Self-loading hunting carbine Steyr AUG

"Bullpup" - history of the issue

Today, the armies of foreign countries are armed with three types of assault rifles built according to the bullpup design - AUG, FA MAS and L85. This arrangement allows, first of all, to reduce the length of the weapon. The compactness inherent in bullpups ensures ease of handling both when used in a combat situation and during transportation. The Bullpup is better balanced - the center of gravity is shifted to the butt plate, which makes the weapon more controllable when firing from unstable positions and allows you to change the direction of fire more clearly and quickly.

But it’s not for nothing that the bulk of the most popular assault rifles are still built according to the classical design. “Bullpup” has some features that developers of modern systems, in relation to military weapons, classify as disadvantages. The “bullpup” does not allow the weapon to be used with equal convenience in combat for shooting from both the right and left hands, since the window for ejecting the spent cartridge case is located relatively close to the butt plate and when firing from a “right-handed” rifle from the left shoulder, the reflected cartridge case will be ejected from receiver directly in front of the shooter's eye (or in the eye, depending on anthropometric data). True, all modern bullpups can be adapted for left-handed use by rearranging or replacing parts (shutter, reflector, etc.). But in a real combat situation, when you have to shoot not from a prepared position, but use any cover, the inability to “throw” the rifle from the right shoulder to the left can cost your life. Imagine how open a right-handed shooter with a bullpup must be when shooting from behind the left corner of a building (on the shooter's side). The same kind of problem is created by the relatively high location of the optical axis of the sighting devices - when shooting, for example, from a trench, the frontal projection of a shooter with a bullpup is significantly larger than that of a shooter with an AK. In this case, the distance between the optical axis of the sight and the lower surface of the forearm, which rests on the stop, is taken into account. Someone may doubt the importance of this parameter, they say, what does the extra 0.01-0.02 sq.m. mean? But the cross-sectional area of ​​a 5.56 mm bullet is only 0.0002 sq.m., and one such bullet is enough for a person to dispel all doubts.

The bullpup is also inconvenient in hand-to-hand combat, even without the use of an attached bayonet - the length of the weapon is short and it is impossible to reliably hold the rifle by the butt.

The mentioned disadvantages can only be considered as such in relation to military weapons. If we consider the bullpup as a hunting model, then these points lose their importance. In addition, in countries where the army is not a real force, but a mandatory attribute of state power, unique requirements have always been presented to the design and adoption of small arms, among which appearance and such a parameter as modern design, interpreted by everyone, came to the fore. in my own way. Some samples in their history have never been used in any serious combat operations and therefore their advantages and disadvantages can be the subject of a long and useless debate.

In modern Russia and Ukraine, few weapon lovers have the opportunity to get to know modern foreign assault rifles better - to understand the design details, shoot, etc. Most have to be content with information from domestic weapons magazines, in which one can find both serious articles and the results of the author’s almost childish delight at the fact that he managed to pick up something new at the exhibition stand and even take aim at the neighboring stand.

As time goes by, the situation is changing, and carbines made on the basis of foreign assault rifles are beginning to appear in our country. For example, the Steyr AUG bullpup.

At one time, the combat AUG77 ended up at the GRAU Test Site on Rzhevka and, quite rightly, at the very beginning of the familiarization tests it earned a rating of “failure.” The Austrian designers did not count on the fact that their brainchild would fall into the hands of our testers and be subjected to procedures that were mocking, from the point of view of Europeans. After many years, another entry into Russia was made by a civilian version of the rifle, which has the right to be called a self-loading hunting carbine, and has already acquired the appropriate certificate from the State Standard of the Russian Federation.

The carbine differs from the combat model in its trigger mechanism, which allows only single fire, a reduced-capacity magazine (10 rounds) and good commercial prospects - fans of exotic things with money can now legally purchase one of the most original types of weapons, the equivalent of which is in service with armies in Europe, Africa, Australia.

Device

The civilian AUG is a self-loading carbine built according to the bullpup design. The polymer stock (more precisely, the stock with a pistol grip) of the carbine partially serves as the receiver.

The receiver itself is made of aluminum alloy and serves to connect the barrel to the bolt, install sighting devices, and accommodate the front swivel and cocking handle. The receiver is inserted into the front of the stock and secured with a lock.

Inside the butt there is a trigger mechanism assembled on a separate base. In the design of the trigger, only the axles and springs are metal; all other parts, including the trigger, are plastic. The trigger is connected to the trigger by two rods. In the combat version, switching fire modes is carried out by adjusting the travel of the trigger - when the trigger is pressed fully, it switches to automatic fire mode. In our case, the trigger is simplified and allows firing only single shots. The push-button safety is located above the pistol grip. The handle itself is covered at the front with a safety bracket, which can also be used to hold the weapon with the left hand, since the carbine stock does not have a forearm.

