Steyr M40, M357, & M9: New Super M Series Pistols

GSI is no longer the importer for Steyr firearms. The new U.S. importer of Steyr pistols might become www.dsarms.com, although U.S. Steyr pistol support might lag until 2003. Let's hope Steyr gets it together.

The new Steyr M series pistols have excellent state of the art features, some of which cannot be appreciated until you actually test fire one. Read on if you want to find out more about this new millennium pistol series.

A Short Steyr History

Wilhelm Bubits is the mastermind of the Steyr pistol. He's a hobby shooter who at one time worked for Glock, and was also a uniformed officer and later a plainclothes officer.

Basically, Bubits was always critiquing pistols and finally decided to become a designer, so he could build what he envisioned. He actually offered his patents to Glock and was told that his designs did not follow their "philosophy" of design. And besides, Glock can barely keep up with their own orders.

So, Bubits ended up with Steyr Mannlicher, another Austrian arms maker, in 1997. A key player to bring Bubits' dream into reality was Steyr's engineer, Fridrich Aigner. After two years of research and development, the pistol has been christened.

Steyr Mannlicher has been making quality firearms since 1864. Ayoob sums up Steyr's history well when he said that Steyr is a daring company that boldly goes where no gun manufacturer has gone before, and has been successful doing it.

For example: The Steyr Professional with it Cycolac stock was introduced 25 years ago and has changed the face of riflery, proving the superiority of the synthetic stock. And the Steyr AUG was the first extremely successful tactical rifle. Instead of just a custom-make of Jeff Cooper's Scout Rifle, Steyr dared to actually manufacture it. And everyone who shot it, has marveled at its execution.

The Steyr M (Medium) Series

My Steyr Owner's Manual lists three M models: the M40, M9, and the M357. All three pistols are out now. The M40 has been out since Nov '99 and the M9 came out a month later. The M357 came out in the latter half of 2000.

The "S" Small series began hitting the market at the beginning of 2001.

The Steyr .45 caliber project, using 1911 style 8-round magazines has not made it to market, and I have no idea if it ever will at this point. Time will tell.

Unsupported Versus Supported Chambers

The Glock was born as a 9mm and then modified into the now famous Glock 22, 23, & 35 .40 S&W models. The Steyr M40 was born as a .40 S&W pistol and then the 9mm version was developed. That's why the Steyr M40 is exceptionally beefed up with a very strong lock-up system, and why it has an actual "fully supported chamber".

Some manufacturers of 9mm pistols simply rebarrelled, modified the breechface and put in a stiffer recoil spring to develop their initial .40 S&W pistols. Since the .40/10mm bullet is bigger than a 9mm, the only way to get the .40 to feed reliably was to create an intrusive feed ramp, and possibly an oversized chamber to match. Thus the .40 S&W "Unsupported Chamber" was born. This was a quick and dirty fix by some manufacturers to get to market fast.

Other manufacturers either started from scratch or went through the added expense to redesign their 9's to safely handle the .40 with a well-supported chamber that still feeds reliably. These types of .40 pistols are therefore safer to use, whether you shoot factory ammo or reloaded ammo.

If you want to find out if your .40 has a well supported chamber, then do this: Measure the diameter of the lower, most expanded part of some fired brass. After the first measurement, rotate the brass slightly and measure it again because the brass sometimes measures greater from a certain angle because of the 6-o'clock chamber opening affect. If your brass measures .431 or greater, then your chamber is entering into unsupported territory. Also, put a round into the barrel and look at the 6-o'clock position of the chamber opening. If the thin part of the brass wall is exposed, or too much brass is exposed, you have an unsupported chamber. "Both" of these measurements are important to determine if your chamber is well supported or not. The greatest brass expansion occurs when shooting full power loads of course.

In the six-o'clock chamber opening of the Steyr M40, you see virtually "no" exposed brass and the chamber is not oversized either. I kid you not! This is truly amazing, especially since the rounds feed perfectly. A Steyr barrel does not over expand and bulge the brass like an unsupported chamber does.

The diameter of the Steyr fired brass measures around .428 -.4305 for full power loads. The Glock .40 and even a SW99 I tested can expand brass as much as .431 to .433, which is a huge difference. In other words, the Steyr M40 is friendly for using in sports, reloading, and in agencies. It should give a little extra confidence to anyone who carries a .40 caliber pistol.

Generally speaking, ammo and gun companies don't care about reloading safety and case life. Some of the newer reloading manuals have strong warnings about reloading for pistols with unsupported chambers, especially concerning high-pressure cartridges.

One positive side effect of Glock's famous unsupported chamber and their marketing omnipresence, is that some ammo companies have beefed up their .40 S&W brass so it has a better chance of surviving when fired in a Glock chamber.

