By Lucas Bernard
Imagine a futuristic rifle, one that might be used to colonize the stars and show those green alien bastards the tenacity of the human spirit. It certainly wouldn’t be made out of wood, and probably won’t have the long and slender profile of a traditional rifle. In lieu of antiquated iron sights, an advanced integrated optic would definitely be cooler looking. Alien hunting requires something suitable to the aesthetic of space suits and star craft.
Worry not, dear reader, the future is now. Hell, the future has been here since 1977, the same year Star Wars was released. The Armee Universal Gewehr (AUG) was a landmark development in firearms technology, with features coming as standard that are still rare in many rifles of today. Replacing the Sturmgewehr 58, the Austrian FAL, its design was light years ahead of its predecessor.
First, the length. The StG-58 is a little over three and a half feet long. The AUG took a foot off of that. So what, it must be a shorter barrel. Admittedly so, one inch off the barrel was removed. While keeping a 20-inch barrel length to maximize the effectiveness of the 5.56×45 cartridge, it is still almost eight inches shorter than its counterpart, the M16A1. What does that mean? You get to have your ballistic cake and eat it too. The terminal ballistics of a 20-inch AR with the handling of a Mk18. Still don’t like the length? The barrel can be switched with the press of a button and the flick of a wrist. It seems like black magic. It is. Austrian black magic. Should you be so surprised by the nation that developed the Glock?
Second, the sight. While modern versions are fitted with the ubiquitous length of 1913 rail, the original AUG had as standard something unheard of amongst its Cold War peers and even today: an integrated optic. Featuring 1.5x magnification and the defining “donut of death” reticle, it served as a significant force multiplier. Much like the red dots of today, these hardy and simple optics take the guesswork out of combat marksmanship, increasing the lethality of the average shooter, a great boon to any conscript army. With optics on standard issue rifles only recently becoming the norm of first-world nations today, the AUG’s commitment to such a system is a testament to Steyr’s foresight.
Third, the materials. While the use of polymer in a standard issue rifle was pioneered by the M16, it was relegated to the furniture of the rifle. The AUG took it a step further. Aside from the main body of the rifle, even the fire control group is completely polymer. While still maintaining Steyr’s standard of rugged reliability, the polymer pieces significantly reduce the overall weight of the weapon and make it easier and more economical to replace parts.
So, how does this all work? How do you have a shorter, lighter rifle do effortlessly what longer heavier rifles struggle to do? Two words, bull pup. In terms of an AR, the receiver, that part that’s over the magazine that shoots the rounds and spits out empty casings, that’s shoved back. Imagine taking that part and combining it with the buttstock. By doing so, the overall length of the weapon is dramatically reduced. Don’t get me wrong, there has to be some downside, or else it would be the standard. Well, for a combat rifle, it should be. The main criticism of such designs is the trigger pull they necessitate. Bull pups require an extended mechanical link from the trigger to the receiver, traveling a distance much farther than if the trigger was directly below the receiver instead of in front of it, therefore requiring more force. More force translates into a heavier trigger pull. Now, before you go off into hysterics about trigger weights and performance at Camp Perry, stop and think about what you would actually do with the AUG, and what it’s actually for.
The AUG wasn’t designed to be a sniper rifle. It’s a robust standard infantry weapon for the common man to reliably hit man-sized targets from anywhere between CQB distances to 300 meters with effective terminal ballistics. Is a heavier trigger going to stop you from that? If so, marksmanship lessons will be much more beneficial than any hardware solution. If I can’t convince you, maybe the Australian military can. Those rough men from down under were looking to replace their FAL, and it came down between the AUG and the M16A2. At the culmination of their “Small Arms Replacement Project”, this is what they had to say: “The results clearly demonstrated that from an engineering viewpoint the performance of the Steyr was significantly superior to the Colt in most respects; particularly in terms of endurance and adverse conditions.” Sounds good to me. Throw another shrimp on the barbie and let’s go shooting.
