Posted on 06/09/2010 9:10:58 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
In this war, snipers matter in close-quarters urban fights. So does penetrating power. Accurate ranged lethality is equally important for squads in open areas, where engagement distances can easily make 5.56mm rounds ineffective. Bolt-action sniper rifles solve these problems, but can get your best people killed in close-up automatic firefights. Semi-automatic weapons have traditionally been less reliable and accurate, but offer the only reasonable approach that covers both extremes.
The result has been the emergence of a hybrid approach, on both a people level and a technical level. On the human end, militaries like the Americans and British are adopting “designated marksman” or “sharpshooter” roles in normal infantry squads, who aren’t full snipers but do have additional training and qualification. On the technical side, gun makers are fielding semi-automatic systems that offer nearly bolt-action accuracy out to 800-1000 meters, but can also be used in closer-quarters firefights. The British have hurried the L129A1 to their infantry squad sharpshooters, but the Americans have a longer running program, which is beginning to ramp up production and fielding…
The M110 is intended to replace the M24 Sniper Weapon System used by snipers, spotters, designated marksman, or squad advanced marksmen in the US Army. In 2006, the Army projected total buy of 4,492 systems. M24 orders continued into early 2010, however, and it seems likely that both will serve together for a few years.
(Excerpt) Read more at defenseindustrydaily.com ...
I’ve heard this all my life—that bolt action was more accurate than semi-auto—but no one can really explain to me why. Is it just a “thing” people just parrot—because that’s what they’ve always heard too—without any proof?
Basically an M-16 in 7.62 NATO caliber.
H’mmmm, I wonder if it will have the range of the old M110 175mm gun?
you can generally get a more consistent “weld†between the barrel and the forearm with a bolt gun. Bolt guns allow you to use “neck sized†ammo which is also much more accurate.
The M14 is still doing the job. I have a Springfield Armory M1A National Match in my defensive arsenal with an ART IV scope.
They are awesome.
Sorry, but if they’re going for 800-1000 yd hits, they need more than a 10-magnification on that 110. I certainly want one of those. Anyone know if there is a civilian version yet?
“Basically an M-16 in 7.62 NATO caliber.”
I believe that would be 5.56 mm NATO.
OK, thanks!
I believe with a bolt action you seat can the cartridge tighter—the tolerances are necessarily greater when you are mechanically trying to blow out the shell after each firing as with a semi-auto.
At least that’s what makes sense to me. A bolt is a much simpler and cleaner design and since speed of extraction is not an issue....you have the ability to have much tighter tolerances, which equals more accuracy.
Well, what you say does make sense...maybe that’s it after all.
As I've always understood it, a semi-auto has more moving parts. Each of these parts moves in multiple directions, some directions are primary movement while some are just due to mechanical tolerances. With each moving part comes variability and variability is the enemy of accuracy.
The end effect of all this variability is that each round tends to seat ever so slightly differently from the previous round. Head spacing will be slightly different. Gas pressures will be slightly different which results in slightly different functioning of the action. When fired, the firing pin doesn't strike the primer dead on either.
These points of variability and others tend to adversely effect the accuracy of a semi-auto more than that of a simpler bolt action rifle.
7.62 is simply metric for 30 caliber... and the 7.62 X 51mm cartridge here is just slightly smaller than the 7.62 x 54 which was the Soviet rifle round up through WWII. Of course the 7.62x54 was very similar in power to our standard 30.06 cartridge of the time used in the M1 Garand.
After 50 years of pushing the smaller 5.56mm X 45mm M16 cartridge is the brass FINALLY admitting it is too small???
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Thanks!
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