So I'm sure some of you have come across my posts on the barrel lengths over the last few months (WTS/WTE/WTB).

I've been working on a project to build a DMR out of a Steyr AUG. Yes, it's dumb as hell but I did it anyway because I like AUG. Again, very dumb.

This was a hell of a waiting game and stress because a 20 inch Steyr AUG just wasn't available.

The story goes, Steyr Arms took the entire lot of 20 inch barrels to make the 40th anniversary AUG which is just the super old version of what AUG is today.

I decided to buy the 16 inch, sell the barrel on my own then get a 20 incher. This is when I realized the AUG market is beyond dead.


Long story short, I explained my situation to Steyr and they decided to do the exchange for me (trust me, this was not easy)

I was excited and grateful until I received the barrel. It had a missing gas piston so I won't be able to shoot semi auto for a good fat week at the least.

Another note is that the barrel wasn't so spanking new. It had quite a lot of scratches and wear marks all over it. Not to mention that the barrel was incredibly dirty and rusty.

So I have a good feeling that I got a demo barrel, even though I sent them a brand new barrel for the exchange.


I am thankful for the exchange but damn I'm a little hurt here. I will hold on to my emotion for the actual accuracy result.

This thing better hold sub 2 MOA otherwise I'm gonna freak out.







By the way, this setup achieves 2.5 inch sight height over bore.
The short rail was more than enough for the eye relief, in fact, I couldve used two separate ring mounts to lower the sight height even more and cut a few more oz.
the sling was only 20 bucks on Amazon, works like a charm.

WOW!  That's some low ass crap on Steyr's part.

I fucking swear, these German/Austrian slash American companies are just chock full of assholes.

Sig, HK and all the other's would have treated you just as shitty, if that makes you feel any better.

I DO like your DMR idea.  I've been playing around with different variations of it...sometimes willingly...sometimes not.....and it HAS it's place....but it DOES make for a rather heavy weapon.

I am a big fan of the 20 inch AUG.

You know....now that I think about it...I think you need to call them...tell them what happened and that you are VERY unhappy with it and that you want your GOOD, NEW 16 inch barrel back.

THEN...wait until December when the have a sale on barrels and order a new one.....then call and specify for them to check for the gas assembly.  I've seen several people order new barrels and NOT get the whole of the gas assembly internals more than once.

Thanks.

I've waited too long for this to be complete and frankly I'm tired of having this new gun sit in the house for so long.

Their customer service really isn't very great, at least compared to Ruger or Larue.


I will call them first thing in the morning Monday but I won't stay too hopeful about this. I'm just done with Steyr for a good while.


Regarding the setup, I was aiming to put as little weight as possible. This setup really isn't bad in terms of weight.

Why didn't you contact Pete and see if he would just sell you a new barrel? He lists them in stock.

And how does a 20" barrel and a scope make something a DMR?

It sounds like Steyr sent you a questionable barrel but honestly I don't even think most manufacturers would go that far to make an exchange.

I did talk to almost everyone you can imagine including Pete.

Longer barrels theoretically give more push. Supposedly, this is what the designers were aiming for when they made the AUG

They couldve refused to help me if they really didn't feel like it but that doesn't mean I should be getting a used up barrel.

I think we have different definitions on DMR

Pete's site shows he has the 16", 18" and 20" barrels in stock.
http://www.pjs-steyraug.com/augusrparts.html

Steyr's site shows the 20" barrel in stock with a black or green fore grip.  
http://steyrarms.com/accessories/aug/factory-20-aug-barrel-black.html
http://steyrarms.com/accessories/aug/aug-20-barrel-with-green-fore-grip.html

What they SHOULD have done was just decline to swap barrels.  THAT is honest.  To take a brand new barrel in trade and in good faith and then send out a hunk of junk is plain incompetent at best.....plum dishonest at worse.

What the hell would even POSSESS someone to do that?  It's not like they didn't get to see that the barrel they received was either in good or not good condition.  If the OP sent them junk....then they could have sent junk out.  Quid pro quo.  But if the OP sent them a brand new barrel.....WITH the gas system....THAT is what they should have sent.

The more we stand up for this crap from manufactures the worse they will treat their customers. 

Nobody is giving Desert Tech any slack for their behavior....why should Steyr or anyone else be spared for poor or incompetent behavior?

Look, I LOVE European guns....but these "BMW class" Euro-gunmakers have treated their customers like crap for thirty years or more.....and I for one, won't support or justify their actions.  The smaller American gun-makers are often just as bad, by the way.

Barrel looks OK to me, as long as its only been test fired. I'd be annoyed with the missing parts though.

ETA: OP sucks at the Internet

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/678707172

Ill buy that junk barrel from you OP. $200 sound good?

How do they know the barrel is brand new? Once a firearm has been purchased by an end-user, it's always used from that point on.

