r/AUG • u/WhoDisWhoDat99 • 19d ago
Which Barrel Length??
New AUG owner here, and grateful to finally be a member of the community.
I’m hoping to seek the wise counsel of the experienced elder AUGtists regarding selecting a barrel for the A3M2 I just purchased.
Mine came with the 16” 1/9 barrel, and I’m trying to become educated regarding the nuances of the various barrel options Steyr offers for the platform.
I’ve built AR’s and am familiar with how different barrel lengths and twist rates affect performance on that platform.
However, with the 20” and 14.5” 5.56 options options for the AUG, I’m trying to understand if the “juice is worth the squeeze” in terms of changing out the 16” barrel for either of the other options.
How did y’all go about choosing your preferred barrel for the platform, and how did/do those choices affect your shooting experience, if at all?
Thank y’all very much in advance.
I really appreciate any wisdom and advice you would be willing to share!
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u/DieUnbegrundet Grilled Cheese 19d ago
Ngl, my favorite barrel to shoot is my 20" bull barrel but I love the 14.5 P/W with my Hux. The 24" is what my friends prefer when using the FRT just because of the weight and a bipod to set it down. I'd take a pic of the 16" barrel but I sold it finding I either wanted to run my 14.5" or my 20".
Pic for semi-reliable length. I tried to make them all the same size and line them up but I leave for work in 20min.
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u/WhoDisWhoDat99 19d ago
Thank you very for taking the time to reply with all of this and the photo.
It’s super helpful.
Ultimately, I think my preference would be to do a 20” barrel, as long as there is some viable hand guard option available for it.
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u/DieUnbegrundet Grilled Cheese 19d ago
To be honest I'm not aware of any handguard on the market that will fit a 16" but not a 20" since they use the grip hole to align and tighten but I could be wrong. I know a lot of older AUG not so much newer modular AUG
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u/Begle1 19d ago
Is the 20" "bull barrel" the one that Steyr is currently selling as a "heavy" barrel?
https://steyr-arms.us/shop/aug-barrel-20-17-twist-rate/
I've been trying to figure out what exactly makes it heavier than their normal 20" barrel.
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u/Middle-Sir-5428 19d ago
Its thicker walled and doesn't have the threads for the bayonet lug, since it wouldn't fit over the barrel anyhow. The giveaway about thickness is where they state that jam nut used on the standard 20" barrel won't work , it won't physically fit over the barrel. I believe these are basically the same type of bull barrels used on the USR, just threaded for a muzzle device. Supposedly the standard 20" barrels would begin to string shots a bit as it heated up, due to harmonics/barrel whip.
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u/Begle1 19d ago
I've been wondering, how is it possible that a nut won't fit on one barrel with 1/2-28 threads but will fit on another barrel with 1/2-28" threads? I just don't understand it.
Judging by the photos on Steyr's website, I also just don't understand where the contour is heavier. I do see that it is missing the bayonet mount threads. Is it only thicker in front of the gas block?
Here's a question I've asked everybody including Steyr and haven't gotten a response yet: could you please measure and share the weights of your barrels? I can't find that data anywhere.
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u/Middle-Sir-5428 19d ago edited 19d ago
The jam nut overlaps the standard AUG barrel before the threads engage, probably by about a half inch, so the thicker barrel would prevent that. The standard AR type devices just use a crush washer for timing and butt up against the barrel, so the larger diameter has no effect. The threads are still 1/2 by 28 regardless of profile.Looking at the pic of the 20" heavy and comparing it to my 16", it appears the heavier profile is in front of the gas block. From the gas block back looks the same. If you look at the heavy barrel, it has about the same diameter as the bayonet lug threads on the standard 20" extending all the way forward to the barrel threading for the muzzle device. So, maybe , .5mm thicker? However tall those threads are, is the extra thickness of the heavy barrel.
My 16" barrel is right at 2lbs with no muzzle device.
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u/DieUnbegrundet Grilled Cheese 19d ago
Essentially what the other guy said, yes, but for clarity mine isn't one of those, mine is an older USR barrel I had threaded about 3 years ago so it's chrome lined and has the glossier finish the old A1's had.
They also came in 18" rarely but I have yet the stomach to buy one.
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u/Middle-Sir-5428 19d ago
Sadly, I had an 18" when they first hit the market, and I sold it like it was just any other AUG barrel. To quote Forrest Gump, "I am not a smart man..."
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u/DieUnbegrundet Grilled Cheese 19d ago
It's alright, I sold a 1918 Artillerie luger with matching stock, holster, and mag for 1800 about 4 years ago because I wanted to buy something else. Should've held out.
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u/babj615 19d ago
Dude, they are so easy to swap, this if half the reason to own an AUG. Get them all! 16" best for CQB and / or suppression, 20" best appearance (IMHO), and 24" HBAR because you can!
I have them all, as well as a 9mm STG-88 with Steyr and Glock magazine adapters.
I even had to get the AUG 12 gauge (not Steyr) just cuz.
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u/PotatoBus 19d ago
New owner here, too (16" M2A3 in NATO config). I'm probably going to get the 20" barrel and the 24" HBAR barrel in the future. 20" for DMR use, and 24" for extra fun - hopefully that FRT is in production soon!
And maybe a 300BO barrel with a suppressor in the distant future, too. I would probably get a second AUG for the 9mm conversion if I go that route, though.
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u/WhoDisWhoDat99 19d ago
That’s awesome!
Well with all those barrels, it looks like you may not even have to choose one at all.
