Aviation Naval Warfare Land Systems Small Arms By Flag By Year By Tag

Steyr SSG 69

1969 COLD WAR MODERN

Steyr SSG 69 History

The Cold War proved to be the ultimate market for all kinds of guns, although the situation for Western manufacturers was clearly limited when NATO standardized. Steyr Mannlicher developed a local 7.62mm bolt-action sniper rifle during this period, known as the "SSG 69", and carried the weapon from the Austrian Armed Forces stockpile as a standard long-range precision system.

As the name suggests, this weapon was officially launched in 1969 and has been in service to this day, as well as being used by many militaries and special forces around the world.

The SSG 69 has proven to be a highly accurate and robust combat weapon with typical Steyr qualities. A composite material forms its body, with high-tolerance metalwork embedded in the design. The stock is padded for a comfortable recoil and the grip is flexed in the most ergonomic way. A pioneering cold hammer barrel was used to help improve accuracy, and the length of the barrel extends deep into the receiver for inherent strength. The bolt features six lug locking (rear) for a strong seal.

The standard model has an overall weight of 8.8 lbs and shows an overall length of 44.9 inches when using a 25.6 inch barrel.

The SSG 69 is dedicated to the 7.62x51mm NATO Standard Rifle Cartridge (not large caliber) - proven range performance. The weapon's action relies on a proven hand-operated bolt breech arrangement, fed by a 5-round internal rotating magazine configuration. The rotating magazine is especially important and a special feature of the rifle. Viewed from the front or rear of the rifle, its five rounds are located in the J-shaped breech.

A box of 10 rounds is also provided. It has an effective range of up to 875 yards and a maximum range of 4,045 yards. Unlike other sniper rifles, the SSG 69 retains a spare sight, while the telescopic sight is usually mounted above the receiver in the usual way. A bipod can be attached to the end of the forearm as a front support.

The slings provide an area for attaching the shoulder straps to transport/travel the system.

In addition to being used by the Austrian Armed Forces and Special Forces, the SSG 69 has also been adopted by the Armed Forces of Argentina, Chile, Greece, Iceland, India, Indonesia (special forces), Ireland, Jordan and the Netherlands (naval units). Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Russia (special forces), Singapore, South Korea, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey (special forces), Togo and the United States (border forces).

The base rifle model became the "SSG 69 PI", followed by the longer 9.3 lb "SSG 69 PII" (0.22-250 Remington). Then there's the shortened "SSG 69 PIV" that weighs 8.4 pounds.