Old Aug vs New AUG
Table of Contents
Hey all, we here at
True Shot Academy are going to go over two examples of one of the most recognizable bullpups in history, the Steyr AUG. The two AUG rifles we have our hands on here were manufactured over 40 years apart and have distinct characteristics. Essentially, we are going to give a brief interview of the rifle’s history and aspects of the old and new AUG rifles. Now let’s get into it.
What is an AUG?
The Steyr AUG is a bullpup rifle design which was initially produced and adopted by the Austrian Army in 1977. The name “AUG” is an acronym for “Armee-Universal-Gewehr,” or “Army Universal Rifle.” The rifle is piston-driven and chambered in the intermediate
5.56x45mm NATO. Notably, the rifle featured as stock constructed from fiberglass-reinforced polyamide 66 (Nylon 66). This departure from traditional stock materials aid in keeping the rifle lighter than most of its counterparts. AUG rifles capable of fully-automatic fire feature a progressive trigger as opposed to a dedicated fire selector. This means that past a certain point in the trigger pull, the rifle will be fully-automatic. Semi-automatic is achieved by pressing/pulling the trigger (halfway) before it gets to the distinct point in which fully-automatic fire begins. Some of the variants of the AUG used by other countries feature something more akin to a dedicated fire selector to eliminate the potential for accidental full-auto.
These early AUG rifles set themselves apart from other service rifles due to the inclusion of the integrated Swarovski 1.5x scope and bullpup design. A folding vertical foregrip was also included on the design, affording the shooter more control over the firearm when firing. This grip also provides a consistent place to place one’s hand and allows them to grip the rifle in a place where they will not experience excessive heat transfer. Another unique feature of the AUG is the ability the rifle has to quickly change barrels. This feature allows end users to easily pop off one barrel and swap it with another one in the field. The aforementioned foregrip makes swapping barrels an easy task, especially if a machine gunner had to swap out a hot barrel for a new one.
Since its introduction in the late 1970’s, the rifle has been adopted and used by a variety of other countries beyond its native Austria. Notable examples include Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand. Throughout the years, the design has also evolved and spawned multiple variants, including light machine gun and submachine gun configurations. The integrated optic has also evolved or been replaced on subsequent variants, particularly by accessory rails allowing a user to attach a wide variety of optics.
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Old AUG
The particular example of an old production AUG we have here today was manufactured in 1986. This AUG adheres closely to the original STG 77 configuration and features the iconic integrated Swarovski scope. This scope features the iconic “donut of death” which features the simple concentric circle reticle and a set of backup iron sights molded into the top of the body. This AUG essentially serves as a time capsule of sorts, preserving the earlier and authentic STG77 style configuration. When people think of an AUG, odds are they are thinking of a rifle that looks exactly like this. The classic AUG has made its presence known to various generations in through a variety of media such as
Die Hard (1988) and iconic games such as Counter-Strike. In this configuration, one can truly experience an AUG in its base form and appreciate what set this rifle apart from its peers. In this configuration, one can truly appreciate the benefits of an integrated scope, compact bullpup design, and overall lightweight build. In the hands of an experienced shooter, one will find a classic AUG to be a very shootable rifle that handles like a dream. These rifles simply give you everything you need and nothing that you don’t.
New AUG
The new production AUG we have on hand is specifically an A3 M1 variant configured to accept the original waffle style magazines. As far as optics go, this AUG in particular, has been outfitted with a Trijicon ACOG TA31F with a piggybacked Trijicon RMR. This represents just one of many possible configurations available with the flat top rail present on the A3 M1. These modern variants also have a rail included on the right side of the receiver, making it easy to attach things such as flashlights or lasers. This specific example features a 90˚ rail from Silver Star Shooting Sports which affords more rail space for attachments such as the attached Modlite OKW. A suite of aftermarket accessories from Corvus Defensio are also present on this rifle, such as their anti-rotation QD rear sling mount, magazine release, and case deflector. The presence of these aftermarket accessories truly shows the number of components specifically made for the newer AUG offerings. New AUGs are great for those who wish to own an established and proven bullpup design with the ability to components and accessories preferred by shooters of the modern era. One can truly make a new production AUG into whatever kind of rifle they want.
Commonalities
Old and new AUG rifles share multiple major components. Both old and new AUGs will accept the same type waffle magazines. In the case of the new production AUG, this compatibility is contingent on whether or not it is a NATO model or not. Another notable commonality is the barrel compatibility across generations of AUG rifles. A new production A3 M1 can accept the barrel from a pre-ban classical AUG rifle. Conversely, an old production AUG rifle can accept a new production 14.5” barrel. There is also a fair amount of compatibility between older and newer AUGs when it comes to parts and components. Granted, there are some specificities which must be considered as certain parts may not work with some variants.
Differences
An obvious difference between the old-style AUG rifles and newer production models would be the presence of a picatinny rail for mounting optics. Another glaring difference is the presence of a dedicated bolt release button on the new production AUG. This addition allows the user to simply press this release button down to chamber a round rather than having to utilize the charging handle as seen in older models. Newer production AUG rifles will feature a quick disconnect sling loop on the front of the receiver while the older models feature a fixed sling loop in this area. Another difference between old and new AUGs is where the firearms are actually built. The old production AUGs were made in Austria while modern production AUGs are made in the United States.
While old and new waffle mag AUGs accept the same magazines, there are notable differences between older magazines and newer examples. The older magazines have a glossier finish than their modern production counterparts. It is also notable that the older magazines have a larger rear latch than the magazines produced today.
With the specific AUGs we have here today, the pre-ban AUG has a noticeably better trigger than the modern production example. This may mainly come down to the fact that the older model is more broken in than the modern example. At time of writing, the modern AUG example we have on hand has just south of 1,000 rounds through it, which is hardly a significant round count by any means. The trigger will likely break in with use and smooth up a bit more, but it currently feels pretty similar to a Gen 5 Glock. At the end of the day, neither of these particular examples possess infamous bullpup triggers that are gritty and a mile long.
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Conclusion
At the end of the day, the AUG is a tried-and-true design which has persisted for nearly half a century. Rifles of this pattern have been enjoyed by generations of recreational shooters and it has proven itself in professional use across the globe. Whether your AUG is chambered in
5.56x45mm NATO,
9mm Luger, or
.300 Blackout, we here at True Shot have you covered. As always, happy shooting.
Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at sales@trueshotammo.com for more ammo options.
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