The Barrel

Conventional rifling is used in the barrel, for those that choose to use lead. Bubits has stated that for the cost of being able to use lead and be "handload compatible", there is no more than a 3 percent to 4 percent loss in velocity.

The Steyr M series employs the Browning cam-operated tilting barrel system to lock the action during firing.

For Lead Bullet Fans

I performed a little test just for you. I don't normally shoot lead because I find it a little too messy. I bought 100 Oregon Trail Laser-Cast 170 grain Semi Wad Cutters (SWC).

Now, I've never been able to get SWC rounds to feed consistently in any of my Glock .45's. I've had some luck shooting SWC's in Glock .40's as long as the right combination of magazine spring tension, magazine follower type, etc are stumbled upon.

I'm glad to report that my Steyr M40 fed all 100 SWC rounds "perfectly". This is great news for sports shooters since a semi wad cutter cuts a larger, cleaner hole in the paper. That's because a SWC is not only a flat point, but it has a 360 degree cutting shoulder that maximizes the size of the hole. Now I just have to find some good bulk plated/jacketed SWC bullets. Double-check your pistol and bullet compatibility before buying a large bulk order of course.

The Trigger

The Steyr, like the Glock, has a safety on the trigger. If the trigger gets bumped from various angles, the trigger will not release. You need to put a positive finger pressure on the front of the trigger for the gun to fire. This is an important safety feature that some people just don't get.

After shooting a few hundred rounds, I took the slide off to clean the M40. I put a little high tech Tetra lube on the inner trigger workings with a q-tip and then lightly removed any excess lube with the dry end of the q-tip. Oh, and I applied a little tetra to the long trigger bar as well. After reassembling the Steyr, the trigger action is silky smooth. Early triggers had about an 8 lb. pull or so. After August, 2000, the standard trigger pull became 5 lbs.

The trigger guard is angled 10 degrees downward, leaving room for the ambidextrous manual safety. This trigger angle allows for a very natural, higher finger placement.

The Steyr trigger is true double-action since the trigger continues to cock the striker throughout the stroke until it is released. The Steyr trigger does not feel like a typical double-action trigger at all. It has a short stroke action (aprox. 1/8") with a very short reset, for very accurate rapid fire.

Like the Glock, the Steyr striker mechanism is under partial tension (partially cocked) when the trigger is fully forward. After the trigger is pulled, the striker is fully at rest until the trigger is reset. The Steyr has five safeties. The three passive safeties keep the Steyr pistol safe to operate just like a Glock. You just have to remember to engage your primary manual safety, the one between your ears, and NOT put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire. Actually, this rule is true for ALL guns.

In my opinion, the short, clean, stroke of the Steyr trigger feels better than the longer, mushier Glock trigger. I even grabbed a Glock armorer at my shooting range so he could test fire the Steyr. He agreed that the Steyr trigger felt better and the perceived recoil was less. But he told me not to tell anyone <G>

The Walther P99 pistol has some different trigger modes as well. But I find its trigger pull way too long for my preference, although some people seem to like it. Maybe, if a pistol does not have a manual safety, the longer pull is considered safer, although proper training is the real answer. I understand that Walther has recently introduced a consistent short stroke trigger similar to Glock and Steyr pistols (I haven't checked it out yet). Another example: the classic 1911 style single action pistol is perfectly safe as long as one is properly trained and practiced at thumbing the safety off and on during the firing and holstering sequence. Each trigger style apparently has its aficionado's <G>

Since the M40 has a short trigger pull, it might be more appropriate to compare it to a single action trigger. Of course the M40 trigger cannot match a finely tuned single action trigger. But, for a short stroke DA trigger with 3 passive safeties, "requiring" no manual safety, unlike a single action pistol, it comes darn close. I'd say that single action fans could adjust to the new Steyr M series pistol pretty easily. Don't forget! You can use the Steyr ambidextrous manual safety if you want to. The safety features are covered in depth a little farther down in this review.

Some folks seem to believe that short stroke triggers are for expert shooters only. I almost get the impression that they suggest resting the finger on the trigger if someone is being held at gun point. Not! It's been proven by the Portland, OR Police Department that it's just as fast to pull the trigger if the finger starts from an extended position outside the trigger guard. Having the trigger finger extended along the slide, outside the trigger guard, is the safest possible technique to use until you are actually going to pull the trigger, no matter what kind of pistol you have, PERIOD! With adrenaline pumping through the body, I doubt if most people can tell the difference between 2 lbs and 20 lbs. If your finger is on the trigger and you are startled or trip or whatever, you could easily have an unintentional discharge. So you sure do NOT want to rest your finger on the trigger while holding someone at gunpoint. Even a beginner can be taught this simple technique. Don't let poor techniques seen on TV and the movies be your guide.

