Steyr Arms, inc.

Did you know that Steyr Arms, Inc. has a facility located in Bessemer, Alabama? Admittedly, it seems to be an odd location for such a large firearms company to set up shop, but luckily it's not far from where I live, and I've been dying to get a peak in the door for quite some time. Luckily, my opportunity came this week as I was put in contact with Scott Tirman, a controller at Steyr Arms. He invited me out to their Bessemer location and I got the VIP tour.

Steyr was founded in Steyr, Austria in 1864 and is perhaps best known today for their line of reliable pistols and their signature bullpup rifle, the AUG. Steyr's Bessemer location (which has been importing Steyr and Merkel products for nearly 5 years) will soon be set up to manufacture the famous AUG rifle within the next month or so. While the Steyr AUG may be the only firearm produced at this facility, their showroom contains the entire lineup of Steyr products. From pistols to hunting rifles, I got to see them all!

After checking out the CL II and SM 12 rifle, I am convinced that the latter needs to be my next rifle purchase. I was blown away by the overall quality and care that went in to the production of these guns. From the hammer-forged barrel design, to the walnut stock, it's easy to see that the craftsmanship is top-notch. The SM 12 is also filled with modern conveniences like the fiber optic high-viz sights and the set trigger that allows for longer range, precise shots. The smoothness of the action and the crisp, trigger makes this gun a precision-shooter's dream.

A more modern rifle design comes in the form of the Steyr Scout. Designed in the 1990's with the input of the famous Jeff Cooper, this rifle emphasizes on the importance of lightness and versatility. Everything you need for a day's hunting or shooting can be contained within the rifle itself. For example, the Scout comes standard with a fluted barrel for lightness, a bipod is built in to the for-end for quick and easy deployment, and the stock houses a reserve magazine. While looking over the Scout, I found myself asking the question, "Why don't more rifle's have similar features?" It just makes sense! The Scout comes in many different configurations to allow complete customization to the needs at hand.


After spending some time drooling over the rifles, we proceeded over to the Steyr handgun line. The first thing I noticed upon handling the firearm was the high grip profile. The M series pistols feel very solid in the hand, much more so than other, similar polymer-framed guns like a Glock or the Smith & Wesson M&P. I also was impressed by the unique trapezoidal sights, which allows for shockingly quick target acquisition. Scott pointed out that, unlike other polymer-framed pistols, the slide rails, along with many other internal components are metal to improve firearm longevity. I hope to handle one of these out on the range sometime soon!

As I mentioned before, this Steyr facility will soon be producing the famous AUG bullpup rifle. Featured in movies such as Die Hard and RoboCop, the Steyr AUG has been a staple of armed forces around the world, and is gaining popularity in the American civilian market. The rifle itself is one of the most popular bullpup rifles in gun stores today. Some of the AUG's most unique features include the ability to quickly change out the barrel, the dual gas adjustment settings to allow the firearm to operate smoothly even in harsh environments, and the ability to be switch bolts and the ejection port cover to accommodate left-handed shooters. The AUG platform can also be outfitted to accept either the AUG magazines or standard NATO magazines.

Good news for those in the Birmingham, Alabama area - the Steyr facility in Bessemer has an open house once annually so regular plebeians like myself can go bask in the magnificence of the entire Steyr firearm lineup. The open house of 2018 was in late August, so if you wish to attend next year, make sure you plan accordingly.

I am truly thankful to Scott and Steyr Arms for giving me the opportunity to tour such an incredible facility. There was so much to take in, a simple blog post just doesn't do it justice. I hope to one day be the proud owner of a Steyr firearm. And when I own one, I'll be posting a far more in-depth review. Interestingly, the Steyr firearm I purchase may not be the one that I thought I would fall in love with at the beginning of the tour.....what can I say? The SM 12 has stolen my heart!