I always thought the AUG should be the bullpup equivalent of the ar15: lots of options, lots of competition, lots of aftermarket parts.

I agree... the AUG has the pedigree to prove it's worth as a viable combat arm. A number of nations have adopted it and it has been in a number of conflicts around the world.

 
 


Some of the major conflicts it has been in.


Afghanistan War


Iraq War


Syrian civil war


Iraqi Civil War


 

It has been used and abused by many and 70s era rifles are still serving in the front lines. I really hope someone buys the tooling and really gets the AUG into the mainstream.

One can hope.

There are some brilliant aspects to the MSAR guns.  Arguably some legit improvements over the original, even.

In the beginning, they had some great collaborators/advisors, and some terrific employees.

An American AUG variant has promise... and clearly someone else out there thins so, too.

While I would agree, I'd say the Tavor has taken over that mantle--both in terms of numbers sold, and aftermarket support.

 

I always liked the idea of the MSARS, but not the execution.  If they come out with a better nameplate and a better price, I might be convinced to give my Tavor a Stablemate and see if any new bullpups turn up

The Tavor is much closer with many companies making parts such as handguards and the Geissele trigger.

Why do people like the MSAR...I mean is not the magazines special itself.....parts are special in itself.


The price point right now on used MSARs around the fun shows around here and you can get an AUG for one hundred more.

Sadly, Microtech did not fix the original issues with their casting molds that made the MSAR incompatible with Steyr parts. That the MSAR is not cross compatible with the AUG makes it far less desirable.

In their defense. When MSAR came out, Steyr wasn't in the game. Your only choices were a used AUG A1 or a USR. Parts were hard to find and so were magazines.


Both MSAR and TPD introduced their versions at the '07 Shot Show. Out of the two, which one lasted longer in the market? Hell, MSAR showed that the bullpup is a viable option and can sell. They got Steyr to get back into the US market.




I own a early production E4 andnit has never given me trouble. I'm holding on to it.


 

This X100



Wasn't there some issue with not being licensed by Steyr if memory serves me correctly?  



The intent was great but no matter what the intent, the AUG being a niche market, making the MSAR was a huge risk.  Going with an AUG non-clone like design could have been a better risk.  But to do a clone which wasn't compatible had a very dim outlook.  Steyr making the US version followed up with the Tavor on the market with yet the MDR over the horizon, I was surprised to the the MSAR lasted this long.



 

I had both when the MSAR came out besides my issued former US Customs Steyr I had for 4 months.  Pissed me off when I found out the MSAR lacked of compatibility.  Later heard it was a licensing issue but I agree with the changing laws (AWB sunset) Steyr made plans and I can see they would want a control on competition.  Steyr with the money and Microtech fledgling company.  I do respect their tenacity and will to try.



Personally I thought it was huge when Steyr came to the US,  Rekindled my interest in an AUG when the Tavor popped up.  I'm still thinking about an A3 M1 again.  Wished I hadn't sold off all my AUG mags, dang it.  



 

Steyr wasn't even in the US Market when MSAR came out. Steyr left the market ten years before MSAR. The last Steyr released product was the USR and they only brought in 3,000 in 1997. That was it. With the Import bans put in place in 1989 and 1998, and the AWB. Steyr said the US Market was dead.

 

The AUG was in a price range of $3,000-$4,000 for a used rifle.


Microtech came out with their own design. It had nothing to do with licensing. It was that they had to make their own tooling, molds, parts, etc.... Steyr was not in the game and wasn't even thinking of joining the game.


The TPD AXR and the Microtech STG-556 came out in 2007 at SHOT Show. TPD went with Steyr parts and that bit them in the ass since parts were pricey and they weren't making everything in house. MSAR did make everything.


At the time, the MSAR made sense. A US Made AUG for the US Market when Steyr was stuck in Austria and didn't give a rats ass. The Success of MSAR is what made Steyr jump back into the US Market. And even then that was sloppy with Saber Defense.

With Steyr selling the AUG stateside now, I guess I just don't see the point in buying a knockoff. Too many good bullpup options to buy something that's a clone and has on again/off again problems.

I bought mine when it was either an overpriced used Steyr brough in the 1980s or a new production MSAR. I still haven't regretted my decision. It has worked flawlessly.

 

I hope someone buys the tooling and offers an AUG rifle in the $900-$1100 range.

I hope someone buys me the winning Powerball ticket.

I strongly suspect my hope will come true first...  Since the only time MSARs were in that price range was when CDNN had the overstock from bankruptcy # whatever.    I think we all agree MSAR++ would need to accept all AUG parts which means barrels, trunions, etc need retooling - so I'm not sure what buying the old MSAR tooling really gets at that point.  Frankly I'd rather Steyr pick up the MSAR "NATO" stock design if folks think that is such an improvement...

