Steyr .50 HS
Summary
| Country | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Category | Anti materiel sniper rifle |
| Manufacturer | Steyr |
Technical specifications
| Steyr .50 HS | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | Single shot rounds/min. |
| Caliber | .50 BMG (12.7 x 99 mm) or .460 Steyr |
| Magazine | 1 rounds |
| Length | 1370 mm (53.9 in) |
| Weight | 12.4 kg (27.3 lb) |
| Range | 2000 m (6562 ft) |
Description
The Steyr HS .50 and the Steyr HS .460 are single-shot anti-materiel rifles manufactured by Steyr Mannlicher. The original Steyr HS-50 was designed by Heinrich Fortmeier on behalf of Steyr Arms.
Unlicensed variants include:
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The AM-50 Sayyad produced by Iran, which has been in production since 2008.
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The Golan S-01 variant, produced by Syria, with a prototype issued in 2015 and production reported from June 2018.
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The Al-Ghoul, manufactured by the Al-Qassam Brigades.
The Steyr HS .50 is a single-shot, bolt-action rifle without an integral magazine; each round must be manually loaded into the ejection port and chambered via the bolt. It features a fluted, cold hammer-forged barrel, and has an effective range of up to 1,500 m. Standard features include an adjustable bipod, a muzzle brake to reduce recoil, and a Picatinny rail for optics. The HS .50 is chambered in .50 BMG, while the HS .460 variant is chambered in .460 Steyr. The .460 Steyr round was developed for markets where private ownership of .50 BMG is restricted.
Multiple variants of the rifle exist:
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HS .460: Chambered for the .460 Steyr round.
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HS-50: A single shot bolt action .50 BMG rifle available with either a 29-inch or 33-inch barrel length, and it comes standard with a 0 MOA Picatinny rail.
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HS-50 M1: A magazine-fed update, using a five-round magazine located horizontally to the left of the receiver. It includes a longer top Picatinny rail, additional side Picatinny rails, an adjustable cheekpiece, a fixable bipod, and a monopod at the buttstock.
Other variants include unlicensed copies, such as the Iranian AM-50 Sayyad which is reported to have worse fit and finish than the original. Syria produces the Golan S-01 variant, which fires the Soviet 12.7×108mm cartridge and has an effective firing range of 1,600 meters, being slightly heavier and longer than the HS .50. The Golan S-01 Mk.2, introduced in 2023, includes a new stock, box magazine, and scope. The Al-Ghoul, an upgraded variant made in Palestine, is noted for its length of 2 meters, and its use of 14.5mm and 12.7mm caliber ammunition, and it has an effective range of 2000 meters.
The AM-50 Sayyad has been exported since 2008 and acquired by various non-state groups. The Al-Ghoul variant was first used by Hamas in the 2014 Gaza war. The Golan S-01 is an improvement over previous anti-materiel rifles used by the Syrian Army.
State users of the Steyr HS .50 and HS .460 include Argentina, Bolivia, Iran (800 rifles purchased in 2006), Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. Operators of the AM-50 Sayyad and Golan S-01 variants include Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Badr Organization, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Hezbollah, Houthis, Iran, Iraq, Islamic State, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Liwa al-Zulfiqar, Liwa Fatemiyoun, Saraya al-Aqida, Saraya al-Khorasani, Saraya al-Salam (until 2021), Saraya Ashura, Syria, Tahrir al-Sham, and the Syrian National Army. Operators of the “Ghoul” variant include Qassam Brigades, Al-Quds Brigades, and Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades (in Gaza).