Steyr Zephyr II

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  • Czechnologist

    Concerned Citizen
    Mar 9, 2016
    6,522
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    I've been around long enough to remember the original Steyr Zephyr. My best friend's dad had one and it was the first rifle I had ever shot with double set triggers and a full length Mannlicher stock. Compared to my dad's Marlin, the Zephyr looked like it was from another planet which, Austria kinda is when you really think about it.



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    Original Steyr Zephyr

    I just remember that hitting Coke cans at 50+ yards was easy to do with iron sights-only and a little practice. When Steyr finally quit building the Zephyr in 1971 due to increasing cost and diminishing sales, not many tears were shed over its demise in spite of being one of the 20th Century's best bolt action .22 rifles. Steyr killed it when it went from being ridiculously priced to there's-no-way-I'm-paying-that-much-for-a-22 priced.

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    The Zephyr II is a very good looking rifle and IMO every bit a worthy successor to the original. Between the very pretty walnut stock and spirally 19.7" semi-bull barrel, it's very stout but only weighs-in at 5.8 lbs. I'm very impressed with how Steyr accomplished that.

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    Leupold VX3i (30mm) 4.5-14x40 wind plex, side focus, Talley rings

    Curiosity got the better of me yesterday. Around 2:00pm I headed-out to perform an initial sight-in and try a couple of different brands of ammo. Conditions were not ideal. Very overcast, 41 degrees, calm, 2" of melting snow. I didn't bother zeroing at 25 yards. I just put the targets out at 50 yards and dialed-in from there.

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    Eley Club - the first 10 shots. The first five were about 2" low but three of them went in the same hole. Windage looked OK. Went-up 8 clicks and got the next 4 touching each other and the fifth was a bullseye. I guess if you're gonna get one flyer, that's how to do it.

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    SK Rifle Match - 5 shots

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    Wolf Match Extra - 5 shots

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    The Zephyr II's trigger is excellent. There's about, maybe, 1/8th of an inch of take-up before breaking cleanly at 2 lbs. It would be difficult to not shoot well with this rifle, even an old fart with failing vision and diminished rifle skills in general. Unfortunately, 20 rounds was about all I could take yesterday before packing-up and heading back indoors but, I'm looking forward to many more range sessions.
     
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    fidelity

    piled higher and deeper
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 15, 2012
    22,400
    Frederick County
    That rifle is flat out gorgeous, and it shoots as good as it looks. Thanks for investing the time in writing the review and range report. I enjoyed the backstory, both personal and historical for the rifle. I actually liked the YT video too, lol
     

    Czechnologist

    Concerned Citizen
    Mar 9, 2016
    6,522
    That rifle is flat out gorgeous, and it shoots as good as it looks. Thanks for investing the time in writing the review and range report. I enjoyed the backstory, both personal and historical for the rifle. I actually liked YT video too, lol

    This thread is probably better if you hit the play on that video before you start reading. :lol2:
     

    Czechnologist

    Concerned Citizen
    Mar 9, 2016
    6,522
    I don't know about anyone else but, when I get a 55 degree day in January with no wind and no rain/snow I'm, uh, heading to the range even at the risk of pissing-off the wife who wanted to go antiquing and junk hunting this afternoon.

    Today was the first chance I had to put the Zephyr II thru the paces and here's how it did at 50 yards.

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    Wolf Match Extra, first shots, first target (lower right) on a cold barrel. I made one minor elevation and windage adjustment and put five shots on each target.

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    SK Rifle Match, the Zephyr II seems to really like this stuff! Any flyers you see are because of me, not because of the rifle. That's about as good of a 10 shot group (lower right) as I can shoot...with anything. :shrug:

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    Eley Team, again, started with 10 shots on the lower right target and five each in the rest. Eley Team shot only marginally better in the Zephyr II than it did in my Ruger. Unless I can a great deal on it, I won't be buying any more of it.

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    Eley Club, it was nice to see this load perform well in the Zephyr II and in the Ruger LRT. It seems to be very consistent if and when I do my part.

    Total: 100 rounds.

    Steyr USA guarantees this rifle's accuracy to be sub-MOA or they'll buy it back and now I see why they can make such a confident guarantee of accuracy. Even mediocre shooters, like me, can shoot one-hole groups at 50 yards with a Zephyr II and a decent optic mounted on it. Speaking of which, I didn't think there'd be a huge amount of difference between a scope with a 30mm tube and a 1" tube but, this scope is noticeably brighter and sharper than the scope on my Ruger, which is a 1" tube with pretty much the same glass and range of magnification.

    Overall, it's every bit the tack-driving beast I was betting it would be. Wasn't 100% sure, though. Steyr may not be the biggest or the best known name in the business but, one thing they definitely know how to do is make an accurate, good-looking rifle barrel. I'll go ahead and recommend the Zephyr II without any reservations while I'm at it. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
     

    fidelity

    piled higher and deeper
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 15, 2012
    22,400
    Frederick County
    Tack driver. Those ten shot groups are impressive. Clear example of you get what you pay for. Great rifle, great scope, great results. Heirloom setup, but before then, I think this rifle is going to give you giggles for years, lol.
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,666
    Not Far Enough from the City
    Tack driver. Those ten shot groups are impressive. Clear example of you get what you pay for. Great rifle, great scope, great results. Heirloom setup, but before then, I think this rifle is going to give you giggles for years, lol.

    Yep! That's a grin there for sure. When you start stacking 10 like that, both the rifle and the shooter got it going on.
     

    Czechnologist

    Concerned Citizen
    Mar 9, 2016
    6,522
    How'd I miss this?

    I sure do like the character of that injection molded plastic!

    I KID I KID. :)

    One Beautiful rifle! Nice shooting as well! Enjoy that gem!

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    :lol2: It's the best imitation walnut I've ever seen! Thanks!

    Tack driver. Those ten shot groups are impressive. Clear example of you get what you pay for. Great rifle, great scope, great results. Heirloom setup, but before then, I think this rifle is going to give you giggles for years, lol.

    I'll admit I was still a little concerned based on past experience with Steyr firearms but, they were all handguns and not Steyr rifles. If they've proven anything over the years, it's that they're unafraid of taking risks with innovative pistol designs (AUG, GB, L9, M9, etc.) and that they still possess the skill to produce outstanding rifle barrels.

    That dude can yodel his ass off. I'm impressed :)

    Franzl Lang is a national hero in Austria. Slim Whitman couldn't carry his jockstrap. Back in the 70's, when German TV was obsessed with variety shows with lots of folk music, you couldn't change channels without seeing his yodeling mug belting-out a tune! Yeah, Franzl rocks!
     

    bronco

    Member
    Dec 14, 2020
    62
    se Va
    That is a handsome looking rifle there. Looks like it shoots as good as it looks for you. Now I'm going to want one. Shoot and enjoy.
     

    Czechnologist

    Concerned Citizen
    Mar 9, 2016
    6,522
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    Took advantage of the unseasonable warmth this week to get the Zephyr II back out to the range. Felt good after a two month break! 55 degrees, gusty and unpredictable West-East wind. I'll still take it in early March!

    Here are some more 50 yard groups off sandbags.

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    SK Standard Plus, I started with 10 shots at the center target from a cold bore and then five shot groups from top to bottom in each target.

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    Eley Tenex, the fouling group in the center was messing with me so I corrected elevation with two clicks up and windage with two clicks left after the 9th shot and put the last one right where I was aiming. LOL Wind really started whipping after that.
     

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