Steyr SSG 69... Provenance? Information? Advice?

[ChrisBCS]

Hi everyone. This thread is for a friend. His grandfather was an antiques collector with an specialization in firearms. One of the gems that was passed down to him was a Steyr SSG 69, his favorite of his grandfather's rifles by far. He's asked me for help finding information and potentially backstory to the rifle. He only ever saw his grandfather hunt deer with it, once. So I've come here in the hopes that you erudite gentlemen and ladies may be able to steer me in the right direction.

I don't know much more than what's commonly available; their reputation for accuracy especially. I believe the proof marks indicate a March, 1980 manufacture date.

He's also particularly interested in finding a guide or manual for the scope, or info on the turret adjustments.

Thanks all in advance!

 

[alpine44]

This brochure from Kahles will answer your questions about the scope. http://www.kahles.at/fileadmin/kahles/englisch/pdf/Anleitung_ZF95_ZF84.pdf

Here is the manual for the rifle: http://www.steyrarms.com/fileadmin/user/pdf/SSG_69_PI_PII_PIIK_PIV.pdf

The SSG69 was derived by Steyr, Austria from a line of high-end hunting rifles that share the same receiver and magazine design but have fancier wood stocks and a polished barrel that shows the markings of the hammer forging process as a tasteful decoration. Both rifle lines are coveted in Europe and beyond for their accuracy and reliability.

The trigger on your rifle is a German double set trigger. The forward trigger is a normal single stage with a pull weight suitable for gloves, cold hands, fast shots, etc. Pulling the rearward trigger will cock an internal mechanism and make the forward trigger very sensitive. The weight of the set trigger can be adjusted with the little screw between the triggers. Don't go nuts on making it too sensitive. You still need to be able to 'find' the front trigger without releasing the shot.

If you do not take the shot after setting the trigger, engage the safety and de-cock the set trigger by pulling and holding the rear trigger back with your middle finger, slightly pulling the front trigger with your trigger finger, and then easing the rear trigger forward (similar to de-cocking a single action revolver). Do not carry the loaded rifle or rack the bolt with a set trigger - for obvious reasons.

The chamber of the SSG69 (.308Win) is know to be dimensionally tight. If you have trouble closing the bolt on certain ammo, use different ammo or reload with a small base die. These rifles are very accurate and finding a load that shoots exceptionally should be easy. Barrel life is excellent but the barrel is shrunk into the receiver for accuracy and next to impossible to remove.

In addition to the 5 round rotary magazine, the rifle will accept a 10 round box magazine. Neither one is cheap but both are still available.

 

[Rustybroadhead]

Not a tremendous amount of love for them here. I personally have had a little limited experience with them but not much. Very accurate but I think the biggest turn off for most people has been the magazine system. They are fragile and expensive... not a great combination. Anyway, here is the place to contact...

Steyr Mannlicher US:*Contact

Good luck!

 

[ChrisBCS]

This brochure from Kahles will answer your questions about the scope. http://www.kahles.at/fileadmin/kahles/englisch/pdf/Anleitung_ZF95_ZF84.pdf

Here is the manual for the rifle: http://www.steyrarms.com/fileadmin/user/pdf/SSG_69_PI_PII_PIIK_PIV.pdf

The SSG69 was derived by Steyr, Austria from a line of high-end hunting rifles that share the same receiver and magazine design but have fancier wood stocks and a polished barrel that shows the markings of the hammer forging process as a tasteful decoration. Both rifle lines are coveted in Europe and beyond for their accuracy and reliability.

The trigger on your rifle is a German double set trigger. The forward trigger is a normal single stage with a pull weight suitable for gloves, cold hands, fast shots, etc. Pulling the rearward trigger will cock an internal mechanism and make the forward trigger very sensitive. The weight of the set trigger can be adjusted with the little screw between the triggers. Don't go nuts on making it too sensitive. You still need to be able to 'find' the front trigger without releasing the shot.

If you do not take the shot after setting the trigger, engage the safety and de-cock the set trigger by pulling and holding the rear trigger back with your middle finger, slightly pulling the front trigger with your trigger finger, and then easing the rear trigger forward (similar to de-cocking a single action revolver). Do not carry the loaded rifle or rack the bolt with a set trigger - for obvious reasons.

