New Sniper Rifles

[buglerbilly]

The Remington MSR, Modular Sniper Rifle.............

Another disc "accidently" found at an airport...............:rolleyes:



Info from Defense Review..........


The Remington Modular Sniper Rifle (MSR), which we covered in June 2009, is a modular, multi-caliber bolt-action sniper/anti-materiel rifle that can be chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum (.338LM, also written .338 LM), .338 Norma Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum (.300 Win. Mag), and 7.62mm NATO (7.62×51mm NATO) calibers, depending on the mission-specific requirement(s). It was specifically designed and developed to compete for the SOCOM (USSOCOM) Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) contract. If chosen, it could potentially replace the “currently-fielded Bolt Action SOF Sniper Systems (MK13, M40, M24).”

[ARH v.3.1]

You linked the same video as the previous post. Videos can also be embedded into the post so there is no reason to follow the link.

[buglerbilly]

Wrong video, this is the one that should have been in here.............

[buglerbilly]

From The Times January 18, 2010

Frontline troops in Afghanistan to receive ‘Sharpshooter’ rifles

Soldiers in Afghanistan will be issued with a new rifle this year. More than 400 Sharpshooter rifles which fire a 7.62mm round, are being bought as part of a £1.5 million “urgent operational requirement”, the Ministry of Defence said. Quentin Davies, the Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, said: “Troops in Afghanistan are already bristling with a variety of weapons. The Sharpshooter adds to this arsenal, and provides an additional, highly precise, long-range capability.”

The MoD said the weapons were the first new, infantry rifle in more than two decades. Colonel Peter Warden, a team leader at Defence, Equipment and Support said: “[This] has been bought to fulfil a specific role.”

[buglerbilly]

New Sharpshooter Rifle Added to Army's Arsenal

(Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued January 18, 2010)

A new rifle is being bought for troops in Afghanistan that will improve the long-range firepower available on the frontline, the Ministry of Defence announced today. The Sharpshooter rifle will fire a 7.62mm round and will enhance accuracy of engagement during longer-range firefights with the Taliban and this weapon will be used by some of the best shots in the Infantry.

The Sharpshooter will complement the already potent range of weapons used by our forces in Afghanistan, which includes:
-- SA80A2 assault rifles, which fires 5.56mm rounds;
-- Light Machine Guns, which fires 5.56mm rounds;
-- General Purpose Machine Guns, which fires 7.62mm bullets;
-- the Combat Shotgun, which fires 12-gauge shells;
-- the Sniper System, which fires 8.59mm bullets;
-- Javelin Weapons System, the integrated fire-and-forget missile system.

More than 400 of the semi-automatic Sharpshooter rifles have been bought as a £1.5M Urgent Operational Requirement. It is the first new Infantry combat rifle to be issued to troops for more than 20 years.

Training on the rifles will begin in mid January 2010 and the first batch will be sent to Afghanistan later in the year.

Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, said:

"Troops in Afghanistan are already bristling with a variety of weapons they can use when fighting the Taliban. The Sharpshooter rifle adds to this arsenal and provides them with an additional, highly-precise, long-range capability. This is a concrete example of where we add to our range of equipment to ensure our brave forces have the best kit available to them on the frontline."

Colonel Peter Warden, Light Weapons, Photographic and Batteries Team Leader at Defence, Equipment and Support, said:

"The Sharpshooter rifle is very capable and has been bought to fulfil a specific role on the frontline in Afghanistan. It is a versatile weapon which will give our units a new dimension to their armoury. It will complement the SA80A2 by adding to the weapons available to Commanders on the ground. The Sharpshooter's capabilities are also complementary to the current Sniper System.

"Initial feedback to the rifle has been very positive and the Army units deployed in Afghanistan are very keen to get their hands on it."

New sights to be bought for the Sharpshooter rifle include the ACOG 7.62 mm x 6 day sights made by Trijicon of the USA and Magnum Universal night sight sourced through Omni Tech Partners of the USA. Both sights are being bought by Beechwood, the UK agent and distributor for Trijicon and Omni Tech. Personal Laser Range Finders will be provided by Vectronix, Switzerland.

-ends-

[Xanadrew]

Interesting choice over the M110, 417 and SCAR. LMT would be right pleased with themselves.

[buglerbilly]

H&K has had a pretty clean sweep of things in the last 10-15 years or so, gaining the rifle refurb, AGL and GL contracts and a number of 417's variously reported to be with the RM and/or SAS/SBS......... FN has sold bucket loads of Para Minimi's

No one should really complain.............

[buglerbilly]

Ministry of Defence orders 'Bible guns' for soldiers in Afghanistan

Hundreds of gun sights ordered for British troops in Afghanistan are inscribed with coded biblical references, it has emerged.

By Matthew Moore, and Duncan Gardham

Published: 10:00PM GMT 19 Jan 2010

The equipment was purchased from an American manufacturer which yesterday confirmed that markings carried on the same brand of sights used by US marines related to New Testament verses.

The codes include JN8:12 and 2COR4:6, which point to passages from the books of John and Second Corinthians respectively.

The former states: "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

The MoD only announced its purchase of the Advanced Combat Optical Guides (ACOG) sights from Michigan-based firm Trijicon on Monday.

They were ordered as an accessory for 400 new Sharpshooter rifles due to go into service later this year. Quentin Davies, the defence minister, praised the weapons for their "highly-precise, long-range capability"

An MoD spokesman told The Daily Telegraph: “We were not aware at the time of purchase that these markings had any broader significance.

"Our priority is to buy the best performingequipment available on the market. In this case, Trijicon were selected as they offered the best performing optical sights. We are now exploring with Trijicon how best to proceed.”

One option could be to cover up or remove the references, which are printed in small letters between sight's model number and "Made in the USA".

News that US soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan were issued with weapons carrying Christian messages provoked a outcry from Muslims and secular campaigners.

The US government has been at pains to keep religious language out of military affairs since George W Bush infamously referred to the war against terror as a "crusade" in 2001.

American troops are banned from proselytising any faith while deployed in the two Islamic-majority countries.

The Second Corinthians passage referenced on the sights reads: "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

[Gubler, A.]

The equipment was purchased from an American manufacturer which yesterday confirmed that markings carried on the same brand of sights used by US marines related to New Testament verses.

News that US soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan were issued with weapons carrying Christian messages provoked a outcry from Muslims and secular campaigners.

It’s hard to tell who is dumber. The people who put these codes on the sights or those that are upset they are there…

Thousands of these ACOG sights are in service with the national armies of avowed Jewish and Muslim states. They don’t seem to care.

[buglerbilly]

Arms maker to remove 'biblical' gunsight messagesManufacturer to take off references to New Testament passages on kit used by British, US and New Zealand troops in Afghanistan

Daniel Nasaw in Washington

guardian.co.uk, Thursday 21 January 2010 23.11 GMT

A US arms manufacturer has agreed to remove coded biblical messages stamped into gun sights used by British, US and New Zealand troops in Afghanistan.

The company, Trijicon, said today it would remove the references to New Testament passages, after New Zealand military chiefs objected to their presence and the US military vowed to review the procurement.

The markings, which blend into the serial number and other product information stamped into the metal, include JN8:12, an apparent reference to John 8:12. The verse reads: "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Trijicon, founded by a devoutly Christian South African has acknowledged that the markings refer to biblical passages.

But the existence of explicitly Christian messages stamped on military kit used in a Muslim country risks raising tensions and fears that Nato and other western countries are engaging in a religious crusade. Furthermore, thousands of Muslims, Jews and agnostics serve in the US military, which prohibits proselytising by its members.

In a statement released today, the company said it would provide free kits to remove the messages.

The US military had pledged to review the purchase, although one military official was unperturbed, likening the citation to the "In God We Trust" motto that graces US currency. The UK Ministry of Defence said it was not aware of the message and bought the sights because they were the best available. The Church of England said the messages undermined the military effort.

The New Zealand military is examining ways to remove the messages.

"It's put us in an uncomfortable situation," said Major Kristian Dunne. "We can see how they would cause offence. We are unhappy they didn't make us aware of it. They didn't violate any policy but we consider them inappropriate. It also could be used against us by other religions."

New Zealand has about 220 troops in the international security assistance force in Afghanistan, mostly in the region surrounding Bamyan.

[Marc 1]

And just so we don't feel left out the ABC has been reporting the same mod will be done to our sights.

[buglerbilly]

Iron Ridge Arms…. a .308 built for precision.

January 27th, 2010 | Product Announcement | Posted by Stickman



I met Oliver from Iron Ridge Arms a few years ago, and ran into him again at SHOT this year. He is very dedicated to the idea of creating the most accurate magazine fed .308 battle rifle. He pointed out changes that he made from earlier receivers based on harmonics. Oliver also commented that he was now making his own barrel extensions because he couldn’t find ones that were good enough, and he had dialed in the available ones as a weak link.

We spoke a bit, and Oliver is gearing up to take on the big boys in the industry. With a reliable weapon that is highly accurate, his obsession to detail may be rocking the boat for a few other manufacturers in the near future. Check out his website for videos and more information.

[buglerbilly]

BURRIS High Tech Sights

By Aaron Rowe January 28, 2010 | 7:30 pm



Burris has built one of the most sophisticated rifle scopes we’ve ever seen. It has a laser rangefinder that can automatically adjust your sights to compensate for the fall of each bullet over long distances. Just point the crosshairs at the target, push a button on the side of the scope, and a bright red dot will show you exactly where the bullet will fall. We were able to easily hit targets at 400 and 700 meters without any experience at long-range rifle shooting. The scope has one hiccup: It has a hard time judging the distances of targets that are solid black.


Photos courtesy of Bryan William Jones

Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/01/high-tech-guns-digital-revolvers-koosh-bullets-and-triple-tasers/4/#ixzz0dxmm3tfZ

[buglerbilly]

More shots of the Iron Ridge rifle taken by SMG Lee at the Shot Show 2010..........




Iron Ridge build one of the best AR platform 308 lower money can buy, and now Iron ridge are building complete rifles for resell. According to the Oliver at Iron Ridge, the rifle on display has yield a better accuracy than the KAC M110 according to the Oliver at Iron Ridge. This far I know, my Iron ridge based Armalite Super SASS are a very accurate rifle shooting 3MOA at 300yrds with ease The gun is equipped with a Leupold LRT scope and shooting M118LR .

[buglerbilly]

Snipers Zero-In On Longer-Range Kills

Mar 2, 2010



By Pat Toensmeier
New York

In 1967, U.S. Marine Corps sniper Carlos Hathcock took a 2,250-meter (7,382-ft., or 1.4-mi.) shot in Vietnam and made the longest sniper kill ever. Hathcock’s record stood for 35 years until two Canadian snipers, operating in the Shah-i-Kot Valley of Afghanistan, set new marks for long-range kills on the same afternoon—2,310 and 2,430 meters, also with 50-caliber rifles, in both cases McMillan Tac-50 Long Range Sniper Weapons.

It is no surprise to some that Hathcock’s record was eclipsed twice on the same day in Afghanistan, or that in a few years more long-range, though not record-breaking kills would be claimed by British and American snipers in that country, and in Iraq.

A surge in long-range sniper accuracy is taking place. Part of this owes to the nature of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq where snipers play important roles. The terrain—mountains and valleys in Afghanistan, flat land and urban areas in Iraq—is also ideal for concealment and shooting.

Equipment, though, is the main factor. Higher-caliber weapons and ammunition developed for snipers, along with advanced telescopic sights and other instruments provide the ability to target and kill enemies at 1,500 meters or more, a substantial improvement in range. A sniper’s performance envelope is being significantly extended by this equipment, along with his tactical effectiveness.

The 50-caliber rifle, for example, is effective because its bullets have high muzzle velocity (around 2,800 fps.) that maintains trajectory and achieves an effective range of 2,000 meters. The rifle, though, is heavy (25-30 lb.) and not suited for every situation. Lighter rifles with few tradeoffs in power and range are as effective against most targets.

One such is the 338-caliber rifle. When paired with the Lapua magnum cartridge, which was designed for snipers, the 338 fires the bullet with muzzle velocity near 3,000 fps. Tom Irwin, director of Accuracy International (AI), a British manufacturer of sniper rifles, says the bullet stays supersonic to 1,400 meters and achieves “a flatter trajectory than anything else,” giving it “reasonable accuracy” to 2,000 meters.

Irwin sees a “clear movement” to the 338. AI won the U.K. Defense Ministry’s Sniper System Improvement Project (SSIP), and has delivered 852 model L115A3 rifles of this caliber to British forces since 2008. Last year, Cpl. Christopher Reynolds of the Black Watch recorded the longest British sniper kill in Afghanistan with one of the rifles, a 1,853-meter shot that took out a Taliban commander in Helmand Province.

The SSIP reflected dissatisfaction with the 308-caliber rifle. “Accuracy beyond 1,000 meters was not very good with the 308 (7.62 X 51 mm. NATO) round,” Irwin says, “primarily because the bullet goes subsonic just below [that distance]. Once subsonic, a bullet loses accuracy and range drops off dramatically.”

