Steyr AUG

     Notes: Originally designed as a technology demonstrator, the Steyr AUG (Armee Universal Gewehr, or Army Universal Rifle), became wildly successful, and versions of the weapon ranging from submachineguns to civilian rifles were produced.  It was first produced in 1978, and it became one of the few bullpup military rifles used in number by world armies.  The AUG is used by Austria (where it is the standard assault rifle, and is known as STG-77), Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Oman, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia; in addition, British soldiers stationed in the Falklands also use the AUG.  The Australians and the Malaysians license-produce the AUG.  (The Australian version of the AUG is different enough from a standard AUG that is has its own entry under Australian Assault Rifles.)

     The body and magazines of the AUG are made of high-impact plastic, while the internal workings and the barrel are made of high-quality steel (except for the hammer and certain other parts of the hammer unit, which are unusually made of very-high strength plastic).  At the very front of the receiver is a fold-down plastic foregrip which can be used as a handguard when folded.  The result is a weapon that is light, handy, yet accurate.  The weapon includes a 1.5x battle sight that further improves accuracy; it is on an elevated mount and forms a part of a carrying handle. The AUG’s trigger is two-stage: pull it back a certain distance, and you get semi-automatic fire, and pull it back all the way for full automatic fire.  This can sometimes lead to “accidental automatic fire.”  The gas block is also adjustable, for standard fire, a fouled chamber or barrel, and a cutoff for the firing of certain rifle grenades.  The gas block adjustor is also used to replace the barrel with barrels of other lengths or otherwise remove the barrel.  Barrels can be removed and replaced in seconds (less than one combat phase). There are cutouts on either side for the ejection port and charging handle, and the fire and magazine controls may be switched from one side to the other, making the AUG ambidextrous (unusual for a bullpup weapon, though some soldiers say that the AUG is equally uncomfortable to use with either hand due to its poor ergonomics).

     Several interchangeable barrels can be fitted to the AUG, allowing the AUG to perform the roles of submachinegun, carbine, heavy-barreled automatic rifle, or a sharpshooter’s rifle.  In addition, a barrel exists that allows the AUG to function as a squad automatic rifle, and a parts kit that allows the AUG to be converted to a submachinegun firing 9mm Parabellum ammunition (see Austrian Submachineguns).  The standard AUG uses a 20-inch barrel; the AUG Carbine has a 16-inch barrel; the AUG SMG (also called the AUG-P) uses a 13.77-inch barrel; and the HBAR has a 24-inch barrel.  In addition, the HBAR (sometimes referred to as the AUG LMG or AUG SAW) is equipped with a bipod.  The AUG SMG (also called the AUG-P) is often found with special receiver that better suits the extra parts needed to allow the AUG to properly function with the very short barrel; however, this redesigned receiver is not required to allow the AUG SMG to function properly.

     The HBAR-T, an AUG modified for use as a sharpshooter’s rifle, is similar in appearance to the HBAR from which it is derived.  The barrel, however, is cold hammer-forged, heavier and of better quality than that of the HBAR, and uses a flash suppressor that is somewhat more effective at mitigating muzzle flash.  (Barrel length is still 24 inches.)  The carrying handle/battle sight has been removed, and in its place is a mount for optics (though it is not a MIL-STD-1913 or Weaver mount, and is rather limited in what sort of optics it can mount).  (In the Austrian Army, the standard scope used with the HBAR-T is the same Kahles ZF69 6x scope used on the SSG-2000.)

     In 1997, the standard AUG A1 was replaced in production (except in Malaysia) by the AUG A2.  The AUG A2’s magazine well is modified so that it can use NATO/US magazines as well as magazines designed for the AUG and magazines like Beta’s C-Mag.  The scope/carrying handle was replaced by a MIL-STD-1913 rail, allowing the rifle to use virtually any sort of optics.  However, when the A2 arrived, the 13.77-inch SMG barrel was deleted from the options available to the AUG.

     Civilian/police semiautomatic-only versions of the AUG A1 and AUG A2 assault rifles and carbines are available on the civilian market in many countries; these generally have no bayonet lug, and often have their barrels permanently attached instead of being interchangeable with shorter or longer AUG barrels.  In some cases, civilian versions of the AUG do not have flash suppressors, if that is necessary to comply with local laws.

     Twilight 2000 Story:  Similar to the Notes above; however, after the November nuclear exchange, production of the AUG virtually stopped in Austria and Malaysia.  For at least 20 years after the Twilight War, the only country who produced the AUG was the Australians.  The “A2” version is also a rarity in the Twilight 2000 world, except as produced by the Australians. 

     Merc 2000 Story: Similar to the Notes above; the AUG is a big hit with mercenary groups worldwide, especially the “A2” version.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Steyr AUG A1 Assault Rifle

5.56mm NATO

3.7 kg

30, 42

$735

Steyr AUG A2 Assault Rifle

5.56mm NATO

3.64 kg

20, 30, 42

$591

Steyr AUG A1 Carbine

5.56mm NATO

3.6 kg

30, 42

$694

Steyr AUG A2 Carbine

5.56mm NATO

3.54 kg

20, 30, 42

$550

Steyr AUG A1 SMG

5.56mm NATO

3.52 kg

30, 42

$671

Steyr AUG A1 HBAR

5.56mm NATO

5 kg

30, 42

$1325

Steyr AUG A2 HBAR

5.56mm NATO

4.95 kg

20, 30, 42

$1187

Steyr AUG A1 HBAR-T

5.56mm NATO

5.13 kg

30, 42

$1401

Steyr AUG A2 HBAR-T

5.56mm NATO

5.08 kg

20, 30, 42

$1416

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Steyr AUG A1/A2 Assault Rifle

5

3

1-Nil

5

2

6

50

Steyr AUG A1/A2 Carbine

5

3

1-Nil

4

2

6

36

Steyr AUG A1 SMG

5

3

1-Nil

4

2

6

28

Steyr AUG A1/A2 HBAR

5

3

1-Nil

6

2

5

63

With Bipod

5

3

1-Nil

6

1

3

82

Steyr AUG A1/A2 HBAR-T

SA

3

1-Nil

6

2

Nil

65

With Bipod

SA

3

1-Nil

6

1

Nil

84