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First Range Trip With The New Steyr M9-A1...Another Winner!

5125 Views 14 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  OD*
The anticipation was killing me.

Here I have this new pistol in my possession and do to on going personal situations, I kept having to put off going to the range to see how this rather interesting looking firearm was going to perform...until today. So off I go with the Steyr, and, I figured I would go ahead and put a few rounds thru my Sig P239 as well. Needless to say, I was raring to go.

Now I know, that the Steyr pistols are a little strange looking, and I'm sure we all know the old saying about "beauty being in the eye of the beholder" ... but I have been reading up on this gun and it seems that most (if not all) of the individuals who own one of these gems are really very happy with them. When I first saw this gun, I wasn't really sure I wanted it as I have looked at them in the past and always passed them by, but this time, I just had to have it after taking it my hand and actually comparing it as it sat side by side with a Glock 17. In my opinion, the only thing that really stood out as being very 'Glock-ish' with this gun...is the grip angle. So yes, the grip angle is almost the exact same as a Glock, but the overall feel of the gun was a lot more comfortable to me; it didn't have the squarish, blocky feeling to me.

Trigger wise...the take up before hitting the wall seemed to be a bit shorter, the creep was minimal, and the break seemed pretty crisp for a striker fired gun. As far as the reset...is isn't a PPQ...BUT...it was noticeably better than some other guns I have tried. Lets face it...my SRT's are a thing of beauty, but I won't try to shove an apple into a basket full of oranges.



My main concern here, was to test for function as well as trying to get acclimated with these rather different trapezoidal sights that are rather unique if I say so myself. For those who appreciate visuals....




So I get to my lane, load up my mags (17 round magazines x 2 came with the gun) and off we go.

I only had 2 targets. One for the M9 and one for the Sig...so basically what I did was start off at 7 yards to get a feel for the trigger and the sights...then run it out to 10 yards and then finishing up at 15 yards. Load the gun...rack the slide...take aim, making the tip of the triangle my POA and BANG! First shot was a dead bull. Hmmm...ok! A couple mags at close range and then out to 10 yards and on to 15. Ejection was ideal at around 3:30-4:00 and consistent. Muzzle flip was minimal due to the high grip and low bore axis...but best of all...it ran like a clock; No malfunctions of any kind.

Accuracy...I was doing pretty good with my ragged hole until I started shooting at a faster pace from reset at 15 and not really paying close attention at all my flyers. By this time...I was really liking this gun and just having fun with it.



All in all...a great time checking out a new and rather unique firearm that I'm happy to say that I'm glad I didn't pass up again.
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So back at the homestead, it comes time to break it down and play with it a bit.

Here's something that some of you may appreciate if you feel that maybe you might be interested in one of these. The ease of dis-assembly for a rather thorough cleaning is something to me, that is really appealing consider I'm a bit OCD with my firearms. Removing the slide, recoil assembly, barrel...yada yada...is nothing that we all haven't done a bazillion times. What I found to be rather appealing with the M9 was the ease of taking apart the lower receiver/frame assembly to make all the nooks and crannies accessible.








Re-assembly...was just as easy.




Capture your springs as you reinsert the assembly into the frame and then reverse the takedown process...


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Done!



An interesting gun, yes...but a lot fun to shoot and I'm sure there are some of you out there who would feel the same as I do... :yup:
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Man ,thats a great review with photos, I always just looked at these guns and never purchased one.
Maybe next time I'll look into them more
Seems like a great gun, I like it that you can take it apart completely
Nice gun, enjoy and good luck
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Very good write up and some excellent photos. From the looks of your target, you did very well with those sights. How do you like them?
Very good write up and some excellent photos. From the looks of your target, you did very well with those sights. How do you like them?
Actually...I like them a lot!

What surprised me was how easy it is to acquire your POA by simply using the tip of the triangle once you get an idea of how to line up the front and rear sights. I spent a few days before I had the chance to shoot it...just looking down the sights and getting a feel for them, but when you have it loaded and your aiming at a target and then squeeze one off...the POA and POI was dead on.

I'm very happy with it and I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time shooting it.
Fantastic write up. Great pics too. I miss my Steyr... not sure why I sold it. Another cool thing about the sights is that they have the same angle as the slide... so lining everything up FAST is really easy to do IMO.
Awesome review... Very futuristic looking pistol, but I like how low the bore axis is. It should handle the recoil with ease.
I traded my M9A1 off for a .303 Brit. Still wonder what it was about that rifle that made me need it so bad.

I'll get another Steyr someday. Possible the M40A1 this time. They really are fantastic shooters!
Fantastic write up. Great pics too. I miss my Steyr... not sure why I sold it. Another cool thing about the sights is that they have the same angle as the slide... so lining everything up FAST is really easy to do IMO.
I didn't notice the way the slide and the sights are of the same angle, so I pulled it out and sure enough...you're right! I did however notice that getting on target quickly with this gun was an absolute breeze. There is nothing obtrusive at all that would take your attention away from the sights. You pull it up, and there they are; very quick and very clean.

Awesome review... Very futuristic looking pistol, but I like how low the bore axis is. It should handle the recoil with ease.
It handles recoil very well. I won't say that it eliminates all the muzzle rise as that isn't possible, but it minimizes it. Less muzzle rise, quick sight acquisition and a good trigger...makes for a fun, accurate shooter.
I traded my M9A1 off for a .303 Brit. Still wonder what it was about that rifle that made me need it so bad.

I'll get another Steyr someday. Possible the M40A1 this time. They really are fantastic shooters!
Yes, a great shooter indeed. I'm already considering one of the smaller S-A1's, LOL.


Thanks guys!
Man - I can't stop thinking about those sights! I want them on my pistols! I wish there was an aftermarket for them for all makes of pistols.

The way the pistol breaks down is pretty cool as well! Thanks for sharing that.
Your take on the Steyer reminds me of what some say re. the Stoeger: great guns that get very little respect!:smile:
Excellent review. :hand10:
Man - I can't stop thinking about those sights! I want them on my pistols! I wish there was an aftermarket for them for all makes of pistols.

The way the pistol breaks down is pretty cool as well! Thanks for sharing that.
SureSights are same basic idea and have been around for awhile, as have the Advantage Tactical Sights.
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