The U.S. could be the next to adopt the 338-caliber rifle on a large scale. Special Operations Command (SOC) was to release a solicitation in late February or March for the Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) program. SOC wants to replace the 308-caliber M24 and M40 and 300-caliber (Winchester Magnum) Mk 13 sniper rifles in use by, respectively, the Army, Marines and Navy. Initial specifications reflect developments in advanced sniper rifles: light weight (no more than 18 lb.), compact (52 in. maximum), easy to maintain (breakdown or assembly in less than 2 min.), reliable (1,000 mean rounds between failure) and accurate to 1,500 meters.

Another factor is high-tech optics. “The quality and power of optics are playing a more important role,” says Sylvia Ehinger, military sales and business development representative for U.S. telescopic sight maker Schmidt and Bender. “If you can’t see that far, you can’t hit your target.”

The PSR solicitation for optics was released in February, and Ehinger says the draft specification calls for 5-25X sights. Most sniper scopes, by contrast, use 4-16X sights.

There is demand for other enhanced optics such as thermal imagers that attach on a rail in front of the telescopic sight. Ehinger says that eventually telescopic sights will integrate ballistic calculators (now handheld) and laser rangefinders to improve accuracy. “Everything will be inside a scope.”

Some snipers might scoff at these developments, but like everything on the battlefield, they will be more effective with high-tech equipment. “The shots that are now amazing will become the norm with these technologies,” Ehinger says.

Photo: USMC

[buglerbilly]

Sniper Rifle Improvements to See Testing this Spring

(Source: U.S Army; issued March 4, 2010)

A lot more info than just Sniper rifles in this article............

WASHINGTON --- Candidates for an improved version of the Army's sniper rifle -- the M-24 -- are expected to go into testing this spring after industry reveals their efforts this month.

Industry was challenged to improve the M-24 sniper rifle, a weapon that has been in service since the 1980s, to make it more accurate and to make it more adjustable to the Soldier's needs, said Col. Douglas A. Tamilio, project manager, Soldier Weapons.

"So the Soldier, the sniper, can conform it to his body -- we'll have an adjustable stock, adjustable cheek welds," Tamilio said. "This weapons system has a five-round internal magazine. We're asking industry to do something better -- five-to-ten round external magazines."

The Army has also asked industry to improve the scope for the M-24, and that means zoom from 3x to 25x magnification, with a reticle that adjusts when the user changes magnification. Also, he said, add Picatinny rails for mounting sensors and optics.

The M-24 now is chambered for a 7.62mm round with a range to about 800 meters, Tamilio said. But he added that when the Army designed the weapon, it also accommodated a larger round, the .300 Win Mag. He said the improved M-24 will take advantage of that capability in order to realize greater accuracy.

It's expected the four industry competitors will supply their four improved M-24 candidates by March 11. Those will go into competitive tests in the spring. The Army will down select to a producer in the summer, and start fielding the improved M-24 to Army snipers in the fall.

Improving the M-24 will involve turning existing weapons over to a contractor and modifying that weapon. It's expected that turnaround time for that process will be 30 days.

The M-24 is not the only weapon PEO Soldier is looking to improve. In fact, the Army is taking a dual approach to getting a better carbine in the hands of Soldiers. The Army is looking to improve upon the M-4 Carbine currently fielded to Soldiers, through the M-4 Carbine Improvement Program. The Army is also asking industry to consider making a better, follow-on carbine, through the Individual Carbine Competition.

Tamilio said the Army is asking industry to find a way to make the M-4 Carbine easier for Soldiers to maintain, and to also improve its durability, accuracy and reliability.

The M-4 is already enjoying an improvement fielded to Soldiers now in Iraq and Afghanistan: a less jam-prone magazine.

"It's a significant improvement over the other magazines we've fielded," Tamilio said. "What that means to our Soldiers is, it's more reliable every time the weapon feeds into the chamber -- it's going to present itself in the same manner, consistently."

The new magazine is already fielded to Soldiers in combat overseas, and it features an improved spring and follower in the magazine that doesn't allow the magazine to jam. The Army will now field the magazine to Soldiers stateside as they prepare to deploy.

"The Army's goal is to issue every Soldier seven of these," he said, saying the service is producing more than a quarter million a month.

Army-driven improvements aside, the Army is in the final process of releasing to the field instructions to show Soldiers how best to camouflage their weapons using spray paint.

"We should issue out in the next couple of months an advisory message, I'll put it in PS Magazine, and we'll get it to the field and say hey it's okay to spray paint your weapon and here's how to do it," Tamilio said.

The instructions, he said, would include tips on paint choice to avoid generating toxic fumes from an overheated barrel, and tips to avoid paint in areas that could hamper the weapon's performance, or that could damage components like optics.

While an instruction on how to spray paint weapons for camouflage purposes is being released, authority to do so still comes from a Soldier's command, Tamilio said.

Weapons aren't the only systems the Army is improving. By the end of the month, three defense contractors are expected to deliver 60-each Ground Soldier System packages to the Army for testing.

The GSS is an integrated dismounted Soldier situational awareness system for use during combat operations. The system is currently in development and is based on lessons learned from development of the Ground Warrior system, said Col. Will Riggins, program manager, Soldier Warrior.

With the release of the testing equipment from contractors, the Army will, in a few months, go into developmental testing and limited user operational testing with the systems.

Ultimately one contractor will be chosen to build the system. To date, Riggins said contractors have developed their competing versions of the GSS with input from both the Army and from Soldiers with combat experience.

"All three have taken that Soldier feedback to heart and we have seen the changes during this development period," he said. "The light bulb started to come on when they heard it from a young Soldier who just got back from Afghanistan or from Iraq."

Soldiers who used earlier demonstration versions of the GSS complained of bulk and weight. Now, Riggins said, the contractors have responded, "they are going to cut down on that bulk."

Riggins also said the Army is "in the final phase right now of being able to drop that cable" that connects a helicopter pilot's head gear to an aircraft's intercom system.

The Aircraft Wireless Intercom System allows pilots to attach to the helicopter's intercom system without cables that can be cumbersome and potentially dangerous.

"That's going to be a very much improved capability and it's going to improve safety for us," Riggins said.

The AWIS is now actually being installed on UH-60 Black Hawks at Fort Belvoir, Va. for evaluation purposes. Riggins said eventually, the wireless systems would incorporate NSA-grade voice encryption to let voice data pass into Army networks in theater.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

One-shot wonders: sniper system technology emerges from call to arms

09 March 2010

50-calibre systems can provide significant kickback compared with lesser calibres. New semi-automatic rifle requirements specify that the weapon should maintain the sight picture between shots. (US DoD)Article ToolsFull Article for Subscribers

Although the deployment of snipers is increasingly common by both coalition forces and insurgent combatants as 'force multipliers', technology improvements have been slow over the past few years due to the global financial crisis and the relatively simple mechanics of such weapons.

Current operational scenarios run from urban overwatch and aerial support missions through to long-range engagements in arid mountainous terrain and these are all driving present and future requirements in the sniper market to varying degrees.

According to Barrett Firearms sales and marketing director Kyle Lynch, demand for existing systems and current technology is "strong, but fairly stable. Current systems are being replaced with similar or slightly upgraded technology. Countries with lesser developed sniper systems are upgrading as budgets allow".

He notes a wide-ranging variety of requirements, including urban overwatch operations where ranges may typically be only a few hundred metres, out to "extreme-range" engagements over 1,200 m in the arid, mountainous terrain of Afghanistan. The former scenario is a big factor in the growing adoption of semi-automatic weapons, Kyle explains, giving snipers a more rapid-firing capability.

Over recent years, small-arms manufacturers and ancillary specialists have been adding more rail adaptor systems, improved optics and counter-sniper detection aids to weapons in a bid to advance the development of sniper rifles. This also includes a definite trend towards semi-automatic systems, designed for rapid, multiple-target engagements.

There are a number of requirements that are slowly coming to fruition around the world, despite the generally slow nature of small-arms procurement programmes.

249 of 3584 words
Copyright © IHS (Global) Limited, 2010

[buglerbilly]

This rifle has seen a lot of use! MOST definitely NOT new..............LOL

[Riđđu]

This rifle has seen a lot of use! MOST definitely NOT new..............LOL


It is not new because based on serial number it was manufactured by Springfield Armory Inc. in 1959 or 1960.

[buglerbilly]

Royal Welsh snipers in firefight with Taliban

A Military Operations news article

21 Apr 10

British Army snipers from Fire Support Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh, have engaged with enemy insurgents in a firefight near Shahzad in south west Helmand.


A sniper keeps watch over the area around a checkpoint
[Picture: Corporal Lloyd, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]

Tasked with providing flanking protection for Army bomb disposal teams the Royal Welsh marksmen held insurgents back from positions in a towered compound as their colleagues moved through the area.

The action was part of building on the progress of Op MOSHTARAK.

The team had been tasked to secure a compound, but on patrolling towards the location they came under heavy fire from Taliban fighters.

One of the Royal Welsh snipers (Sniper 2) said:

"We left our patrol base just before first light towards the compound we wanted to go to and came under contact.

"We carried out our drills and observed, but couldn't see anyone so pushed on and that's when all hell broke loose. We were attacked by different weapons and people, so we moved under fire towards the compound."

The commander in charge of the team continued:

"Straight inside, after the complete adrenaline outside, we were expecting them [the insurgents] to be in the compound, but we were confronted by four children, an elderly man and his wife.

"The lads switched on straight away, cleared the compound of the locals and the interpreter dealt with them.

"From there I co-ordinated the snipers up onto the roof. As soon as they started observing we took fire from small arms, with shots hitting the compound wall to our front."

The snipers had to use their observation skills to clearly identify the insurgents from the locals.

Another of the snipers commented:

"Once we got up into the tower we identified the enemy with a weapon and distinguished between them and civilians who they were using as human shields at the time.

"We had sniper rifles, the .338, which is a precision weapon, so we were able to take clean shots without injuring any civilians."

Sniper 2 added:

"When I was observing, first of all I saw women and children. I was trying to find the firing points because they had been using 'murder holes', holes in walls which they've knocked out so they can stick their rifle through.

"I was checking the walls for that. At the end of the wall I saw an insurgent take a knee, raise his weapon up to his shoulder and fire a burst at our compound, so I took my aim, took my time with the shot, and engaged him."

[buglerbilly]

Darpa’s Super Sniper Scopes in Shooters’ Hands by 2011

By admin May 25, 2010 | 10:08 am | Categories: DarpaWatch



Earlier this month, a British Army sniper Corporal Craig Harrison broke the world’s record for super-accurate shooting, taking out a pair of Taliban machine gunners from a mile-and-a-half away. It was a one-in-a-million feat — one performed under “perfect” conditions, Harrison says: “no wind, mild weather, clear visibility.”

Darpa, the Pentagon’s way-out research arm, is hoping to use lasers and advanced optical systems to make other snipers Harrison-accurate, even when the winds are howling. The agency is looking for 15 ultra-precise sniper scopes to put in shooters’ hands by next year.

The “One Shot” program originally aimed to give snipers the power to hit a target from 2000 meters away in winds as high as 40 miles per hour. In the first phases of the three year-old program, shooters used prototype rifles dressed with lasers and fancy computer hardware to do damage from 1100 meters away in 18 mile-an-hour winds. The scope-mounted lasers can “see” wind turbulence in the path of the bullet and feed the data to computers, enabling real-time calculation of - and compensation for - the wind-blown trajectory.

The program is just one of several high-tech hardware upgrades the U.S. military is pursuing for its snipers. Plans are also in place to make bullets that can change course in mid-air and a stealth sniper scope that would make shooters all-but-invisible.

With initial demonstrations complete, the next step for One Shot is to make 15 “field-testable prototype, observation, measurement, and ballistic calculation system[s], which enable [s]nipers to hit targets with the first round, under crosswind conditions, up to the maximum effective range,” Darpa says in its program announcement. Total cost: $7 million. Darpa stresses that ”no alignment verification of the laser/crosswind optics to the spotting scope or calibration in-field should be required,” indicating that those early demos probably required a lot of tender loving care from the engineers who designed the systems. Lockheed Martin received $2 million to participate in the early phases of the program, and will presumably compete for the opportunity to make the rifles battle-ready.

What the agency really wants is a battle-ready system that doesn’t require tricky in-field optical alignment and fiddling with lasers. Night and day accuracy also means that the laser, which is used to help calculate and subtract wind turbulence between the predator and his prey, can’t be infrared. Enemies with night-vision goggles would see that from a mile away.

The program is slightly behind schedule. The original goal was to have production-ready scopes by Fall of 2009. With luck, Darpa will have its new super-sniper rifles by the fall of 2011.

– Olivia Koski is an intern at Wired’s New York offices. This is her first post for Danger Room.