Practice shows that when shooting from a rest, holding the weapon with your left hand by the upper part of the bracket and the short front part of the stock is quite convenient, and when shooting from unstable positions, a folding handle mounted on the barrel in the area of ​​​​the gas chamber helps out. In the folded position, the handle can also serve as a handguard. It is not for nothing that I mention exclusively the left hand, since only a right-handed person can fire accurately from a carbine. The window for ejecting spent cartridges is located on the right side of the butt and, when resting on the left shoulder, is blocked by the shooter's face. The AUG can be adapted for left-handed use by changing the cover of the window for ejecting spent cartridges and replacing the bolt. I emphasize that the shutter must be replaced with another one, and not rearranged, as some translators interpret it. The bolt itself has 7 lugs. The free space of the eighth stop is occupied by the protrusion of the ejector (extractor). The rotation of the bolt when locking is carried out due to the interaction of the bolt with the tracking groove on the bolt frame.

To prevent inertial pinching of the cartridge primer, the firing pin is spring-loaded. The reflector of the system is interestingly designed, which is a spring-loaded part in the shutter mirror. When the bolt is locked, the reflector is pressed against the bottom of the cartridge case, and when it is unlocked, the spent cartridge case under the influence of a compressed spring is pushed out of the receiver. This system for reflecting the spent cartridge case ensures a very stable reflection of the cartridges (when firing from a rest, the spent cartridges are literally stacked in a pile). In addition, this design of the ejector prevents the cartridge from sinking into the receiver when the rifle is not vigorously unloaded.

Features of the AUG design include the placement of return springs inside two tubes, one of which connects the cocking handle to the bolt frame, and the other is the gas piston rod. The tubes are open on the side of the bolt frame and the springs are compressed when the frame moves backwards by fixed rods located inside the butt.

These same tubes, moving along the through holes of the receiver, provide the direction of movement of the bolt frame.

The AUG gas chamber is equipped with a three-position gas regulator, the effectiveness of which we were not able to evaluate, but I think that in “civilian” conditions it is unlikely to be needed, except perhaps in winter, when low-quality lubricant thickens (which is not recommended to be used). The gas piston is spring-loaded and equipped with a seal - a set of metal rings. The piston stroke is approximately 20 mm.

The push-button safety is located above the fire control handle		The reloading handle is fixed in the rearmost position by turning upwards
A large magazine release button is located behind it		On some modifications, the reloading handle is equipped with a lock that allows you to close the bolt using the handle
The arrow indicates the barrel lock button		The barrel is easily separated from the receiver
To remove the receiver from the stock, you need to squeeze the lock located above the magazine receiver		After separating the receiver from the stock, the bolt frame is freely removed
The trigger is removed from the butt after separating the butt plate		The trigger mechanism is almost entirely made of polymer materials
Bolt carrier, bolt and firing pin
The accessory fits into a special slot under the butt plate		A special feature of the accessory is a soft cleaning rod made of nylon cord with metal tips

As standard, the AUG is equipped with a fixed optical sight with a magnification of 1.5x. The sight can be used as a carrying handle. On the carbine that fell into our hands, the sight along with the bracket is removed from the receiver, which allows you to install a bracket with a standard mate for installing any non-standard sight, including a night sight. This option significantly expands the boundaries of possible use of the carbine. A self-loading AUG with a fixed sight, in my opinion, is not suitable for hunting and limits the shooter’s capabilities. At the same time, according to reviews from one of the hunters who owns the carbine, it has fully adapted to both the unusual aiming mark and the limited field of view of the standard Swarovsky sight.

Equipped with an AUG and a mechanical sighting device, the non-adjustable rear sight and front sight of which are located on the upper surface of the optical sight tube. The mechanics are rudimentary in nature and allow precise shooting at distances of up to 25-30 m.

Shooting

In terms of handling weapons, the AUG does not prepare any surprises for the shooter. All weapon controls are easily recognized without any prior preparation. The cocking handle is located on the left side of the receiver. It is disconnected from the bolt frame and remains in the extreme forward position when firing. The combat model has a button on the handle, by holding it down you can forcefully close the shutter if the system is heavily contaminated.

The results of shooting from a carbine at a distance of 100 m turned out to be absolutely predictable for a self-loading sample of 5.56x45 caliber - they did not disappoint or surprise. I will only note that the shooter was a representative of the fairer sex.

Disassembly and assembly

We must pay tribute to the developers of AUG 77 - disassembling the sample is simple, and anyone can figure it out even without documentation. During partial disassembly, the civilian AUG is disassembled into 9 parts without the use of tools:

1. Separate the store;
2. Pull the cocking handle back and lock it in this position by turning it up;
3. Press back the button in the front of the receiver, rotate the barrel and separate it from the receiver;
4. Squeeze the lock on the stock to the right and remove the receiver;
   5. Remove the bolt frame from the stock;
5. Press the middle part of the rubber butt plate, remove the rear swivel and separate the butt plate from the butt;
6. Remove the trigger from the butt;
7. Press the button at the base of the sight bracket and separate it from the receiver by moving it backwards.

The carbine is assembled in the reverse order.

Conclusion

As mentioned above, having a certificate for a civilian AUG provides an excellent opportunity for a wealthy gun lover to replenish his arsenal with a modern weapon, which is a self-loading version of the popular STEYR AUG 77 assault rifle. Of course, in this case it makes sense to purchase a carbine with a detachable optical sight. This choice allows you to fully realize the potential of the weapon both in hunting and in sports target shooting.

