.300 BLK Steyr AUG? Maybe.

[BarryinIN]

Steyr posted a teaser picture on their Facebook page.  It shows a box of .300 BLK ammo on stable with a few loose rounds scattered about.  The top of an AUG is visible in the corner, the only gun in sight.  No comment or explanation.   

 

I'm not sold on the 300 BLK.  I want to like it, but always end up asking  what it will do better than any number of other cartridges.   I never come up with an answer except for three fairly specialized uses.

1) It keeps the energy up in short barreled guns (real short, like 10" or less) better than 5.56.

2) It works well in its original role: suppressed use. 

3) It allows a larger bore option to those who MUST stay with a 5.56-based gun.  

 

Reason Number 3 fits the AUG, at least in my case.   The more my back deteriorates, the more I like the AUG and other bullpups for the rearward balance compared to conventional rifles.   It's been pretty slim pickings for .30 caliber options there. 

 

A new barrel for my AUG in 300 BLK is something I might be interested in. 

 

[BarryinIN]

It’s only been six and a half years, but it looks like this is going to happen.  
 

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2023/10/04/the-300-blackout-steyr-aug-is-finally-coming-to-the-usa/

 

Along with it, we are getting a new NATO stock (uses AR mags) that now has a standard external bolt release   

 

[wwillson]

What in the world took 6.5 years to get this gun imported?

[BarryinIN]

Apparently they had trouble adapting the AUG gas system to work satisfactorily with both supersonic and subsonic ammo. The AUG taps the gas from a pretty short point on the barrel, and I guess that was the bind.  
The 300BO barrel has a different gas block.  Much larger in diameter.

Still, 6.5 years…

And that’s from the time they teased us.  They might’ve been playing with it before then. 

[BarryinIN]

Seven years!

https://steyr-arms.us/product/aug-300-aac-blackout-barrel/

 

Complete guns, too.