AUG HBAR
A modular light machine gun variant of the Steyr AUG.
The Steyr AUG HBAR is a variant of the Steyr AUG bullpup assault rifle configured as a light machine gun. It is part of the AUG's modular weapon system, which can be quickly configured into an open-bolt full-auto-only mode of fire for improved cooling and to eliminate cook-off problems when used as a light machine gun.
Quick Facts
- Service
- 1978–present
- Designer
- Horst Wesp / Karl Wagner / Karl Möser
- Length
- 790 mm (20 in barrel) / 725 mm (16.4 in barrel) / 690 mm (15 in barrel) / 900 mm (HBAR) / 665 mm (AUG 9mm)
- Action
- Gas-operated, rotating bolt
- Origin
- Austria
- Is Ranged
- Yes
- Manufacturer
- Steyr Arms / Thales Australia, Lithgow Facility / SME Ordnance / Dasan Machineries
- Production Date
- 1977–present
- Weight
- 3.6 kg (20 in barrel) / 3.3 kg (16.4 in barrel) / 3.2 kg (15 in barrel) / 4.9 kg (HBAR) / 2.97 kg (AUG 9mm)
- Part Length
- 508 mm (AUG) / 417 mm (AUG) / 382 mm (AUG) / 621 mm (HBAR) / 325 mm (AUG 9mm) / 350 mm (AUG 9mm) / 365 mm (AUG 9mm) / 420 mm (AUG 9mm)
- Cartridge
- 5.56×45mm NATO / .300 AAC Blackout / 7.62×39mm / 9×19mm Parabellum / .40 S&W
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The AUG HBAR is a configuration of the Steyr AUG, a bullpup assault rifle designed in the 1960s by Steyr-Daimler-Puch and manufactured by Steyr Arms GmbH & Co KG. The AUG was adopted by the Austrian Army in 1977 as the StG 77, replacing the 7.62×51mm NATO StG 58. The AUG system is designed as a modular weapon system that can be configured as an assault rifle, carbine, submachine gun, or an open-bolt light machine gun. The HBAR variant uses the quick-change barrel system, which is cold hammer-forged and features a folding vertical grip to assist in barrel changes. The receiver is a steel-reinforced aluminium extrusion, and the stock is made from fibreglass-reinforced polyamide 66. The AUG's firing mechanism can be changed at will into various configurations, including semi-auto and full-auto, semi-auto and three-round-burst, semi-auto-only, or open-bolt full-auto-only for light machine gun use. The open-bolt mode allows for improved cooling and eliminates cook-off problems.
Reader's Guide
The AUG HBAR represents the light machine gun role within the AUG's modular system, offering sustained fire capability through its open-bolt full-auto-only configuration. This variant benefits from the AUG's bullpup design, which allows a compact overall length while maintaining a standard-length barrel. The quick-change barrel system, cold hammer-forged for durability and precision, enables rapid barrel replacement to manage heat during sustained fire. The AUG's gas-piston operation and rotating bolt with seven locking lugs provide reliable cycling. The HBAR's significance lies in its integration into the AUG family, allowing military forces using the AUG as a standard service rifle to share magazines, parts, and training with the light machine gun variant. The AUG's adoption by the armed forces of dozens of countries, including as a standard-issue service rifle, means the HBAR configuration has seen use in various national militaries. The modular nature of the AUG system, with its interchangeable barrel assemblies and firing mechanism packs, makes the HBAR a versatile support weapon within a broader infantry weapon family.
Did You Know?
- The AUG HBAR can be configured from the standard AUG by changing the firing mechanism to open-bolt full-auto-only mode.
- The AUG's quick-change barrel is cold hammer-forged and features a folding vertical grip for barrel changes.
- The AUG system was designed in the 1960s and adopted by the Austrian Army in 1977 as the StG 77.
- The AUG's gas system has a 3-position valve, with a closed position for launching rifle grenades.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AUG HBAR?
It's a heavy-barrel light machine gun built on the Steyr AUG bullpup platform. Rather than serving as a general-purpose rifle, it's configured specifically to deliver sustained suppressive fire in a squad support role.
What makes the HBAR different from a standard AUG?
The HBAR is locked into an open-bolt, full-auto-only configuration instead of the selective-fire mode found on the standard rifle. That setup was chosen to let heat escape more quickly from the barrel and to prevent a chambered round from cooking off during long automatic bursts.
What round does the AUG HBAR fire and how is it fed?
It chambers the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge. Ammunition is fed from the same translucent, double-column polymer box magazine used throughout the AUG family.
How does the AUG HBAR's modular conversion to LMG mode work?
The AUG's modular system lets the user swap components to reconfigure the weapon so the bolt rests fully rearward and only full-auto fire is available. This eliminates the selective-fire selector and locks the mechanism into a configuration optimized for continuous automatic fire.
What's the barrel like on the AUG HBAR?
It uses a quick-change, cold hammer-forged, chrome-plated barrel with six right-hand grooves and a standard 1:9 inch twist. Some export markets receive a tighter 1:7 inch twist to stabilize the specific ammunition their forces have adopted.
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