Steyr AUG A3
Steyr Mannlicher · Assault Rifle · In Production · 2005
Also known as: StG 77 A3, AUG A3, Armee-Universal-Gewehr A3
Overview
The Steyr AUG A3 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, produced by Steyr Mannlicher since 2005.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3300 g (116.4 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 3800 g (134.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 725 mm (28.54") |
| Barrel Length | 417 mm (16.42") |
| Height | 275 mm (10.83") |
| Width | 70 mm (2.76") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Short Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Progressive |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 940 m/s (3084 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1767 J (1303 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 450 m (492 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 3800 m (4156 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 700 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 228 mm (8.98") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Polymer |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Matte Black |
Calibers
- 5.56x45mm NATO · primary · 5.56x45mm NATO — also known as 5.56mm NATO, 5.56x45mm, .223 Remington
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Lateral Push Through Safety, Firing Pin Safety
- Features: Bullpup Configuration, Cold Hammer Forged Barrel, Chrome Lined Bore, Quick Change Barrel, Picatinny Rail System, Progressive Trigger, Translucent Magazines, Gas Regulator, Modular Design, Rotary Bolt Seven Lugs, Interchangeable Barrel Lengths
Variants
- Steyr AUG A3 SA — Civilian Semi Auto
- Steyr AUG A3 M1 — Nato Magazine Compatible
- Steyr AUG A3 M2 — Updated Production
- Steyr AUG A3 SF — Special Forces
- Steyr AUG A3 CQC — Short Barrel
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Austrian Armed Forces · adopted 2005 · as StG 77 A3
- Australian Defence Force · as EF88 / F90
- New Zealand Defence Force · as AUG A3
- Irish Defence Forces · as AUG A3
- Luxembourgish Army · as AUG A3
- Tunisian Armed Forces · as AUG
- Uruguayan Armed Forces · as AUG
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection · as AUG A3
Conflicts
- War in Afghanistan (2001-2021)
- Iraq War (2003-2011)
- Russo-Ukrainian War (2022-present)
- East Timor Peacekeeping (1999-2013)
Production
Production years: 2005-present
Exact A3 production numbers not separately disclosed. Total AUG family production across all variants and licensed copies exceeds 500,000 units. The AUG platform has been adopted by over 40 countries.
Origin
Country of origin: Austria
Designer: Horst Wesp, Karl Wagner, Karl Mohser
Notes
The AUG A3 represents the rail-equipped evolution of a platform that has been in continuous military service since 1977. The Austrian military designates it the StG 77 A3 (Sturmgewehr 77). The A3 variant addressed the most common criticism of the original AUG: the fixed 1.5x optical sight that could not be replaced with modern optics. The M1 sub-variant adds STANAG magazine compatibility, while the M2 incorporates further refinements. The progressive trigger remains a defining characteristic, though some military variants are available with a conventional trigger group and an external selector switch. Quick-change barrels allow the weapon to be reconfigured from a 382mm CQB configuration to a 508mm light machine gun barrel in seconds. The AUG platform has been produced under license in Australia (by Thales/Lithgow) as the F88 Austeyr and its successor the EF88/F90, which are technically separate derivatives rather than direct A3 variants.
Background
When the original Steyr AUG was adopted by the Austrian military in 1977, it was considered revolutionary: a mass-produced bullpup with a built-in optical sight at a time when most armies still issued iron-sighted rifles. The integrated Swarovski optic became both the AUG's signature feature and eventually its limitation, as modern warfare demanded compatibility with a proliferating ecosystem of red dots, variable-power scopes, and night vision devices. The A3 variant finally broke free of that original optic, replacing it with a Picatinny rail that opened the platform to the 21st century.