The STG556 is a US-made clone of the famous Steyr AUG: battle rifle of choice for the Austrian, Australian, and Irish armies. This is high-tech stuff, my friends and the AUG was WAY ahead of its time. Steyr engineers pioneered the vertical grip and the bullpup rifle. As a child, I considered the AUG one of the most fascinating weapons in the world. As an adult arms dealer, that fascination remains. Now I finally own an AUG, albeit an American-made one.
For only $1500, it's a bargain in the world of piston-driven battle rifles. The STG556 fires 5.56mm NATO rounds (hence, it's name), but pistol caliber carbines are also in the works. So, be sure to have some of those 33rd Glock 9mm stick mags on hand for that joyous day when the MCSs start shipping!
Despite being rather fond of the classic integral optics on the original AUG, I opted for the more modern Picatinny-railed edition. This model affords shooters a full 9 inches of real estate for mounting whatever accessories your heart desires. For the review, I wanted to shoot groups at 100 yards, so I chose a Trijicon ACOG 4x32. Since then, I have grown to appreciate the AUG's extraordinary ability as a CQB weapon and I've transitioned to an Aimpoint COMPM2.
At the range, we started out shooting at 50 yards to confirm zero. Even though the ACOG was mounted on an LWRC M6A2 before, it was pretty close-- only a few inches right and low, which is close enough for me! So, I held over on the right tip of the 200yd hash mark and sent it to the black. At 100 yards, the STG556 is a surprisingly capable weapon. I was able to attain 1-2MOA groups thanks to the full-length 16in fluted barrel even though I was using a mix of XM193, Federal American Eagle, and Wolf loads. These groups would tighten up if the trigger were better. Truthfully, that's the AUG and STG556's only weakness. The trigger is terrible. But that's the nature of the beast when you're shooting a bull-pup rifle, I guess.
The STG556 functioned flawlessly, save for a small issue with the trigger: The AUG trigger is predisposed to sticking. If you squeeze the trigger back and hold-- the trigger has a tendency to stick. Perhaps the action with smoothen over time. Otherwise, it's not a big deal. I think the STG trigger needs to be slapped. This rifle wants to get down and rock and roll!
Takedown on the AUG/STG556 is amazing. The Austrians are genius. This thing is built like a spaceship-- completely modular and high tech. Microtech is known for their beautiful blades, but let me tell you-- with this kind of fit and finish, they're going to be known for their impeccable firearms very soon!
Cost of ownership is low and it's going to get even lower when the E4 model debuts. It will accept standard AR15 mags, so it will give you one less reason not to take the plunge into the world of AUG. We should have more STG556s in soon, so if you're interested in getting one of your own before the next AWB comes into place, just click the 'notify me' link on the website and you'll get an e-mail as soon as the next batch arrives. Our VIP member price starts out at $1514.55. The Modular Carbines in 9mm, .40sw, .45acp, and 10mm will start out at $817-- which is a wonderful value.
[ click here to see our selection of MSAR rifles and carbines ]
Thanks again for your support and God bless.
-- Evan
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