Anyone have a decent round count through a Steyr AUG A3.
I’m thinking about adding one to the stable.
Not very high but 5,000+ rounds through one of mine without a single hiccup.
The only problems I’ve ever heard from “actual owners” is apparently some of the mags shipped with A3s didn’t feed reliably and the problems dissapeared when replaced with other Steyr factory mags.
Not sure why. I don’t know if they made domestic mags or not, and why they wouldn’t be the same as import mags. I also never experienced a problem with mine and the mags it shipped with.
Mine has been flawless. Probably 1,500 rounds through it without a hiccup. I’ve owned all of the AUG varieties and now own a Steyr if that tells you anything. I just dig Austrian stuff. Glocks, AUGs, Glockenspiels, The Alps, Das Bier, Die Frauen, etc. 
I’ve run it in carbine classes and competitions and always do well. I’ve placed in the top 3 all 3 times I’ve shot it in a match. For runnin-and-gunnin it’s hard to beat.
I was fortunate enough to put about 5k through an issue AUG A1. I sure miss it. Buy an A3 and don’t look back.
I have only 1000 rounds through mine. It has been flawless on Austrian mags.
How’s the availability of mags?
Here you go.
Mine has functioned flawlessly. You hear that alot, but I mean it. Just took it out again yesterday. Totally reliable…
The mags are easy enough to come by, most of the big gun stores around here that stock Steyr carry them, plus you can find them online on Gunbroker or through Pete Athens at PJs or Mike at Specialist Gunshop…
ETA: Obligatory pic
Absolutely love mine… about 750 rounds young…zero malfunctions, comfortable to shoot, fit, finish and materials are top notch, absurdly easy to clean, clean running. It is definitely one of the true keepers in my humble hoard. I’m a bit perplexed, though… it hates 55 grain rounds, I’ve tried PMC, Remington UMC, Federal XM193, Hornady TAP (groups worse), loves (groups best) 62 grain green-tips, 69 grain BT and Israeli surplus 5.56 55-grain (??) I’m tempted to expend some of my 75 grain stash just to see, it seems it likes heavier rounds.
Good Luck,
Jess
That’s a great link. Thanks. I never knew there were so many AUG parts in circulation in the USA.
That is Pete Athens. He is the go to guy on the AUG. Awesome guy. He has a direct import relationship with Steyr in Austria…
I have a little over 1000 rounds through an early T&E one.
It had no malfunctions and the gun would put 5 rounds of 55 grain Black Hills into about 1.5" - 1.75" at 100 yards.
When we tried 75 grain loads, the groups spread to about 4". the 1 in 9 rifling did not support them well.
The trigger seemed much better than older AUGs.
The US made mags seemed much harder to seat in the magwell than the Austrian made ones.
not sure which microtech model it is, but i like the one that takes ar15 mags. =)
That would be the MSAR XM15-E4.
Thing is, AUG mags are pretty nice and I’m liking them better than AR mags. Only downsides are price, and the fact that you can’t use most of the AR speed loader options.
Steyr also has a ton of NATO mag stock in circulation so you can convert any AUG to take AR mags. If you don’t like that idea, you can always stick an E4 stock on an AUG and use your AR mags. 
Pete is the AUG Guru. He kept the AUG going in the US even during the drought years following the Clinton import ban, and had a hand in getting MSAR to market.
He’s a great guy to deal with, and will give you top-notch service. If you ever get the chance to chat with him on the phone, you’ll come away much more knowledgeable about the platform. Just give yourself at least 45min., because you won’t get off the phone any sooner than that.
Part of that is because AUGs really don’t need a lot of repairing.
Fixed it for you.
I’ve never heard a bad thing about Pete, he’s good to go.
The AUG is a really overlooked system, because of it appearance I think. I know I thought they were weird until I picked one up and held it. It was an epiphany! :eek: It felt so great, I din’t want to put it down! And soooo small!!!
I have the MSAR E4 and love it like no other gun I’ve ever bought! I have about 5 1/2 thousand trouble free rounds through mine. It’s easy to take apart, clean, assemble, and the mag changes are easy to learn to do quickly. It’s great for close up, indoor use because of it’s ridiculously short OAL. Recoils like a 22 would, and stays on target like a 22 would. You can break it in half in a split second, and put it back in the same amount of time. Carry one in a Camelback if you want(I do!).
You really should play with one before you decide. I know my AR’s aren’t going to see action for years because of this gun!
Here’s mine:
Wow, and I thought I was the only one… My gun won’t shoot XM193 for shit. This was validated by 2 other instructors and a WA state certified sniper instructor. Interestingly enough, when I switched to cheap 55 grain centurian… the groups shrank down to about 2 moa.
Here is a write up I did after a week end spent at a rifle course:
Here is what I learned from living with the Aug this weekend. Feel free to share as you see fit.
Reflections on the Steyr Aug A3:
- The flattop rail allows the user to use whatever optic they want. This sacrifices the excellent Swarovski optic but gives much greater flexibility
- The Steyr Aug rail allows for effecting mounting of lights
- The transparent magazines are excellent and the 42 round capacity of the large ones is a significant boost.
- The weight of the gun rests against the core of the shooter, eliminating the pendulum effect of traditional rifles and reducing fatigue.
- The shortness of the gun makes carrying and living with the gun very easy, although muzzle awareness is critical. The gun is so short you can easily point it at yourself.
a. An A3 is significantly shorter than an m4 with the stock telescoped all the way in. It is even shorter than 10.5 inch AR without sacrificing velocity or requiring NFA paperwork. - The T1 Aimpoint and the compact Aug is a winning combination.
- Reliability was perfect.
- The ability to quickly remove and install barrels makes the gun easy to ship, pack, or modify for different mission requirements.
- The gun has a storage area in the stock that can be used to store all spare parts necessary to keep the gun running.
- After the course, the gun was remarkably clean. The trigger pack was unmarked. The bolt was clean and the twin pistons were only slightly smudged.
The oddities and downsides:
- Shooting the gun left handed, positions the two point sling directly over the gas port. During the 90 round drill the sling was cut about a third across. This can be solved by moving the sling swivel to the 3 o’clock rail.
- The manual of arms is significantly different than conventionally laid out designs. If you are going to fight with an aug, you are going to need to train hard with it.
- Cover drills are more awkward but certainly doable. Shooting off the weak side shoulder exposed the shooter to the ejection port.
a. The ejection issue can be managed by canting the gun down or placing the weak side hand directly behind the ejection port. The casing bounces off your hand.
b. In an emergency you can shoot the gun weak sided in the conventional manner. Taking the shell casings in the face is unpleasant but doable.
At the end of the day, the Steyr Aug is a viable platform, and for me makes a great deal of sense. It is about balancing trade offs. The bullpup design is extremely compact, easy to shoot well, easy to carry, and makes negotiating cars, doors… much easier. The downside is that it is not a completely ambi system. It can be configured for left handed or right handed users but this is done at the armorer level. For the price of a high end AR15 you get a compelling platform that you can bet your life on.
Great write up KTR03. Very good breakdown of the advantages and quirks of the system. I agree wholeheartedly…