[Photo: DoD]

Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/05/darpa-wants-super-sniper-rifles-in-shooters-hands-by-2011/#more-25239#ixzz0ox4ZruUc

[buglerbilly]

DARPA Awards Lockheed Martin $3.9M Contract to Develop Advanced Rifle Scope for Soldiers

AKRON, Ohio, May 26th, 2010 -- The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a $3.93 million contract to develop a rifle-scope attachment to enhance soldiers’ marksmanship capabilities.

The Dynamic Image Gunsight Optic or DInGO system will enable soldiers to accurately view targets at varying distances without changing scopes or suffering a decrease in optical resolution. The system will enhance soldiers’ ability to accurately hit targets at a range of between three and 600 meters.

DInGO automatically calculates the range with a low power laser rangefinder, digitally zooms in on it and accounts for environmental conditions such as wind using sensors built into the scope. It then projects the bullet’s point-of-impact calculated from the embedded ballistics computer.

“Current scopes are optimized for a single target range, impacting soldiers’ effectiveness and survivability when engaging targets at different distances during a single mission,” said Dan Schultz, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems & Sensors Ship & Aviation Systems business. “DInGO will solve this problem, significantly increasing soldiers’ ability to rapidly reconfigure optics for use from short to long ranges and improving marksmanship capabilities for all soldiers.”

DInGO is based on Lockheed Martin’s One Shot Advanced Sighting System, which utilizes similar precision engagement technology to automatically transmit crosswind information to a long-range sniper’s scope and modify the crosshairs to display exactly where the bullet will strike.

DARPA awarded Lockheed Martin an 18-month, $9.7 million contract in 2008 to integrate One Shot’s new crosswind measurement technology into a prototype spotter scope – a small telescope that is carried by sniper teams and is used to bring far-away objects into close view. During tactical field tests in December 2009, snipers were able to engage targets twice as quickly and increase their probability of a first-round hit by a factor of two using the One Shot technology at distances beyond 1,000 meters.

The nine-month Phase 1 contract, with options for additional phases, calls for Lockheed Martin to develop the DInGO system for use on the M-4 and M-16 automatic rifles. Work will be performed at Lockheed Martin’s Akron, Ohio, site, which has a strong track record for developing laser technology for ship and airborne infrared countermeasures, communications, wind correction and active sensing.

[buglerbilly]

Army Awards Contracts for Configurable Extended Range Sniper Rifle

By Scott R. Gourley in Land Forces under Defense Technology, Featured, News with no comments



As noted in several recent YiD news reports, the past year has witnessed significant joint service interest in sniper ammunition, terminal effects on target, and the small arms sniper weapons themselves.

Among that weapons program interest was a Configurable Extended Range Sniper Rifle (CERSR) from U.S. Army Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Command offices at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J.

In late July 2009, service representatives at Picatinny revealed their interest in “determining the state of the art/state of the practice of readily available (non-developmental) firearms that could serve as a [CERSR].”

“The purpose of conducting this survey as part of a research effort is to identify potential sources of different types of CERSR candidate weapons that will extend a Snipers [sic] effective range when engaging personnel targets beyond current 7.62×51mm and .300 Winchester Magnum (Win Mag) based platforms and ammunition while also providing the option of reconfiguring the rifle to fire 7.62×51mm and .300 Win Mag cartridges currently available to U.S. Armed Forces,” the announcement read. “The overarching objective of this CERSR research effort is to ascertain 1) the viability of a rifle/cartridge materiel combination that will maximize personnel size target probability of hit and ensure lethality at various ranges out a minimum of 1500 meters and 2) if the platform can be configured to meet the operational needs of military Snipers (i.e. weight, size, user interface, and caliber flexibility) based on Mission, Enemy, Terrain and weather, Troops available, Time (METT-TC) and Rules Of Engagement (ROE) considerations. In addition, the government seeks to characterize the effects of changes on such things as weapon shooter interface design features, weight, barrel length/twist characteristics, cartridge performance, ease of reconfiguration, component alignment repeatability, and overall physical dimensions.”

Against that background, the July 2009 announced specific candidate criteria, including design readiness level, caliber, configurability, sound suppressor, stock/chassis, MIL-STD mounting rails, and day optic.

In the case of caliber, for example, the stated criteria described a candidate SERSR “Chambered to accommodate a .338 caliber cartridge, however, .338 cartridge configuration is open to any commercially available variant and bullet weight (See FAR 2.101 Commercial item) and also capable of reconfiguration to chamber 7.62×51mm NATO STD ammunition particularly M118LR (DODIC AA11) and .300 Win Mag (DODIC A191) cartridges.”

Another criteria noted that the design would be “Configured with one (1) sound suppressor and applicable interface hardware capable of tool less attachment to and removal from 7.62×51mm, .300 Win Mag, and .338 caliber rifle barrels. Sound suppressor shall not shift point of impact by more than two (2) minutes of angle in all calibers. Impact shift direction shall be consistent when removing and reattaching the suppressor.”

This survey will provide insight to the government on the trade-offs associated with integrated CERSR rifle design, reconfiguration advantages, and cartridge configuration,” the market survey stated. “Interested responders should provide a description of their weapon system(s) including technical specifications (e.g. overall length, barrel length(s) and associated rifling characteristics (i.e. twist rate and direction, type of rifling, number of grooves), loaded/unloaded weight, firing rate) along with any additional information the responder deems necessary to describe the physical characteristics and performance of the system.”

Nine months after that market survey, in late April 2010, U.S. Army Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Command representatives announced multiple industry awards under the CERSR program, reflecting another major milestone in the path toward eventual service acquisition and fielding.

As announced on April 22, 2010, the CERSR contractor awardees included: Remington Arms Company, Inc; Sig Sauer Inc; Accuracy International of North America Inc; Desert Tactical Arms; and Ashbury International Group, Inc.

[buglerbilly]

Royal Marines are first to use new Sharpshooter rifle in Helmand

An Equipment and Logistics news article

7 Jun 10

The first new infantry combat rifle to be issued to troops for more than 20 years has arrived in Afghanistan and is being used by Royal Marines from 40 Commando.


The new Sharpshooter rifle
[Picture: Andrew Linnett, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

The Sharpshooter rifle fires a 7.62mm round and enhances accuracy of engagement during longer-range firefights.

The Sharpshooter's considerable range takes it into the realm of sniper territory, but it requires far less training, being more similar to the standard service rifle than the highly-specialised weapons used by those in the sniper profession:

Royal Marine Sergeant Baz Evans of 40 Commando said:


"I have fired over 1,000 rounds on the rifle in training; accurately hitting targets over 800 metres away. The new Sharpshooter rifle provides quick and accurate fire, with the flexibility of using it in the assault rifle role as well. It's hoofing."

More than 400 of the semi-automatic L129A1 Sharpshooter rifles have been bought as an Urgent Operational Requirement.

The Sharpshooter complements the already potent range of weapons used by our forces in Afghanistan, which includes:

SA80 A2 assault rifles, which fire 5.56mm rounds;
Light Machine Guns, which fire 5.56mm rounds;
General Purpose Machine Guns, which fire 7.62mm bullets;
the Combat Shotgun, which fires 12-gauge shells;
the Sniper System, which fires 8.59mm bullets;
the Javelin Weapons System - the integrated fire-and-forget missile system.

Colonel Peter Warden, Light Weapons, Photographic and Batteries Team Leader at Defence Equipment and Support, said:


"The Sharpshooter rifle is very capable and has been bought to fulfil a specific role on the front line in Afghanistan. It is a versatile weapon which will give our units a new dimension to their armoury. It will complement the SA80 A2 by adding to the weapons available to commanders on the ground. The Sharpshooter's capabilities are also complementary to the current Sniper System."

[buglerbilly]

USA Fielding M110 7.62mm Semi-Auto Sniper Rifle

09-Jun-2010 14:30 EDT


XM110 Rifle, firing:

Article from DiD............

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 XM110 SASS

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.

The XM110 originally arose as units complained about their low ability to engage light-skinned vehicles, and to shoot through basic urban obstacles. More than a few units turned to captured Soviet-era 7.62×39mm or 7.62×54mm weapons, or old American 7.62×51mm M14s for this purpose, but those were just expedients. Given the twin importance of stopping power and snipers, soldiers asked for an accurate 7.62 mm NATO caliber marksman’s weapon, that could also be used in a close urban fight. The American requirement for a new semi-automatic sniper system was released at the end of 2004, and drew formal responses from 5 candidate systems.

In the end, the SASS contract was awarded in late September 2005 to Knight’s Armament Company of Titusville, FL, who submitted a modified version of the 7.62×51mm Mk11 MOD0 weapon that was descended from their SR-25 and used by Navy SEAL teams.


M110

Unlike previous sniper rifles such as the M24, which have mostly been bolt-action weapons, the 7.62mm XM110 Semi-Automatic Sniper system (SASS) offers a higher rate of fire thanks to its semi-auto action, and 10 or 15-round magazines. A metal tube that fits covers the rifle’s 20” barrel and significantly reduces the weapon’s observable signature when fired. It dissipates the tell-tale blast, and eliminates the blatantly obvious cloud of dust that would otherwise rise off the ground in locations like Iraq and Afghanistan.

Changes from the Mk11 MOD0 include the above-mentioned suppressor that changes the dynamics but not point of aim/point of impact; buttstock changes; different mounting rails; different trigger components; an ambidextrous safety selector; different weapon color; “drag bags”; carrying cases; and shipping containers.

The M110 rifle weighs 7 kg/ 16 pounds without its magazine, and the complete system has a new sniper-spotting scope (Mark 4/ XM151) manufactured by Leupold. “We’re also qualifying the XM151 spotting scope that has the same reticle in it that the sniper sees in the Mark 4 scope on the XM110,” said Army product manager Lt. Col. Kevin P. Stoddard back in July 2006. Both scopes are manufactured by Leupold, and the new spotting scope will make the spotter mission easier when the team is operating with other sniper weapons.

Subsequent experience in Afghanistan would add even more weight to these decisions. The range limitations of 5.56mm weapons have made themselves felt, and captured 7.62mm Russian/Chinese designs generally have accuracy issues. The problem is leading to basic infantry shifts like fielding more 7.62mm M240 machine guns in place of 5.56mm M249 Minimis, and doubling the number of 7.62mm NATO caliber M14 EBR rifles per infantry squad to 2. The M110s could also begin to play a role in these tactical developments, if they are supplied in quantity to squad designated marksmen, as well as dedicated sniper teams.

Contracts & Key Events


M110 Sniper Team

Unless otherwise specified, all contracts are managed by the US Army TACOM contracting Center in Rock Island, IL, and involve Knight’s Armament Co. in Titusville, FL

June 9/10: A $9 million firm-fixed-price contract for 803 M110 semi-automatics sniper weapon systems. Work is to be performed in Titusville, FL with an estimated completion date of June 30/11. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W52H09-10-C-0061).

[buglerbilly]

Couple of nice shots of the new Sharpshooter rifle in use by RM's in the current deployment to Afghanistan............


Royal Marines from 40 Commando undertake a patrol in Afghanistan's Helmand province


40 Commando Royal Marines' Corporal Tony Galacki (right) with the Sharpshooter rifle and Marine Ross Williamson (left) with the general purpose machine gun during a patrol in Sangin, Helmand

[Both Pictures: Corporal Barry Lloyd, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]

Note the body armour in the new camo pattern

[pdf27]

Has the helmet shape changed too? Mine doesn't have that step over the ears...

[buglerbilly]

It's not noticeable in the shots with some troops but this sans-camo cover shot from last year may explain?


Mark 7 helmet and Osprey body armour being posed..........

[dan891]

It's a recent (09 IIRC) modification - Mk.6A? I think it is Afghanistan only at the minute.

[buglerbilly]

Mark 6A is a heavier edition of mark 6 with the same shape. Mark 7 intro's the step-down "Fritz" shape 5,000 units issued to Afghanistan in September 2009 and a further 5,000 this Spring..........all info from the MoD

[buglerbilly]

Here's another shot of the Mark 7, shows the helmet form much better...................




The Mk 7 Helmet, Up Close and Personal

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

US manufacturer Wilcox Industries had a brand new British AC900/600 helmet on display at AUSA. The AC900/600 has been designated as the Mk 7 for use as an interim measure while PECOC refines development of an entirely new suite of individual equipment for the British Tommie. You can see from the display the full advantage of the scalloped brim when used with Night Vision Systems. This was one of the driving reasons behind the interim adoption of modified variant of the AC900/600 helmet worn by UKSF on CT role. Wilcox had the helmet due to a recent development effort in support of the MoD. This also demonstrates Wilcox’s excellent capability to integrate seemingly disparate systems into a cohesive capability in rapid order.

[buglerbilly]

Sniper scope from Sagem (Safran) - from yesterday's Field Day at Eurosatory



I'll post details when I have them but again that sucker looks heavy...................

