Steyr L9-A2 MF

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Deleted member 67409

I bought a Steyr L9-A2 MF (9x19) back in November and I've now shot about 250 rounds through it. 50 rounds of S&B 115gr hollowpoints and approximately 200 rounds of Winchester White Box 115gr. Both times, I shot the pistol with @daekken. Once at an indoor range near me and today at his club in NH.

The Steyr is intended to replace my Browning Hi Power Mark III Standard as my multigun competition pistol. I've owned a variety of pistols but ended up due to a series of cash crunches with the BHP as my only gun. Being a broke college and now law student means very few dollars for gun money. Since getting into multigun last year, I've been slowly rebuilding my "collection."

I picked the Steyr for a few reasons. I initially asked the doyens of 3-gun in RI what would be the best pistol to buy for the sport. Answer: a 2011. I asked about a Glock and they said that a Glock would require a ton of cash spent on it to equal the lowest level of 2011. My shooting ability doesn't yet warrant a 2011, so I decided to get something modern, with an excellent trigger, which would be better than a Glock.

The two guns that stood out to me were this and the HK VP9. I eliminated the VP9 after handling both the Steyr and VP9 at a gun store in Vermont who had both. The trigger, sights, and handling on the Steyr are better than the VP9.

The Steyr has about a 5lbs trigger. Being striker fired, every shot is very consistent. I had owned Beretta 92s and shot other DA/SA guns before like CZ 75s and 82s and I knew that I wanted either a SAO gun or a striker-fired pistol. With the Steyr being $599 from the place I bought it, I couldn't say no to a gun that handled very well, had a great trigger, and cost less than a Glock 17 Gen 5, which are usually around $625-650 where I am.

The Steyr disassembles like a Glock in that you first decock the pistol by pulling the trigger. The Steyr then has a 90-degree turn lever that you turn down into the vertical position while depressing a button. More on the button later. Then the Steyr comes apart easy-peasy like any other modern pistol. The gun also comes with changeable backstraps and grips, but I found the OEM grips to be the best for me.

How's it shoot? Very accurately. In both my and @daekken's hands, the gun is very good at making consistently tight groups. He shot his CZ Shadow 2 better than the Steyr, but I shot the Steyr better than his CZ. With the Steyr being striker-fired, I won't have to worry about starting a stage with a DA trigger pull. The Steyr also has trapezoidal sights that both of us liked as well.

The one problem I had is that the pistol didn't reliably feed the S&B hollowpoints. I had about four failures to feed. The S&B hollowpoints were like $20 or $24 p/50 and I've had them sitting in the closet for like three, four years. I chalk this unreliability up to the ammo rather than the gun. That being said, I would diligently test any ammo that someone intends to use for carrying prior to carrying this pistol. Otherwise, the gun reliably ate its diet of Winchester White Box without complaint.

Overall I love this pistol. What's going to happen next is I'm going to get the slide milled for a Trijicon RMR. I considered a SRO or a Kahles Helia RD, but both are too long to fit on the slide. Besides, when I checked out SROs at gun stores, I didn't like them. I prefer the RMR.

Pros:

*Five-pound trigger
*Reasonably priced
*Trapezoidal sights
*Very light
*No safety to worry about on the clock or if you're carrying this
*Glock-esque slide release that's easier to engage than a Glock slide release
*Easy to disassemble as long as you drop the magazine and check the chamber prior to pulling the trigger
*Deadly accurate
*Overall, the gun doesn't need any tweaks out of the box for the average shooter

Cons:

*What is this "holster compatability" you speak of? I solved this problem by messaging Steyr and asking about a competition rig. They suggested Black Point Tactical, where I got an OWB competition holster and three double-mag holders. I am very happy with the holster. Other people might not want to wait from November to January for a holster and mag holders.
*Mags are $39 a piece. I solved this problem by buying a bunch from Steyr during a 20% sale.
*The hollowpoint feeding issues, which is a non-issue for me because I usually buy bulk-pack FMJs for competition.
*The button to disassemble the pistol has a "turn the gun off" system. You'll notice the two little wrenches in the picture below. Those are to turn the gun off if you use them to push the button all the way in and in the "right" direction. I recommend never using this feature.
*Steyr doesn't offer a RDS-cut slide.

Would I buy another one? Absolutely.

