Steyr_AUG, now that you also have a TAVOR, any thoughts on one vs. the other?
The AUG disassembles much easier than the Tavor. You can completely strip an AUG into each component in 20 seconds. The Tavor would take a lot more time and the barrel removal is an involved task probably taking ~30 minutes.
The AUG runs very clean, a good cleaning is a simple 5-10 minute task. Even though the Tavor also has a piston, it's operating mechanism and internals are surprisingly a lot dirtier than the AUG. Cleaning the piston of the AUG is a simple 30 second task, cleaning the piston on the Tavor requires heavy disassembly of the rifle.
With high rates of fire, the Tavor heats up noticeably more than any gun I have ever fired. The handguard and stock get warm and stay warm. Even with the barrel being cool, the stock of the Tavor will retain heat. The stock of the AUG never heats up and the vertical grip stays cool.
The bolt release of the Tavor is more intuitive than the AUG, but the AUG wins in the bolt hold open department. The Tavor does not have a way to lock the charging handle back, so in order to hold the bolt open on the Tavor, you must put the stock on your hip then pull back on the charging handle with one hand and with the other hand pull down on the bolt release.
The AUG A2 and A3 (military, CQC, and commercial height rails) rails are at almost the same height over comb as an AR15. The Tavor rail is almost level with the comb of the stock. Using AR optic mounts on the AUG is not problematic. Using 1/3 cowitness AR optic mounts on the Tavor produces an absolute cowitness with the flip up sights on the Tavor (which is troubling as no company yet makes a mount that will raise the optic height for lower 1/3 cowitness on the Tavor).
The Tavor has integral flip up iron sights with a tritium front post. No back up sights are included on the AUG.
Cheek weld on the AUG is akin to the LMT sopmod stock. The Tavor feels more like a M4 stock.
Felt recoil of the Tavor feels less than the felt recoil of an A1, A2, or A3 AUG, but the AUG A3 CQC has almost no felt recoil thus trumping the Tavor.
The magazine release on the Tavor is nice and easy to use, though the AUG magazine release is also nice and easy to use. They are both different and have their advantages/disadvantages... it's a draw.
Magazines on the Tavor are USGI type. Magazines of the standard AUG are proprietary and expensive, but extremely durable and reliable. To use USGI type magazines on the AUG you must either purchase a complete "NATO" rifle or purchase a "NATO" stock and hammerpack. If using the "NATO" stock, you lose the A3 bolt release button on the side of the stock and you lose capability to convert to left handed shooting. Please note that the bolt release button on the stock is an A3 generation improvement. Prior to the A3 stock, releasing the bolt was accomplished by pulling rearward on the charging handle (which is how you release the bolt on the NATO stock also).
The Tavor has many more moving parts and pieces compared to the AUG. This may present a problem as there are more parts with the potential to fail or wear out.
The AUG have true quick detach barrels. The barrel of the Tavor will change out, but it is most certainly not quick.
Both the AUG and Tavor have the ability to be converted to left handed shooting. The Tavor also has the ability to move the charging handle to the opposite side (as well as the side mounted rail). The AR type safety on the Tavor can also be moved to the opposite side. The AUG uses a crossbolt type safety. For being an ambidextrous gun, the Tavor trumps the AUG.
The AUG has an integral cleaning kit storage compartment in the stock, the Tavor has a very small space that will fit 4-6 foam earplugs. The Tavor open space is NOT closed off to the moving mechanism. I have thought of stuffing a boresnake in that area, but am wary of it creating a problem with the moving action. Supposedly the grip of the Tavor has a small void which you could use to store something in, but taking the bottom cap off the grip is probably something you don't want to be doing over and over.
The AUG stock can be had in a variety of colors to include black, olive green, grey, tan, etc. The Tavor currently comes in black and flat dark earth. A picture of ATACS desert camo came up on IWI's facebook page, but that is probably just a water transfer.
The CURRENT AUG A3 comes in three basic configurations: A3, A3 NATO, and A3 CQC (which can also be had with the NATO stock). All CURRENT AUG A3 guns have a 16" barrel. The Tavor comes in flat top models and the IDF model. The flat top model can be had in 16.5" and 18" barrel lengths. The IDF comes with a 16.5" barrel. IDF has an integral MEPRO optic and back up sights also. The flat top model has the full length rail with built in back up sights.
The AUG and Tavor are both chambered in 5.56 with cold hammer forged and chrome lined barrels. The Tavor has a 1/7 twist. The standard twist on the AUG is 1/9, but 1/7 twist barrels are available (though uncommon).
The AUG is threaded in 13x1 LH. Why? Ask a European... popular muzzle devices (comps and flash hiders) are available in that pitch, but are hard to find and usually out of stock. A thread converter from 13x1 to 1/2x28 exists. The Tavor uses the standard 1/2x28 AR15 type thread pitch. If a muzzle device works with an AR, it works on the Tavor.
The AUG can be converted to 9mm, kits are rare and VERY expensive. Magazines are proprietary and VERY expensive also. The Tavor is supposed to have a 9mm and 5.45 commie conversion kit available soon. Prices for conversion kits are ~$800. Magazines for the 9mm are Colt SMG 9mm AR mags (based off the UZI mag). Converting cheap UZI mags is going to be cheap and the way to go.
Both guns have the same MSRP. Cost of the CURRENT AUG A3 is ~$2000. AUG A3 CQC is ~$2200. Cost of the flattop Tavor is ~$2000+. The IDF Tavor is ~$2400+.
The AUG and the Tavor are both bullpup rifles chambered in 5.56. Both are excellent and unique firearms. The AUG functions 100% flawlessly, the Tavor in 600rds has only had one failure to eject on a stuck steel case in the chamber.
The AUG is a superior design and in the long run is probably the better choice if deciding between the two.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but the AUG in my opinion is just a bit better overall than the Tavor. You won't go wrong with either gun. If you get the chance, buy both as these two guns are clearly the best two bullpup firearms ever made available to the US market.
The original 1990 French film Nikita featured one in a key scene that is parly shown on the trailer.
![[hmmm]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/009.gif "Hmm [hmmm]")