Trigger Guard

The front of the large trigger guard is textured so those that like to grip the front of the trigger guard will have a non-slip surface.

Take-Down Lever

Step 1: To disassemble the Steyr, you must first check to make sure the pistol is empty with no cartridge in the chamber and no magazine inserted. Then you have to pull the trigger, like the Glock, in order to release tension to the striker mechanism, pointing in a safe direction of course.

Step 2: The take-down lever is quite easy to use --- somewhat similar to a classic SIG. You simply press in the integrated lock button slightly, which is next to the take-down lever, and then the take down lever can be swung down easily so the slide can be removed. When the slide is reinserted onto the frame, the take-down lever automatically pops into place. Very clean.

A person unaccustomed to a Steyr may very well think the take-down lever is the manual safety, especially with the bold "S" and "F" markings adjacent to it. This could give the owner just enough time to take control of the situation during an emergency. With the manual safety on, this situation could get downright confusing for a perpetrator.

While a detailed disassembly is the job of a Steyr trained armorer, I can give you a rough idea of how to do it. Behind the take-down lever is a diagonal disassembly mark. You line up the take-down lever with this mark. After removing the manual safety, and depressing the integrated lock button, the entire modular steel housing can be lifted out of the frame. This entire process can be accomplished within seconds. I don't recommend experimenting with a complete disassembly unless you have been trained to do it. There's some little parts that could easily get lost or possibly inserted incorrectly.

Grip

The grip has one finger groove that should fit almost all hand sizes, large and small. The upper rear of the grip frame is dished out, somewhat similar to the Beretta guns. This allows the web of the hand to get in a little tighter and also makes reaching the trigger easier.

Actually, some people who are used to oversized, large grips may at first complain that the Steyr grip is too small. I'm sure that grip socks will be made available for the Steyr to satisfy the needs of some owners. I'm 6' 1" and have long fingers, And I find the Steyr quite pleasant to shoot.

The grip angle is 111 degrees. Basically, this means when you aim the Steyr, you don't have to cock your wrist up or down since it is a natural point shooting pistol. The bore axis is so low (lower than a Glock) that it's almost like pointing your finger. A nice side effect is less felt recoil as well.

The textured pattern on the grip is adequate to obtain a nonslip grip. I personally like the more radical HK USP grip texture that almost feels like sandpaper --- but some people think that's a little too much. At any rate, the grip shape, along with the textured pattern, fits my hand perfectly. You can always go to a hardware store and buy a foam sanding block to roughen up the grip a little more.

Magazine Release

The magazine release is well placed on the left side of the frame so it's easy to reach for a right or left handed person. When the pistol is laying on it's side, the magazine release button is out of the way so it won't release accidentally. The magazine release does not have sharp edges like the Glock does. Lefties seem to be able to work the magazine release easily.

Magazines

Steyr magazines are steel and drop-free. Since the double-column magazine is tapered, it fits easily into the beveled magazine well. The bottom of the magazine well has room to pull out a magazine should that ever be necessary.

Out of curiosity, I loaded a .40S&W magazine with 10 357 Sig rounds. They seemed to fit very well. It turns out that the .40 and 357 Sig magazines for the Steyr are perfectly interchangeable --- nice engineering job.

New Steyr magazines are a heck of a lot easier to work with than a new Glock magazine. I typically can only get 8 cartridges in a Glock magazine for the first week or so until the magazine spring starts slowly breaking in.

Magazine Catch

The magazine catch is made out of metal, not polymer. So the high-quality steel Mec-Gar magazine directly contacts a metal magazine catch. You will therefore not have a problem of the magazine catch wearing out.

I'm only aware of two torture tests so far. One is discussed in detail later in this review, in which Bubits pumped 10,000 rounds through one M40 within a two-day period. GSI has also shot several thousand rounds through several Steyr pistols. The pistol parts are holding up very well as of this writing.

Accessory Mount

The Steyr accessory mount on the frame, for light mounts, etc, has two rectangular cut outs on each side of the frame, instead of the typical rail. These recessed slots allow the mount to have a positive attachment, with no movement whatsoever, and it gives a very distinctive look to the Steyr pistol.

Slide

The slide is super hardened with a tenifer finish, similar to the Glocks, and then a dull blackened finish is applied. The grasping grooves are well spaced, giving the shooter a comfortable contact when operating the slide. When you rack the slide, it is quite smooth.

The Steyr slide is only 18 ml high compared to the Glock's 22 ml.

Slide Stop

The slide stop has a generous 30 degree angle making it very easy to manipulate. The owner's manual states that the strong slide stop can be used to release the slide, if you prefer not to rack the slide.

Slide Rails

The slide rails are not molded into the polymer frame like a Glock and other polymer brands. The Steyr is essentially a steel pistol, wrapped in polymer. The mechanical parts function on a steel sub-assembly, and the lock bridge is very "strong".