There is something exciting and attractive about the military style of weapons!

It may be because the first samples of hunting rifled carbines mass-produced for free sale, numerous “saigas”, “boars”, “tigers” were nothing more than fenced versions of the legendary AK and SVD, that is, models of military weapons.

With the growing popularity of hunting with rifled weapons in our country, the culture of the hunter himself grew; self-loading military-civilian models were gradually replaced by classic bolt-on carbines, combined weapons with a rifled barrel, and even fittings.

But apparently, due to our mentality, we still have a love for military weapons and, oddly enough, weapons of this style are gaining popularity. And the more the fenced version resembles its combat model, the less interference there is in the original to introduce military weapons to the civilian market, the more such weapons are valued.

Of course, the direction of use of this weapon is more sports and recreational shooting than hunting with it, and the simple possession of an almost authentic combat model brings its owner a lot of positive emotions, and especially rare samples and weapons with maximum tuning are also a source of pride.

On hundreds of pages of weapons forums, owners of such weapons excitedly argue, reason, advise, choose from a large number of devices presented in gun showrooms, both the devices themselves and simply a huge selection for upgrading their favorites.

For my test, in order to immerse myself in this world at least for a short time, I chose probably the most extraordinary example of this style, a model that previously could only be seen in the footage of foreign fighters, a model that stands out from the variety of military small arms with its “bullpup” layout.

So, in our test, the Mannlicher AUG-Z is a civilian version of the legendary Mannlicher AUG-A2 assault rifle

The gun store "Old Elephant" provided the weapon for testing. I have the AUG-Z in black (it also comes in dark olive and beige).

The purpose of my test was not to delve into the internal design of components and assemblies, let this remain the lot of future owners of this device, but nevertheless I will tell you about the main features.

Bullpup layout: This is a layout in which the breech, bolt group and magazine are located behind the fire control handle and trigger. This scheme allows you to minimize the length of the weapon with a standard barrel length. On this sample, with a barrel of 508 mm, the length of the entire weapon was 805 mm.

The weapon, with a tactical sight installed, weighs 4,535 g, is very balanced in this configuration and does not seem heavy.

Stock: Rather, even on the stock there is a monolithic body that covers the entire mechanism of the weapon, is made of impact-resistant polymer, has a bracket that covers not only the trigger, but the shooter’s entire hand. There are windows for ejecting spent cartridges on both the right and left sides; when the ejector is directed to eject the cartridges to the right, the left window is closed with a plastic insert and vice versa.

The removable butt plate provides access to the internal mechanisms; to remove the butt plate, you need to unscrew the rear screw, which also serves as a sling swivel.

In the front part there is a fairly comfortable folding handle; when folded, it is convenient to fire from a rest, and when folded back, it provides a reliable hand hold both during high-speed shooting and during more accurate aiming.

Receiver: No one is surprised by the fact that the receivers are made of light but very strong aluminum alloys; in the case of the AUG, the load points of the box are reinforced with steel plates, which gives the structure the necessary rigidity at the minimum possible weight.

Shutter: with seven lugs, it has a reflector that ejects cartridges to the right side, as mentioned above, it can be replaced for left-handed use of the weapon and, accordingly, ejects cartridges to the left. Two rods are connected to the bolt on the bolt frame, one from the manual loading handle, the second from the piston of the gas release mechanism, which ensures automatic reloading of the weapon.

Receiver block: quick-detachable, attached to the receiver by turning 8 stops. On the right side of the barrel there is a gas block that combines a gas piston, a pusher and a return spring. The gas block has an adjustment mechanism that allows you to adjust the uninterrupted reloading, depending on the power of the cartridges used.

The 508 mm long barrel itself is equipped with a quite compact and very effective DTK (muzzle brake compensator). According to the measurements, the twist (one full turn of rifling per barrel length in inches) turned out to be 1:9, such a twist will allow the use in this caliber of cartridges loaded from the lightest 3.2-3.6 grams to the heaviest 4.5-4.9 grams.

What is not unimportant, given the features of the further operation of the weapon, the inside of the barrel along with the chamber is chrome-plated, this significantly increases the service life and the manufacturer claims a barrel service life of at least 15,000 shots.

Shock trigger mechanism (trigger mechanism): designed as a separate module located in the weapon body. Due to the fact that the weapon is built according to the “bullpup” scheme, the trigger is located in the rear part of the body, and the trigger is in the front, they are connected to each other by trigger rods. The safety is made in the form of a transverse button above the handle of the weapon and blocks the trigger pull. The fuse seemed very tight, possibly due to minimal clearances and most likely should have developed during operation.

Magazine: Plastic, translucent, holds 10 rounds, secured in the body with a latch. In my opinion, the 10-seater magazine looks very organic and does not protrude too much from the body. There are also more capacious magazines for the AUG, but under the conditions of our legislation (the maximum permitted magazine volume is no more than 10 rounds), they will be more of a prop.