[Raven22]

Twas very bored today (was told today that I've been stabbed to stay at Pucka for another five weeks - woohoo...) and found some interesting pictures on the defence website. It seems the special types have got some fancy new bang sticks to go with their trendy new duds. Looks like the bloke below is carrying an M-14 EBR, which I haven't seem them using before. I'd heard the SR-25 wasn't all that popular except as a sniper rifle, but didn't know they'd bought something else to be their new long range weapon. It also looks like the've had a look in the Magpul catalog and ordered themselves some new stocks, magazines, foregrips and pistol grips for their M-4s too. Gotta love those defence credit cards.

I've only posted the low-res pics. Go to the link for the hi-res jobbies. http://www.defence.gov.au/op/afghanistan/gallery/2010/20100616/index.htm

M14 EBR





Guccified M4

[Deks]

Well, what did they expect (re SR25). From what I heard LEA/DMO was saying SF didn't want it, but they bought it anyway. Apparently you're only supposed to put 20-30 rounds through one before waiting 30 minutes for it to cool down, not sure if this is the exception or the rule for those type of weapons.

In other somewhat similar news, it's being alleged that US SF has shown a preference for the SCAR-H, not sure if this'll change procurement numbers though. Was looking for where I read this, couldn't find it though.

[Raven22]

Did a bit of poking around and it turns out that small numbers of EBRs have been loaned by the Yanks as an interim and for trials. I wish the conventional forces were allowed to do the same sometimes.

[Goknub]

If theres a need for a 7.62 rifle I can't see why they don't have a look at the new SLRs. And if I remember correctly the 2012 Platoon is getting a heavy team/section so it could make sense to combine a purchase with SF (yeah I know, not a chance).

Here's the modern SLR:

[buglerbilly]

Troops Still Waiting on Tech That Sniffs Out SnipersUpdated: 2 days ago

Sharon Weinberger

AOL News (June 22) -- Military bureaucracy strikes again: Most U.S. troops are still waiting on a device that can rapidly pinpoint the source of gunfire seven years after Army leaders first called for putting the technology in the field.

Called the Soldier Wearable Acoustic Targeting System (SWATS), the iPod-sized device uses acoustic sensors to detect the direction of gunshots. Though the technology is potentially lifesaving, it is still largely winding its way through the Pentagon's Byzantine procurement process, USA Today reports.

According to USA Today's timeline, the need for such technology was identified in 2003, but it took about six years to get the $50 million needed to buy the devices into the budget. Then it took another year for the Army to actually place the
Though the Army has started equipping units in Afghanistan with SWATS, it doesn't expect to deliver all the devices to soldiers in the field for another two years.


Robert Nickelsberg, Getty Images for The New York Times
U.S. troops have been waiting seven years for a device that can rapidly pinpoint the source of gunfire. Here, U.S. troops run back to their vehicles after a missile strike on an Iraqi sniper in a building north of the wall in Sadr City in Baghdad in May 2008.

While roadside bombs remain the leading killer of U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan, the military has reported a sharp rise in the number of deaths from small-arms fire.

Many of the delays in the SWATS rollout appear to be caused simply by normal military procurement procedures, which require a series of approvals and formal documentation. However, the Army has defended its handling of the process, noting the various steps are needed to ensure that the appropriate equipments gets to the field.

"There's a lot of evaluation that has to be done," Army spokesman Lt. Col. Jimmie Cummings told USA Today. "Are you providing soldiers with the right technology? Do you give every soldier one, or does every unit get so many? If you're providing more than is required on the battlefield or if it's not the right technology, you waste taxpayers' money."

SWATS isn't the only gunshot-detection device the troops want. Among the documents obtained by USA Today was an urgent request from the Army in 2009 for additional countersniper equipment, including the Boomerang, a gunshot-detection system that is installed on vehicles.

So far more than 5,000 Boomerang systems are in the field in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to BBN Technologies, the Raytheon subsidiary that makes the device.

[buglerbilly]

Clean shot of an Operational copy of the new Sharpshooter rifle called "Lewis Sharpshooter Rifle?"

[buglerbilly]

Range it in With Your iPhone

by christian on July 12, 2010



There have been a handful of iPhone applications developed for tactical applications, including a shot counter SISiPhoneApps and long range shooting calculator from Knights Armament.

Well another one drifted across my desk this morning from what looks like is a lone-wolf app developer called the Mil-Dot Rangefinder.

Basically it looks to me like the app gives you a mirror image of your long-range scope and allows you to input variables to range and calculate your target based on what you’re seeing.

Mil-Dot Rangefinder for the iPhone takes the math out of ranging targets using a mil-dot scope. Real-time calculations provide instant range measurements in both yards and meters. The simple interface allows for one handed operation and eliminates any need to manually type any measurements to range a target.

I’m not a long-range shooter and haven’t worked with military-grade scopes, but it looks to me like at least the so-called “Pro Edition” of the app has a bunch of features that any one-shot killer would be looking for:

1.-Full featured ballistics calculator
2.-Fast windspeed/direction adjustment.
3.-Range card (ballistics chart)
4.-Point of impact indicator
5.-Bullet drop compensator
6.-Realtime windage/elevation hold readings
7.-Time to target
8.-Remaining velocity
9.-Remaining energy
10.-Multiple Ballistic Profiles
11.-Fast Unit Of Measure Switching

The application is actually pretty cheap, at $4.99 for the pro edition. I’d love to hear impressions from readers on how this app looks and works.


Preview of Mil-Dot Rangefinder Pro 2.0 external ballistics app for the iPhone/iPod Touch.
www.mildotrangefinder.com

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz0tTSP4T6a

[buglerbilly]

Meet the Mk-20 Sniper Support Rifle

by christian on July 13, 2010



It’s not the Mk-17 SCAR-H…

It isn’t the Mk-16 SCAR-L…

It sure as heck ain’t the Mk-13 ESGR…

So what is this mystery weapon SOCOM says its going to purchase out of the ashes of the crumbling Socom Combat Assault Rifle program? There’s just one line devoted to the “sniper varient” of the SCAR in the original solicitation back in October 2003.


Both the SCAR-L and H will possess the capability for barrel modularity and thus will be available in the following variants: Standard (S), Close Quarters Combat (CQC) and Sniper Variant (SV). The SV can be a modular enhancement or a separate weapon.

Few specifics on what SOCOM wanted, but it looks as if the Mk-20 is here to stay.

According to FNH-USA, the Mk-20 “is a tailored design for long-range precision fire applications while also providing capability to fight close in.”

The design is based on the 7.62-firing Mk-17 SCAR Heavy with an enhanced barrel, precision stock and an extended rail, among other whistles and bells…


It features an enhanced trigger requiring no adjustments that is rugged enough for field use but precise enough for long-range target engagement. The proprietary barrel extension and barrel profile improve accuracy, and the fully-adjustable non-folding stock enables the operator to optimize the rifle for firing position and body type.

BTDTs who’ve used it seem to like it as well…


As for the SCAR-H SSR, I fire it at the last Shot Show, I felt it fired very well and the accuracy was there. I have a buddy that was part of the test for SCAR SSR in Jan and he had a lot of good things to say about it. It is a much better gun than the SASS

Let us know what any users out there think about it and we’ll keep you posted on where this program is going. Also check out some pics of the commercial version of the rifle from our friends at The Firearm Blog.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz0tbmCipjn

The Firearms Blog article..................

FN SCAR-H PR (Precision Rifle)

The SCAR-H PR (Precision Rifle) show below has an extra rail for accessories (this one is with the KAC front sight, but future models will have front sight integrated into the rail), a heavy 20" barrel, new two-stage adjustable trigger and a 6-positon buttstock with ergonomic butt plate and new adjustable and nonslip cheek piece.

The USSOCOM version will be tan and called Mk 20 Mod 0.

[buglerbilly]

EMA Introduces Programmable Pop Up Target

by christian on July 15, 2010



EMA Tactical has developed a new pop up target system that instructors can program to go down with specific hit counts, hit areas or time (5.56 detractors’ll love this feature).

This remotely controlled computerized target system allows the operator to program how long the target remains in an upright position based on time and or number of hits.

The target comes with a rechargable battery and can be armored for rifle shooting and can even be operated with a remote for long-range sniping practice.

There are three styles of targets, single area targets, two area targets with a body and a periphery, and three area targets with a head, a body and a periphery. For example, with the different target styles, the range instructor can program the system to stay upright for 2 seconds or 1 hit to the head portion of the target and 2 hits to the body portion.

EMA tactical says the actual target plates will last about 300 rounds before needing to be replaced. Looks like a step above the old steel plate pop ups — but will this thing deliver the satisfying “ping” of a traditional one? For $2,500 it’d better!

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz0to8f9rIk

[buglerbilly]

50cal BMG Shell Carrier

The Shaddox Tactical 50 cal BMG Shell Carrier is a simple, convenient, and secure way to carry ten rounds of 50 cal BMG ammo. Each carrier is a stiffened nylon sheet with elastic loops designed to carry ten rounds of .50 cal BMG. They measure 6 inches wide by 8 inches tall and are designed to fit into a standard USGI SAW gunner ammo pouch or similar sized pouch or cargo pocket. The Shell Carriers have a loop handle to make removal from pouch or pocket easier. The open face design allows the shooter to identify their rounds and select specific rounds for specific targets.

Price USD$25.00

[buglerbilly]

Via the Soldier Systems Blog..............

Zel Custom Manufacturing Introduces the Tactilite T2

August 28th, 2010 Zel Custom Manufacturing introduces the Tactilite T2, a magazine-fed, bolt-action .50 BMG conversion for AR-15 style rifles. The T2 utilizes a side-mounted magazine design (similar to a Sten gun) on Zel Custom’s unique steel billet upper receiver. As a “firearms accessory”, the Tactilite T2 .50 BMG conversion kit requires no special paperwork, background check, or waiting period. (This latter comment applies to the USA only!)



“The T2 was developed in response to law enforcement feedback to our single-shot T1,” said Michael Brendzel, president of Zel Custom Manufacturing. “However, consumer demand has already exceeded expectations.”

The T2 receiver is CNC-machined from solid 4140 steel bar stock, heat treated for greater strength and durability, and features an integrated scope rail, for superior accuracy. The T2 comes standard with a 7075 aluminum quad-rail, black CeraKote finish and one 5-round Accuracy International magazine. Available options include choice of Mossberg or Lothar-Walther barrels, choice of barrel contour and choice of right- or left-handed receiver. Prices start at $2298.

Tactilite T2 and Tactilite T1 (single-shot) uppers are available from Zel Custom, Brownell’s, RSR Group, AcuSport, Amchar Wholesale and Vance Law Enforcement Supply.

http://www.tactilite.com/

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems and the AAC Blogs.............





Remington (7.62mm) Semi-Auto Sniper System

September 20th, 2010 AAC’s Blog recently featured a couple of photos of the new Remington Semi-Auto Sniper System. Interesting features include a collapsible side charging handle on the upper receiver as well as the new style of forearm finding its way on to all of Remington’s tactical firearms.

[buglerbilly]

Via Army Times Gearscout...........

Army Upgrades M24 sniper system to .300 WinMag; Army snipers smile, wince

September 20th, 2010 | Contracts | Posted by Rob Curtis



The Army today awarded a contract valued at up to $28.2m for Remington to upgrade up to 3600 fielded M24 sniper rifles from 7.62mm NATO to .300 Winchester Magnum. PM Soldier Weapons began the competition back in January, 2010, and has made other changes beyond the upgrade to .300 WinMag as outlined below (from Remington’s press release) to come up with the new M24E1 Sniper Weapon System:

• A completely new chassis (stock) assembly, which maximizes the amount of physical adjustments for the sniper to provide a true customized fit. The chassis has a folding buttstock that radically shortens the system for easier transport and greater concealment during movement and accommodates the mounting of accessories via removable Mil Std 1913 Picatinny Rails.

• An improved 6.5-20×50 variable power Leupold riflescope with an enhanced reticle within the first focal plane and a .300 Winchester Magnum bullet-drop compensator (BDC)

• A quick-attach/detach Advanced Armament Corp. suppressor with muzzle brake

• A 5-round detachable box magazine

• Advanced corrosion resistant coatings throughout the system

Photo courtesy Remington

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems, reading matter, NOT a gun..........not sure of the content but IF anyone buys it and reads it let us know what you think......

Sniper – A New Book from Gina Cavallaro and Matt Larsen



September 21st, 2010

Army Times writer Gina Cavallaro and the Father of Army Combatives Matt Larsen present “Sniper: American Single-Shot Warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan”, available this month from The Lyons Press. Both authors brings years of experience but from different perspectives to tell the tale of America’s military snipers as they prosecute the war on terror, one shot at a time. They also delve into the equipment and training of our nation’s elite marksmen. 240 pages – paperback

Barnes & Noble

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Sniper/Matt-Larsen/e/9781599218557/

Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Sniper-American-Single-Shot-Warriors-Afghanistan/dp/1599218550/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284994981&sr=8-1

[buglerbilly]

More on the M24 Upgrade..........from Kit Up!

Remington Reveals Army’s Updated Sniper Rifle

by christian on September 22, 2010



The blogs are abuzz over the Army’s new contract for rebuilds of the venerable, bolt-action M24 sniper rifle after PEO Soldier requested radical changes last year.