The chamber of the SSG69 (.308Win) is know to be dimensionally tight. If you have trouble closing the bolt on certain ammo, use different ammo or reload with a small base die. These rifles are very accurate and finding a load that shoots exceptionally should be easy. Barrel life is excellent but the barrel is shrunk into the receiver for accuracy and next to impossible to remove.

In addition to the 5 round rotary magazine, the rifle will accept a 10 round box magazine. Neither one is cheap but both are still available.

Thank you alpine!!!!

The owner is not fond of using the magazine exactly because of the expense. I had read that the barrel was special bonded to the receiver (much like the rear sight ring to the barrel on an M1903).

Federal Gold Medal Match a good choice to feed it? He babies it but he really wants to shoot it some more, he's getting into shooting as a hobby.

 

[alpine44]

Not a tremendous amount of love for them here. I personally have had a little limited experience with them but not much. Very accurate but I think the biggest turn off for most people has been the magazine system. They are fragile and expensive... not a great combination. Anyway, here is the place to contact...

Steyr Mannlicher US:*Contact

Good luck!

This company in Austria offers a bottom metal for AICS magazines.
http://www.styriaarms.com/pdf/2013.02.16 - Steyr SSG 69 steel triggerguard.pdf

 

[trilogymac]

CDI Precision is also making an aluminum BM that uses the AICS mags.

 

[Wes_Mantooth]

What Alpine said, except the forward trigger is a two stage if not "set" first. Also the ten round magazine needs a modification device to use if I remember right.

SSG (Sharfshutzen Gewehr [sp?]) means "sharpshooter's rifle" in German. "69" is the year it was developed.

This was the first commercially made sniper's rifle in the world. Everything before was a modification of an existing rifle. They come in black and green "cycolac" stocks. The newer stocks have an Anschutz type rail in the center of the forearm, the older stocks don't. Spacers can be added or removed from the stock to adjust LOP. The material used in the stock is more fragile than the plastics in today's stocks and I have seen some crack, ditto the magazine.

The rifles came as kits with the scope. The Kahles on your rifle was one that came with the rifle. There were four different scopes that shipped with the rifles from 6-10x (I think) and all were Kahles or another brand (Swarovski?).

These are wonderful rifles and a much simpler, and to my eyes classier, design than most sniper's rifles made today. The manual is available online. Your friend has a keeper. Just pray he never needs to buy parts for it$$$$$$.

 

[John_in_WYO]

Tell your friend that Sweet's 7.62 Copper Solvent is not a friend of the plastic bottom-"metal" trigger guard assembly on a Steyr.

In the late 80's/early 90's I was shooting a regional police sniper competition at Camp Gruber in Muskogee, OK with a Dallas PD sniper on the next position to my right when his rifle went south on accuracy. Examination revealed that the plastic assembly had fractured like tempered glass around the front screw for the receiver. He was (and probably still is) an advocate of Sweet's and used it often. We believed that the copper solvent liquid had seeped down the screw during cleaning and pooled around the plastic assembly and weakened it over time due to a chemical reaction, causing the plastic to become brittle.

He quit using it on the Steyr.

All that aside, your friend has a great hunting/sniping rifle combination there. It was top of the line in it's day. If I recall correctly, the black ones were targeted toward the police market. They came in green when first produced.

Side note: I've quit using Wipeout on my rifles due to finding rust in the receiver/barrel threads after pulling barrels. It is the ONLY source of water that has ever been directly in contact with the chamber/tenon area of my rifles. I suppose another option would be to liberally spray the area with a water displacer like WD-40 after using the Wipeout. I chose not to go that route.

 

[Jäger Wilhelm]

Scharfschützengewehr (SSG) 69. This rifle set the trend for what we have today. I bought my first one in Sicily in 1983, then the PII in Germany in 1985. I too had issues with the stock and solvents, and certainly had (still do I guess) issues with the magazines. I hated the 5-rounders. Back then the 10-rounders were $70.

I suspect your zf69 scope is calibrated for the 149/150 military round. I think the zf84 is for the 168gr round. I suspect you have 26mm rings.

Not popular here, but then the forum does not represents the reality of who (obviously some exceptions) frequently goes to the range. More stylish trendy stuff, modifying to impress, and posing then trigger pulling. And yes, I have a Sako and a S&B but I shoot the crap out of it!

Anyhow, your SSG is a fun setup, so enjoy it. I didn't have a double-set trigger on my SSG69, but do on my PII.

Mine in 1983....