Sighting devices: As such, mechanical devices are not provided on the fenced version of the AUG; on the upper part of the receiver there is a removable “Weaver” bar, on which various optical sights and collimators are installed at the request of the owner and the intended use.

For my test, the store’s specialists installed an Elcan SpecterDR 1-4 tactical sight that perfectly matched the style and character of the carbine itself. To be honest, this scope requires a separate review, so I won’t describe all its characteristics here, I will only say that it fits very harmoniously into this shooting complex and can be used with it both in rapid shooting (driven hunts, competitions) and when switched to 4x magnification, it can be used for relatively long-range target shooting or a high-quality aimed shot in hunting conditions.

We shoot:

Taking into account that the owner of such a weapon, taking into account the expected quite large shot, will feed it with a budget (but not at all bad) “Centaur”, and given the fact that the barrel is chrome-plated, it will easily digest domestic cheap bimetal. For test shooting, I did not chase an expensive imported cartridge, in the hope of improving the final accuracy of fire; for accuracy shooting, quite budget Czech-made cartridges with a semi-jacketed bullet weighing 3.6 grams were taken, which showed an average initial velocity according to the chronometer in the region of 980-990 m/s

A low-impulse cartridge, the presence of a DTK, in combination with the layout of the weapon itself (the butt is in line with the barrel, and the front handle is as close as possible to the muzzle), makes it possible to hold it to reduce the jump of the weapon when fired. All this minimizes recoil, the target does not leave the field of view of the sight, and the rate of fire can be kept as high as the semi-automatic system of the weapon itself allows.

After zeroing the scope at one hundred meters, which required only 4 rounds, I immediately, without waiting for the barrel to cool, fired the fastest possible series of 10 shots.

The carbine-sight-cartridge complex, at this rate of fire and the sight set to one magnification, showed simply remarkable accuracy, the entire series of 10 shots did not go beyond 2 arc minutes (slightly less than 6 cm at 100 meters).

One can only guess what this sample can do with a high-power optical sight installed, a selected cartridge and leisurely, thoughtful shooting. I confidently assume that 1 arc minute will be easy for him. But on the other hand, his destiny is not high-precision shooting, his purpose is somewhat different, and for this he shoots with a solid five in such a set.

Once again re-reading the reviews of Mannlicher AUG-Z owners about their weapons on the forums, you begin to understand that there are not at all indifferent to them, just like those who are actually disappointed and opponents. And p Trying to sum up the results of today's test, I can't help but think thatI really liked the Mannlicher AUG-Z, it has some kind of zest, and it’s not at all hidden, the whole device, as they say, is in plain sight. The weapon is very harmonious, comfortable, accurate and of course beautiful. A weapon that can infect you with the same spirit, the spirit of the military style.

Alexey Suvorov

The development of a new assault rifle for the Austrian army to replace the aging Stg.58 rifles of 7.62 mm NATO caliber (a licensed version of the Belgian FN FAL rifle) began in the late 1960s. The development of the new rifle, in close cooperation with the army, was undertaken by the Steyr-Daimler-Puch concern (now Steyr-Mannlicher AG & Co KG). The new rifle, which received the code name AUG (Armee Universal Gewehr = Army Universal Rifle), was initially designed in such a way that a single basic model would make it possible to obtain not only the main infantry weapon - an assault rifle (assault rifle), but also a shortened carbine for paratroopers and a completely “skinny” one. a submachine gun for crews of combat vehicles or special operations forces, as well as a platoon support weapon (light machine gun) and a sniper rifle. In addition, the new rifle, or more precisely, an infantry weapon system, was supposed to be lightweight, highly combat effective, and easy to handle. The main creators of the new weapon were three Austrians - Horst Wesp, Karl Wagner and Karl Moser.

From the side of the Austrian Army, the development was led by Colonel Walter Stoll and Captain Friedrich Dehant. The first prototypes of the new rifle appeared in the first half of the 1970s, and in 1977 the new Steyr AUG rifle was adopted by the Austrian Army under the designation Stg.77 (Sturmgewehr 77). Production of the Steyr AUG began in 1978 and has continued ever since. In addition to Austria, the Steyr AUG rifle was adopted by the armies of Australia, New Zealand, Oman, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Ireland and a number of other countries. In addition, Steyr AUG rifles were widely purchased by various law enforcement agencies around the world, including, in particular, the US Coast Guard. A variant of the Steyr AUG is being produced especially for the civilian market, which does not have the ability to fire automatically. During operation, Steyr AUG rifles have proven to be quite convenient, reliable and accurate weapons. True, it should be noted in parentheses that this concerns mainly weapons produced in Austria itself. According to some reliable sources, the AUG rifles (Austeyr F.88) manufactured in Australia had problems with the build quality and materials used (plastics), which is why they caused complaints regarding reliability in the Australian Army.