Our friends at Soldier Systems and The Firearms Blog had the details first, but we want to make sure to reacquaint our readers with the debate and the requirements as put forth by the PEO for Soldier Weapons, Lt. Col. Dough Tamilio, when we spoke with him back in March.

Indeed the new “rebuild” — which basically looks like a whole new rifle — puts on an AR-style forearm, an EBR-like adjustable stock, a Mk-25-esque lower (but with a collapsable bolt handle) and a new “reach out and touch you” caliber of the .300 WinMag.

The Army signed a $28 million contract on Sept. 20 for Remington to rebuild 3,600 M24s into the new M24E1 standard.

Our good friends at Tactical-Life.com have some inside gouge on why the Army made its shift.

The need for the M24E1 was first identified by in 2006 by 10th Mountain Division soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Once the military identified the need, Senator Charles Schumer and Representative Michael Arcuri led the effort in Congress to ensure that the program received crucial funding in 09 and 10.

Trials for award of the contract began with an open competition in January of this year and lasted nine months. With Remington winning the award, the upgrading process will now begin in earnest.

Tamilio said back in March that the range of the 7.62/308 M24 was a concern in the Afghan fight, and that the service had decided on the .300 WinMag after some close evaluations. That’ll raise the hackles of .338 Lapua fans (and their British allies) who say that’s the record-shot holding round, after all…

But Remington has preempted that debate by allowing the “Modular Sniper Rifle” to transform easily from a .300 WinMag to a .338 Lapua or a 7.62 shooter.

And I’m sure we’ll hear lots of “what’s wrong with the good ‘ole M-14″ banter as well.

But what’s done is done. Now, we’d love to hear from one-shot-killers out there who’ve seen or used the M24E1. What do you think?

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz10J3kVtqv

Comments............

Diz · 5 hours ago

Ummm...am I the only one to run the absurd numbers on these rifles. For $28mn for 3600 rifles that comes out to be $7778 dollars a rifle. Granted, this didn't mention if the money included a new scope which can help run the price up. Nonetheless, even with a nice Nightforce we are looking at around a $5000 upgrade. I'm trying to think of all the rifles I can buy at $5000 that shoot sub-MOA and there are plenty that come in at a whole lot less. Thus, to answer the question of Senator Schumer, this isn't so much an anti-gun conspiracy but a way for him to bring in 28mn to his constituents.

4 replies · active 5 hours ago +1 Vote up Vote down

charles taylor · 5 hours ago

The price includes the chassis, the scope, and the suppressor.

So that's actually not that bad.
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charles taylor · 5 hours ago

To add further to it being not that bad is the fact that the Titan-QD suppressor that is included in this kit costs 3.5k itself, so that's half the price right there.
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Bob · 4 hours ago

For 3600 suppressors, plus spares they could bring the price down a whole bunch. This smakes of $300 hammers and $600 toilet seats. You can have a sub quarter minute of angle rifle custom built for around $3K. Ordering in quanity brings the cost down considerable. We are not talking hi-tech and rare metals here, we are talking essentialy a bolt action rifle. Trust our government to pay twice what something is actually worth. After all its only the hardworking taxpayers money.
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Diz · 2 hours ago

I did forget about the suppressor. Still, that puts this in the range of a $4000 "upgrade." Considering that you can buy a Remington PSS in .300 for about a grand, that gives the Army $3000 of wiggle room for a new stock, mount rings, etc. I understand that this is a new lower and everything but I'm sure that the rifles could have come in at around $5000 in total. I would say that for a rifle rebuild, that is very generous.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2010/09/remington-reveals-armys-updated-sniper-rifle.html#comments#ixzz10J5W9g1u

[buglerbilly]

The linked Tactical Life article.............

Remington’s M24E program approved by the U.S. Army.

Written by Tom Beckstrand.

After 20-plus years of active duty service, the M-24 gets is needed update.

THE CONTRACT’S SCOPE AND PURPOSE

The U.S. Army recently announced the award of the M-24E contract to Remington Arms Company. The award of this contract allows for the upgrade of 3,600 Sniper Weapons.

Remington has produced almost 15,000 M24s since the birth of the Army’s program in the late 80’s and the rifle has remained largely unchanged since its inception. The M24E1 program will take this venerable sniping icon and rebarrel it in .300 Winchester Magnum, include a side-folding modular chassis, detachable box magazine, first focal plane scope and suppressor. The process is allowed to take 5 years and has a potential value of $28.2 million.

WHY NOW?

The need for the M24E1 was first identified by in 2006 by 10th Mountain Division soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Once the military identified the need, Senator Charles Schumer and Representative Michael Arcuri led the effort in Congress to ensure that the program received crucial funding in 09 and 10.

Trials for award of the contract began with an open competition in January of this year and lasted nine months. With Remington winning the award, the upgrading process will now begin in earnest.

M24E1 SPECIFICATIONS

Remington’s new M24E has a modular chassis known as the RACS (Remington Arms Chassis System) with a buttstock that folds to the right, encapsulating the bolt handle and proving useful in military operations that require a smaller profile (like getting into and out of a vehicle) while also creating a “slick” side on the left side of weapon. The chassis features an adjustable length of pull, adjustable comb and is set up to accommodate a number of night vision and IR devices with cable routing guides to minimize the clutter of wires that can be an issue with electro-optics and pressure pads, and removable modular rail pieces that can be used when needed and taken off when not required..

The Remington M24E features a 5 –rd detachable box magazine to facilitate quick reloads. The M24E rifles also have a 24-inch barrel and feature a 1:10 twist rate. The barrels will be hammer forged from 416R stainless and have 5R rifling. The M24E has Leupold’s bold new 34mm tubed 6.5-20×50 scope. Attached to the end of the barrel is Advanced Armament Corporation’s titanium suppressor. The suppressor features inconel baffles and a titanium body. AAC was recently purchased by Remington to ensure functional parity between the two systems.

“We are honored to be providing US soldiers with the M24E1 solution – an evolutionary leap in precision engagement capability and survivability.” Noted Jason Schauble, Vice President of Remington’s Defense Division, “Remington has made significant investments in manufacturing modernization, end-user driven research and development, and complementary technologies to provide a wide range of reliable, durable and maintainable small arms solutions, and the M24E1 award is a significant achievement for our company and its proud US workforce.”

[buglerbilly]

Mega Machine Shop .308 MA-TEN

September 27th, 2010 | Product Announcement | Posted by Stickman

Mega Machine Shop continues their push into the weapon market with their new .308 billet upper and lower receiver combination called the MA-TEN. While their are other complete .308 weapons available, MEGA seems to be concentrating on the builder with this offering. The ability to use a broad variety of parts is an obvious benefit.





Remainder of article here.............

http://militarytimes.com/blogs/gearscout/2010/09/27/mega-machine-shop-308-ma-ten/

[buglerbilly]

Pentagon Contract Announcement

(Source: U.S Department of Defense; issued September 29, 2010)

Teledyne Scientific & Imaging, LLC, is being awarded a $25,446,843 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (HR0011-09-C-0016).

The goal of the Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance (EXACTO) system is to produce a guided, actively controlled 50-caliber sniper rifle system with significantly improved range and accuracy over the current systems.

This modification awards Phase II of the effort, in which Teledyne will continue execution of the technology development assessment plan, and conduct detailed design, fabrication, and live fire test of the EXACTO prototype system.

Work will be performed in Thousand Oaks, Calif. (25.2 percent); Plymouth, Minn. (23.8 percent); Merrimack, N.H. (15.7 percent); Cambridge, Mass. (13.6 percent); San Diego, Calif. (10.3 percent); Phoenix, Ariz. (7.9 percent); Huntsville, Ala. (3.2 percent); and Livermore, Calif. (0.3 percent). The work is expected to be completed by Sept. 24, 2012.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is the contracting activity.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

This is the formal contract announcement, an initial 250 Upgraded Rifles.............

Remington to Upgrade Army M24 Sniper Rifles into XM2010 Weapon Systems

October 4, 2010 at 10:14 pm

tamir_eshel


U.S. Army’s PEO Soldier has awarded Remington Arms Company a contract for the modification of 250 M24 sniper rifles, a first batch of up to 3,600 M-24s to be modified into the XM2010 weapon systems - what the Army calls the "M-24 reconfigured Sniper Weapon System”. Photo: US Army, PEO Soldier

The U.S. Army’s PEO Soldier has awarded Remington Arms Company a contract for the modification of 250 M24 sniper rifles, a first batch of up to 3,600 M-24s to be modified into the XM2010 weapon systems – what the Army calls the M24E1 ”reconfigured Sniper Weapon System”. The modified rifle is chambered for .300 Winchester Magnum cartridges, (originally the M-24 was designed for 7.62mm NATO .308 Winchester) significantly extending the weapon’s maximum effective range from 800 to 1,200 meters. The Army expects to begin fielding the upgraded weapons to deployed U.S. Army Snipers by the end of December 2010. The current upgrade is expected to sustain the XM2010 weapon system in service for at least 10 years and will serve as a precursor to future sniper systems. The value of the current award is $192,000 while the potential value of the entire program could reach $28.2 million

According to LTC Chris Lehner, Product Manager Individual Weapons at PEO Soldier, the program has matured within less than a year, through close cooperation between the Army and industry. “The XM2010 had pinpoint precision,” said SFC Robert Roof, NCOIC/Chief Instructor, United States Army Sniper School. “We were able to achieve shots well within the weapon’s capabilities both during limited visibility and during the day. The optics were clear and easy to use and the ergonomics of the weapon made it very comfortable to shoot.”


Remington reconfigured M24 'Sniper Weapon System' - Photo: US Army, PEO Soldier.

Besides the chambering to match the .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge, The M24 Sniper Weapon Systems upgrade comprises a Leupold Mark 4 6.5-20x50mm Extended Range / Tactical riflescope with advanced scalable ranging and targeting reticlel fielded with the AN/PVS-29 Clip-on Sniper Night Sight, and quick attach/detach suppressor to reduce audible and visible signature with an available thermal sleeve that reduces mirage effect on heated suppressors. The weapon uses a five-round box magazine, offering easier load and reload with the additional option to change out ammunition quickly. Each modified M-24 rifle has also gets rail endowed chassis and free floating barrel that allow for easier mounting of weapon accessories and greater accuracy, a folding and adjustable stock that includes comb and length-of-pull adjustments.

© 2010 Defense Update

[buglerbilly]

From the Firearm Blog..................This is an interesting new round.............I've put it here as the modified AR-type rifle that goes with it strikes me as a Marksman support weapon if not a short(er) range Sniper rifle.............

.300 AAC BLACKOUT (.300 BLK / 7.62x35mm)

This week there was an interesting development from Advanced Armament Corp. The company has introduced the .300 AAC BLACKOUT cartridge (otherwise know as the .300 BLK or 7.62x35mm) along with a short-barreled AR-15 upper receiver and suppressor chambered in it.


Remington Seven rifle chambered in the 300 AAC BLACKOUT

The cartridge has been designed to duplicate the 7.62x39mm ballistics in a cartridge designed to work well in the AR-15 platform. Unlike the 7.62x39, the .300 BLK does not have an extreme taper. The taper of the 7.62x39mm, and many archaic but still popular dangerous game cartridges such as the .375 H&H Magnum, has often been cited as an advantage because it allows the cartridge to feed and extract easily. According to AAC, the AR-15 platform was not designed to handle an extreme tapered cartridge, and instead of increasing reliability it decreases it.


.300 BLK Loads, 5.56mm NATO (bottom)

The concept of a modern 7.62x39mm cartridge is not new. The .300 Whisper, which was introduced during the 1990s, is similar both in concept and ballistics. The Whisper has a moderate following but never achieved widespread adoption. I cannot think of a major manufacture who currently manufactures rifles chambered in the Whisper. The reason for this is, I would guess, the same as why we are currently seeing the demise fragmentation of the 6.5mm Grendel concept: licensing costs.




300 AAC BLACKOUT PDW

The 300 AAC BLACKOUT PDW upper receiver is compatible with all AR-15 lowers. It has a 9" barrel and so is legally a SBR (Short Barreled Rifle). When combined with the AAC 762-SDN-6 suppressor it makes less noise than the 9mm MP5-SD while providing better ballistics and energy.





I sincerely hope The Freedom Group (AAC, Remington, Bushmaster et al.) promote widespread adoption of this cartridge. The concept is great for military use, self defense and hunting.

[ Thanks to Robert, Fred and Matt who emailed me about the new cartridge. ]

UPDATE: Jason of AAC commented ...


First the 300BLK in 3 flavors (123gr, 155gr, 220gr) has been submitted to SAAMI and is a completely open standard. No licensing fees at all, anyone is allowed to use it. Reamers, dies, etc should be easily available, as well as ammo made by other manufacturers.

Second, this was not designed as only a suppressed system, it was designed to allow .30 cal use in an AR system primarily- while keeping as much of the weapon system standard as possible, and allowing full-capacity standard magazine use. The smaller powder charge and the larger projectile does allow for very effective suppression, but the ballistics really shine on the supersonic ammo.

