The Firearm Blog

The Firearm Blog reader Edward contacted Steyr about pre-ordering the AUG SA (civilian semi-automatic model) and was told it would $2995.00 $2295!

Wow! If you want to buy one you had better start saving. It makes that $500 Steyr AUG SA NATO stock (allows use of AR-15 magazines) not seem all that expensive!

Thanks to Edward for the info.

UPDATE: Edward just emailed me to say Steyr linked to PJs which is listing the price as $2295.00. That sounds much more realistic.

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Steyr is finally releasing a civilian semi-automatic AUG (AUG SA) which should be out in January next year (2009).

Sabre Defense Industries will be producing the rifle.

The newly produced AUG rifles are expected to be ready for distribution by January 2009. “We were honored to be selected by Steyr-Mannlicher, Gmbh to manufacture the AUG in our state of the art facility. In the process of making this icon of assault rifles, we have blended the proven and classic features with modern manufacturing techniques to make this what we believe to be the best AUG ever produced.”

The design appears to be an AUG A2 with a A3 style top rail.

Currently AUG magazines are available in 10, 30 and 42 capacity and cost either $35 or $38 depending on capacity and color. With possibly of another assault weapon ban you will probably want to budget for a lot of magazines.

Steyr also sells a AUG SA NATO stock for $499. This allow the AUG to use AR-15/STANAG magazines. If you already own a AR this may be a cheaper option than stocking up on AUG magazines.

UPDATE: It will cost $2995.

Hat Tip: Ahab

Matt recently comment on this post about the Australian AUG A4 (ADI Austeyr F88 A4):

To clear up “125″ issues and confusion the A3 varient is to be upgraded to allow the firing of GLA and underslung shot gun attachment with the trigger finger. There is much speculation on INF 2012 weapon systems and the steyr will look marketly different. What is concrete is that what changes happen to the weapons system the it must have the same range or better and must not be any heavier than current weight with modifications. There is a photo around of an ugly australian modified A3, this is not the new rifle and was a test bed system and was a demo only. The ADF rumour mill is leaning more to the AUG A4 design as now Australia owns the rights of all world wide styer production and also pattened designs from Austria.

I had not idea that the A4 existed. I did some Googling and found some photos in a brochure from ADI, the Australian arms and ammunition manufacturer. They may be the “test” A4 that Matt mentioned in Matt’s comment.

I think it’s a pretty ugly design. It looks like someone attacked an AUG with a hacksaw, screwdriver and a few picatinny rails. Especially in contrast to the AUG A3 (from steyr-arms.at):

Where is the grenade launcher trigger?

I would be surprised if the Australians upgrade their A1/A2 AUGs to use the M203 when the M320 will go into production later this year (according to Wikipedia).

M4 with M320

From MP.net:

However, although the 13,000 Steyr rifles which have been in service for 20 years, would not be replaced, they would be a significant part of the upgrade programme.

The study would look at modifying about 3000 of the 13,000 5.56mm rifles so they could take more fittings on the top rail, instead of the factory-fitted 1.5 magnification sighting system

The Australians already use a mixture of the AUGs with 1.5x sights and the ‘railed’ AUGs. I have always thought that the 1.5x scope was a bad compromise on an assault rifle. The target acquisition speed is less than a non magnified red dot sight (I have no experience with magnified red dot sights) but lacks the benefits of a more powerful scope. It must be working for the New Zealanders because they are only thinking about converting 23% of their rifles.

Australian Solider in Iraq with ADI Austeyr A3 that
comes fitted with a rail.

I came across some nice Steyr AUG photos at MilitaryPhotos.net.

More here.