The Original Steyr AUG

The Original Steyr AUG! And the AUG A2 and Aug A1 THE AUG A2 In 1978 when the the aug was introduced there wasn't the mired of add on accessories which are added to today's firearms. Lasers in 1978 were the size of telephone books. Night vision goggles were ineffective on firearms, flashlights were taped on to barrel. Trijicon and radioactive glowing illuminated optics were rare and made the user loose their hair. Thus Steyr  choose on the ultimate accessory a 1.5 scope! This was thought to be the end all of firearms accessories.

Thus in the late 1990's and the advent of illuminated optics, IR laser designators which could only be seen during the night Steyr made a couple of significant changes to the Steyr aug design.

 A2 style optics and optics housing housing (removable optics that allow for use of the picatinny rail). - A2 cocking handle that folds and does not wear out the finish on the receiver. And which can be driven over by a 2 ton truck. These changes helped adapt and improve its functionality. The Australian government has further enhanced the design of the Aug A2 into the F88. Its designation for the Aug. The weaver  rail has been adapted to hold 3 optics! See pick . Surprising enough most Aug's used by its original users remain A1. And A2's are reserved for countries who have recently adopted the

Aug and or Special Forces who require accessory attachments. Some ADI augs have been sold in the USA but it is kind of confusing weather the assembly of these recievers into a rifle is legal or not. See ATF letter regarding ADI RECIEVERS. See Link

AUG A1 The Armee Universal Gerwehr (Universal Assault Rifle) is truly "universal" in design when one considers the many different configurations available. The Steyr AUG was first put into service in 1978. It is a landmark in that it is the first successful military bullpup to be put into service. The AUG is a futuristic looking design well ahead of  its time. Some of the salient features of this rifle are it's use of lightweight materials, modular  construction, and of course, compact bullpup design. The AUG employs a synthetic stock that cuts down on weight, but is extremely robust. The trigger guard of the AUG is large and open allowing for use in cold weather conditions where gloves may be worn. The receiver is made of aluminum which saves weight, but is also extremely durable. In initial demonstrations, AUG's were subject to torture tests such as being run over repeatedly by army trucks with only the glass optics breaking. The stock houses the trigger, bolt carrier guide rods, safety and locking lug. All other components are modular. The receiver itself had two main variations. One with fixed optics, and the other with an integral rail which replaced the optics. This is been superceded by the "A2" configuration which utilizes removable optics/rails keeping in with the AUG's modular  approach. The optics integral to the receiver employ a 1.5x Swarovski sight that is quick and easy to use cutting down on training time. In the event the optics fail or break, there are backup iron sights built into the top of the optics housing. The original reticule employed a simple circle that could also be used for basic range-finding. Simply place the target within the circle and shoot. A man sized target that fits in the circle would be about 300 yards away. For more precise shots, the 6 o'clock position of the circle can be used. The A2 configuration of the AUG now employs crosshairs in conjunction with the circle for both fast and accurate shooting. The bolt carrier assembly has 2 rods which house the integral return springs. One side is connected to the gas piston of the barrel assembly, while the other side is

used for cocking the weapon. The bolt is a rotating design with multiple locking lugs. In the event the weapon needs to be converted for left-handed use, the bolt is simply replaced and the ejection port cover on the stock moved to the opposite side! The barrel assembly is especially noteworthy. The gas system is contained in each barrel assembly and is adjustable to 3 positions. This is what allows the AUG to be converted to a 9mm blowback configuration since the 9mm barrel assembly simply does away with the gas system! Barrels are available in a variety of lengths and configurations, and are also extremely robust. There is the standard 20" barrel, a shorter  carbine 16" barrel, 24" heavy barrel, 13.5" paratrooper barrel in addition to the 9mm subgun barrel. Barrels are chrome lined to resist corrosion (as are the gas piston and other parts) and have been subjected to torture tests such as firing with a projectile in the barrel, and the barrel being filled with water and then fired.  Also integral to the barrel is the front grip assembly allowing for a very stable hold. It can be flipped up on most of the barrels to allow for shooting in more traditional style. Finally, the magazine itself is noteworthy in that the construction is almost entirely of  plastics except for the spring. The earliest magazines were clear in color, but subsequently changed to a translucent green. The translucent design allows for the shooter to count remaining rounds, and magazines are available in 30 and 42 round capacities.

 An extremely rare Desert Tan AUG. Only 2 of these are in the US and it is a Class III NFA dealer only item. AUG's can actually be made in just about any color  by Steyr if a large enough order is placed. I've heard of Blue AUG's in use by the royal guards in one of the Middle Eastern nations!