Steyr’s Hot New Mountain-Ready Carbon CL II Rifle
Last updated: October 6, 2018 · Originally published: October 4, 2018
Quick Answer
The Steyr Carbon CL II is a lightweight bolt-action hunting rifle built for the mountains, using a carbon-fiber stock to cut weight without the acoustic ring of a hollow synthetic. It is offered in .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor and .338 Lapua Magnum, weighs from about 6.7 pounds in .308, and comes with a threaded 5/8×24 barrel.
Steyr Carbon CL II: quick facts
What calibers does the Steyr Carbon CL II come in?
.308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor and .338 Lapua Magnum.
How much does the Carbon CL II weigh?
About 6.7 pounds in .308, 7.5 pounds in 6.5 Creedmoor and 7.7 pounds in .338 Lapua Magnum.
Why a carbon-fiber stock?
Carbon fiber keeps the rifle light for mountain hunting while offering stability and sound-damping closer to a wood stock than a hollow synthetic.
Is the barrel threaded for a suppressor?
Yes — it comes with 5/8×24 threading, so a muzzle device or suppressor mounts directly.
What do you need most in a big-game gun?
Steyr recently introduced a brand-new big-game gun, the Carbon CL II rifle, and they clearly designed it around the needs of big-game hunters who aren’t afraid to go way, way off the beaten path in pursuit of the toughest-to-reach game animals. We’re not necessarily saying the Carbon CL II was purpose-built for sheep hunters who must take 400+-yard shots after having climbed a mountain…but if it was, they couldn’t have done a better job.
First, they ensured that this rifle is feather-light. Weighing in between 6.7 and 7.7 pounds, depending on caliber choice, the Carbon CL II has none of the extra weight that, as any sheep hunter can tell you, multiplies by orders of magnitude for every quarter-mile you ascend. Of course, this was done with carbon fiber…but this isn’t just any carbon fiber. It’s a “quiet” carbon fiber with the same acoustic properties as a wooden stock, so it won’t make that wince-inducing “whack” every time you accidentally brush against a tree.
Secondly, they chambered it in three calibers, all of which are designed for exceptional accuracy at 400 yards (and more). Available in .308 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor, and .338 Lap. Mag., these rifles would be just as at home on the 1,000-yard range as they are on a mountaintop.
Last but (definitely) not least, these rifles offer the new Steyr FlexSight, which has a special thread that allows you to switch from open sights to a silencer or muzzle brake without any tools. This is the first open sight that can be changed and also easily returned to the exact same position.
Would you like to learn more? Check out this brand-new rifle and a video demonstration by clicking here!
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I prefer the 30 06.
The 06 is capable of greater velocity than the 308, can deliver heavier bullets than the 308, and is commonplace wherever ammunition is sold.
In sporting rifles, the 308 winds up with negligible weight savings over its larger predecessor, and in the field the shorter actions don’t translate into a significantly faster operation. If one has an 06, there is nothing the 308 offers to set itself apart.
Phil Sharp derived the 308, most likely from the 7.5mm French service cartridge in order to provide the U.S. military with a shorter, more portable MG cartridge. It was never intended to out perform the 06, and so unsurprisingly, it doesn’t.
The 308 is a fine cartridge on it’s own, and certainly it has proven itself, but it can’t do everything the 06 can do, and that is why the 06 continues to find it’s way into the finest sporting rifles today.
Why do you not mention the 3006 caliber ? Most people act like they do not use it anymore or talk about any stories or trying sell it .
for one thing there’s the 308 which is almost the same exact round except they’re not interchangeable in weapons, they use the same projectile, the same amount of powder but one is packed tighter or looser depending on how you look at it on any given day. plus the 308 can be considerably less expensive if you choose to use surplus military ammo, which makes it even better than the 30-06 because it’s cheaper you can buy more bullets allowing you to practice more with your rifle which if you’re doing it right should make you a better shot. make sense?