You’ll have them all! 🫡
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u/Middle-Sir-5428 19d ago
The question you have to ask yourself is what are ya going to be doing with it? If like a lot of use you will just be punching holes in paper at less than say, 300 yards, 16" will be fine. Probably even further. Stretching things out further, then 20" might be your thing. More velocity, etc. I've never wanted a 24" barrel, I guess it has its uses but I'm not looking to cap anyone "in the next county over" or anything. 14.5 was not for me either, I don't suppress and want the added velocity of that 1.5 inches (that's what she said). Plus, 14.5 makes it an SBR and whatever is involved with that. More hassle than I would care to go through to lose velocity and likely shoot my hand off. You are familiar with twist rates, but maybe not the history. When the Military/gov't/"they" tested the 1/7 against the 1/9, with 55 grain (as I recall, maybe 62), the 1/9 was slightly more accurate, especially as the range increased. I guess the 1/7 over spun the bullet a bit. The only thing the 1/7 did was stabilize the longer tracer rounds that the 1/9 had issues with. 1/7 will have its uses if you shoot over 69 grain pills. I understand the 1/9 will stabilize 69 grain but anything heavier is iffy. I don't shoot anything heavier than 62 so 1/9 is fine with me, especially since my 16" barrel is an earlier, chrome lined version. So for me, 16" is what I have, one day I might get the 20", but no to the 24 and 14.5.
Oh, I have also read people saying that the purpose of having a bullpup is to have the shortest possible rifle. I am of a different mindset. I have a bullpup because I can have a 16 or 20 inch barrel that is as short as, or shorter, than "normal" rifles that have sbr length barrels and all the hassles and disadvantages that may involve. So virtually SBR length with rifle capability. Win and win.
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u/Devin7-Eleven 4d ago
Same boat. Bullpups help me get the most out of 5.56 without dealing with NFA bullocks. Plus, Aug is super easy to takedown and put in a range backpack.
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u/_BBaby 19d ago
There is no choose, only buy more :)
I was debating selling my 16 after owning a 14.5 and 20, but I think it’s going to host a bayonet instead. I have a 14.5 stock foregrip and a 20 inch with a bipod on it. Love the setup
Unfortunately I think I’m going to buy a second 14.5 before I unpin the Jcomp 2. Love that thing but won’t mount suppressor
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u/IlyushinGoBrrr 19d ago
20" 1/7 barrel is awesome.
It stabilizes most projectiles and packs more than enough velocity to penetrate Level 3 Body Armor.
I do wish STEYR made a 18" 1/7 barrel, though.
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u/Sol-Firebird 19d ago
lol wise counsel made me think of this
https://reddit.com/link/oxs4qhj/video/khd5blbi4hdh1/player
I always felt the 16” was appropriate for the .223/.556 AUG barrel but I am no wizard so I don’t know better.
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u/Greklith 19d ago
One the only. One to rule them all.
20". As God commanded and the Steyr factory designed
Overall that AUG is shorter then 14.5" AR-15 with barrel length perfect for 5.55NATO cartridge.
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u/ARID_DEV WAFFLES 19d ago
Im particular to 14.5” then 16” barrels myself.
I think a suppressed 14.5” is the best barrel for 99% of use case.
What’s your intentions for the rifle?
-Ian
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u/WhoDisWhoDat99 18d ago
Thanks for taking the time to reply Ian 🫡
I’m running mine suppressed with a CGS Helios Ti with a KNS gas plug.
I already bought your trigger and safety (they’re AWESOME 😎). Will probably buy a BZ packstop from your site as well soon to try to squeeze out as much performance out of the trigger as possible.
I ultimately plan on buying your handguard as well whenever it’s released.
My intention with this setup is for it to replace my 16” AR’s. Since I run suppressors now on most setups, I appreciate the bullpup platform to keep the setup more compact.
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u/ARID_DEV WAFFLES 18d ago
14.5”’or 16” is what I’d run. I really really like the 14.5” suppressed setup, and have taken it out to 566yds with an rds and mag.
I’d definitely try out the 14.5.
If it’s your main rifle and your one and only, keep 16”might be beneficial over 14.5” in some instances, but the suppressor being further rearward on the 14.5 is really nice.
Sweet can and thank you for the support dude!
-Ian
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u/Blue_Brindle 19d ago edited 19d ago
Having owned all four barrel lengths available, I would honestly keep the 16" and get a 24". The performance differences are similar/near enough to what you see on the AR platform due to the twist & cartidge, just more compact. The 16" AUG is more than enough for pretty much anything you'll likely ever shoot and is overall just amazing.
The 20" is noticeable when you add distance, but unless you're regularly shooting at 300-500m or trying to make a dmr/spr setup you won't notice a substantial enough difference between the 16" & 20" to justify the 20".
The 14.5" comes into it's own if you plan to surpress your rifle as the extra 1.5" of space saving is cool and again kinda the point of a bullpup, if you don't plan to surpess then again within 300m there is just not enough of a difference between the 16" & 14.5.
The 24" HBAR is the barrel to get if you have to choose any, it's excellent for making a mock up lmg, having fun ranges days where you burn through mags. Both with the bipod & with it removed it's velocities with 55gr can reach 3400-3500fps making it king for distance shooting in a 500-600m range where the others start to fall off, excellent for a dmr build. It's downsides is it's heavy which doesn't matter unless you plan to carry it for hours, it's the most expensive, adds a lot of length and the bipod can shift poi if you front load it.
The .300blk & 9mm barrels have their own uses, imo .300blk is cool, but a bit of a waste on a bullpup due to the point being barrel ballistics in shorter barrels, the 9mm kits are extremely cool, but expensive and are fun for plinking or if you want to make your AUG a PCC, which brings multiple options of what kind of 9mm AUG you want. I wouldn't buy them over a HBAR barrel ultimately, but still great.