. Don't get bored yet, I'm getting to the point.
Take any rifle, I mean a good sporting rifle with good tight groups at 100 yards, highly engineered, but....yes....but......fitted with a scope of any choosing, a moderator in any condition, a round of any manufacturer or calibre and a shooter (varying in experience, annual number of shots per year, intelligence and lastly couldn't group shots even if standing at a free bar at a Christmas do). So in terms of technical and human error we have several variables which may negatively affect our grouping and therefore perception of how unbelievably brilliant a Steyr Prohunter is.
Take an average post "Should I buy a Steyr Prohunter"? and look at the negative answers the go a bit like the following (my penny's worth given below):
1). Fore End flex, therefore completely inaccurate with a moderator which causes the barrel to touch the fore-stock.
2). Weak fore-stock which can't fire with bipod.
3). Ugly synthetic stock
4). Hard to cycle fire as the streamlined bolt hand i.e. poor for driven hunts
5). Magazine clip (lip) wears down and does not lock in place
6). When zeroing fire a shot, wait 5 mins, fire again and wait for the barrel to cool continuously (repeat process).
7). Grouping one inch at 100 yards.
So where do these comments stem from. Well lets answer each statement and finally bring technical opinion to the Steyr Prohunters capability (or incapability according to many of these negative posts).
1). The synthetic stock is composed of a honey comb forestock. End off. It works to perfection with a bipod, works to perfection with a moderator, works to perfection if shot with 10-20 shots in a row, works to perfection if shot off sticks, off a sandbag, in hot weather, cold weather and if fired rapidly. Don't listen to broad negative comments that this gun couldn't hit a mountain. This rifle is highly capable even at 600m. It is amazing. I have zeroed monthly, religously shot weekly off season for fun and continuous muscle memory, used the same magazine for 7 years and cycle fired when the barrel was so hot it couldn't be touched. The Steyr Prohunter is an amazing rifle. I mean amazing guys.
There are no issues with this stock. The poor groups can be attributed to a vast number of factors which include:
Human error!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (inexperienced crap shot basically but afraid to admit it so blames the manufacturer)
Moisture/dirt between barrel
crown imperfections (chips/abrasions)
Environmental factors (wind, just walked uphill before trying to drop the crosshairs on a deer, shooting of one stick and not a bipod)
oh and again I must stress this......a crap shot!
ammunition unfit for rifle
2) Point of aim (POA) changes when you shoot lying down to trying to shoot off sticks, free-standing, sitting with legs crossed, resting off a fence post or using a bipod. In every one of these variables if you zero using one condition your POA will change to the other. Lying with shoulder into the stock the stock might not meet the shoulder, especially without a bipod. When pushing your shoulder into the stock on a bipod or off sticks the pushing action might cause inexperienced shooters to drop the muzzle. Military guys are taught "shot release and follow through". This is a basic motion to them but to the average rifle shooter especially those new into the art they fail to grasp this basic rule. Maybe not through ignorance but more through never being taught it.
3). Ugly? No! Perfect! It doesn't expand or contract through heat/cold. Requires minimum maintenance. Is so tough a Sherman could drive over it. But most importantly when you drop your cheek onto a Steyr Prohunter and you see your crosshairs on the engine room of a prime stag "ooooooohhhhh baby", getting a semi just thinking how good and comfortable this rifle is! The Steyr Prohunter is a gift from Steyr to the stalking fraternity. Eye alignment is crucial and Steyr have went to huge lengths that your cheek meets the stock you can worry about all other elements of human error without having to worry about comfort, alignment and eye relief. Thank you Steyr!
4). Cycle fire? YES! YES! YES!!!!!!!!!! The only issue you will ever face if being so consistently good at cycle firing you only have to worry about mirage and target visibility, the same as every other hot rifle barrel in the world. The Steyr Safebolt System is one of the most technically advanced in all of the world. Steyr have made the Prohunter able to deactivate the firing pin from the trigger mechanism with just a millimetre turn a safety catch wheel you can immediately go from your rifle being bombproof safe to ready to fire, kill and reload. Cycle fire is muscle memory. It is one of the smoothest operating bolts and a competitor to the straight pull Merkel RX Helix on a driven hunt. If your bolt is stiff, for god sake man oil it!
