Steyr M9A1 lazy man's review

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Hey guys,

I traded my run-down 89' Glock 19 (jammy/brass in face/chewed-up breech face) for a used Steyr M9A1. Basically, I a boredom purchase. Swaped it for my Glock plus $60. It looked new and had 3 mags so what the heck.

The fit and finish of the gun is identical to Glock, HK, Walther, etc. Lots of neat serialized parts, proof-marks, etc. I gather the finish is another one of the metal treatments like Melonite/Tennifer/etc. Looks sharp.

Took it out and shot 50 rounds of PMC and 50 rounds of Monarch. Ran perfectly. The first 20-30 or so ejected a little erratically but after that it settled in nicely. No malfunctions (hardly a torture test, but whatever).

The gun is extremely smooth shooting. The gun is a bit chunky with a very low-slung slide. The trigger is very light, with no perceptible creep. It is much, much smoother than any Glock, HK or M&P trigger.

Reloads are a snap. I am not a fan of "sling-shoting" a slide. I always use the slide release to load my pistols. Good thing too, because the Steyr has a vary narrow slide. The slide release lever is very nicely placed so you don't have the problems associated with some modern guns with oversized levers. Basically, it operates just like a 1911 or Glock. Reloads are very fast and clean.

I don't care for the trapezoidal sights. They work, but I don't see any advantage in them, and obviously tritium is a no go (although I guess you could just put a dot in the front).
s
I didn't time my runs, but from feel I suspect splits will be faster than with my Glocks or M&Ps. Basically, muzzle flip is low, trigger weight is low, so I am guessing it is pretty fast. It was raining hard so I didn't want to get my iPhone/timer wet.

These guns should get more attention. I am familiar with the early history of these guns, and their teething troubles. But if my example is typical, the M9A1 is probably superior to the Glock in M&P based on the trigger alone. If Steyr hadn't flubbed the roll-out of these guns, they might be a top contender now.

Anything I would change? First, dump the goofy sights. I'll bet they have run off a lot of experienced shooters who refused to look past the sights. Second, the cocking serrations should be a bit deeper, especially given how narrow the slide is. It can be hard to get a hold of it (similar to a CZ-75. ) I can't think of anything else.

Rating: A -

[Tzed250]

I put 175 rounds through my M40-A1 on Saturday. Just as before it ran flawlessly with reloads, some of which were light enough to barely cycle the slide. I like the smooth short trigger pull and the short reset. I think the build quality on the Steyr is very good and the pistol is super easy to maintain. I have never warmed up to the way a Glock felt in my hands, but the M40 feels right at home. These pistols can be bought for ~$475 with mags right at $25.

[plouffedaddy]

Hey guys,

I traded my run-down 89' Glock 19 (jammy/brass in face/chewed-up breech face) for a used Steyr M9A1. Basically, I a boredom purchase. Swaped it for my Glock plus $60. It looked new and had 3 mags so what the heck.

The fit and finish of the gun is identical to Glock, HK, Walther, etc. Lots of neat serialized parts, proof-marks, etc. I gather the finish is another one of the metal treatments like Melonite/Tennifer/etc. Looks sharp.

Took it out and shot 50 rounds of PMC and 50 rounds of Monarch. Ran perfectly. The first 20-30 or so ejected a little erratically but after that it settled in nicely. No malfunctions (hardly a torture test, but whatever).

The gun is extremely smooth shooting. The gun is a bit chunky with a very low-slung slide. The trigger is very light, with no perceptible creep. It is much, much smoother than any Glock, HK or M&P trigger.

Reloads are a snap. I am not a fan of "sling-shoting" a slide. I always use the slide release to load my pistols. Good thing too, because the Steyr has a vary narrow slide. The slide release lever is very nicely placed so you don't have the problems associated with some modern guns with oversized levers. Basically, it operates just like a 1911 or Glock. Reloads are very fast and clean.