It's interesting to note that the rails are cut at a 45 degree angle. This allows the slide and barrel to ride about 1/8" lower than existing pistols with rails cut at 90 degrees. The Steyr bore axis is about 5mm lower than a Glock. As a result, there is less muzzle flip, less felt recoil, and the low bore axis helps to center the round coming out of the magazine into the barrel chamber.

I shot the Steyr M40 side-by-side with a Glock 23 and the M40 did have less felt recoil.

Sights

The standard Steyr comes with fast acquisition, triangular-trapezoid sights. They can easily be swapped for traditional sights or night sights. Trijicon has mentioned they will support the new Steyr pistols.

I personally believe these standard stock sights are the best I've had on a pistol. It's so easy and fast to find the large, triangular front sight during speed shooting --- wonderful. For accuracy shooting, use the tip of the front triangle for superb accuracy.

These standard front and rear sights are steel, unlike the Glock, which uses plastic sights (the front Glock sight is especially fragile).

The Steyr has a sight radius of 6.22", compared to a comparable sized Glock 23/19/32 with 6.02".

Loaded chamber Indicator

There is a loaded chamber indicator in the back of the slide that can be seen or felt. The chamber indicator is captivated and can handle up to a triple charge before popping out. There is also a drill hole on top of the slide so you can visually see a loaded round.

Inside the M40

When I looked inside of the Steyr, I was pleased to see how strong and beefed up all the parts are. This is one tough gun that is excellently engineered to last a long time. I was told that Steyr has test fired the M357 up to 20,000 rounds and the pistol was still in excellent shape.

5-Point Safety System (6 including the Loaded Chamber Indicator)

The Steyr pistol has an ambidextrous manual safety for those that are concerned about retention issues. You can use it or not. The Steyr manual safety is very similar to several popular rifles that use a similar safety. More on that below.

The Steyr has three passive reset action safeties so it can be carried safely without using the manual safety, if desired. Along with the 3 reset action safeties and the manual safety, there is an integrated lock (for storage purposes), giving the Steyr an impressive total of 5 safeties!

The integrated lock is next to the take-down lever, located on the side of the frame, and comes with two keys. The police version uses a handcuff key. The civilian version uses a two pronged key. When it's locked, you cannot pull the trigger or take the pistol apart, but you can load and unload the pistol.

The integrated lock is not meant to be used in speed drills. You carefully insert the key and push the lock in, then rotate counter-clockwise to lock the pistol. You then push the lock in, and turn the key clockwise to unlock the pistol. During the unlock phase, it's best to keep turning the key clockwise until you feel pressure as you pull the key out so the lock pops out into position easily. It's a snug fit. You can also pull the slide back a little or lightly press the trigger to help pop the lock out into position, although these two latter methods are non-standard and should not be necessary. The manual safety can be on/active during the use of the integrated lock for extra safety.

I have actually started using the integrated lock when I do not have direct control of the pistol since it is so convenient. Obviously, during concealed carry, you do not want to use the integrated lock! As a side note, the integrated lock is a very inexpensive part and very easy to replace.

Of course all locks can be picked with the right tool, even the generic handcuff lock. Overall, the integrated lock is an excellent feature, and it sure beats misplacing an external lock or forgetting one during transit. And while someone is looking for a plastic fork to break in half in order to pick the lock, this gives you valuable time to protect yourself and your loved ones.

I really like the Steyr manual safety because you don't have to worry about toggling it on and off accidentally. And it's basically invisible if you choose not to use it.

During a scuffle, or an operator slide rack error, or if the pistol skids across the floor, a typical manual safety on the side of a slide or frame can sometimes be toggled unknowingly. A Steyr manual safety system is less likely to be affected by these same scenarios.

For pistol owners in general, the Steyr manual safety is a bit different from what they are used to. On the other hand, there are a number of rifles with the safety in the same general location as the Steyr pistols: M-1 Garand, the M-14 or Springfield Armory M-1A rifle, or the Ruger Mini-14 or Mini-30. And the new Vector pistol from South Africa employs a similarly placed manual safety.

To activate the ambidextrous manual safety, you pull down on a small lever on each side of the frame. Interestingly, these two levers are in the same basic position as the Glock take-down levers and they are protected by a slightly recessed polymer molding. This action lowers a small safety bar from the "top" of the trigger guard. Note: If the trigger is in the fully back position, you cannot activate the manual safety since the trigger is already deactivated.

