Steyr Mannlicher has introduced a new family of bolt-action rifles called Steyr Carbon. Judging by the model designations, these are most likely the Steyr SM12 and CL II rifles except equipped with carbon fiber stocks made by a company called Fine Ballistic Tools (FBT). However, these rifles are marketed and listed on the company’s website not as options of the mentioned rifles but as separate models.

Here is how Steyr describes the new rifles and stocks:

The new STEYR CARBON combines the excellent accurracy of a STEYR RIFLE with a new extra light and robust carbon fibre stock. Designed by FBT the new stock not only captivates with his light weight and the high stability, it is also a ”quiet“carbon fibre stock with the same acoustic characteristics as a wooden stock.

Steyr Carbon rifles include the following models: Carbon SM12 Standard, Carbon SM12 Magnum, Carbon SM12 Light, Carbon SM12 Heavy Barrel, Carbon CL II Standard, Carbon CL II Magnum, Carbon CL II Light and Carbon CL II Heavy Barrel. The rifles are offered in the following caliber options: .308 Winchester, 6,5mm Creedmoor, .30-06 Springfield, .270 Winchester, .300 Winchester Magnum and .338 Lapua Magnum. The .338 Lapua Magnum version comes with a 25.6″ barrel, .300 Win Mag and 6.5mm Creedmoor versions have 25″ barrels and the rest of the caliber options are available either with 20″ or 22″ barrels.

Arguably the primary goal of using carbon fiber stocks is to have a lightweight weapon. The weights of Steyr Carbon rifles vary depending on the barrel length, barrel profile, and caliber. The lightest configuration is chambered in .308 Win with a light contoured 20″ barrel. It weighs about 6 lbs 2 oz (2.77 kilograms). The heaviest Steyr Carbon rifle is the one chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum with a 25.6″ heavy profile barrel and weighing a little less than 7 lbs 12 oz (3.5 kilograms).

Steyr Flexsight front sight and thread protector combination device

These rifles also feature an interesting new front sight post/thread protection system called Steyr Flexsight. Judging by the promo video embedded below, it is a thread protector with a built-in fiber optic front sight. In order to unscrew this combination device, the user must press on the front sight post and unscrew the whole assembly.

There is no information concerning the availability of these rifles in the US market.

Images by www.steyr-mannlicher.com