Steyr AUG

Steyr AUG A1 with 508 mm (20.0 in) barrel

Type Bullpup assault rifle

Carbine
Light machine gun
Squad automatic weapon
Submachine gun

Place of origin Austria

Service history

In service 1978–present [1]

Used by See Users

Wars See Conflicts

Production history

Designer Horst Wesp

Karl Wagner
Karl Möser

Designed 1977

Manufacturer Steyr Mannlicher

Thales Australia, Lithgow Facility
SME Ordnance

Produced  1978–present (Standard) [1]

 1988–present (Para) [1]

 2004–present (A3)
 2007–present (A3 SF)
Variants See Variants

Specifications
Mass  3.6 kg (7.9 lb) (Standard)
 3.3 kg (7.3 lb) (Carbine)
 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) (Subcarbine)
 3.9 kg (8.6 lb) (HBAR)
 3.3 kg (7.3 lb) (Para) [1]

Length  790 mm (31.1 in) (Standard) [1]

 690 mm (27.2 in) (Carbine)

 630 mm (24.8 in) (Subcarbine)
 900 mm (35.4 in) (HBAR)
 665 mm (26.2 in) (Para) [1]

Barrel length  508 mm (20.0 in) (Standard) [1]

 407 mm (16.0 in) (Carbine)

 350 mm (13.8 in) (Subcarbine)
 621 mm (24.4 in) (HBAR)
 420 mm (16.5 in) (Para) [1]

Cartridge  5.56×45mm NATO [1]

 9×19mm Parabellum [1]

 300 BLK [2]

Action Gas-operated, rotating bolt

Rate of fire 680–750 RPM [3]

Muzzle velocity Standard rifle: 970 m/s (3,182 ft/s)

Effective firing range 300 metres (980 ft)

Maximum firing range 2,700 metres (8,900 ft)

Feed system  5.56×45mm NATO: 30-, 42-round

detachable box magazine, [1]

 9×19mm Parabellum: 25-, 32-

round detachable MPi 69 box
magazine [1]

Sights Swarovski 1.5× telescopic sight,

emergency battle sights, and Picatinny rail
for various optics

The Steyr AUG (Armee-Universal-Gewehr—"universal army rifle") is an Austrian 5.56×45mm

NATO bullpupassault rifle, designed in the 1960s by Steyr-Daimler-Puch and now manufactured
by Steyr MannlicherGmbH & Co KG.
It was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77(Sturmgewehr 77) in 1978, where it replaced
[4]

the 7.62×51mm NATO StG 58 automatic rifle (a licence-built FN FAL). In production since
[5]

1978, it is the standard small arm of the Austrian Bundesheer and various national police units.
Its variants have also been adopted by the armed forces of dozens of countries.

Design details
The Steyr AUG is a selective-fire, bullpup weapon with a conventional gas-piston-
operated action that fires from a closed bolt. It is designed as a Modular Weapon System that
[6]

could be quickly configured as a rifle, a carbine, a sniper rifle, a sub-machine gun and even
an open-bolt squad automatic weapon. The AUG employs a very high level of advanced firearms
technology and is made with the extensive use of polymers and aluminum components. It is
chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge and has the standard 1:9 rifling twist that will
stabilize both SS109/M855 and M193 rounds. Some nations including Australia, Ireland and
New Zealand use a version with a 1:7 twist optimized for the SS109 NATO round. The SMG
versions are chambered for 9mm Parabellum. The AUG consists of six interchangeable
assemblies: the barrel, receiver with integrated telescopic sight or Picatinny rail, bolt carrier
assembly, trigger mechanism, stockand magazine. [6]

