Under the barrel, close to the muzzle, is a collapsible bipod. The long featureless barrel extends away from the receiver and is fitted with a special muzzle brake/compensator intended to retard the weapon's recoil action to an extent. A foldable vertical foregrip is situated ahead of the trigger group. The scope housing also doubles as the weapon's carrying handle for portability. Like other AUG weapons, the AUG HBAR features a built-in optical sight, integrated along the top of the receiver, and offers 1.5x viewing. Spent shell casings are ejected through a port located along the upper portion of the rear stock. The trigger is encircled by a hand guard that connects the pistol grip to the underside of the receiver. The design is dominated by the large stock holding the action, magazine and feed aft of the trigger group. Such operation is made possible by replacing the bolt per operator discretion.
Beyond its lengthened heavy-duty barrel, the major difference between the AUG assault rifle and the AUG HBAR is its automatic firing action from an open bolt.Įxternally, the AUG-LMG follows closely with the clean lines of the original AUG weapon family and maintains its fully ambidextrous offerings, making it equally useful for left- or right-handed shooters. The AUG HBAR is categorized as a "light-support machine gun" and can be used by infantry squads to suppress enemy positions or support offensive-minded infantry actions. The AUG family was a revolutionary, if somewhat futuristic-looking, bullpup weapons design of the late 1970s that featured base components across an assault rifle, carbine and light machine gun type, differing mainly in length of the barrel for the appropriate role. The AUG HBAR is a gas-operated weapon system developed by Steyr-Mannlicher GmbH of Austria from the base modular AUG assault rifle family line. The Steyr AUG HBAR is a longer, heavier-barreled version for use as a light machine gun variant of the Steyr AUG.