You would normally activate the safety with your supporting hand. If you cannot or choose not to use your supporting hand, you can use just one hand by simply moving your thumb to the other side of the frame, and slightly shift your grip with the lower three fingers and the thumb to maintain control of the pistol. Then, you can pull the levers down "easily" with your trigger finger and your thumb. It's a lot easier to do than to explain. At any rate, most combat/defensive type shooting has both hands on the gun most of the time anyway, so this is not a big deal. And remember, the Steyr is safe even without having the manual safety activated, as long as the trigger is not pulled.

You can also activate the manual safety while holding the pistol in the normal two handed position. You simply use the index finger on each hand to easily push the lever down on each side of the slide. In this way the transition from the two handed fighting stance to activating the manual safety is fast and efficient.

When the manual safety is on, you can still rack the slide to load and unload the pistol. In fact the Owner's Manual recommends having the safety on during the loading & unloading stage.

To release the safety, you simply press "up" against the safety bar with the first joint of your trigger finger, which is a distinctively different action than pulling the trigger finger backward to fire the pistol. It's a sequential thing. You must first release the manual safety before you can pull the trigger. You cannot do both actions simultaneously. Whenever your finger is going inside the trigger guard, you better be very aware that you are going into action. All this accidental discharge data is nothing but operator sloppiness and/or poor training. Once you are trained with releasing the Steyr manual safety to fire mode, it's just as "easy and fast" as toggling the more traditional manual safety with your thumb. As I have already said, you do not have to use the manual safety if you don't like it. With Steyr's 3 passive safeties, it's just as safe to carry as a Glock.

About That Manual Safety (A Summary)

Above, I mention three different ways to activate the manual safety.

The fastest and most efficient way to release the manual safety is to simply thrust your trigger finger all the way through the trigger guard (without shifting your grip), even extending the finger out the other side. The finger might even be lightly touching the side of the trigger at this point. (Remember that even if the side of the trigger is bumped, it's virtually impossible to fire the Steyr unless the trigger safety and trigger are pulled in unison -- very important concept.) Next, using the first joint of the index finger, or even slightly lower on the finger, push up. You will find that the finger naturally pushes up and forward slightly. After the manual safety is deactivated, you can either quickly place the finger on the trigger to start shooting, or, you can extend the index finger outside and above of the trigger guard in anticipation of an event. This will alleviate accidental discharges caused from being startled, from tripping, from an adrenaline rush, etc.

You can also use the supporting hand to deactivate the manual safety. You simply wrap your supporting hand around the top of the slide and use the index finger to push the safety lever up. This might be a good technique if you want to take the safety off and go into search mode, as opposed to firing right away.

Generally, if you try to deactivate the manual safety with the tip of the index finger (not using the first joint), you will find it more difficult if not impossible to deactivate the safety. Like any manual safety system, you must practice on a regular basis. You should not have to readjust your grip to flip the safety off. I've even taught my eleven year old daughter how to deactivate the manual safety without shifting her grip, and her fingers are 1/2 inch shorter than mine. And yes, I keep my pistol locked when its not under my control so nobody can get to it.

Once you can manipulate the manual safety with ease, you can flip it on and off just as fast as a traditional thumb based manual safety, especially while drawing from a holster.

Now, some gun enthusiasts are appalled about having a manual safety so near to the trigger. To me, that's as silly as being appalled that a cartridge is so near to the barrel. It's different all right, but it's just as safe as other manual safeties. I have found it virtually impossible to pull back on the trigger and release the manual safety simultaneously -- by design, it's a sequential procedure. And it is naturally ambidextrous. Remember that you don't even have to use the manual safety if you don't want to. There are three other passive safeties making it just as safe to carry as Glocks and other modern auto pistols, which do not have manual safeties. The Steyr simply has the benefit of choice!

Regarding the Steyr Pistol Firing Pin Safety

Some popular guns like many of the 1911's do not have a firing pin safety. Steyr took a slightly different approach than using the typical spring and plunger technique that Glocks and some others use.

According to Mr Bubits, Steyr was classed by BATF with a firing pin block, which is not a direct firing pin safety. That means that the reset action trigger system is a combination of different safeties (trigger and drop-safety), and the firing pin block which work together. Therefore, Steyr pistols have a firing pin block that serves as the firing pin safety, which has been thoroughly tested by said company.

Out Of Battery

Firing out of battery should not be an issue with the Steyr series. It has a very strong positive lockup. As soon as the slide begins to go back, the firing pin tension is also reduced so the firing pin should not have the momentum to set off a primer. Like most modern pistols, the Steyr has a disconnector so it should not be able to fire out of battery.

I always check all of my spent brass before reloading. I have yet to find a primer strike that is not in the center.

My Steyr pistol passes the 12 o'clock recoil spring test just fine. This is a test to check the recoil spring strength. Make sure the gun chamber is empty. Point the muzzle straight up. Pull the trigger. Keep the muzzle pointing straight up while you rack the slide and then very gently let it forward until it stops on its own accord. My Steyr pistol appears to react similarly to my Glocks, while lowering the arm to the 9 - 10 o'clock position to completely reset the slide. Having a strong reset and lessening slide battering is a high priority of mine.