Operating mechanism
The AUG has a rotating bolt that features 7 radial locking lugs and is unlocked by means of a pin
on the bolt body and a recessed camming guide machined into the bolt carrier. The bolt carrier
itself is guided by two guide rods brazed to it and these rods run inside steel bearings in the
receiver. The guide rods are hollow and contain the return springs. The bolt also contains a claw
extractor that forms the eighth locking lug and a spring-loaded "bump"-type casing ejector.
The gas cylinder is offset to the right side of the barrel and works with one of the two guide rods.
The AUG uses a short-stroke piston system where the right guide rod serves as the action rod,
transmitting the rearward motion of the gas-driven piston to the bolt carrier. The left-hand rod
provides retracting handle pressure when connected by the forward assist and can also be utilized
as a reamer to remove fouling in the gas cylinder. The firearm uses a 3-position gas valve. The
first setting, marked with a small dot, is used for normal operation. The second setting, illustrated
with a large dot, indicates fouled conditions. The third, "GR" closed position is used to
launch rifle grenades (of the non-bullet trap type).
The AUG is hammer-fired and the firing mechanism is contained in the rear of the stock, near the
butt, covered by a synthetic rubber shoulder plate. The hammer group is made entirely of plastics
except for the springs and pins and is contained in an open-topped plastic box which lies between
the magazine and the buttplate. During firing the recoiling bolt group travels over the top of it,
resetting the hammer. Since the trigger is located some distance away, it transmits its energy
through a sear lever which passes by the side of the magazine. The firing pin is operated by a
plastic hammer under pressure from a coil spring.
Steyr AUG with a German KCB-77 M1 bayonet.

Steyr AUG with a loaded 30-round magazine.

The Steyr AUG's telescopic sight picture. Note the backup iron sights on top of it.

Features
The AUG comes standard with four magazines, a muzzle cap, spare bolt for left-handed shooters,
blank-firing adaptor, cleaning kit, sling and either an American M7 or German KCB-77 M1
bayonet.

Muzzle devices and barrel lengths

A three-pronged, open-type flash suppressors were used on the 350 mm (13.8 in), 407 mm
(16.0 in) and 508 mm (20.0 in) length barrels, whereas the 621 mm (24.4 in) light machine gun
barrel received a closed-type ported muzzle device (combination flash suppressor and
compensator) and an integral, lightweight folding bipod. The flash suppressors are screwed to the
muzzle and internally threaded to take a blank-firing attachment.
Trigger
The AUG features an Spz-kr type progressive trigger (pulling the trigger halfway produces semi-
automatic fire, pulling the trigger all the way to the rear produces fully automatic fire) and a
safety mechanism (cross-bolt, button type), located immediately above the hand grip. In its [6]

"safe" position (white dot) the trigger is mechanically disabled; pressing the safety button to the
left exposes a red dot and indicates the weapon is ready to fire. Some versions have an ALO or
"automatic lockout", a small projection at the base of the trigger. This was first included on the
Irish Defence Forces variant of the rifle, and soon after, the Australian Defence Forces variant. In
the exposed position the ALO stops the trigger being squeezed past the semi-automatic position.
If needed, the ALO can be pushed up to permit automatic fire. [7]

Ammunition feeding
The AUG is fed from a translucent, double-column box magazines(molded from a high-strength
polymer) with a 30-round capacity and an empty weight of 130 g (4.6 oz). The light machine
gunversion of the AUG uses an extended 42-round magazine. An Argentine variant of the FN
FAL chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge and known as the FALMP III Type 2 also uses
the same magazine.

Sights
The AUG has a 1.5× telescopic sight that is integrated with the receiver casting and is made
by Swarovski Optik. It contains a simple black ring reticle with a basic rangefinder that is
[6]

designed so that at 300 m (984.3 ft) a 180 cm (5ft 11in) tall man-size target will completely fill
it, giving the shooter an accurate method of estimating range. The sight cannot be set to a
specific range but can be adjusted for windage and elevation for an initial zero and is designed to
be calibrated for 300 m. So when it is set, aiming at the center of a target will produce a hit at all
ranges out to 300 m. It also has a backup iron sight with a rear notch and front blade, cast into
the top of the aluminium optical sight housing, used in case of failure or damage to the primary
optical sight. The sight is also equipped with a set of three illuminated dots (one on the front
blade and two at the rear) for use in low-level lighting conditions. In order to mount a wide range
of optics and accessories, a receiver with a NATO-standard Picatinny rail and detachable
carrying handle was also developed and introduced in December 1997.
RBP
Engineering

Austrian soldiers equipped with the standard-length Steyr AUG.

Austrian soldiers train with the Steyr AUG A3 SF.

