Hollywood's Bad Guy Gun: The Steyr AUG A3 M1 Rifle

If you’ve ever seen an action movie from the 80s or 90s, chances are you’ve seen a Steyr AUG. In terms of silver screen appearances, the AUG has been wielded by German bad guys in Die Hard, cartel members in Predator 2, and pretty much any other pre-2000 action flick that needed a futuristic looking gun for background characters to use. Movie appearances aside, the Steyr AUG was one of the most innovative rifles of its time, and is considered to be the first successful bullpup firearm. The bullpup design places the weapons action mechanism behind the trigger, the main benefit of this configuration is a shorter overall length, better ergonomics, and reduced muzzle rise. According to British firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson, the term “bullpup” is thought to come from a 1930’s colloquial term for bulldog puppies, which were often called “bull pups.” At the time, the bulldog breed was regarded as “squat, ugly but still aggressive and powerful” – this analogy found its way into the firearm industry, and is an appropriate description considering the AUG’s shape and appearance.

Similar to how the U.S. Armed Forces replaced the M14 with the M16, the AUG was a replacement to the Austrian Army’s FN FAL variation. This shift from the heavy, large-caliber battle-rifles to smaller, rapid-fire assault rifles was in response to the ever changing demands of modern warfare, where fire superiority outweighed stopping power. Since its adoption by the Austrian Army in 1978, variations of the AUG have been used around the world by various law enforcement and militaries, most notably by the armed forces of Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, and Australia. Although the select fire versions of AUG are next to impossible to find in the U.S., a civilian, semi-auto model is available Stateside: the AUG A3 M1.



Just like the select-fire version, the AUG A3 M1 utilizes a short-stroke, gas-piston operation. This mechanism allows the AUG to run cleaner when compared to rifles of the same class, as all the exhaust gasses are vented out of the front of the rifle. Gas pressure can be adjusted to enhance reliability in adverse conditions, such as when the weapon is dirty, when using poor quality ammunition, or in cold environments. This rifle can also be quickly and easily disassembled for cleaning, and the barrel can be swapped without the use of tools. The AUG A3 M1 comes in two versions – one that accepts the original Steyr magazines, and another that accepts the more commonly available STANAG/AR15 magazines.