Steyr SSG

Steyr SSG 69
Steyr SSG 69 PI
Type	Sniper rifle
Place of origin	Austria
Service history
In service	1969–present
Used by	see Users
Wars	Syrian Civil War
Production history
Manufacturer	Steyr Mannlicher
Produced	1969–2015
Variants	SSG 69 PI, SSG 69 PII, SSG 69 PIV
Specifications
Weight	4 kg (8.82 lb) (SSG 69 PI) 4.2 kg (9.3 lb) (SSG 69 PII) 3.8 kg (8.4 lb) (SSG 69 PIV)
Length	1,140 mm (44.9 in) (SSG 69 PI) 1,190 mm (46.8 in) (SSG 69 PII) 1,003 mm (39.5 in) (SSG 69 PIV)
Barrel length	650 mm (25.6 in) (SSG 69 PI, SSG 69 PII) 409 mm (16.1 in) (SSG 69 PIV)
Cartridge	7.62×51mm NATO, .243 Winchester, .22-250 Remington (SSG 69 PII)
Action	Bolt-action
Muzzle velocity	varies by type of round used
Effective firing range	800 m (875 yd)
Maximum firing range	3,700 m (4,046 yd)
Feed system	5-round rotary magazine
Sights	iron sights on SSG 69 PI telescopic sight

The SSG 69 (Scharfschützengewehr 69 = Sniper Rifle 69) is a bolt-action sniper rifle produced by Steyr Mannlicher that serves as the standard sniper rifle for the Austrian Army.

Adopted in 1969 (hence the designation), it was ahead of its time with the use of synthetics and cold hammer-forged barrels for durability. Aside from being the Austrian Army's standard issue sniper rifle it's also used by several law enforment organizations. It is extremely accurate and several international competitions have been won using an SSG-69 with accuracy being sub 0.5 MOA.

There are several variants made with mostly cosmetic differences, the only anomaly being the SSG-PIV using a 409 mm barrel with a 1:250 mm (1:10 inches) twist designed to handle heavy subsonic ammunition in conjunction with a suppressor.

The bolt action uses rear-locking (in common with the SMLE), rather than the more common front-locking lugs. This, and the fact that it is only produced in the 'short action' length limits the chambering to non-magnum calibres, a legacy of a military weapon designed only to fire the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. It is essentially a target/police/military weapon, however with its caliber and inherent accuracy, it lends itself to hunting requiring longer distance shots.

An unusual feature is the standard rotary 5-round magazine. A 10-round staggered box is available as an accessory. Both are transparent-backed, immediately showing remaining capacity.

In 2015 Steyr has decided to end production of the SSG 69.

The SSG 69 as issued to the Austrian military.

The SSG 69 bolt-action.

The SSG 69 PII variant.

The SSG 69 PIV variant.

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Wikipedia