Re: Styer A3?
Bullpups are good if you need to maneuver, enter tight spaces, etc. In other words - good tactical rifles. Bullpups <span style="text-decoration: underline">often</span> have worse triggers than traditional designs. People are seldom indifferent to bullpups - it's either love or hate.
Steyr AUG isn't the cheapest rifle on the market - and the fact that several countries picked it as their main service rifle (and several more equip their Special Forces with it) speaks well for AUG.
My <span style="text-decoration: underline">personal</span> observations: it has great - almost perfect - ergonomics (much better <span style="text-decoration: underline">for me</span> than M16 or AKM), it's compact without losing on the barrel length (I've seen available 16" 1:9 twist, 20", and 24" 1:7 twist). I love the grip and the balance. Extremely practical in the field, peerless as a tactical rifle - especially CQB and mid-range. Easy to clean, shoots well when dirty. Changing barrel is a 10-seconds procedure. It feels (to me) lighter than it is - probably because of its better balance (than traditional design).
<span style="text-decoration: underline">Shortcomings</span>. Trigger is not great and might interfere with long-range (for this caliber) shooting - I can't comment as I haven't shot AUG beyond 200m. Not as accurate as M4 or AR15 (especially a tricked-out AR15). Not as convenient shooting weak hand though it can be done (as I've done it). I had difficulty laying well-aimed fire left-handed (since one can convert the bolt to left-handed - this would not be a problem for the southpaw, only for us "straight" guys when having to shoot the "other" side). For those used to AK or M16 (like myself
) magazine change wasn't as fast (though people who trained with AUG as their main battle rifle did quite well with mag change speed).
<span style="text-decoration: underline">Summary</span>. I love this rifle. Positive experience with it - especially how it handles - led me to try other bullpups, and I found another darling among bolt-action precision rifles - DTA SRS whose trigger is equal to or better than triggers on many bolt action rifles of traditional design.