TargetTalk

Can anyone help me with an evaluation of the Steyr Free Pistol, please?
I have a vintage Hammerli 106, which has worked hard for the last 30 years (at least).
There is one person in my Club who has a Steyr Free Pistol for the last 3 or 4 years. However he is not the best person to evaluate this gun.
I see that over the last couple of years, the International shooters mainly use Moroni, Pardini, or Toz Free Pistols. I am wondering why.

As the Steyr Air Pistols are so popular, why are people not using their Free Pistols?
I see that here in Oz the Free Pistols are priced at about $2300 Australian.
Even the Australian shooters are not using it, so I wondered what is the reason.
I was able to handle the Club member's Steyr, and the balance felt good, and he seems to enjoy using it. He is the only person I know who is using one. Why?
Thanks.
Alex L.

The Steyr Free Pistol went out of production fairly quickly. New TOZ are available, but new Steyr are not readily available, if at all.

Yes that's quite a gun---I had a chance to shoot one that belonged to a friend---it was a rather weird gun to load and with the low barrel position it seemed to be quite steady--- Steyr hasn't produced them for at least five years---grips were also quite unique with all sorts of adjustments possible. I think the gun may have had potential but, it never sold nor seemed to make it on the shooting scene.

The current indoor 50 foot NRA junior and collegiate record of 555 was shot with a Steyr. John Bikar used the gun for about a year in the late 90's but the pistol has been sitting in the safe since then. It does load a little unusually and the grips are a little "chunky". My team seems to prefer Hammerli and Pardini.

I testfired a few shots through a Steyr free pistol a few years ago. It was owned by a Finnish national team member.
Barrel position is very low, recoil is unusual, and it kicks directly into the center of your palm.
Loading was unusual and uneasy. Dry-firing was not easy, either.
The gun is heavy, and the grip of thin-laminated wood felt clumpsy.


The low-postioned barrel, and hence the "correct" recoil, is teoritically a good idea. In a free pistol with a short dwell-time, this could make a "forgiving" gun. Perhaps we could see this feature in future free pistols?

I've had one of these for quite a few years now and have always liked it. I like the low bore line and the grips (mine are the laminated ones). The compensator (a simple beveled O-ring) is worthless, becomes fouled quickly, and should be removed (takes 20 seconds). It's weird, but kinda fun.

Bill

A few of these are floating around in Australia. See:

http://www.viccityarms.com.au/view.ihtml?mainid=1103