5). Magazine clip wears down and is hard to source. NONSENSE. Here is your link to buy another magazine retailing at £59.95 (for .308cal):
Steyr - Steyr Pro Hunter - RifleMags.co.uk
6). If you are thinking of buying this rifle and go to zero please remember the following, the round dives initially when it leaves the muzzle to about 14-15cm under at 100-150m. A barrel rises the round to about 15cm above the target at 200m and then bang on target at 300m approximately. Competitive shooters please don't choke on your tea saturated digestive biscuit just yet. I am talking about a general rule of thumb and yes every round is different, dependant on grain. I am talking in a general context. So when you zero get on paper at 50m, expect to be low at 100m and therefore if woodland or mountain shooting begin your scope zeroing relative to your perceived future average shot distance. I zero to 200m. It works best for me and that is that. Remember for newcomers if you zero to shoot with a mod on, zero with your mod on. Don't zero then add your mod. If you zero lying but intend shooting off sticks finish your zeroing shooting off your sticks you hunt with. Keep your bullet manufacturer and grain consistent. And please for all newcomers when you go to zero spend £100 on ammo. You are talking about 3 boxes of .308cal hunting rounds which will be shot in less than an hour, I promise you this!
S/hoot on the calmest of days, dont waste your ammo on a breezy day to zero. It might not affect the bullet but it will certainly affect the shooter.
7). NONSENSE about a 1 inch group at 100 yards! This rifle is one of the most accurate rifles being used even in a military context. Trigger has a normal 3.5lb factory break to fire, hairline setting (this is frighteningly scary, I mean imagine being 8 and "IT" the clown grabs your face from under your bed. SCARIER THAN THAT!!!!!!).
The Steyr Prohunter is the most amazing rifle ever made. Steyr have been manufacturing weapons from the 12th Century, for less than a grand (£ GBP) you can purchase all this knowledge and then legally go and kill stuff. Life is soooooooooo good!
This is the word of the stalker. Gospel according to Ron (3:15:12).
If you can make out the deer that is good. If you cant make out me that is the point.
A bold statement but let me explain in better detail.
When I first embarked on buying a rifle and had chosen a Steyr Prohunter I happened to go online and read nearly every post on this particular rifle. Ever had a cold and tried to diagnose yourself online? God you would start calling all your ex-girlfriends for a sympathy ride assigning yourself to the grave by Friday! Same with all the minor issues that go along with this rifle and nearly every other rifle on the market. Don't get bored yet, I'm getting to the point.
Take any rifle, I mean a good sporting rifle with good tight groups at 100 yards, highly engineered, but....yes....but......fitted with a scope of any choosing, a moderator in any condition, a round of any manufacturer or calibre and a shooter (varying in experience, annual number of shots per year, intelligence and lastly couldn't group shots even if standing at a free bar at a Christmas do). So in terms of technical and human error we have several variables which may negatively affect our grouping and therefore perception of how unbelievably brilliant a Steyr Prohunter is.
Take an average post "Should I buy a Steyr Prohunter"? and look at the negative answers the go a bit like the following (my penny's worth given below):
1). Fore End flex, therefore completely inaccurate with a moderator which causes the barrel to touch the fore-stock.
2). Weak fore-stock which can't fire with bipod.
3). Ugly synthetic stock
4). Hard to cycle fire as the streamlined bolt hand i.e. poor for driven hunts
5). Magazine clip (lip) wears down and does not lock in place
6). When zeroing fire a shot, wait 5 mins, fire again and wait for the barrel to cool continuously (repeat process).
7). Grouping one inch at 100 yards.
So where do these comments stem from. Well lets answer each statement and finally bring technical opinion to the Steyr Prohunters capability (or incapability according to many of these negative posts).
1). The synthetic stock is composed of a honey comb forestock. End off. It works to perfection with a bipod, works to perfection with a moderator, works to perfection if shot with 10-20 shots in a row, works to perfection if shot off sticks, off a sandbag, in hot weather, cold weather and if fired rapidly. Don't listen to broad negative comments that this gun couldn't hit a mountain. This rifle is highly capable even at 600m. It is amazing. I have zeroed monthly, religously shot weekly off season for fun and continuous muscle memory, used the same magazine for 7 years and cycle fired when the barrel was so hot it couldn't be touched. The Steyr Prohunter is an amazing rifle. I mean amazing guys.
