Steyr AUG HBAR
- Category
- Machine Gun
- Barrel
- 621 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.90 kg
- Introduced
- 1978
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Steyr AUG HBAR is the heavy-barrelled squad automatic variant of the Steyr AUG bullpup, functioning as a light machine gun for sustained automatic fire. It pairs a longer, heavier 621mm barrel with an integrated folding bipod and accepts a special 42-round magazine. An optional open-bolt trigger group can be fitted to reduce the risk of cook-offs during prolonged firing, while retaining the AUG's polymer bullpup chassis and integrated 1.5x optical sight.
The AUG family pioneered the modular bullpup concept in 1977, and the HBAR extended it into the light support role by giving squads an automatic-fire weapon that shared magazines, controls and parts with their standard service rifles.
HBAR stands for Heavy Barrelled Automatic Rifle; the weapon is also marketed as the AUG-LMG. The 42-round magazine is backwards compatible with standard AUG rifles.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Steyr Arms
- Category
- Machine Gun
- Country
- Austria
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1978
- Variant of
- Squad automatic
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 621 mm
- Overall length
- 900 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.90 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Progressive
- Capacity
- 42
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Polymer
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Matte
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 945 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1786 J
- Effective range
- 600 m
- Rate of fire
- 680 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Bullpup layout
Heavy barrel
Integrated bipod
Integrated optic
Open bolt trigger option
Ambidextrous ejection
Quick change barrel
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 27 5.56x45mm NATO machine guns | 4.90 kg | 6.35 kg | Lighter than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 25 5.56x45mm NATO machine guns | 900 mm | 1020 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 26 5.56x45mm NATO machine guns | 621 mm | 465 mm | Among the longest tenth |
| Magazine capacityAmong 26 5.56x45mm NATO machine guns | 42 | 200 | Holds fewer rounds than about 90% |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Steyr AUG HBAR
How much does the Steyr AUG HBAR weigh?
The Steyr AUG HBAR weighs 4.90 kg (10.80 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Steyr AUG HBAR?
The Steyr AUG HBAR is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the Steyr AUG HBAR hold?
The Steyr AUG HBAR holds 42 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Steyr AUG HBAR?
The Steyr AUG HBAR is 900 mm (35.4 in) long overall, with a 621 mm (24.4 in) barrel.
Who makes the Steyr AUG HBAR?
The Steyr AUG HBAR is made by Steyr Arms (Austria). It was designed by Steyr Mannlicher.
When was the Steyr AUG HBAR introduced?
The Steyr AUG HBAR was introduced in 1978.
How does the Steyr AUG HBAR operate?
The Steyr AUG HBAR uses a gas operated action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Australian Army
- Australia
- Austrian Armed Forces
- Austria
Provenance
Confidence in this record
82%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/steyr-aug-hbar' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "steyr-aug-hbar", "name": "Steyr AUG HBAR", "manufacturer": { "id": "steyr-mannlicher", "name": "Steyr Arms", "countryCode": "AT", "foundedYear": 1864, "website": "https://www.steyr-arms.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": "Austrian rifle manufacturer, founded 1864. Currently produces hunting and sporting rifles.", "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "updatedAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "version": "a826cd329c11aab62c76039016717ad94b5d38e37df48de00a5a6800ce0b3c60" }, "category": { "id": "machine-gun", "name": "Machine Gun", "description": "Fully automatic firearms for sustained fire" }, "country_of_origin": "AT", "year_introduced": 1978, "barrel_length_mm": 621, "weight_empty_g": 4900, "action_type": "gas_operated"}