Steyr Pro Hunter ii

[Novice]

Local shop has 2 of these rifles. One in laminate with stainless bbl and in 7mm-08 and the other in a protective finish bbl (mannox?) and a mossy oak pattern stock with flat, wide forend. Bolts feel good. Triggers too. Interesting safety.

Anyone have experience with one of these? I see absolutely no reviews anywhere. Around $1200.

I doubt a 308 or 7mm 08 makes sense for me but whatever. I was looking at the 308. That’d give me 2 308 and no other bolt calibers.

Their site says 7.75 but it felt heavier. Was thinking of maybe more magnification and a bipod.

 

[Novice]

No one? Not surprised. No reviews for them anywhere.

 

[archp625]

I dont have any experience with the ProhunterII but I have a Prohunter in 300 WM that shot crazy good. Only problem is it was heavy and I have to buy really tall rings to mount a scope the bolt wouldnt hit. For those reason I sold it.

This is just my opinion but I looked at the Prohunter II and they made it super ugly. I like the ascetics on the Prohunter better. I think for $1200 I would be looking elsewhere.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

I have not shot the Pro Hunter II but I have two original Steyr Pro Hunter rifles 7mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag. My first one in 7RM I bought brand new in 2008 and the 300WM I bought used in 2020 it was too good of a price to pass up. Haven't shot the 300WM much.

My 7RM has killed several Mulies and elk over the years. This last season it killed a cow elk at 505 yards. One shot. Dead within a couple seconds and on the ground in 20 yards. Shooting 162gr ELD-M handloaded in ADG brass by Unknown Munitions. Yes, shooting match bullets.

The 7RM shoots .5 MOA easily if I do my part. I enjoy the trigger and the safety. The safety will completely lock the bolt from opening so if you hunt in thick brush you don't have to worry about it snagging and opening. She is heavy with a 25.6" barrel but I don't care it is the rifle I grab when I hit the woods.

I have an SWFA 3-9×42mm mounted in Warne Mountain Tech low rings with Burris XTR 2-pc picatinny bases. There is a gap between the objective and the barrel due to the contour of the hammer forged barrel. If I was to move the scope backwards the objective would be damn near touching the action. Don't know how much lower it needs to go than that.





As to your question about whether to get another 308 or not, I know they make the PH2 in a 300 win mag if you wanted to get a magnum bolt face.

 

[Novice]

The one at the shop in 308 had a 20” bbl. What interested me was the safety and how smooth and solid the build felt.
But it definitely felt heavier than my Bergara. More than the half pound their websites say.
The 7mm-08 seemed a hair lighter. Bbl seemed thinner.
I thought they only made them in short action?

I was in the shop to check out a 7RM T3x and discovered it was a blued one. Booo! This shop is really nice to me and hooks me up but their bolt collection is under 10 rifles usually.

In the price category the only other rifles I can think of are a Christiansen Mesa or Tikka veil. I’m after a 7Rm or 300wm. After the $1200 price point I may as well go Seekins. But I can’t spend that much.

I was interested in a t3x for $850 but I keep being told 7rm and 300 ammo are not around anywhere and that tikkas for some reason are brutal in the recoil department which I don’t want. Sucks because they have a ton going for them at a great price.

Basically looking at owning a 2nd 308, a magnum or nothing.

My Bergara is on its way back to get looked at.

 

[hodgeman]

I've had a Steyr Scout since 1998. The SBS 96 action is very interesting- solid with a bolt lock. The trigger is weird, but smooth with no mush or creep. Steyr's hammer forged barrels are some of the best in the business as well.

The only problem with a Steyr, is that they are terribly marketed and sold in the US.

 

[Novice]

They had a grey scout there as well. All 3 seemed very well built. Only issue I saw with the 308 was weight. Otherwise nice.

Seemed like a rifle you could throw a light weight scope on and take hunting or throw a higher power scope on and shoot at the range and be equally at home.

 

[hodgeman]

They had a grey scout there as well. All 3 seemed very well built. Only issue I saw with the 308 was weight. Otherwise nice.

Seemed like a rifle you could throw a light weight scope on and take hunting or throw a higher power scope on and shoot at the range and be equally at home.

They're definitely from a time when heavier rifles were the norm, and still are where they're made in Europe. The lightweight mountain thing is mostly a trend in the Western Americas, European alpine hunters still drag around 10 pound guns on a regular basis.

 

[Novice]

I’ve got to either justify having 2 308 or to diversify with a magnum. Been really thinking hard about the 7Rm or 300 T3X but I keep hearing how brutal their recoil is without a brake due to their stock.

My 308 is very soft. I wonder how much more harsh a 7RM Tikka would be.

So I’m between the Steyr and the Tikka currently.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

The Steyr website shows and gives an option to buy a 300WM PH2 in the drop down Caliber option bar.




How much is the dealer asking for the blued Tikka 7RM?

If you don't like how the Tikka recoils with a 7RM or 300WM you can get it rebarreled easy enough to a 6.5prc, 7saum, 300wsm, or one of the Sherman Wildcats. Or just buy one in 6.5prc from the start.

 

[Novice]

Sticker was $750 but that’s not the price. Steyr was 1200 I believe. Also not the final price.

 

[Novice]

I don’t reload. How hard are those caliber to find?

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Depends on where you live. But everything is hard to find right now. You can always have Unknown Munitions handload for you. They are also at the mercy of the market and product availability. Their product is top tier though.

I say buy that Tikka 7RM. You can always get the finish changed.

 

[Novice]

Texted him for price. What’s typical cost to put a finish on it to protect?

 

[IrkedCitizen]

It has been a while since I have got anything cerakote so I am unsure. Chances are if you go to a local gun show there will be vendors there that do coatings. I don't think it would cost more than $200 for a barreled action.

 

[Novice]

He says he will sell for just a little over what he paid. He will let me know Tuesday. I do know his price quote for a stainless T3x lite 300wm was $850 so that’d likely be a ss 7 rem mag as well.

 

[Novice]

I’m going to wait first and see what Bergara does with my gun. The $700-850 for a Tikka is a comfortable spot but since I do look at that $1200 price point quite often, what other options do you suggest for $1200 besides the heavy Steyr? @archp625

I dont have any experience with the ProhunterII but I have a Prohunter in 300 WM that shot crazy good. Only problem is it was heavy and I have to buy really tall rings to mount a scope the bolt wouldnt hit. For those reason I sold it.

This is just my opinion but I looked at the Prohunter II and they made it super ugly. I like the ascetics on the Prohunter better. I think for $1200 I would be looking elsewhere.

 

[KenLee]

I have an original Prohunter in 308 with 20 inch barrel that shoots everything well. Adding the optional gel insert on recoil pad makes a big difference in felt recoil.