Posted on 04/08/2005 7:39:25 AM PDT by balrog666
PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. (Army News Service, March 31, 2005) -- The Army has approved its new long-range .50-caliber sniper rifle, the M-107, for full materiel release to Soldiers in the field.
The M-107 program is managed at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., by the Project Manager Soldier Weapons with engineering support provided by Picatinny’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center.
The term “full materiel release” signifies that the Army has rigorously tested and evaluated the item and determined that it is completely safe, operationally suitable and logistically supportable for use by Soldiers, officials said.
Product Manager for Crew Served Weapons Lt. Col. Kevin P. Stoddard said that PMSW previously equipped combat units in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as other units supporting the Global War on Terrorism, with the M-107 under an urgent materiel release.
The Army expects to complete fielding of the M-107 in 2008, Stoddard said.
The M107 was funded as a Soldier Enhancement Program to type classify a semi-automatic .50 caliber rifle for the Army and other military services. It underwent standard type classification in August 2003.
A production contract was awarded to Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc., Murfreesboro, Tenn., the following month.
Compared to the M24 7.62mm sniper rifle, Stoddard said, the M107 has more powerful optics and fires a variety of .50 caliber munitions.
“This provides sniper teams greater capability to identify and defeat multiple targets at increased ranges,” he said.
The M-107 is based on the Marine Corps special application scoped rifle, the M82A3.
The M-107 enables Army snipers to accurately engage personnel and material targets out to a distance of 1,500 to 2,000 meters respectively, he said.
The weapon is designed to effectively engage and defeat materiel targets at extended ranges including parked aircraft, computers, intelligence sites, radar sites, ammunition, petroleum, oil and lubricant sites, various lightly armored targets and command, control and communications.
In a counter-sniper role, the system offers longer stand-off ranges and increased terminal effects against snipers using smaller-caliber weapons.
The complete system includes the rifle itself, a detachable 10-round magazine, a variable-power day-optic sight, a transport case, a tactical soft case, cleaning and maintenance equipment, a detachable sling, an adjustable bipod and manuals.
The Army plans to modify the M107 in the future by adding a suppressor to greatly reduce flash, noise and blast signatures.
I hope the US Armed Force will get CheyTac Long Range Rifle System next.
Priceless! Nicely done.
More importantly, it will shoot through a Mosque.
Unless you live in California, all it takes is $$$.
The .50 BMG snipers will probably be in mechanized units and used as countersnipers.
Or even an armored limo or SUV.
I don't think anyone is talking about eliminating .308 sniper rifles (for many of the reasons you mention). The .50 BMG rifles are just one more tool for the tool kit.
Exactly and the Army isn't claiming you can. Notice the reference is to "Parked" aircraft. Even then you'd have to be using incendiary rounds and get a hit on a partially full fuel tank. Or if you have a bit of time, you could take out the engines one at a time, with several shots to each, to be sure of hitting something not easily repaired.
Click.........(No magazine)
Yes..I am not sure what its real pupose is. The rifle is big, heavy,hard to handle. If shooting people, a smaller caliber like the .338 has excellent ballistics and energy to spare.
A sniper shot of 1000 yards is extraordinary -- beyond that too many other factors than the intrinsic accuracy of the rifle interfere.
Only real sense in a .50 is if you want to hit vehicles or punch through walls.
How significant was the damage, in your experience?
Thread over. You win. ;-)
An airplane has considerable volume that is just void. You can hit it and get a hole (well two holes) in the skin with negligible damage to the aircraft. Hitting something fatally crucial with a single shot is hard and requires luck or a knowledge of the aircraft.
Which is why we preferred 8 .50's in WWII and the Germans preferred explosive 20mm rounds.
The current record for longest range sniper kill is 2,430 metres (7,972 ft), reportedly accomplished by a Canadian sniper in 2002, during the invasion of Afghanistan, using a .50 BMG McMillan bolt-action rifle. This meant that the round had a flight time of four seconds, and a drop of 44.5m (146 ft). The previous record was held by Carlos Hathcock, achieved during the Vietnam War, at a distance of 2,250 m.
That, my friend, is cool as a moose.
`
The plus with 7.62 is the commonality of the ammo.
BUT...for sniper work you want a heavier bullet thanthe standard issue so that you do not have the accuracy damging transition from supersonic to subsonic with the range to tagte --a 190-250 grain bullet. So you have specially loaded cartridges for snipers (and one might as well balance bullets, measure cartridge volume, etc and make a real match cartridge).
At which point a .338 looks more attractive.
I was only able to fire it on a range - my issue weapon was an M4 - punching holes through old Soviet vehicles and such. Still, an exhilarating experience, and terminal ballistics were impressive. Wish I could afford to own one - my fiance has different ideas regarding "investments".
Barrett made a similar model designed specifically for anti-aircraft use. Didn't make many; IIRC, not very effective.
There's that one other component for consideration...
The definition of "flesh wound" is when the bullet misses you by 3 feet.
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