History
The Steyr AUG is credited with being the first successful bullpup to enter mainstream service and gain major popularity. While other bullpups, like the British EM-2, predate the AUG, none were ever officially adopted. The AUG’s unique, compact design felt well ahead of its time when the Austrian military adopted it in 1977, which also marked the end of the 7.62x51 NATO’s place as the standard-issue caliber for the Austrian military.
Shortly after the adoption of the 5.56 AUG, the Austrian government requested a smaller 9mm sub gun. With 9mm submachine guns and carbines becoming prominent in the 1970s and 1980s, Steyr saw an opportunity to merge the 9mm concept with its full size 5.56 rifle design.
Related Review: Steyr AUG Bullpup – Strange, Old Space-Age Rifle Magic
In 1988, the Austrian company released a 9mm conversion kit for the rifle. It was adopted by the Austrian military and police forces and marketed to other European nations.
Design of the Conversion
Steyr has never sold complete 9mm rifles on the domestic market, only conversion kits. The receiver on this rifle is marked as an AUG A3 M1 rifle chambered for .223.
The 9mm Steyr AUG conversion is one of the simplest and easiest kits to install. One of the AUG’s best features is the quick-detach barrel, which allows the user to change barrels, swap different lengths, or in this case, exchange the caliber. With the simple press of a button and a twist, the barrel slides right out of the receiver. This exposes a barrel chambered in 9mm sans the gas system features, as the 9mm barrel is a simple blowback operation.
Once the barrel is removed, the retention pin in the receiver can be depressed, allowing the polymer lower to separate from the metal upper receiver. As I said before, the receiver is a standard .223-marked rifle receiver with the iconic 1.5x Steyr optic. The polymer lower receiver houses the bolt and recoil springs.
The bolt has been swapped for a simplified blowback action, with a 9mm-size extractor. The two forward running “pistons” on the bolt have been simplified. Whereas on the 5.56 rifle they serve to cycle the gas operation, the 9mm version uses them as simple guide rods under spring tension.
The polymer lower also houses a magazine conversion insert that fits in the standard 5.56 magwell, allowing the rifle to feed from a 9mm sub gun magazine pattern. The 9mm conversion that we have on hand feeds from Steyr MP88 magazines. The best part about the magazine conversion insert is that it allows use of the bolt hold and bolt release, preventing loss of function on any of the rifle’s controls.
And that is it. A barrel, bolt, and magazine insert are all you need to convert a 5.56 AUG to 9mm.
In the U.S.
Sadly, the 9mm conversion kit for the AUG is not common in the United States, largely due to import restrictions. Since the early 2000s, kits have been imported here and there, with no steady pipeline or long-term plan. Steyr recently began production of U.S.-made 9mm barrels like the one in this conversion kit. The company has also experimented with different magazine conversion inserts, including one that accepts Steyr M9 and Glock pattern magazines.
The company offers the conversion kit on their website, but it is never in stock. The reality is, if you want the 9mm conversion, you will have to find a used one at an auction or on a site like Guns.com (shameless plug).
On the Range
Luckily, I got a chance to take this rare 9mm conversion out to the range. The AUG is one of the most comfortable bullpups you can find, with a very compact feel. The best part about this AUG is the donut reticle 1.5x scope – it just feels right on this rifle.
I have shot many 5.56 AUGs, and it is easily one of my favorite bullpups. The only real complaint I have is the trigger, but that is a standard bullpup issue. In 9mm, this rifle is even more fun. Considering how compact the design is and how close you can hold it to your body, it is easy to control the recoil with 5.56. With 9mm, there basically is no recoil.
The 9mm barrel is threaded, so I was able to add a Banish 45 suppressor for an improved, quieter shooting experience. I was impressed that I felt no gas in my face, considering the chamber is blowback and right next to my face.
Related Review: Light and Quiet, the Banish 45 Suppressor Puts Any Handgun Into Stealth Mode
My one complaint is with the magazines. Aside from the magazines being expensive, they only hold 25 rounds. And every time I loaded them to 25, I had a malfunction on the first round fired. Once I unloaded the magazines to 24 or 23 rounds, they ran flawlessly. Hopefully, this issue will be remedied as the conversion gets different magazine pattern inserts.
After a few hundred rounds, it’s easy to see why the 9mm version is so popular.
Summary
The 9mm cartridge is inexpensive and extremely popular. Having the ability to house a 9mm conversion within a 5.56 rifle means that you can train on the platform with the same ergonomics, same controls, and same manual of arms, but use two different calibers for two different applications.
It’s exciting to see an unusual firearm like this in our certified used inventory and even better to have the chance to take it to the range and train.