It is often considered that the Steyr AUG rifle was a revolutionary model in its own right, setting a new fashion for small arms for the army. This is largely not the case, since most of the ideas implemented in the Steyr AUG were first implemented in one form or another before. Thus, the first machines in the bullpup configuration were created in the late 1940s - early 1950s in England (EM-2, 1949) and Russia (TKB-408, 1946). Low magnification optical sights as the main sighting devices appeared around the same time, again in England (the same EM-2) and Canada (experimental prototypes of a rifle based on the FN FAL). The concept of interchangeable barrels, although for a slightly different purpose, has been used in machine guns almost since the beginning of the 20th century. The creation of a modular family of weapons based on a single central block (a receiver with the main mechanisms) is also not a new idea; it was implemented by the American Eugene Stoner back in the early 1960s in his Stoner 63 system. The use of plastic to create the outer casing of a weapon was also already not a new product... However, the undoubted success of the Steyr engineers was precisely the comprehension of already existing designs and ideas and the creation on their basis of a very thoughtful and successful model, which was fully consistent with the assigned tasks and the most modern trends. In addition, the new rifle, unlike the French FAMAS rifle that appeared almost at the same time and was in many ways similar, was frankly elegant, which greatly contributed to its success in the cinema. Thus, without being essentially something revolutionary, the Steyr AUG rifle nevertheless became to a certain extent a trendsetter - it is not without reason that some newer assault rifles, such as the Israeli Tavor TAR-21 and the Singaporean SAR-21, have significant similarities with the Steyr AUG.
In the 1980s, a special kit was developed for the Steyr AUG, allowing the machine to be converted into a submachine gun chambered for the 9x19 mm Parabellum cartridge. This kit includes a 9mm barrel, a new blowback action, and a magazine receiver adapter.

An assault rifle (or rather, a family of small arms) Steyr AUG is an automatic weapon with a magazine feed, air-cooled replaceable barrel, gas-operated automatic, arranged according to the bullpup scheme (in which the breech of the barrel, bolt group and magazine are located behind the fire control handle and trigger hook).
The basis of the Steyr AUG system is a compact receiver made of aluminum alloy. Several high-strength steel inserts are installed in it. One insert serves as a unit for attaching the barrel, and it also locks the bolt. Thus, the receiver is significantly unloaded when firing. Another pair of inserts serve as guides for the leading rods of the bolt frame.
Steyr AUG barrels are quick-release, mounted in the receiver by turning, with 8 stops located outside on the breech of the barrel in 2 rows. A gas block is mounted on each barrel, in which a gas piston with a short stroke and its own return spring is located to the right and just below the barrel bore. On the left side of the block there is a spring-loaded latch that secures the barrel in the receiver, and below the block there is a hinge on which the front folding handle is attached to hold the weapon. The same handle is also used to change barrels. A three-slit flash suppressor is located on the muzzle of the barrel. The barrels are available in four types - from 350 to 621 mm in length, while the longest barrel is additionally equipped with a folding bipod and allows the Steyr AUG to be used as a light machine gun or a sniper rifle. Standard Steyr AUG barrels have a rifling pitch of 1 turn per 228 mm, which ensures normal shooting with both standard 5.56 mm NATO cartridges and old American M193 cartridges with a lighter bullet. Upon request, it is possible to equip rifles with barrels with a different rifling pitch, optimized only for old or new cartridges.

The Steyr AUG automation, as mentioned above, is based on a gas venting mechanism with a short stroke of the gas piston. In front of the gas cylinder there is a three-position gas regulator, which has two open positions - for firing in normal and severe conditions, and a completely off position, for launching rifle grenades from the barrel. The barrel is locked using a rotating bolt with 7 lugs behind a steel coupling located in the receiver. The shutter contains an ejector and a spring-loaded reflector. Standard bolts have an ejector on the right side, which ensures that cartridges are ejected from the weapon to the right. If necessary, the bolt can be replaced with another one, with a mirror-mounted ejector and reflector, which will ensure the ejection of cartridges on the left side of the weapon. The bolt is installed in a bolt carrier, which is suspended inside the weapon body on two hollow steel guide rods. The left rod additionally serves as a pusher, transmitting to the bolt frame the movement of the weapon’s cocking handle located on the left, and the right rod serves as a gas piston rod. Inside the rods, behind the bolt frame, there are two return springs mounted on rod guides. The charging handle is motionless when firing, but if necessary, it can be rigidly connected to the bolt group by pressing a small button located on the handle itself. On weapons of the Steyr AUG A2 series, the handle additionally folds upward and has a slightly modified shape.
The trigger mechanism (trigger mechanism) is made in the form of a separate module and is located in the butt of the weapon. It is connected to the trigger by double trigger rods. The safety is made in the form of a transverse button above the pistol grip and blocks the trigger pull. There is no fire mode translator as a separate part - the choice of fire modes is carried out by the degree of pressure on the trigger. Partial pressing causes a single shot, full - a burst (in this case, the trigger force for firing in bursts is about 4-6 kg). Almost the entire trigger, including even the trigger, and with the exception of springs, pins, firing pin and trigger rods, is made of plastic. Especially for the Steyr AUG variants in the light machine gun configuration, conversion kits are produced that allow you to modify the bolt group and trigger of the machine gun for firing from an open bolt.