Lubrication

Besides the directions in the owner's manual, I'd recommend using a high Tech lubrication like Tetra or some equivalent. While regular gun oil works fine, Tetra actually penetrates the metal surface. Even if you wipe the metal dry afterwards, it's still lubricated. Tetra is especially good to use in areas like the firing pin recess, where you want to very lightly dab a touch of Tetra, but not to the point of having oil oozing in the area; it should almost appear dry after lubing. I've found Tetra works well on any moving part, even plastic, such as the inside trigger mechanism.

Petroleum based lubes have a tendency to collect dirt and grime.

Lubing is one area where the Glock shines. It can work almost dry.

Accuracy

There is no other out-of-the-box, service-grade, compact pistol that will out shoot the Steyr M40. The slide to frame fit is tight, and built specifically to increase accuracy. After all, who cares what caliber you're using if you can't hit what you're aiming at.

Torture testing

In June '99, Bubits tested an early M40 "prototype" by firing 10,000 rounds through it within two days. He lubricated it once at the beginning of the session. Then he sprayed the pistol with an air hose after every 500 rounds but otherwise did not clean it thereafter. He had 5 malfunctions, one of which was a dead primer. He tweaked the extractor to fine-tune the gun for reliability.

Will the Steyr pass the torture tests of being frozen, burned, buried, dropped from helicopters, run over, etc? I don't know. It's a nice marketing ploy, but as long as my Steyr can handle "reasonable" torture testing, such as the flying frisbee test, etc, that's good enough for me and any kind of shooting I'll be doing.

I'll be using my Steyr M in IPSC &/or IDPA shooting as well as for a defensive weapon. That means I'll be firing it in cold, hot, dusty, & wet conditions. And I need to be able to reliably pump at least 200 - 300 rounds through it at any given match. Right now I'm feeling good that the Steyr M40 will do just fine. Once again, I really like the fully supported chamber for this kind of shooting; And as a result, I feel more confident when carrying the M40 for defensive purposes as well.

I was told that Steyr has test fired the M357 up to 20,000 rounds and the pistol was still in excellent shape.

I examined my M40 after shooting 1000 rounds through it during the first two weeks of ownership. There were no wear marks anywhere. The slide-to-frame fit is superbly engineered. I did find a little black paint that had rubbed off on top of the slide stop lever. This examination increases my confidence in the M40 substantially.

Steyr Service

Since the M series is new, Steyr obviously does not have an extensive armorer/repair program throughout the U.S. yet. That is changing now that Steyr has someone actively in charge of this arena. For now, you must send your pistol to GSI for repair, although their turnaround time is just a week or two.

Holsters

Steyr has selected Galco and Safariland to make holsters. Blade-Tech has ramped up to support Steyr as well. There are probably others that I'm not aware of.

Owner's Manual

Steyr did a great job on the M Series Owner's Manual. The manual provides all the necessary safety and pistol information, as well as some excellent pictures. There is an attachment that quotes some important Federal Laws.

Steyr M Series Issues

Some of the early Steyr pistols dinged up the top of the slide a lot from ejected brass. Steyr did come out with an ejector port tapering fix. The top, front of the ejector port edge is now tapered at about 45 degrees instead of 90 degrees. And at the top, back, right of the ejector port, it is now angled at approximately 45 degrees instead of a 90 degree corner.

I picked up a second Steyr M40 to test. There was some scoring on top of the slide, right at the rear edge by the ejection port. I doubt if most people would notice or be concerned about it.

Another Steyr customer degreased his Steyr M40 and then began having severe trigger problems. GSI told him that they would either fix it or replace it. Some people have had problems because of not cleaning and lubricating their pistols properly. A few of my Glock buddies were appalled that a pistol can actually require more than 3 1/2 drops of lubrication <G>

I heard about one M40 that shot fantastic for about 50 rounds. Then the firing pin stopped denting the primer. The owner sent it in to GSI for repair.

One of my two M40's did have trouble resetting at times, for no obvious reason. This problem was later fixed by using precision drilled holes in the metal sub-assembly. This annoying problem has affected a few other Steyr owners as well, although some of them refer to it as not going into battery. The good news is that Steyr will fix or replace the offending pistol -- Steyr does have excellent service.

In late May, 2000, I bought a 3rd M40 with a serial number in the 10,000 series. And all the above bugs have been worked out. Steyr made a few internal changes and manufacturing improvements to fine-tune the Steyr M pistols. The recoil spring seems to be slightly stronger, so the slide reset is very solid.

