Steyr AUG H-Bar
Overview
Steyr AUG H-Bar
Right side view of Steyr AUG H-Bar with 30 round magazine and bipod extended.
Source: Kin93 via www.imfdb.org -
© Copyright lies with original owner
HBAR / Heavy Barrel Assault Rifle
Saudi Arabia
Description
Introduction
The AUG H-Bar is a late Cold War era light machine gun of Austrian origin. It is a modification of the AUG assault rifle family, which spans the whole range from 9mm sub machine gun to 5.56mm light machine gun. Although not a bad attempt at a light machine gun conversion, it sold just as bad as its contemporary competitors.
Design
The AUG H-Bar is derived from the AUG A1 model and retains the integral 1.5x optical sight. It could be ordered in regular closed bolt version or as an open bolt version which allows for more sustained fire. In the AUG the barrel already was of a quick change design. A longer and heavier barrel is used in the H-Bar, which is fitted with a bipod. A special 42 round magazine was developed, which can also be used in the regular AUG. A version with optical sight for the marksman role was also developed.
Firepower
The AUG H-Bar fires the 5.56x45mm M193 or NATO ammunition from a 42 round magazine. Cyclic rate of fire is about 680 rpm. The bipod and heavier barrel makes it more suitable in the light machine gun role. These also improve the effective range against area targets over the regular AUG.
Users
The AUG H-Bar was adopted by several nations in limited numbers. These include Luxembourg and Saudi Arabia. Some nations acquired these for special forces or paratrooper use. Due to limited sales there never was a H-Bar variant of the upgraded AUG A3. The H-Bar is no longer marketed for military sales, but a barrel set is apparently is produced in the US for civilian sales.
Variants
Steyr AUG HBAR
Light machine gun variant derived from the AUG A1 with its fixed 1.5x optical sight. Fires from open bolt and uses 42 round magazines, in addition to the regular 30 round ones. Later on it was marketed as the AUG LMG to better distinguish it from the HBAR-T model in its intended role.
Steyr AUG HBAR-T
Marksman variant of the AUG. This uses the longer barrel with bipod, but a regular closed bolt receiver that is modified with a STANAG scope mount. This is used with the Kahles ZF69 6x42 scope or a Schmidt & Bender 4x25 scope.
Details
Media
Steyr AUG H-Bar
Steyr AUG H-Bar seen resting on its bipod. Note the different flash hider compared to the AUG rifle.
Source: Steyr Arms
Copyright: Copyright lies with original owner
AUG HBAR-T
Left side view of AUG HBAR-T with Kahles ZF69 scope on STANAG mount and bipod stowed.
Source: www.armourersbench.com
Copyright: Copyright lies with original owner
Related articles
Steyr AUG
The AUG HBAR is a light machine gun variant of the AUG A1 assault rifle.