The AUG is fed from double-row box magazines made of high-strength translucent plastic, which provides visual control over the supply of cartridges. The standard magazine capacity is 30 rounds. For the light machine gun version, similar magazines with a capacity of 42 rounds have been created, but their large height prevents the weapon from being conveniently positioned when firing from a prone position. The magazine release is located behind the magazine well and is equally comfortable (or rather, inconvenient) for both hands.
The body of the weapon is made of impact-resistant plastic integrally with a pistol grip and an enlarged trigger guard that covers the entire hand. Windows for ejecting spent cartridges are made on both sides of the weapon, one of which is always closed with a removable plastic cover. Access to the weapon's mechanisms is achieved by removing the buttplate, which is fixed in the casing using a transverse pin, which also houses the rear sling swivel. The body is usually painted olive green (for the army) or black (for the police). The Steyr AUG series with sand-colored cases was released especially for Saudi Arabia.

The main sighting devices of the Steyr AUG are a 1.5X optical sight built into the carrying handle. On weapons of the Steyr AUG A1 series, the sight body was made integral with the receiver, and only on certain samples intended for use as sniper rifles, instead of a sight with a carrying handle, a special rail was made for installing more powerful day or night optics. In case of failure of the standard optics, a reserve front and rear sight are installed on the upper surface of the sight body. The optical sight itself has an aiming mark in the form of a ring, the internal diameter of which corresponds to the average height of a person at a distance of 300 meters. In weapons of the latest series, the aiming mark additionally has cross-shaped aiming threads outside the central sighting ring. The adjustment knobs on the sight are used only when zeroing the weapon (bringing it to normal combat), after which they are fixed. On rifles of the Steyr AUG A2 series, the standard sight body assembly with bracket is quickly removable; in their place, various mounts for sights can be installed, including standard Picatinny-type rails.
All Steyr AUG rifles are equipped with a rifle belt for carrying. An American-designed 40 mm M203 grenade launcher can be installed under the barrel (only in versions with a 508 mm barrel). Steyr AUG rifles for the Austrian army do not have a bayonet mount, however, if necessary, it can be mounted on the barrel.

An important component of the arsenal of any rifle unit is a light machine gun. With its relatively small dimensions and weight, it is capable of providing a fairly high density of fire, which allows the machine gunner to operate effectively together with other soldiers. In order to simplify production, light machine guns are sometimes designed on the basis of other weapons, primarily on the basis of machine guns. A good example of this approach to the creation of small arms are the Austrian light machine guns of the Steyr AUG family.

The first light machine gun of the family was the AUG HBAR (Heavy Barrel - “Heavy Barrel”), which is a basic automatic rifle with some changes due to other requirements. The main differences between a machine gun and a basic rifle are a different barrel and a larger-capacity magazine. All other parts and components of the weapon are unified. Moreover, by replacing the barrel, the Steyr AUG machine gun can become an AUG HBAR light machine gun and vice versa.

The main part of the AUG HBAR light machine gun is a characteristically shaped receiver made of aluminum alloy and placed inside a plastic case. To increase rigidity and strength, the receiver structure has several steel inserts. One of these parts is used to attach the barrel and lock the bolt. A thick-walled barrel of 5.56 mm caliber with a length of 621 mm, like other barrels of the AUG complex, is attached to the receiver using eight stops that fit into the grooves of the receiver and is fixed by turning around its axis. The breech of the barrel is equipped with a gas block with a piston, as well as a front handle attachment point. For ease of use, a muzzle brake and a folding bipod are installed on the barrel.

The automatic operation of the AUG HBAR light machine gun uses the energy of powder gases removed from the barrel. A short-stroke gas piston drives the bolt group. Before firing, the barrel is locked onto seven lugs by turning the bolt. In this case, the lugs are located not on the barrel, but on a special coupling to which the barrel is attached. The bolt group moves along two hollow tubes. In addition to holding the bolt group, they perform additional functions: the left tube connects the bolt to the cocking handle, and the right one serves as a gas piston rod. To extract spent cartridges, the bolt is equipped with an ejector and a spring-loaded reflector.

An interesting feature of the machine gun of other weapons in the Steyr AUG family is the ability to use two different bolts, designed for right-handed and left-handed shooters. The right shoulder action ejects shell casings through a window on the right side of the receiver. The second version of the bolt has a “reflected” design and ejects cartridges to the left.

The trigger mechanism of the machine gun is made in the form of a separate block located in the butt. The trigger is connected to the trigger by two rods. Several interesting technical solutions were used in the design of the trigger mechanism of the Steyr AUG automatic rifle and weapons based on it. Thus, most USM parts are made of plastic, and the number of metal parts is kept to a minimum. In addition, the mechanism does not provide a separate fire switch. The functions of the translator are performed by the trigger: when pressed incompletely, a single shot is fired, and to fire in a burst it is necessary to press it completely. The safety feature is a button above the fire control handle that blocks the trigger.

The automatic equipment used allows firing at a rate of up to 680 rounds per minute. Due to the use of a relatively long barrel, the initial speed of the bullet reaches 950 m/s. The effective firing range is at least 350-400 m. Aiming is proposed to be done using an integrated sight. A 1.5x optical sight is built into the carrying handle and is similar to the sights found on other AUG family weapons.