I hope other ammunition and firearm manufactures get on board.

UPDATE 2: It is worth pointing out that the .300 BLK concept is completely different from the .30 Remington AR concept. The .30 RAR concept is better compared to the 6.8mm SPC. Also, it is designed for hunting rifles, not military carbines.

[buglerbilly]

Sniper Teams to Increase Accuracy with Guided Rounds

(Source: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; issued October 14, 2010)

Sniper teams remain the most lethal force on the battlefield and have been credited with many successful engagements. As effective as sniper teams are however, their accuracy is fundamentally limited by random variables such as changing winds, muzzle velocity dispersions and round-to-round variations. The DARPA EXtreme ACcuracy Tasked Ordnance (EXACTO) program aims to maximize the effectiveness of sniper teams while improving their safety.

Through EXACTO, DARPA is developing a guided round capability in a .50 caliber platform. It is currently intended to provide snipers the capability to engage targets moving at much greater speeds, in tougher environmental conditions such as in high winds and at far longer ranges than currently possible. A guided sniper round would greatly increase accuracy by allowing compensation for environmental effects and target motion while dramatically reducing the engagement timeline.

“Between Iraq and Afghanistan, the need for trained snipers has increased dramatically”, says DARPA program manager Lyndall Beamer. “It’s time we look at how to maximize the utility of these assets and give them the best tools we can.” Along with increased speed and accuracy, EXACTO will improve sniper safety by opening a wide range of viable hide locations for sniper teams. The program aims to achieve all this while maintaining the current two man shooter/observer sniper team and minimizing changes to existing concepts of operations.

The program recently completed its first phase by achieving a successful proof of concept with a high fidelity hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) simulation. Phase II will build and test a complete system, including the required optical sighting equipment and guided .50 caliber projectiles. Although intended for use by snipers, this technology is directly applicable to larger calibers as well as vehicle, ship- and airborne-mounted systems.

DARPA has signed a transaction agreement with Teledyne Scientific and Imaging for Phase II development and demonstration of a complete EXACTO system. (ends)

Teledyne Wins DARPA Systems Program to Develop Innovative Guided Ordnance Technology

(Source: Teledyne Technologies Incorporated; issued October 14, 2010)

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated announced today that its subsidiary, Teledyne Scientific & Imaging, LLC (“TS&I”), was awarded a $25.45 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for Phase II of the EXtreme ACcuracy Tasked Ordnance (EXACTO) program to develop and demonstrate a highly accurate small caliber weapon system capable of addressing moving targets at extreme ranges and in high winds.

“This exciting system demonstration program is a key element of Teledyne’s strategy to support future armed service objectives for ultra-high precision and affordable guided weapons for the warfighter,” said Robert Mehrabian, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Teledyne Technologies.

Teledyne has assembled a world-class team including Alliant Techsystems, Cubic Defense Applications, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Elbit Systems of America, and Teledyne Brown Engineering for Phase II. The Teledyne-led team will design and field test an actively guided, maneuverable .50 caliber bullet, fire control system, and ancillary subsystems.

Teledyne Technologies is a leading provider of sophisticated electronic subsystems, instrumentation and communication products, engineered systems, aerospace engines, and energy and power generation systems. Teledyne Technologies’ operations are primarily located in the United States, the United Kingdom and Mexico.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Ready, Fire, Aim: Darpa Moves Closer To a ‘Smart Bullet’

By Spencer Ackerman October 18, 2010 | 7:06 am



It’s an understatement to say that being in a sniper team is a high-pressure job. You’ve got to calculate wind resistance, distance, bullet trajectory and other physics obstacles in a few instants.Then you’ve got squeeze off the shot — sometimes from hundreds of yards away. So the futurists at Darpa figure the sharpshooters could use some “smart” bullets to help the snipers out.

On Thursday, Teledyne Technologies received a $25.45 million contract from Darpa to design a .50 caliber bullet that can better hit moving targets while the wind swells. It’s part of the next stage of the EXtreme ACcuracy Tasked Ordnance project, or Exacto, begun in 2007 to give the military what Teledyne chairman Robert Mehrabian termed “ultra-high precision and affordable guided weapons” in a prepared statement. It’s show-and-prove time: Teledyne’s got to deliver its prototype bullets by September 2012.

Still, it’s not clear just how Teledyne intends to make a bullet search out its target. Laser guidance systems? Computer chips? Boeing’s smart bomb, the Joint Direct Attack Munition, relies on GPS to reach its programmed destination; the smart .50-cal round could be analogous to an innovation that made airstrikes far more reliable. And one way around the smart-bullet problem is to use smart grenades, like with the XM-25 grenade launcher that guides a chip-enhanced grenade to a precise target. Or precise enough: unlike a bullet, a grenade just needs to be in the general vicinity of a target and its shrapnel can do the rest.

This isn’t Darpa’s only sniper-enhancer. The agency has long eyed a sighting system that can compensate for crosswind interference with a bullet’s trajectory. Making it talk to a bullet is an additional challenge — not to mention an expensive one. Each JDAM attachment kit to turn a regular old bomb into a smart bomb costs in the tens of thousands of dollars.

But Darpa might be making progress on that goal. Lockheed Martin, which also has a piece of the Exacto contract, is getting closer making Darpa’s “One Shot” super sniper scope a reality. Earlier this year, it got $6.9 million to deliver 15 sighting modules by October 2011 that can “measure everything that influences a bullet in flight, and rapidly calculate and display the aim point offset and expected crosswind variability in the shooters rifle scope.” As the name suggests, the One Shot program has to be able to get snipers to hit their targets on the first try despite adverse wind resistance, air humidity and target mobility.

If Lockheed succeeds on One Shot, it’ll probably generate relevant data for Exacto. Whether that means curving bullet trajectories or compensating for human error like something out of Wanted is less certain. So is how to control costs. After all, a bullet that’s meant to be used only once can’t have so much technology affixed to it that it’s prohibitively expensive. Snipers may not hit their targets all the time, but they’re still pretty good with plain old dumb rounds and cross-eye sights.

Photo: U.S. Army

Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/10/ready-fire-aim-darpa-moves-closer-to-a-smart-bullet/#more-33393#ixzz12iXSyJdv

[buglerbilly]

Army Will Make XM2010 in Dark Earth

by christian on October 22, 2010



There was a mini tempest that blew up when the first pictures of the Army’s new/rebuilt sniper rifle were released and posted on the web a couple weeks ago.

The shots of the XM2010 (what was first known as the M24E1) that were released by PEO Soldier showed a rifle in old-school black. The Web went ballistic, wondering why the Army would make such a doctrinaire decision on the color of such a radical new rifle.

Well, according to PEO Soldier weapons Col. Doug Tamilio, the rebuilt rifle will be colored not in black, but in the Army’s increasingly preferred FS 30118 “Dark Earth.”

(The picture above shows an XM110 in Dark Earth).......................

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz138sl2tPu

[buglerbilly]

From the Firearm Blog..........not sure about the Brit rumour ref a buy of the HK417.......mind you there is already a small number in existence

HK417 did not pass German Army DMR tests

The German Army, like the rest of NATO is seems, is looking for a Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR). Once selected it will be given the designation G27. REMOV wrote on MP.net that the HK417 will not be the G27 as was rumored ...


The HK417 will not be the G27, because the German rifle did not passed the Bundeswehr field tests. The information was told during the Infantry Symposium in Unterluess by Infantry School representative lt. col. Detlef Rausch. The HK417 failed at the accuracy tests. So now, most probably will be the open contest for new DMR for Bundeswehr, which means SIG Sauer SAPR as well as Oberland Arms rifles plus... civilian model of the HK417 - MR308 will take a part.


The civilian MR762 (MR308 in Germany)

I have heard that the British Army is looking at acquiring H&K417 rifles, despite having recently adopted the simular L129A1.

[buglerbilly]

Barrett Unveils New Multi-Role Adaptive Design Sniper Rifle

by christian on October 27, 2010

Though the name “Barrett” has become synonymous with the .50 cal, bolt action sniper rifle that’s fast become a Hollywood mainstay and combat performer alike, the company announced the debut of a new rifle at this year’s Association of the US Army show in DC.

Called the Multi-Role Adaptive Design sniper rifle, or MRAD, the rifle looks a lot like the stripped-down design of the M82 SASR, but is chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum, a popular mid-range round advocates say the Army should have gone with for its XM2010 instead of the .300 WinMag. The MRAD incorporates all the latest rail, buttstock, barrel modularity and magazine volume designs and molds it into a bolt-action chassis........................

Read more plus Video: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz13bFQSBLf

More detailed report plus Pics here at Tactical Life webmag................



http://www.tactical-life.com/online/exclusives/the-barrett-multi-role-adaptive-design-mrad-rifle/

[buglerbilly]

Very nice and clear presentation video from Barrett.........high marks from me for the vid in its clarity and non-selection of heavy metal music! :thumbsup




BarrettFirearmsUSA | November 04, 2010

The MRAD rifle's user-changeable barrel system is just one example of this hardworking gun's modularity. The precision-grade barrel can be removed by simply unscrewing two bolts using a standard Torx wrench. This unique design paves the way for future caliber interchangeability and serviceability. Maintenance and logistical burdens are reduced by allowing barrel replacement at the user level.

The MRAD also boasts Barrett's new trigger module, which is easily accessed for maintenance, adjustment and replacement. This match-grade trigger is drop-fire-proof and combat-ready. Both the ambidextrous thumb-operated safety and magazine release can be used intuitively while retaining a firing grip and cheek weld.

Integrated into the MRAD rifle's 7000 series aluminum upper receiver is an M1913 rail with 30 MOA taper. At 21.75 inches, the rail offers plenty of space for mounting additional optical accessories. The configurable side and bottom rails can also hold a number of accessories and are easily repositioned.

The stock is where the MRAD rifle's adaptability truly shines. It's foldable for enhanced portability yet locks in as solid as a fixed-stock rifle, creating a riding platform for consistent firing. When folded, the stock latches around the bolt for added security during transport. Because the stock folds to the bolt handle side of the action, the rifle is the same width overall, folded or extended.

Made of a temperature-resistant polymer, the adjustable cheek piece also offers a consistent rifle-to-user contact point and can be adjusted from either side. The rifle's length of pull can be set to five different positions with the push of a single button.

From its quick-detach sling mounts to the Barrett Multi-Role Brown color of the rifle that blends into any environment—every detail of the MRAD has been carefully designed to create one thing: a high-performance rifle you can truly make your own.

MRAD will become available Mid-Year 2011.

[buglerbilly]

Interesting read about an American Sniper in Afghanistan...........from Vanity Fair via the Firearm Blog........

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2010/02/sniper-201002?printable=true

[buglerbilly]

Gallery of shots of the new XM2010 on the range................

XM2010 System

Provides extended range capability and incorporates the latest in weapons technology for the Army Sniper.

[buglerbilly]

Lockheed Martin wins $7m contract to produce laser enhanced sniper systems

December 14, 2010

Lockheed Martin was awarded a $6.9 million contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for multiple One Shot laser-based sniper systems that improve accuracy and reduce the possibility of detection.

Existing sniper scopes cannot measure wind at long distances. One Shot utilizes a laser and camera to gauge wind speed and direction within 1500 meters, while employing sensors to account for atmospheric conditions and direct-view optics for enhanced night vision capability. This combination enables snipers to identify targets more accurately whether in day or night situations.

"One Shot provides the warfighter with a distinct advantage," said Dan Schultz, vice president for Lockheed Martin's Ship and Aviation Systems business. "Our ability to monitor wind conditions in real time is unmatched. One Shot increases the probability of hitting the target with the first round."

In 2008, DARPA awarded Lockheed Martin an 18-month $9.7 million contract to develop the One Shot system prototype. During tactical field tests in December 2009, snipers successfully engaged targets twice as quickly and increased their probability of a first-round hit by a factor of two to four, depending on the distance to the target.

The One Shot sniper system consists of a lightweight, stand alone spotting scope and an attachment that projects the precise point of impact into the rifle scope. The systems developed under the new contract will be used for testing with DARPA and the US military services.

Lockheed Martin is also focused on increasing the lethality of several other systems. In May, DARPA awarded Lockheed Martin a $3.9 million contract to develop a rifle scope attachment to enhance soldiers' marksmanship. The Dynamic Image Gunsight Optic, or DInGO, is a rifle scope attachment that uses recent advancements in digital imagers and displays to accurately view targets at varying distances without changing scopes or suffering a decrease in optical resolution. It also will account for bullet drop and local wind conditions.

The Army's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate also recently awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to incorporate One Shot technology into the Autonomous Rotorcraft Sniper System, which features a powerful rifle fitted into a highly stabilized turret mounted on board an unmanned helicopter or tower. Lockheed Martin plans to demonstrate a significant increase in the probability of hit with this system in the upcoming months.

Source: Lockheed Martin

[buglerbilly]

From the Firearm blog..............

