a friend just got a new Steyer Aug (Saber import). he has an issue and he asked me to come loom at it since I was the weapons guy in the Army and i have handled real Augs before.

his charging handle digs into the receiver so bad it stops and you cannot charge the rifle. if you pull the receiver out of the stock and manually move the charging handle it will replicate the problem. there are gouges forming on the charging handle pin itself and the receiver. 

is this what $2k gets you? anyone else with this issue? obviously this is going to have to be sent back. this was a bucket list rifle for me but that is quickly changing. 

A new Sabre? Are you sure it wasn't used and abused in some way?

I have three (VLTOR receivers) none of which have any issues.

it definitely wasnt abused.....i dont think hes even fired it yet. SN IS 1USA0XX. its New afaik. there was only a tiny bit of carbon on the gas piston when we detail cleaned and lubed it. 

we actually couldnt even get the barrel back in after reassembling it. the charging handle digs in and wont budge. i was gonna do some smoothing to the cocking lever pin for him but this being new im advising him to sent it back and ask for an entirely new rifle. 

First, whatever is happening is not right, but nothing in your picture gives me anything to go on, except to guess that the cocking assembly might be messed up.

That gun is 99% made in late 2008 / early 2009. Steyr won't and shouldn't give a new gun 8 years after the fact - especially when the problem is fixable.

Best thing to do will be to wait until about 10:30AM CST and call Steyr so it can be fixed under a warranty that no longer stands, but that Steyr is always willing to provide.

Some other information about that gun after turning the backlight up on my phone. The receiver says Sabre and Nashville on the bottom, that's an original Sabre Defence A3, not one of the very very few vltor 1usa0xx guns. What that means is that the gun has sat in your buddy's safe for 8 years or he unknowingly bought a gun with issues from a previous owner.

Best of luck in getting that resolved. Steyr should come through and repair it, I wouldn't worry about that.

Known issue in Sabre rifles. (I have one).
There is a fix posted either in the archives, the Bullpup forum or on the old Steyr forum.
Basically you have to do a polish on the CH parts or order a new one from Pete.
Out of spec part by Sabre is the issue.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_43/279959_.html&page=1

ok sounds good. thx for the link. 


it has to be an old but unfired unit then. he just got it in the nice bag with the manual and mags and all. i heard it was new but its the long rail version so he musta meant new to him. 

thx for the clarification. i will get in there and smooth it out next time im there. 

On the 1st batch of Sabre AUGs the charging handle assembly was out of spec.

Easy fix if you have a smooth wheel grinder or belt sander.

Remove the charging handle assembly and grind a few thousands of the bottom of the charging handle assembly or just contact Steyr and they will have you return the rifle and they will install a new one.

yep its def undersized. 

i was able to get in there and put a nice bevel on it and smoothed it up and now its pretty smooth. i guess he will test fire it soon but it seemed good when i was finished with it.

"a friend just got a new Steyer Aug (Saber import)." "is this what $2k gets you? anyone else with this issue?"

I paid $1,800 for my brand new A3 Steyr Aug. Your friend paid $200 too much for his A3. My A3 has been flawless. Prior to my A3 I have had an A1 and carried an A1 on duty with my federal agency. I much prefer a Steyr Aug (in any configuration) to any of the Colt AR15 rifles and M16 rifle I own. Saber did not import any Augs. They only manufactured some receivers for Steyr as did VLTOR. I have no idea what the issue is with your friends NIB Steyr Aug is, but, it is obviously an isolated issue. Since it is new it should still be under warranty and your friend should have no problem getting Steyr to correct the problem, so no worries. I would be interested in hearing about what is causing the problem once Steyr gets the rifle and determines the problem. Please post their response as I've never heard of this issue before.

Just read the following posts. Mine is one of the earlier A3's and mine is perfect. Nevermind.

we literally went over that in this thread.  we came up wirh it was a like new AUG from 08-09 that he recently bought as second owner. i was under the impression it was new. it was not. he said he wanted a long rail one and when he got it i thought he found some old dealer stock of it or something. 


upon googling a bit as well as in this post, it was a KNOWN issue that Saber made way under spec Diameter cocking handle pin assemblies and you either have to send the rifle back or bevel the pin end to increase bearing area. the second is what i did. it shot fine when we went out this weekend and tested it and doest bind anymore. the rest of the rifle looks good. 

i am unsure what he paid...but they are approx 2k rifles. and fwiw i'll take an AR lol. I DONT need a $200 lefty bolt to shoot an ar. (and for 2k that should be included in a compartment in the butt!!!) you cant even do weak-side shooting for emergency drills.....

issue is resolved. thanks all that helped :)

Easy fix....
I have had my Sabre Defence AUGA3 for awhile now, with no problems.
My reciever is marked Sabre on the bottom (but not on the top of the reciever) and is a 3USAxxx
( ...the machining/finish on the reciever is actually nicer than my old school A1)

Sabre Defence produced high quality AR15's and also M16's and M4's and other
military grade weapons components. This situation must have been an early teething issue
(Steyr engineers were working with Sabre to produce the rifles)

Yes you can, the procedure is just different than what you do with an AR.
I shoot my AUG right and left handed (as well as one handed) all the time with no problems.

Yep, just got to put the inverted gangster tilt on it. I do it too.