20200126_134051[1].jpg

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I will add that yes, in my opinion the Steyr is superior to a Glock 19 taken in isolation/purely shooting. Obviously the aftermarket isn't the same. I shot my Shadow 2 better but I have thousands of rounds through it comparatively and it's roughly twice as expensive.

I was impressed with trigger. I am planning to get a VP9 once they hit the shelves with the newly announced milling from the factory. I have troublesome eyes and I am hoping putting a Trijicon on the VP9 will resolve some of my persistent issues with pistols. In choosing the VP9 over the Steyr part of the factor is that being left-handed reduces the already thin aftermarket even further, and the ambi-features of the VP9 make it a tad all-around better, I think, for a left-handed shooter. If I were right handed, I may very well select the Steyr.
 
the pistol has few internal safety mechanisms including absence of a firing pin block. it appears to rely solely on the sear to keep the striker fully cocked and not on the primer.
 
the pistol has few internal safety mechanisms including absence of a firing pin block. it appears to rely solely on the sear to keep the striker fully cocked and not on the primer.

AFAIK the gun has the following:

*Trigger safety (obviously)
*Drop safety
*"Indirect Firing Pin Safety"
*The Clinton lock

Steyr A2 MF Pistol

[VIDEO] Exclusive Look: Review of the new Steyr L9-A2 MF – Concealed Nation

Steyr L9-A2 MF 9mm - C.O.P.S . GunShop

Steyr Arm M9-A2 MF 9x19mm Semi-Automatic Mechanically Locked Recoil-Operated Pistol, Blk - 78.221.2HO

L9A2 MF Specs.JPG
 
not debating what steyr claims
look more into it

As I have an irrational fear of AIWB carry, which I believe you prefer, I am not overly concerned about the gun's internal safety mechanisms. That being said, thanks for pointing out how the "indirect firing pin safety" directly works.
 
Got a chance to handle this at the range today. Neat gun. Top heavy for sure. I like the idea of trapezoidal sights, but I'm not sure it's practical in real life (too distracting). Trigger was very Glock-ish (at least gen 5). I thought the safety mechanism was weird (tool required), as it's supposedly for storage only.
 
Got a chance to handle this at the range today. Neat gun. Top heavy for sure. I like the idea of trapezoidal sights, but I'm not sure it's practical in real life (too distracting). Trigger was very Glock-ish (at least gen 5). I thought the safety mechanism was weird (tool required), as it's supposedly for storage only.

I don't find the sights distracting. IRL or on the clock, you'd want to be focusing on the target. The front sight is good for that because I plant the triangle in the target. The closest I've gotten to using this pistol in a more realistic situation was sniping clays on a berm at about ten yards. The sights were pretty good for that.

I'm looking forward to having a RMR on this pistol, though.

The safety is weird. I don't use it at all except when I tried it out a few times when I was trying the different grips. The concept of having the gun "off" is nonsensical. Maybe the Clinton lock (the patent is from 1999) was put on for Steyr to comply with the ATF's point system. At the time, Steyr didn't have its Bessemer, AL location. But it really should be deleted once Steyr gets away from the original M9 platform.

https://www.atf.gov/file/61591/download
 
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Got my RMR mount and screws, etc., from Ranger Point Precision. RMR sealing plate is on it's way from Trijicon. I'm going to drop the pistol off at a local RI gunsmith to have the slide milled once I get the sealing plate. The gunsmith is going to order the RMR for me because they can get a pretty decent price and will obviously do the work.

20200206_201644.jpg
 
Got my RMR mount and screws, etc., from Ranger Point Precision. RMR sealing plate is on it's way from Trijicon. I'm going to drop the pistol off at a local RI gunsmith to have the slide milled once I get the sealing plate. The gunsmith is going to order the RMR for me because they can get a pretty decent price and will obviously do the work.

why did you buy the mount if you will be having the slide milled?
 
Whomever told you about spending like that on a glock is a clown.... Its about you...

Steyr is cool but id look at the p10f fits in a glock holster 19 rounds and fast shooting
 
Whomever told you about spending like that on a glock is a clown.... Its about you...

Steyr is cool but id look at the p10f fits in a glock holster 19 rounds and fast shooting

The guy who said that to me after a match is the best 3-gun shooter in RI who competes at national matches as well.* I have no reason to question him. None of the guys who are in the top five shooters at matches in RI are running Glocks. I honestly don't remember the last time I saw someone running a Glock, although I always try to squad in with the big boys. One guy may run a Glock with 33-round mags but I can't recall who that was.