The machine gun is fed from detachable box magazines with 42 rounds of 5.56x45 mm NATO cartridges. In addition, it is possible to use 30-round magazines originally designed for the AUG automatic rifle.

Due to the use of a long 621 mm barrel, the total length of the Steyr AUG HBAR light machine gun is 900 mm. Without ammunition, the weapon weighs 4.9 kg. Thus, the light machine gun turns out to be only 100 mm longer and 1 kg heavier than the machine gun on the basis of which it was created. Similar dimensions and weight, as well as a high degree of unification, contribute to the ease of use of the AUG HBAR machine gun in various units.

The Steyr AUG HBAR light machine gun coped well with the tasks assigned to it, but had some drawbacks. The main one is the tendency for the barrel to overheat during intense shooting with corresponding consequences for the accuracy and accuracy of fire. To solve this problem, the AUG LMG (Light Machine Gun) light machine gun was created. Again, design changes were minimal, which made it possible to maintain a high level of unification of the two types of weapons. In fact, adjustments were made only to the trigger mechanism and sighting devices.

To reduce thermal loads on the barrel, the AUG LMG project used a new trigger designed for firing from an open bolt. This means that before firing the bolt is held in the rearmost position and returns forward, chambering the cartridge, only after the trigger is pressed. Thanks to this, in the intervals between shots and during breaks in shooting, the chamber is open and the barrel can cool faster, more efficiently transferring heat to the surrounding air. In addition, firing from an open bolt allows you to increase the rate of fire. With a design similar to the AUG HBAR machine gun, the AUG LMG can fire up to 750 rounds per minute.

The carrying handle of the AUG LMG machine gun houses a new 4x optical sight. The use of a new sight made it easier to aim at long ranges. At the same time, the firing range remained the same - over 350-400 m.

The AUG HBAR-T and AUG LMG-T light machine guns became the answer to the demands of the time. The only difference between this weapon and the HBAR and LMG is the new carry handle. In order to increase flexibility of use, the handle with a built-in optical sight has been replaced by a unit with a Picatinny rail for mounting any compatible sight. The handle with a rail for mounting sights was borrowed from a modification of the basic AUG P Special Receiver.

One of the main advantages of the Steyr AUG family of weapons is its modular design. Depending on the current task, the shooter can use the most suitable barrel and bolt. In particular, the procedure for replacing individual components allows you to relatively quickly and easily make an HBAR or LMG light machine gun from an AUG automatic rifle. This feature of the AUG family of machine guns has attracted the interest of some customers. The military and security forces of several countries have purchased a number of light machine guns of these models in the form of finished products and sets of replacement modules for use with machine guns.

Based on materials from sites:
http://world.guns.ru/
http://militaryfactory.com/
http://remtek.com/
http://gewehr.ru/

Since 1977, the Austrian arms company Steyr Mannlicher has been producing the AUG (Armee Universal Gewehr) rifle, which is unique in a number of technical characteristics and design - modular, bullpup form factor. It has been adopted by special units in more than fifty countries around the world, including Italy, Ireland, Germany, and the USA. It also comes to Russia in limited quantities. Based on the Steyr AUG model, a civilian version was created, designated by the Z index.

A self-loading carbine, the mechanisms of which are driven by part of the powder gases removed from the barrel when fired (gas engine). It has a bullpup form factor - the trigger is moved forward, it is located in front of the magazine. A special feature of the design is its modularity - with the press of one button it can be disassembled into three main blocks: the receiver, the bolt frame and the butt with the trigger mechanism.

To adapt to the requirements for civilian weapons, the rifle is deprived of the ability to fire bursts, and it also does not have a button for quick release of the barrel. Magazine capacity reduced from 30 to 10 rounds.

An overview of the Steyr Mannlicher AUG-Z A2 carbine is given in this video:

Advantages and disadvantages

• The bullpup form factor has made it possible to significantly reduce the dimensions of the carbine. So much so that the civilian version of the Z barely fits into the requirements of Russian legislation on civilian weapons.
• Debates about the advantages and disadvantages of weapons with a forward trigger among fans of firearms and air guns are ongoing. No common denominator has yet been found. In particular, it is believed that the displacement of the bolt group in the AUG-Z to the butt improves the accuracy of the battle, and it is more convenient for the shooter to transfer fire from one target to another.
• To a greater extent, the relatively good shooting qualities of the rifle are influenced by the fact that it has a rotating bolt cylinder with lugs. Models of submachine guns with a blowback mechanism - KSO-9 "Krechet", PPSh-0 - disperse bullets much wider.
• The weapon is equipped only with a Picatinny rail; it does not have a rear sight or front sight. The rail bracket is quite high, so those who are used to the classic stock position when aiming may find it somewhat uncomfortable.
• When creating the AUG, the goal was to replicate the reliability of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Austrian engineers solved this problem only partially. The rifle is capable of firing when water enters the barrel and can withstand contamination by dust or sand. For this purpose, the gas engine has an adjustable channel cross-section. If it gets into liquid mud, the rifle jams. To resume shooting, you need to jerk the bolt frame again.
• The rifle has a large number of hidden cavities where dirt accumulates, and most of its parts are mated with very great precision. Therefore, it requires careful care. In field conditions, this condition is not always feasible.