The MK 20 MOD 0 Sniper Support Rifle (SSR)

FNH's Sniper Support Rifle has been approved for production by USSOCOM and will be fielded in May 2011. It has been given the designation MK 20 MOD 0 SSR. FN SCAR fans will be happy at this announcement.




From the press release ...

The MK 20 was originally designated as the Sniper Variant of the SCAR Heavy now known as the MK17. Upon the MK 17 reaching the status of Operationally Effective / Operationally Suitable and Sustainable, the sniper community within SOF focused on refining the Sniper Variant to more suit the needs of long range, precision shooting. With the revisions, the Sniper Variant weapon was military-type designated as the MK 20.

The MK 20 features an extended receiver which provides the additional rail space required for mounting in-line night vision and thermal devices with standard/sniper day optics, a non-folding precision stock with an adjustable cheek piece and length of pull that provides adjustability and a more rigid firing position for making long range target engagements, a beefed up barrel extension and barrel profile to reduce whip and improve accuracy, and an enhanced modular trigger that can be configured for single-stage or two-stage operation, requires no adjustments, and is ruggedized for field use. As a part of the SCAR Family of Weapons, the MK 20 shares a high percentage of parts commonality (over 60%) with the MK 17, maintains the enhanced ergonomics and improves accuracy.
I wonder what has happened to the M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System. The Army seems to be sticking with the Remington 700 bolt action rifle (M24 and new XM2010) and USSOCOM is going with the SSR.

[buglerbilly]

From the Firearm blog........

Noreen Bad News: .338 Lapua Semi-auto AR-style rifle

The Noreen Bad News is a semi-automatic rifle chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum. It is patterned after the AR-15 rifle and uses some AR parts such as the pistol grip, stock and trigger.



Noreen is marketing the rifle as the ultimate patrol rifle: semi-automatic (faster than old action), long range (much more power than the .308 Win) and comfortable recoil (on account of the semi-auto action and muzzlebrake).

Specifications

Caliber .338 Lapua Magnum (.300 Win. Mag coming soon)
Capacity 5 or 10 rounds
Finish black
Barrel 26" 1:10" twist
Stock Magpul PRS
Weight 13 lbs
Other Features full length, quad rail
MSRP (Price) $4995

Brandon Webb, a new contributor to the Military.com Kit Up blog and former Navy SEAL, was criticizing the Army for adopting a new bolt action instead of a semi-auto rifle. Maybe they should have been looking at something like the Bad News.

The SEALS don't have a bolt action so Mr Webb would be so biased in any case...........I'm ambivalent about which is better as my belief is that that depends on the specific tactical scenario...........if its used as stated then possibly?


Video of the Bad News being fired

[buglerbilly]

From the Firearm Blog............

NZ Army evaluating the FN SCAR

A credible source told me that the New Zealand Army has been evaluating the FN SCAR rifle as a possible replacement for the Steyr AUG.


FN SCAR (FN Promotional Photo)

My source also told me that there has also been a lot of talk in the NZ Army about adopting 7.62mm rifles. The troops who have been deployed in Afghanistan are not happy with the 5.56mm performance. They, unlike the US and recently the British, do not have a 7.62x51mm chambered semi-automatic in a designated marksmen role.

There is also talk of adopting a 40mm revolving grenade launcher and replacing the 1.5x Steyr scopes with rails and ACOGs.

[buglerbilly]

From the Firearm Blog.........

The SIG50 : .50 BMG SIG Rifle

We don't know much about it, other than it is called the SIG50, will have a 29" barrel, 5 round box magazine and will cost $8,999. It will be unveiled at SHOT Show next month.

[Hat Tip: John @ Sig Sauer Guns ]

[Raven22]

There is also talk of adopting a 40mm revolving grenade launcher and replacing the 1.5x Steyr scopes with rails and ACOGs.

All Kiwi Steyrs are still in the basic configuration with the fixed optical sight. They are simply being upgraded in a similar manner as the F88SA1 to give them the picatinney on the top so they can mount whichever optic they like.

There is zero chance of the SCAR replacing the Steyr.

[buglerbilly]

All Kiwi Steyrs are still in the basic configuration with the fixed optical sight. They are simply being upgraded in a similar manner as the F88SA1 to give them the picatinney on the top so they can mount whichever optic they like.

There is zero chance of the SCAR replacing the Steyr.

It's worded badly but I don't think you'll find they meant to imply the AUG was being replaced by SCAR.......the SCAR is for the Desigated Marksman role the Kiwi's don't have covered already.............the sights on the AUG is old hat as a story as this has been on the Kiwi wishlist for a year or more...........

The SCAR to be used is far more likely to be similar to/same as the..................



....................The MK 20 MOD 0 Sniper Support Rifle (SSR)

I have to wonder at the variety of types various Western Armies are using...................HK417, SCAR-H types, etc etc

[buglerbilly]

Bolt Lift for Remington 700

December 22nd, 2010



The KRG Bolt Lift is an oversize bolt knob for a Remington 700 bolt action rifle. While this kind of upgrade has become popular among the “tactical” long range precision crowd, the KRG solution is different, in that you can clamp it straight onto your factory bolt handle without paying a gunsmith 70 bucks to cut on your bolt and install a new knob. The idea originated for for military snipers since they cannot permanently modify their weapons but the benefit obviously extends to LE shooters as well as anyone with a 700 who wants a more positive purchase on their bolt lever.

For more info visit www.kineticresearchgroup.com.







The Bolt Lift includes spacers, epoxy and stainless steel fasteners. Currently we only offer the color black but in the future we will offer additional colors.

RRP: USD$28.00

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm Blog...............

SIG50 .50 BMG Rifle – First Photo!

The Firearm Blog is first on the 'net with a photo of Sig Saurs upcoming SIG50 rifle.







The Stock. Adjustable cheek and spacers to adjust length of pull



Four baffle muzzlebrake

It has a 5 round magazine, full length rail, bipod, adjustable stock, fluted 29" barrel. The MRSP is $8,999.

[buglerbilly]

From the Firearm blog.............one would suspect this is a trials version not necessarily the Issue Version?

Kiwi with SCAR

I love this blog and its readers! Just yesterday I blogged that I had heard that the New Zealand Army was evaluating the FN SCAR rifle. Today a reader emailed in a photo, dated December 2009, of a Kiwi solider using a SCAR during a training exercise.

[buglerbilly]

From the Firearm Blog............

DPMS Panther REPR .308 rifle

New for DPMS for 2011 is the Panther REPR (or Rapid Engagement Precision Rifle) chambered in .308 Win.1





This AR-10 style carbine is capable of sub-MOA accuracy from its 18" barrel. The quad-rail handguard has had all excess metal cut away, almost skeletonized, to decrease weight. The rifle weighs a full two pounds less than the DPMS SASS.


Specifications
Caliber .308 Win.
Capacity 19 round magazines
Finish Hard coat anodized, Teflon coated Coyote Brown
Grip Hogue Rubber Grip
Barrel 18" Length Kreiger barrel
Twist 1:10"
Stock Magpul PRS Stock
Weight 9.5 lbs

MSRP (Price) USD$2519

Like all rifles in the AR-10 / SR-25 class, it does not come cheap.

[buglerbilly]

Beretta’s (Sako) TRG-42

by brandon-webb on January 11, 2011



I was out in New York this weekend and after a quick swim at the New York Athletic Club Saturday, I had the chance to head down to the Beretta Gallery to get my fix.

The New York store is insane and Beretta has some amazing premium shot guns. I was admiring a $90,000 option when I was introduced to one of the gunsmiths, Ed Anderson. Ed has forgotten more than I know about internal ballistics and our conversation quickly shifted to Beretta’s submission for SOCOM’s Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) competition, the SAKO TRG42(Beretta owns SAKO).

I had a chance to check out the TRG platform onsite and was quite impressed with the craftsmanship of the entire system. While I will not go into specific details at the request of Beretta, I can tell you that this is no ordinary bolt gun and has some amazing innovations in internal craftsmanship.

The technical POC for the PSR program is Phil Mcmillen, he’s a fellow SEAL sniper and former Teammate of mine at Team 3. Phil is a very competent intelligent shooter and for once I feel comfortable that a DoD weapon acquisition process is in good hands. The Federal Acquisition Regulations make it tough to give the potential PSR candidates the real skinny, especially without a solid technical POC (not the case here) so I hope manufacturers are taking notes.

A couple suggestions I have for the PSR contenders after my initial once through of the solicitation are:

1.Day optic: This should have been bid out separately in my opinion to select the best optic right off the shelf however, it is what it is. A solution to this is that PSR contenders should submit multiple choices for the day optic (i.g. our weapon will come with the choice of x,y and z scopes). If they don’t do this, they risk putting themselves and potentially the best rifle out of competition because they chose a poor optic to go on their gun, like putting the pig on lipstick. A great weapon deserves great optics and there are only a few manufacturers out there that are making incredibly good glass with technical coatings that reduce light loss. Doesn’t matter how much light a scope takes in if it’s lost to reflective lens surfaces. My main point: I hope these manufacturers don’t box themselves in with a bad scope manufacturer on the optics side regardless. Better to have multiple choices with the submission and let the technical reps choose the best scope for themselves. [EDITOR'S NOTE: We found a separate solicitation on FBO from the PSR program asking for a "day optic."]

2.Caliber: The requirements and stand off distances make this clearly a 338 Lapua option. This is a great round and supersonic (3000 feet per second out of the gun) past 1500 yards.

3.Weight: As light as possible! Definitely under 12lbs.

4.The weapon should be completely ambidextrous. Having right and left handed variants is ridiculous in this day and age and it’s a limiting factor when loading out.

5.Action: Semi auto all the way in my opinion. Bolt actions are going the way of the rotary telephone and it’s time for a manufacturer to step it up with a solid semi auto option. The technology is there to have a solid long distance MOA shooting machine in semi auto.

6.Accuracy: 1 Minute of Angle is required (MOA=1″ group at 100 yards, 2″ at 200, 10″ at 1000, etc.). While the bar that has been set at 1 MOA, it would be great to submit a sub MOA contender. Who says it can’t be done and why not?

7.Recoil management: Reduced signature for the operator and recoil management go hand in hand. Nothing like getting punished for every shot you take, the muzzle brakes today are pretty amazing. The PSR should disperse energy without creating a massive signature and have virtually no noticeable recoil for the shooter.

Either way, the PSR is in good hands with Phil and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.

I asked a good friend of mine and active duty SEAL sniper what his thoughts were and I’ll include the uncut version from him in a bit….

Kit Up! contributor Brandon Webb is a former SEAL, sniper instructor and author of 21st Century Sniper: A Complete Practical Guide.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz1AlnwcJc6

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems..........

Sage M14ALCS/PMRI

January 14th, 2011

The modern M14/M1A Sage EBR platform rifle was deployed in 2004 with the Navy under the designations MK14 Mod 0 and MK14 Mod 1. This was due to their need for a compact M14 with a collapsible stock, which would facilitate easier deployment in the confines of ships, vehicles and in air operations. Shortly after, the U.S. Coastguard adopted the Sage EBR, also under the designation MK14 Mod 0. Other forces followed suit, with the Army’s M14EBR-RI, the Marine Corps’ M39 EMR, and the Air Forces’s MK14 Mod 0.



Now, Sage offers a newer version of this classic rifle in the M14ALCS/PMRI configuration. Aimed at precision shooters or snipers requiring an adjustable stock comb height, the traditional EBR chassis is now fitted with a MagPul PRS2 stock. If reaching out far and touching somebody bad is part of your business, deploying with a Sage Enhanced Battle Rifle chassis equipped M14/M1A makes it infinitely possible!

Visit Sage at SHOT Show 2011, Booth # 20540

[buglerbilly]

SHOT Show 2011, Sabre Defence new Bullpup .50cal...............NOT sure you'd call 17 lbs lightweight but it IS compact.........

[Raven22]

While randomly looking at Wikipedia, I noticed a reference to the purchase of the HK-417s for use by SOCOMD and (initially at least) troops in Afghanistan.

https://www.tenders.gov.au/?event=public.cn.view&CNUUID=E1B9BB57-E979-C225-B2FB849A9AE9904A

[buglerbilly]

XM2010 might erase the call for the Precision Sniper Rifle

January 19th, 2011 | Product Announcement | Posted by Lance Bacon



A chiropractor could have made a small fortune with all the rubbernecking that took place at the Remington booth. Most whiplash was attributable to the team’s sniper rifle display that stacked the Modular Sniper Rifle and the XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle.

Remington pretty much owns the military sniper market. But there is likely to be a showdown between the MSR and FNH’s Ballista, also on display at the 2011 SHOT Show. We’ll be taking a closer look at that competition in the upcoming editions of Army Times and Marine Corps Times – but it may be a moot point.

