Originally founded in 1864 by Josef Wernd as “Josef & Franz Werndl & Company,” Steyr has been innovating for almost 160 years. Their first service rifle, the Werndl-Holub breech loading rifle, was adopted by the Austrian Army back in 1867.
As the company grew, it was converted to a stock corporation (renamed to Austrian Arms-Manufacturing Company) in 1869, and in 1891 with over half a million rifles made in one year, it became the biggest weapon producer in the world. By this time, Steyr was exporting to over 20 nations.
Finally, between 1912 and 1914, the company moved its factory to Steyr, Austria, and was rebranded again to Steyrer Werke AG in 1926.
Steyr made weapons and vehicles, endured two World Wars, and continues today as one of Europe’s largest weapons producers. Here, in the U.S., it seems the only people who understand the age and pedigree of Steyr are the wealthy or seasoned who may have owned a Mannlicher — but every young American who has watched an action movie over the last three decades or played a first-person shooter video game knows and recognizes the