For me, the Steyr is still a better gun than a Glock and I'm happy with the Steyr.

*Edit, I checked Practiscore and he's actually third-best on average at the matches I shot [laugh]

why did you buy the mount if you will be having the slide milled?

I thought one was necessary. Guess I'm wrong [laugh]

If I ever need one, I've now got one. I'm going to drop the gun off to be milled tomorrow now that I got the sealing plate.
 
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@C. Stockwell have you shot the beretta APX? if you like the Steyr you'd probably like the APX as well. I have a 9mm centurion and like the pistol although as someone who mostly shoots TDA's I have no use for it. Mostly I'm keeping it because it's been 100% reliable and I'm a beretta junkie. The sear mechanism and internal safety features on the APX are solid. The trigger return spring is weak which irks me. The thick slide serrations are dumb. Otherwise the APX is a fine gun you'd probably dig it. both the Steyr M9 and APX have similar ability to freakishly tame recoil to near nothing. if beretta had put normal god fearing serrations on the slide and a trigger spring with some testicle they would have had a perfect striker pistol. Beretta smartly dropped prices on the APX such that the RDO and combat versions are now a solid deal.
 
@C. Stockwell have you shot the beretta APX? if you like the Steyr you'd probably like the APX as well. I have a 9mm centurion and like the pistol although as someone who mostly shoots TDA's I have no use for it. Mostly I'm keeping it because it's been 100% reliable and I'm a beretta junkie. The sear mechanism and internal safety features on the APX are solid. The trigger return spring is weak which irks me. The thick slide serrations are dumb. Otherwise the APX is a fine gun you'd probably dig it. both the Steyr M9 and APX have similar ability to freakishly tame recoil to near nothing. if beretta had put normal god fearing serrations on the slide and a trigger spring with some testicle they would have had a perfect striker pistol. Beretta smartly dropped prices on the APX such that the RDO and combat versions are now a solid deal.

I haven't, no. I've owned two INOX Beretta 92s, one FS and one Compact. Absolutely reliable with anything. Those guns loved Tulammo. Loved the guns, hated the DA trigger and decocker though. Even after adding a D-spring.

I'll keep it in mind, thanks for the suggestion.
 
I recently fired a friends Steyr S9A1 and I really enjoyed it. It really is a shame that Steyr's aren't more popular locally, I enjoyed handling all their guns at Show Show 2019. They just aren't carried by a few of the big distributors, in my experience, an lack the name recognition of S&W, Glock, HK, etc.
 
I have a Steyr 9 compact, have had it a few years, ended up swapping out the sights for I think true glow fiber optic/night sights, I like them better (aging eyes). When people ask me about the gun I simply tell them Steyr its what a Glock wants to be.
 
why did you buy the mount if you will be having the slide milled?

Turns out I needed that mount.

I picked up the Steyr today with the RMR mounted. The RMR's "birthday" is today, St. Patrick's Day, so that'll be easy for me to remember for when to change out the battery.

The Steyr doesn't have enough material to mill the slide. Milling the slide would cut right into the extractor's and another part in the rear of the slide. So the mount's the only way to get the RMR on this particular Steyr.

I bought this RMR and I'm liking it so far:

Trijicon RMR® Type 2 Red Dot Sight | Trijicon®

20200317_103532.jpg
 
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Turns out I needed that mount.

I picked up the Steyr today with the RMR mounted. The RMR's "birthday" is today, St. Patrick's Day, so that'll be easy for me to remember for when to change out the battery.

The Steyr doesn't have enough material to mill the slide. Milling the slide would cut right into the extractor's and another part in the rear of the slide. So the mount's the only way to get the RMR on this particular Steyr.

I bought this RMR and I'm liking it so far:

Trijicon RMR® Type 2 Red Dot Sight | Trijicon®

View attachment 339418

Nice gun. I have an L9-A1 and was at the range with it today along with an APX RDO full size. L&M precision has done some L9 A1 milling jobs...tricky but doable. There is one on the Steyr forum IIRC. Not sure if the A2-MF differs in terms of the slide though. Many people don't like the trapezoidal sights ( I did not at first ) but for me the trick was not to overthink the process - place triangle on target and press...no fussing with it. Other than the lack of a distinct reset ( which I've gotten used to ), I find it excellent...so damn smooth. Good luck with yours!
 
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