There are no issues with this stock. The poor groups can be attributed to a vast number of factors which include:
Human error!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (inexperienced crap shot basically but afraid to admit it so blames the manufacturer)
Moisture/dirt between barrel
crown imperfections (chips/abrasions)
Environmental factors (wind, just walked uphill before trying to drop the crosshairs on a deer, shooting of one stick and not a bipod)
oh and again I must stress this......a crap shot!
ammunition unfit for rifle
2) Point of aim (POA) changes when you shoot lying down to trying to shoot off sticks, free-standing, sitting with legs crossed, resting off a fence post or using a bipod. In every one of these variables if you zero using one condition your POA will change to the other. Lying with shoulder into the stock the stock might not meet the shoulder, especially without a bipod. When pushing your shoulder into the stock on a bipod or off sticks the pushing action might cause inexperienced shooters to drop the muzzle. Military guys are taught "shot release and follow through". This is a basic motion to them but to the average rifle shooter especially those new into the art they fail to grasp this basic rule. Maybe not through ignorance but more through never being taught it.
3). Ugly? No! Perfect! It doesn't expand or contract through heat/cold. Requires minimum maintenance. Is so tough a Sherman could drive over it. But most importantly when you drop your cheek onto a Steyr Prohunter and you see your crosshairs on the engine room of a prime stag "ooooooohhhhh baby", getting a semi just thinking how good and comfortable this rifle is! The Steyr Prohunter is a gift from Steyr to the stalking fraternity. Eye alignment is crucial and Steyr have went to huge lengths that your cheek meets the stock you can worry about all other elements of human error without having to worry about comfort, alignment and eye relief. Thank you Steyr!
4). Cycle fire? YES! YES! YES!!!!!!!!!! The only issue you will ever face if being so consistently good at cycle firing you only have to worry about mirage and target visibility, the same as every other hot rifle barrel in the world. The Steyr Safebolt System is one of the most technically advanced in all of the world. Steyr have made the Prohunter able to deactivate the firing pin from the trigger mechanism with just a millimetre turn a safety catch wheel you can immediately go from your rifle being bombproof safe to ready to fire, kill and reload. Cycle fire is muscle memory. It is one of the smoothest operating bolts and a competitor to the straight pull Merkel RX Helix on a driven hunt. If your bolt is stiff, for god sake man oil it!
5). Magazine clip wears down and is hard to source. NONSENSE. Here is your link to buy another magazine retailing at £59.95 (for .308cal):
Steyr - Steyr Pro Hunter - RifleMags.co.uk
6). If you are thinking of buying this rifle and go to zero please remember the following, the round dives initially when it leaves the muzzle to about 14-15cm under at 100-150m. A barrel rises the round to about 15cm above the target at 200m and then bang on target at 300m approximately. Competitive shooters please don't choke on your tea saturated digestive biscuit just yet. I am talking about a general rule of thumb and yes every round is different, dependant on grain. I am talking in a general context. So when you zero get on paper at 50m, expect to be low at 100m and therefore if woodland or mountain shooting begin your scope zeroing relative to your perceived future average shot distance. I zero to 200m. It works best for me and that is that. Remember for newcomers if you zero to shoot with a mod on, zero with your mod on. Don't zero then add your mod. If you zero lying but intend shooting off sticks finish your zeroing shooting off your sticks you hunt with. Keep your bullet manufacturer and grain consistent. And please for all newcomers when you go to zero spend £100 on ammo. You are talking about 3 boxes of .308cal hunting rounds which will be shot in less than an hour, I promise you this!
S/hoot on the calmest of days, dont waste your ammo on a breezy day to zero. It might not affect the bullet but it will certainly affect the shooter.
7). NONSENSE about a 1 inch group at 100 yards! This rifle is one of the most accurate rifles being used even in a military context. Trigger has a normal 3.5lb factory break to fire, hairline setting (this is frighteningly scary, I mean imagine being 8 and "IT" the clown grabs your face from under your bed. SCARIER THAN THAT!!!!!!).
The Steyr Prohunter is the most amazing rifle ever made. Steyr have been manufacturing weapons from the 12th Century, for less than a grand (£ GBP) you can purchase all this knowledge and then legally go and kill stuff. Life is soooooooooo good!
This is the word of the stalker. Gospel according to Ron (3:15:12).
If you can make out the deer that is good. If you cant make out me that is the point.
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