The quick-change barrel used in the AUG is cold hammer-forged by GFM-GmbH

of Steyr Austria for increased precision and durability, its bore, chamber and certain components
of the gas system are chrome-plated. The standard rifle-length barrel features 6 right-hand
grooves and a rifling twist rate of 228 mm (1:9 in). An external sleeve is shrunk on to the barrel
and carries the gas port and cylinder, gas valve and forward grip hinge jaw. There is a short
cylinder which contains a piston and its associated return spring. The barrel locks into a steel
insert inside the receiver through a system of eight lugs arranged around the chamber end and is
equipped with a folding, vertical grip that helps to pivot and withdraw the barrel during barrel
changes. The most compact of the barrels has a fixed vertical grip.
The receiver housing is a steel-reinforced aluminium extrusion finished with a baked enamel
coating. It holds the steel bearings for the barrel lugs and the guide rods. The non-reciprocating
[6]

plastic cocking handle works in a slot on the left side of the receiver and is connected to the bolt
carrier's left guide rod. The cocking handle has a forward assist feature—alternatively called a
"silent cocking device"—used for pushing the bolt shut without recocking the rifle. A bolt[6][8]

hold-open device locks the bolt carrier assembly back after the last round has been fired. The [8]

newer AUG A3s possess a bolt release button, prior to this development all AUGs and the USR
required the cocking handle being retracted to release the bolt group after a new magazine has
been inserted. Older versions of the AUG can be upgraded to use the newer A3 stock and in turn
the button release; however, it requires they also upgrade other key parts as well including the
hammer pack.
The rifle's stock is made from fibreglass-reinforced polyamide 66. At the forward end is the
pistol grip with an enlarged forward trigger guard completely enclosing the firing hand that
allows the rifle to be operated with winter gloves. The trigger is hung permanently on the pistol
[6]
grip, together with its two operating rods which run in guides past the magazine housing. Behind
that is the locking catch for the stock group. Pressing this to the right will separate the receiver
and stock. The magazine catch is behind the housing, on the underside of the stock. Above the
housing are the two ejector openings, one of which is always covered by a removable strip of
plastic. The rear of the stock forms the actual shoulder rest which contains the hammer unit and
the end of the bolt path. The butt is closed by an endplate which is held in place by the rear sling
swivel. This swivel is attached to a pin which pushes in across the butt and secures the plate.
There is a cavity under the buttplate that holds a cleaning kit.
RBP

Modularity
Austrian versions

Steyr AUGs with green and black stocks, different type of Picatinny rail receivers and different sights.

Steyr AUG A1 with a 40 mm AG36 grenade launcher.

The Irish Army peacekeepers in Lebanon armed with the Steyr AUG fitted with bayonets.

The New Zealand Army with the F88 on a military live fire scenario exercise.

Stock
While the AUG is not fully ambidextrous, it can still be configured to be use for left- or right-
handed operators by changing the bolt with one that has the extractor and ejector on the
appropriate side, and moving the blanking plate to cover the ejection port not in use. However,
there exists also a right-hand-only stock that allows for the use of M16 type STANAG
magazines. [9][10]

Receivers
The AUG's receiver may also be changed from the standard model with a carrying handle and
built-in 1.5× optical sight, to the "T" model receiver which has a universal scope mount to
[11]

allow for the use of a variety of scopes and sights. The rifle also has several different types of
[11]

receivers with Picatinny rails. It has proven to be an effective sniper or designated marksman
[12]

rifle when configured with the 621 mm (24.4 in) light machine gun barrel, the universal scope
mount fitted with a Kahles ZF69 6×42 optical sight and the semi-auto-only trigger group.

Firing mechanism
The AUG's firing mechanism may also be changed at will, into a variety of configurations,
including semi-auto and full-auto, semi-auto and three-round-burst, semi-auto-only, or any other
combination that the user may desire. It may also be converted into an open-bolt full-auto-only
[11]

mode of fire, which allows for improved cooling and eliminates cook off problems when the
AUG is used as a light machine gun or squad automatic weapon. [11]

Barrels
All AUGs are equipped with quick detachable barrels; including compact 350 mm (13.8 in)
barrels, 407 mm (16.0 in) carbine barrels, 508 mm (20.0 in) standard rifle-length barrels and
621 mm (24.4 in) light machine gun barrels. Rifles equipped with 508 mm (20.0 in) pattern
[6]

barrels produced for military purposes are also equipped with bayonet lugs. The 407 mm
(16.0 in) and 508 mm (20.0 in) barrels are capable of launching NATO STANAG type 22 mm
rifle grenades from their integral flash hiders without the use of an adapter. AUG barrels can also
mount 40 mm M203 or AG36 grenade launchers. Steyr also offers 508 mm (20.0 in) barrel
configurations fitted with a fixed, post front-sight used on the standard rifle version with
aperture iron sights.