The specific location of the magazine makes it difficult to replace it when shooting in a prone position. It itself is made of transparent plastic so that you can control it.

• There is a lot of plastic in the AUG design, even the trigger, except for the springs, is all made of it. This makes the weapon lighter, but subjectively it does not look reliable. At least from the point of view of Russian hunters.
• Even the use of plastic and aluminum does not make the weapon light, its weight is 3.6 kilograms. The .243 Win carbine – made of metal and wood – weighs the same.

Photo of Steyr AUG-Z/A2 carbine, .223 Rem

Purpose

To a greater extent, it is a weapon of self-defense. The relatively long barrel allows the AUG-Z rifle to be used for hunting at short distances. The target could be a fox, hare, wood grouse, or gilt boar. It is impossible to take an adult elk; the caliber is too large for hazel grouse and black grouse.

Varieties

In addition to the basic model based on the AUG A2, the AUG-Z A3 self-loading carbine and the AUG-Z A3 blowback submachine gun chambered for the 9x19 (Parabellum) cartridge are produced.

Specifications

Characteristic	AUG-Z A2	AUG-Z A3	AUG-Z 9x19
	Self-loading carbine with gas piston
Form factor
Twist pitch (inches)
Barrel length (mm)
Magazine capacity
Overall Length (mm)
Weight without magazine (kg)

Design

• A self-loading carbine operating on the principle of a gas engine. The barrel is chrome plated and blued on the outside. A short brake-compensator is attached to the muzzle. The return mechanism is located on the right side of the receiver.
• Bullpup form factor. The trigger guard with a hook is located in front of the magazine. A folding handle is attached to its front branch, replacing the forend.
• The stock is plastic; in its cavity there is a trigger mechanism connected to the trigger by a rod.
• Bolt carrier with two spring-loaded rods. The shutter cylinder rotates through the use of a copy groove. She has seven combat lugs. Manual setting of the bolt stop is possible, for which a stop is used on the left side of the receiver, to which the bolt frame handle is hooked (to do this, it must be turned up).
• The safety is mechanical, located at the upper edge of the rear branch of the trigger guard. To bring it to the “Fire” position, it must be moved to the left so that the red mark opens.
• The AUG trigger does not have a flag for switching fire modes. In military weapons, this occurs during the second stage of pressing the trigger. Single fire – pressing with a warning (increasing force). Automatic - pressing the trigger all the way. In the civilian version (index Z), the second stage is deactivated.
• To install optical sights, a high bracket with a Picatinny rail is installed on the receiver.
• The ten-round magazine hopper is located behind the trigger guard, and its latch is even further to the butt plate. The magazine is made of transparent plastic, two-row.

Options and packaging

Supplied in a cardboard box. The delivery set includes cleaning equipment and a gun shoulder strap (belt). Certificate and instructions included.

Carbine Steyr Mannlicher AUG-Z A3 .223 Rem

Operating principle

• The carbine uses part of the powder gases from the barrel to reload. Before you start shooting, you need to make sure that the gas piston regulator is in the correct position. If the weapon is clean and the quality of the ammunition is not in doubt, then its serrated lugs should be located opposite the small mark. Otherwise, they need to be moved to the larger one.
• Before loading, the weapon is put on safety - press the button on the left side of the receiver located above the rear branch of the trigger guard. To remove the magazine, press the button located at the rear of the hopper. The cartridges are stacked in the magazine in two rows. The magazine is installed in place with a characteristic click.
• An additional safety feature is the “shutter stop” position. To do this, the bolt handle is pulled back and rotated upward. So it hooks onto the protrusion on the receiver and holds the frame in the rearmost position, in which the firing pin is not cocked and the cartridge is not fed into the breech.
• Before starting shooting, the carbine is removed from the bolt stop, and the handle is sent forward with a slight push. During shooting, it is disconnected from the bolt frame and is always in the extreme forward position.

Shootingfrom the Steyr Mannlicher AUG-Z A2 carbine is shown in the video below:

Disassembly

1. Put the weapon on safety, remove the magazine, move the bolt carrier back, and lift the handle and hook it to the ledge of the receiver.
2. On the right side of the stock, above the magazine hopper, find the black lock button and press it.
3. Separate the stock and barrel blocks with the gas piston.
4. Remove the bolt frame with guides and springs from the barrel block.
5. Press down on the recess in the butt plate, and at the same time remove the swivel.
6. Remove the buttplate and remove the trigger mechanism.

When disassembling a military weapon, the button located on the left, at the base of the handle, is used to separate the barrel. It is recessed, the handle is turned clockwise and the barrel is separated.

To disassemble the gas piston, you need to press on the gas regulator and turn it so that the groove is perpendicular to the barrel. The regulator is removed towards the muzzle, and the piston and spring are removed in the opposite direction.