The poster in question also has a history of trolling and hyperbole. I doubt the barrel is anything near what he described.

Yep. That's really how I feel. Let's see what happens Monday

Fortunately, my HK never breaks so I never have to call them :)

I'm confused. Putting a higher power optic on a standard rifle length AUG makes it a DMR?

I'm not here to lecture what a DMR is.

So you realized that nearly everyone with an aug already has a 16" barrel? Instead of buying a 20" from whomever you got Steyr to exchange them somehow? And that barrel is not to your satisfaction? Ok then, sounds like a wierd situation. I'm interested to hear what they say and your accuracy results. Not sure I've heard of more than one person using their cs.

I bought mine with the 20 inch barrel on it to start with and I am so glad I did. I am almost 6f3i, and the 16 inch barrel makes it to small to be comfortable to shoot.I just need one of petes low rails and a Vortex strike eagle 1x6 on it and ill be more than happy. Also an old guy,  so  I need the magnification and adjustable optic, which in my opinion is the only bad aspect of the Aug as a whole. But I get it, to many GI`s will mess with adjustable objective lens and screw things up somehow.

Just cant decide if Ill sell the 3.0 power scope or hang on to it. Dont know if there much of a market for them.

Lucky you.

3 power will sell. It will just take some time.
You should definitely be able to shoot better with a higher power optic.

Steyr has one of the BEST CS I've ever dealt with. They tend to fix shit and have you back at the range before most gun companies send you a return email.  that said their AUGs are not babied. They will have dings, marks and roughed up spots, that's the way they have always been (even NIB 900s). the barrel in the pic looks like its been locked in to a rec. long enough to do a factory test fired and sent to you.

Higher power optics do not make you shoot better.

Update: they are gonna send another one

Okay....THAT is good of them.  Hope it's a good one and I hope you enjoy your project.

Good luck. 

Update: I finally got my barrel. It looks very clean, scratchless, and nice, definitely comparable to the first one I received.

This barrel was actually snug when I locked in to the receiver; when it was rotating to lock, the rotation wasn't loose, actually snug.






Finally ready to take it out. Will update on the accuracy.

Lookin' good!!!  Good luck!!!!

Thanks! Your profile pic looks like lunar eclipse and solar eclipse combined!

Kinda cool, huh??!?!  I really like that.  I went away from it for a while....but I liked this too much and had it fixed for resolution and went back to it.

My faith has been restored. I am surprised that you received the used/demo barrel, their CS has always been good to me, I have a couple bolt action rifles that I needed extractors and springs for, no problems with CS at all.


When you were trying to find a 20" barrel, did you reach out to Pete Athens?  http://www.pjs-steyraug.com/augusrparts.html

ETA: I see that that was asked above. I'm pretty sure Pete has them, perhaps you were looking for a cheaper way of doing it.

(sweet 24" with bipod!)
Attached File

@Mr_Maim

I did but I didn't get a reply back. Remember, I was in the market to exchange my unfired 16inch for a longer one.

I assumed he wasn't up for it.

I honestly don't know what the first barrel was about. I've purchased two new AUGs and their barrels always seemed crisp new.

This first exchange looked like it was attached and detached enough to rub the phosphate coating off: kinda like what you see on a worn blowback pistol barrel.  

It became a legit concern when the piston was missing and then the piston spring looked busted up, definitely not new.

But again, it's only my guess that it was a demo barrel.


The shipping felt like an eternity.

The weather has been fantastic in the past 3 weeks, Im talking streaks of blue sky days.

The barrel just arrived in time for the rain streak week.

But it's not gonna stop me from shooting it and past is past and Im grateful to have it ready finally.


Oh and thanks to Jeff from SteyrArms for making it right the second time.

Understood. I agree he probably would not have been interested in a swap. I'm surprised Steyr did it.   There's one on GB right now with a BIN for $450.

Moadoctor? Come on now. Ive looked just about everywhere including him.

That barrel has been up for months.

And no he wasn't up for it either

Update:

Disclaimer, I'm not an expert shooter.

For me, the gun did about 1.1-2 MOA within 3 to 5 shot groups. I should be able to have more consistent groups with ample experience with the plastic trigger.

I took it to a 300 yd and shot at a-I believe 7 inch wide-AR500 steel plate. plate kept falling after a few rounds and I had such a little time given at the range that I was only able to shoot a few shots.

But I was able to hit the plate so I walked away with a smile.



It was the wonkiest bench I've ever sat in (I didn't actually sit) in my whole life. Bench designed for torso height of 5 feet some Avatar shit.





Gotta love that delayed sound of ding



I should be able to produce more consistent pictures next time. It's just really hard to see a nice dry day in Ohio.

Also, I will have results with sbk 55gr

what magnification you running on that scope?

17.1