In late August, 2000, I sent my 10,000 series pistol to GSI for the new generation trigger upgrade. My pistol was back in three days! GSI paid the return shipping cost and gave me a $35 gift certificate. Folks, now that's service.

Before the upgrade, my trigger was around 8 lbs. After the upgrade, it is 5 lbs. The really big improvement is that no matter where you place the trigger finger --- high, medium, or low on the trigger --- the trigger is "smooth, crisp, & consistent"!

So, the bottom line for the new Aug, 2000 trigger upgrade is, "Wow"!

I have communicated on some of the online talk forums with a few people who continued to have problems with their Steyr pistols, even after the upgrades. I do know that these owners were turned off because of their experience. On the other hand, there are a number of other Steyr owners who are satisfied customers. So, you make your decision accordingly. If you are the cautious type, you may want to wait until some agencies jump on board and the product matures more. Another way to make up your mind is to remove the outspoken high scores, and the outspoken low scores, and go with what happens to the average owners out there.

Don't be naïve and expect no problems with a brand new pistol design. Even Glock and SIG (to name just a couple) have had teething problems. The new HS2000 which has a lot of excited people jumping on board (the temporary $250 price helps a great deal), has had some bad reports from a few customers. Every gun has its good points and bad points. And you will always be able to find someone out there to provide some negative comments about any given pistol model.

I do have a concern that Steyr is now up for sale and GSI is holding back and not doing anything new with Steyr until they find out where they stand with the new buyer, whoever that might be.

Taking Advantage of Cutting Edge Ergonomics and Safety

Since the Steyr M (Medium) & S (Small) series pistols are a new creation, the manufacturer could take advantage of the latest advances in ergonomics and safety. Therefore, the Steyr pistols can easily meet the most strict "common sense" State firearms safety laws.

Specifications:

Length/slide  7.05"

Height:         5.03"

Width:          1.18"

Sight radius:  6.22"

Weight:        28 oz.

Finish:          Black Oxide Tenifer

Barrel length: 4.00"

Barrel rifling: RH, 6 groove

Length of twist:      M40            M9              M357

                             15.98"          9.85"           16"

Trigger system: Reset Action System

Trigger pull:  5 LB's (as of new trigger upgrade 08/00; adjustable at the factory)

Trigger travel: 1/8"

6 safeties:

3 reset action safeties: Trigger, Drop, and Firing Pin Safeties

1 Ambidextrous Manual Safety

1 Integrated lock with two keys

1 Loaded chamber indicator

caliber                             M40            M9              M357

magazine capacity            10                10                10     

Law Enforcement            12                14                12     

Weight (without mag.)      23.87           23.17           24.45

Weight of empty mag.      2.97             2.97             2.97

Steyr M40 retail price: $669

Commercial pricing: $450 - $500

Steyr S (Small) Series Specs:

Length/slide  6.53"

Height:         4.6"

Width:          1.18"

Weight:        22.5oz.

Barrel length: 3.58"

Magazines:   10 rounds in 9mm, .40, and 357 Sig

Chronograph Data for the Steyr M9 (from Handguns, Oct '99)

*Average is the average of five five-shot groups rounded to the nearest 1/10".

Chronograph & Accuracy Data for the Steyr M40 (from Handguns, Aug 00)                                            

Note: 5-shot groups fired in the Petersen Ranch Ballistic Tunnel from a Ransom Rest.

*"Average" is the average of five five-shot groups.               

Please see my M357 article for more details at my site listed below.       

In Summary

The Steyr M40 is an ergonomic, well thought out pistol that's about the same size as a Glock 19, 23, 32. All the edges of the Steyr have been rounded. It's very comfortable to hold and shoot. Just looking at and handling a Steyr pistol in a store is not good enough. Shoot it several times and that's what will really sell you on this pistol, along with its excellent features.

Regarding felt recoil, some people have claimed that the Steyr M9 (9mm version) feels more like a pellet gun than a 9mm pistol. I really like the M357 model. A friend of mine who hasn't shot a pistol in ten years was amazed how mellow even full power 357 Sig loads were.

Obviously, the Steyr M series is a new kid on the block and has to continue proving itself. From what I've seen with my own Steyr M40 and M357, this is a moot point.

One amazing thing about the Glock design, besides its market share, is that it only has 35 listed parts, compared to 53 Steyr pistol listed parts. Although, Glock uses a few little tricks by combining some parts. I would say the Glocks really have at least 42 parts or so. Of course, the Steyr has more functionality built into it, and Steyr even lists the Pistol Box and lock keys as parts; Obviously, Steyr is not trying for a 'Least Parts' record :) From what I've seen, the Steyr M Series is made to last.

The Steyr pistols have a fully supported chamber. On the other hand, as long as you use known, tested "factory" ammo in a well-maintained "Glock", their unsupported .40S&W chamber will serve you well. But a lot of people shoot remanufactured ammo and reloads and even lead through their Glocks all the time, exacerbating this problem, not to mention bad lots of factory ammo occasionally.