I don't care for the trapezoidal sights. They work, but I don't see any advantage in them, and obviously tritium is a no go (although I guess you could just put a dot in the front).
s
I didn't time my runs, but from feel I suspect splits will be faster than with my Glocks or M&Ps. Basically, muzzle flip is low, trigger weight is low, so I am guessing it is pretty fast. It was raining hard so I didn't want to get my iPhone/timer wet.

These guns should get more attention. I am familiar with the early history of these guns, and their teething troubles. But if my example is typical, the M9A1 is probably superior to the Glock in M&P based on the trigger alone. If Steyr hadn't flubbed the roll-out of these guns, they might be a top contender now.

Anything I would change? First, dump the goofy sights. I'll bet they have run off a lot of experienced shooters who refused to look past the sights. Second, the cocking serrations should be a bit deeper, especially given how narrow the slide is. It can be hard to get a hold of it (similar to a CZ-75. ) I can't think of anything else.

Rating: A -

Agreed. I love my Steyrs (current generation). Highly underrated.

[19852]

"If Steyr hadn't flubbed the roll-out of these guns, they might be a top contender now"

Agree, that's the case with the M40 and M9 I had. No more Steyr's for me.

I am glad your example works as it should.

[yugo308guy]

Finally! Someone with some credibility giving the Steyr the credit (and fair criticizing) it deserves. I have followed a lot of your past torture tests of other firearms, and have gained a lot of respect for your dedication and effort you put into them. I have been a Steyr fan for a long time and concur with everything you have said. Only correction I would make is that there are night sights available for them, I believe Trijicon makes them IIRC.

ETA: Here they are: https://www.trijicon.com/na_en/produ....php?pid=ST01Y

[legumeofterror]

I have found my M9A1 to be an exceptional handgun. It is by far my favorite polymer framed pistol and one of the easiest to shoot quickly. I have not been bothered enough by the sights to change them, and as a collector I find they give the gun its unique character.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Shot 215 more rounds through her today (100 Steel Monarch, 100 PMC, 15 rounds of )

1. The sights are actually pretty good. The front sight can be used as a mega-big dot when shooting on the move or doing bill drills, but you can use them as normal sights when shooting at range or slow fire. Either way, the gun is accurate. The following is a target positioned at 30 feet than I use when doing transition drills. Basically, I draw and shoot two at 21, two at 30 feet. I then do it in reverse for the next draw. Either way, the gun shoots better than I do.

2. The gun has terribly erratic ejection.The gun just farts out the rounds and the slide knocks it in this or that direction. Basically, it acts like a 1911 with an out of tension extractor. I get a little of this with most Glock 19s, but never this wild. Some will actually to off to the left. On the flip side, the gun runs. I am 315 rounds in and the gun hasn't hiccuped. That includes steel cased Monarch which is notoriously unreliable. Neither my springer nor my old G19 could get through two mags without having at least one light strike (hard primers). The Steyr doesn't seem to notice. Wear a hat.

3. The gun is fast (for me). My split times with my M&P 9 and Glock tend to float in the low .2s to very high teens. With the Steyr I hover in the low teens with one .1 and lots of .12 and .13s. The slight, short reset trigger is basically 1911 like in result if not feel.

4. I am spoiled by my Wilson Combat's mag funnel. The Steyr has a very narrow hole. On the other hand it holds 17 rounds so who the hell cares? No better or worse than Glock.

I was thinking about ditching the sights but now I am not so sure. I wonder if anyone has ever had tool tech install a front tritium bead in the middle of the front sight?

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Bah. 100 more rounds of steel monarch today. The gun stopped ejecting the mags. Sometimes the button would work, sometimes it wouldn't (it would get stuck while depressed). Oh well, off to the pawn shop.

[Sam]

Pretty early failures. It didn't survive the Greg Bell test.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Maybe I got a bad example, but this gun seems to be tracking the typical problems with this model. I took out the extractor and cleaned the extractor hole and that seemed to help a bit with the erratic ejection--but it was still a bit wild. Maybe a break in issue. Maybe these were Gen 4 Glock prototypes? LOL