Just my $0.02,
Richard

I love my E4 stock... it is so much better than the Steyr NATO stock.

 
 

MSAR E4





TPD USA AXR





Steyr NATO

Why would Microtech, or anyone, purposely build an almost clone of a well known firearm?  At least as an original intent.



I'm well versed the days leading to and after AWB.  I bought a second hand USR from an original purchaser and while a few was still making it's way in.  



Steyr had sales reps for LE/Govt sales during the dark years.  Their most prominent customer was US Customs.  They we not completely out of the US.  But I'm sure they were eyeing the US market post AWB leading up to 2004.  So was everyone else.  Steyr has always presented themselves ahead of other European manufacturers reluctant to open US sales.  Pretty much trying to emulate Glock.  Remember how we were waiting for HK to get off it's ass and all end up getting was that f-ing SL-8, although it was accurate as hell.  Until just now, some 11 years later.  But this didn't happen over night.  



Scuttlebutt was constantly being circulated that along with a huge surge of EBR and others coming back in play.  I'm positive I remember hearing as to why Microtech couldn't all out clone the AUG, but not that I was privy to them, about MSAR vs Steyr issues.  If I remember correctly of the days leading to the MSAR release was it was supposed to mostly be interchangeable, specifically the receiver which Microtech owner (then) Tony Marfione said in an email to me that there was plans to sell receivers, stocks and barrels to be built up with Steyr parts.  If you were keeping up tabs back then you would remember Microtech posting pictures as they were making the parts for production. Then almost a year before release it was mentioned about design changes and won't be mostly interchangeable and poof, there went that idea.  I still had my AUG's and really wanted that to happen for parts.  shortly there after talk was being circulated about copyrights infringements.  Just because Steyr wasn't selling to the US civvie market didn't mean they don't own the rights to their design.  It would have been a far better deal had Microtech made an exact clone just as DSA and JDL did with the FAL and HK 91.  But DSA and JDL did obtain licensing from them, from what was advertised.  But, oh well.



 

I hope someone makes this happen, it had promise.

 
DSA and JDL didn't need rights from FN or HK to build their respective clones. Todd Bailey built HK clones for a number of years, still does, and never needed permission from HK to do so. DSA bought their tooling from Austria and JDL bought theirs from Portugal.
 
 

Steyr had LE reps in the US Market just like Colt, HK, and FN did. Doesn't mean that they were looking at reentering the US civilian rifle market. The HK SL8 came in during the AWB and that was because it had to abide by the stupid ban and import restrictions too.
 

The only thing Steyr had in the civilian market was their M series of pistols. Yes, Steyr had a contract with US Customs. It wasn't a large contract. A small number were purchased for the Blue Lightning Task Force.
 









I have memory of that because my father worked very closely with their task force in Miami under HIDTA and NNBIS. I remember even shooting a Custom's AUG around '94-'95 as a kid.
 
 
 



























As for why MSAR didn't do a complete one to one clone. I've heard that they approached Steyr and Steyr said no. They wanted to make a US AUG and Steyr didn't want to supply shit. Now strangely, TPD USA made their AXR and it was compatible with Steyr... but there was a catch. TPD had to get their parts through a 3rd party. Steyr didn't bless them either. TPD was also a very small shop run operation. With the price of Steyr parts and labor. TPD closed shop.






MSAR went at it alone and if Marfione didn't run it the way they did. They'd still be doing well. MSAR failed not because of MSAR but because of Marfione.



 
 
 

 

Not exactly correct.  For many years Steyr offered the SBS series of rifles (the Scout is probably the most well known) and then in the late 200x's they stopped importing them for a short while and now they're back.

It sucks... but the most logical choice to buy all the tooling would be Steyr.  Study it, and lock it away so nobody else can use it.  

Ô

What did he do exactly to mess it up?

For what?  There are no reliability/mechanical improvements over the Steyr, just some barrel fluting + a modified stock, which I like the idea of, but I also seem to recall of some of the 'inserts' into the stock for additional rails and such actually pulling out of the MSARs, no?
I wouldn't mind seeing Steyr offer a bolt-release-equipped NATO stock, and perhaps a pair of 'better' sling mounting points, but that's really about it, and the GHW QD takedown pin + one other sling point makes for great 1 or 2 pt sling mounting.
My only very minor gripe on the Steyr is the off-center light placement, really, and I wouldn't mind an improved factory or aftermarket trigger.

Like I said, Steyr's main interest in acquiring it would just be to make sure some future competitor didn't get it.  Having your market segment diluted really sucks... especially when it's not that big to start.

BINGO! We have a winner!