For those that might be interested, some kB (kaBoom!) information can be found at the Calibers Web site, www.greent.com/40Page . I also wrote a related article called, "You Say kB! and I say Case Failure", located at www.glockmeister.com.

But with the millions of Glocks in the market and the millions of rounds being fired through them, obviously the Glocks are holding their own pretty darn well. However, I personally prefer to use a good Bar-Sto or KKM .40 barrel in a Glock because these barrels are far kinder to the brass than a Glock barrel, and they appear to feed reliably as well --- apparently Glock Inc. disagrees with me.

In the Steyr Safety condition 1, with its trigger safety, drop safety, and firing pin safety, it is just as safe to carry as a Glock. The Steyr is also "easy to use" just like a Glock.

The Steyr Safety condition 2 is activated when using the ambidextrous manual safety. For those that want a retention safeguard of some kind, this is an important consideration. The manual safety is completely invisible if you choose not to use it, and it cannot accidentally be toggled on. The safety location is a proven design on several popular rifles and the Vector pistol, although it may at first appear strange to some traditional shootists.

The Steyr Safety condition 3 (integrated, limited access lock) is an excellent feature. For those with families and/or storage needs, this is an important consideration. The gun cannot be taken apart or fired when this mode is activated. The integrated lock is basically unnoticeable since it blends into the pistol so nicely.

The Steyr has a loaded chamber indicator in the back of the slide that can be seen or felt, which is really a 6th visual/tactile safety feature. There is also a drill hole on top of the slide so you can visually see a loaded round.

The Steyr can easily and safely shoot lead bullets -- not recommended if using the polygonal rifling of a standard Glock barrel.

There are dovetails at the front and rear of the Steyr slide for the standard all-steel sights.

The large triangular front sight is excellent for fast aiming during speed shooting. And the tip of the front triangular sight helps zero you in for excellent accuracy.

The Steyr pistol has an even lower bore axis than the Glock.

The Steyr pistol has less felt recoil than a similar sized Glock 23.

The Steyr M40 has a shorter, crisper trigger pull than the standard Glock.

People with small or large hands can easily adjust to the Steyr grip.

The side of the Steyr pistol only has a simple slide lock lever and that's it -- very simple to operate.

The street price of Steyr pistols is generally equivalent to Glock pistols.

The Steyr S (small) series pistols are a perfect complement to the compact Steyr M series that is now available. I'm really looking forward to the S357 model.

The slide rails are integrated into the main steel housing of the Steyr, which is a "steel pistol" that happens to be wrapped in a very strong "polymer". This makes it a beefy design. A Glock, H&K, and Walther P99 are conversely "polymer pistols" that mold the metal slide rails directly into the "polymer".

If I could take the liberty to compare pistols to cars, I would say that the new Steyr pistol is the "manual shift" smart gun of the 21st century, while the "automatic" electronic smart guns may or may not ever be street worthy, based on current reports.

Note: As of late 2000, all Steyr pistol articles have been written based on early prototype or very early production pistols. The up-to-date pistols are taking full advantage of the fine tuned Steyr manufacturing plant and new trigger update.

I just can't help but end my Steyr M info review with a quote from Massad Ayoob, regarding the new Steyr M Series pistols, who quoted William Shakespeare, "Something wicked cool this way comes".

References

The Complete Book of Handguns; 2001; "New Steyr M .40 S&W: New Breed Autopistol"; by Massad Ayoob

Guns & Weapons For Law Enforcement; "New Steyr M-Series M9mm/.40" by Wiley Clapp

Handguns; Aug 2000; "Steyr M-40 Packs A Punch" by David W Arnold

Combat Handguns; Dec '99; "New Steyr M9/M40" by Paul Johnson.

American Handgunner: Combat 2000 Annual Vol. 5; Display until April 30, 2000; "The Steyr M: Wicked Cool" by Massad Ayoob.

Guns; Oct '99; "Steyr M9" by Massad Ayoob.

Handguns; Oct '99; "Road Testing the new Steyr M9" by Kerby C. Smith & David W. Arnold.

Gun World; Jan 2000; "M is for Modern: Steyr's New M-Series Pistols" by Gary Paul Johnston.

U.S. Steyr Importer;Dynamit Nobel ; Home web page of the exclusive U.S. importer of Steyr Mannlicher; 205-655-8299;

Steyr Mannlicher;Steyr-Mannlicher; (+43 7252) 896 - 0

Steyr Pistol Owner's Manual; buy a Steyr pistol to get one :)

Laser-Cast Reloading Manual, by Oregon Trail Bullet Company; 800-811-0548;www.laser-cast.com