GearScout has learned that Army snipers shooting the XM2010 have upped their rounds from 190-grain to 220-grain on a few occasions, and achieved distances and accuracy desired from the long-range Precision Sniper Rifle. Which makes one wonder whether the beleaguered and embattled solicitation will stand at all. Stay tuned …

In other news, the first three XM2010s were delivered to the Army Sniper School on Tuesday, and the first ones to be in theater will arrive in late February, according to Trevor Shaw, director of military and government programs. No doubt snipers in the ‘Stan are salivating.

The XM2010 is an M24 sniper rifle on steroids. Its transition from the 7.62mm NATO caliber (.308 Winchester) to a .300 Winchester Magnum expands a sniper’s effective range from 800 to 1,200 meters. Remington will upgrade 3,600 rifles over the next five years.

The XM 2010 also comes with the Titan-QD Fast-Attach suppressor made by Advanced Armament Corp, which recently was acquired by Remington. The 10-inch suppressor is made from Grade 5 titanium and is moly-resin-coated. It eliminates 98 percent of muzzle flash, 60 percent of recoil and reduces sound by 32 decibels.

The XM2010 also boasts an improved 6.5-20×50 variable power Leupold riflescope with an enhanced reticle within the first focal plane and a .300 Winchester Magnum bullet-drop compensator.

[buglerbilly]

Meet the Nemesis Arms lunch box gun

January 19th, 2011 | Product Announcement | Posted by Rob Curtis



Nemesis Arms showed up at SHOT Show with the minimalist bolt action rifle called the Vanquish. Their “monochasis” design is intended to remove the standard manufacturing variables which contribute to inaccuracy, instability and weight. Building from a monolithic chasis, Nemesis is able to carve off everything that isn’t absolutely needed in a firearm and has been designed to break down in less than 2 minutes, and concealed or stored in a small suitcase or backpack. Nemsis claims that the weapon’s zero is unaffected when it’s broken down and re-assembled.

Weighing in at under 11 lbs without an optic, this rifle is would be perfect for travel to remote areas due to it’s low weight and small footprint. Shooting the rifle revealed a rifle that indeed held sub MOA groups and was easy to shoot due to quick length of pull and cheek piece adjustments. It takes a few minutes to visually accept this “naked” rifle but you quickly appreciate the design from a shooting purest point of view. The rifle can be ordered in .308, .338, .260, , .243 and 6.5. MSRP on the base model starts at $3850.00.

[buglerbilly]

.300 Blackout Sniper rifle should be the queen of my safe

January 20th, 2011 | Product Announcement | Posted by Rob Curtis



Remington’s Lightweight chassis get’s some AAC guts with an extra helping of suppression. Chambered for 300 Blackout, the as-yet-unnamed rifle has a 9″ barrel with an integral suppressor that clocks in at just 117db with a 220 grain bullet.

We didn’t get a chance to get behind it on the line Monday, and with a 9″ barrel, it’s hard to know what kind of accuracy to expect from AAC’s first sniper rifle. I’d say that it’s probably going to get some attention from tactical law enforcement looking for a lighter, maneuverable platform for use in an urban setting.

That’s all for now. As we get more, like weight, accuracy, availability and price we’ll let you know.

[buglerbilly]

FNH unveils its Ballista Precision Sniper Rifle

January 20th, 2011 | Product Announcement Product Preview | Posted by Lance Bacon



Remington has long owned the military sniper market – but FNH has set its sights on the becoming the Precision Sniper Rifle of choice.

Enter the Ballista, a multi-caliber and modular behemoth that combines state-of-the-art technology with strategic form and function.

Ballista is a suppressed .338 system that is also .300 and .308 compatible. In an era of diminishing defense dollars, the ability to train with the .308 for almost pennies on the round will be a must for any competitor.

The Ballista allows the operator to switch the barrel and the bolt face with relative ease. The first time it may take you two or three minutes. After that, a 90-second switch is not out of the question. The head space is off the bolt, so once the barrel is changed the operator need only close the bolt on empty chamber then tighten barrel to set the head space. There are four screws that hold the barrel on left side, and a forcing screw on the right side spreads and loosens the barrel head. The screws are captive, so they won’t fall out and get lost.

While no company will share proprietary data, FNH did confirm that many components are made with advanced polymers that are lighter than plastic but stronger than steel. No doubt that will keep cost down. Special coating also reduces thermal signature and corrosion. For example, knowing that steel screws in an aluminum base often weld into place, engineers came up with special material for the screws that can handle significantly more torque and won’t lock up.

Snipers will like the ease with which the bolt opens. When shooting .338, this can become a chore because of the amount of pressure generated. Not so with this design.

Operators also will notice there are eight locations to place rails on the circumference of the barrel. There is a full length rail across the top, and Ballista offers 30 and 20 Minute-of-Angle forward cam on the 12 o’clock rail.

In addition, the armorer can set trigger to single or two-stage and the folding butt stock is adjustable for length of pull.

The Ballista comes in just under 17 pounds, if spans 49 inches (40 inches folded) and can put a serious dent in your medical record from 1,500 meters.

[buglerbilly]

New .50cal bullpup rifle.............images from SHOT Show 2011 via Ken Lunde.............see post 74 above for video

http://lundestudio.com/2011SHOTShow/sabredefence.html

Sabre Defence Industries

The Leader LSR 50 bullpup semi-automatic ten-shot 50 BMG rifle was on display at the Sabre Defence Industries booth:





It weighs 17 pounds, has a 24-inch barrel, and has an overall length of 39 inches.

[buglerbilly]

Some new SIG rifles in .50cal..............

http://lundestudio.com/2011SHOTShow/sigsauer.html

The SG511 appears to be 50 BMG:





Here is the SIG50, which appears to be using the McMillan 50 BMG action:

[buglerbilly]

Some Problems in the Field With Mk-17 SCAR

by brandon-webb on January 24, 2011



I stopped by the FN booth at SHOT Show and spoke to an old colleague that had just returned from Afghanistan. He gave me some gouge on issues they were having with the SCAR heavy.

The light version with the 5.56 round is very weak in my opinion and like hunting big game with a 22 caliber. He was a fan of the system overall but, he had some issues that some of you may be familiar with.

Noteworthy: Most of the snipers I know are actually pulling their scopes off the SR25 systems and putting the optic on their SCAR heavy because of reliability issues with the Knight’s Armament SR-25s.

Here’s his quick list of pros and cons.

Pros

Very accurate. It’s a sub minute of angle bad ass. In simple terms, the gun can hold a quarter size group at 100 yards (with the right shooter of course)

Reliable

Weight is very manageable given the 7.62 platform

Cons

Loose rattle on the rear of the stock near the adjustable cheek weld

Only two cheek weld positions

And more importantly, the pins on the folding stock are shearing off (not good)

I’ve always been a fan of the SCAR heavy but there’s some QA issues that need to be addressed. The FN rep said they were working these out.

Thoughts?

Brandon out –

Kit Up! contributor Brandon Webb is a former SEAL, sniper instructor and author of 21st Century Sniper: A Complete Practical Guide.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/01/some-problems-in-the-field-with-mk-17-scar.html#ixzz1Bzdi8bbG

[buglerbilly]

Soldiers to get more killing power

3:21 PM Tuesday Jan 25, 2011

It doesn't say which Make but assumed to be the SCAR 17 per previous post........just re-read that article, they haven't decided yet.............interesting that they are going to replace the AI 7.62mm Sniper Rifle, possibly with a larger calibre ala the UK aka the AI in .338 Lapua Magnum?

The country's soldiers are about to get more killing power with a new weapon which will better the range and accuracy of the rifles used by the enemies they are likely to be fighting.

A 7.62mm marksman's rifle will be issued to each section of eight to 10 soldiers after the New Zealand Defence Force completed a study of 10 of its weapons systems, mostly small arms issued to soldiers.

Three sections make up a platoon and the army said today one soldier in each section would get the new weapon when the army decided what rifle to buy. The rest of the soldiers in the section would continue to be issued with Steyr rifles which fire a 5.56mm standard issue Nato cartridge which was limited in range, said Deputy Chief of Army, Brigadier Dave Gawn.

The new rifle would fire a more powerful cartridge with greater range and accuracy.

Brig Gawn said most hostile forces used the Russian-designed AK47, which fired a similar 7.62mm round.

"In terms of range and hitting power there is a mismatch between the 5.56mm (bullet) which has a maximum range of around 300m versus the 7.62mm which is closer to 600m."

He said giving the soldiers more powerful 5.56mm cartridges would overcome some of that difference but the new weapon would have a range of up to 1000m.

The army would also replace its specialist 7.62mm sniper rifles.

About 3000 of the 13,000 Steyr rifles in the Defence Force armory would be fitted with a new sighting system, which would increase magnification from 1.5 times to four times magnification. They would also be modified to allow thermal sighting systems to be fitted.

The Steyr rifles were likely to last another 10 years before they were replaced, but Brig Gawn said it was too soon to say what calibre rifle would be adopted.

- NZPA

[buglerbilly]

From SHOT Show 2011 via the Firearm Blog.........

Accuracy International AX338 and AX AICS

Accuracy International, whose rifles are widely regarded as the best money can buy, have launched a new long range .338 Lapua rifle. It builds on its predecessor, the .338 Lapua AX Magnum, adding a more modern looking stock as well as an improved bolt and action.


Accuracy International AX338

The action is longer and wider to accommodate a ten round double stack magazine. The bolt head is larger, and stronger, than the AX Magnum bolt head. The stock is more ergonomic and, in my opinion, nicer looking than the older stock.

I do not know what the pricing will be. Being AI, it is guaranteed to be expensive.


AX AICS Stock for Remington 700

AI will also be introducing an AX version of the AICS stock for the Remington 700 rifle. Again, I do not know the pricing of this product.

More photos below ...

[buglerbilly]

NOT really new but interesting recoil system nonetheless..................



Gepard GM6 .50 caliber Heavy Sniper Rifle

Hungarian semiautomatic, long recoil operated, bullpup antimaterial rifle chambered for the russian 12.7x108mm or the US .50BMG ammunition. The magazine contain 5 rounds and (according to the manufaturer) can penetrate 20mm rolled homogenoeus armor at 400 meters range and is really accurate up to 1500 meters.

[buglerbilly]

From the Firearm Blog............

DoubleStar Corp’s .308 rifle

ANOTHER 7.62mm NATO designated marksman rifle! One to has to wonder whether the market in the Military and/or LEO markets is large enough to support the now-number of designs? Nothing wrong with the way this one looks, and probably shoots well in addition, but then again so do an increasing number of others...............

Later this year DoubleStar will be introducing a .308/7.62mm NATO chambered AR-style rifle to the market. The below photos are of a prototype. The prototype is so new that it was not available to DobleStar's SHOT Show staff when they were setting up the booth. It arrived during the SHOT Show week. The booth staff were not able to tell me how much it will cost or when it will go on sale.



It features DoubleStar's new AR-10-style lower with a patterned magwell grip. I liked the grip, and it looks badass, but I think gloves would be mandatory if doing a lot of shooting.


The designer of the rifle. Unfortunately I can't find where I wrote down his name.


This is the Trijicon 6x machine gun scope used by the British Army on their AR-10 style rifles.


ACE Stock.

[ADMk2]

New .50cal bullpup rifle.............images from SHOT Show 2011 via Ken Lunde.............see post 74 above for video

http://lundestudio.com/2011SHOTShow/sabredefence.html

Sabre Defence Industries

The Leader LSR 50 bullpup semi-automatic ten-shot 50 BMG rifle was on display at the Sabre Defence Industries booth:





It weighs 17 pounds, has a 24-inch barrel, and has an overall length of 39 inches.

Looks like a great movie prop. Nt sure how much other business it will do...

[buglerbilly]

Looks like a great movie prop. Nt sure how much other business it will do...

Yeah know what you mean and the same applies to a number of these new designs. The development has been driven by near-war requirements as a result of iraq and Afghanistan BUT as this eventually draws to a close you have to wonder who will survive as a company or a rifle design............this one looks a bit cheap and nasty as well?

[buglerbilly]

Marines Buying Army Rifle, New Pistol for MarSoc and More IARs

by christian on February 24, 2011



Back into the 2012 budget deep dive and the Kit Up! crew noticed a few line items that might be of particular interest to our readers.

First off, and this is news to us, the Marine Corps has ditched the Mk-11 Mod1 semi-auto sniper rifle and has signed on to the Army program and its M110. The service was due to field its first batch of M110s late last year and we’re not sure how many have hit the AO yet given the continuing resolution money the Pentagon is operating on now (M110 is pictured above with 3rd Recom in Japan).

Budget documents show the Corps is asking for 803 M110s in fiscal 2012 to the tune of $9.5 million. The total requirement is for somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,600 of the rifles throughout the Corps.

Another tidbit we picked up was a $3 million request for the Close Quarter Battle Pistol. According to the budget documents, an increase in the Force Recon dets and MarSoc needs have caused the Corps to seek out a new .45 cal pistol since the custom MEU (SOC) 1911 just isn’t practical to field to a larger force of Marine operators.

Lastly, we saw a reference to the H&K-made M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle — with the Corps requesting funds in FY 12 to purchase 886 of the full-auto rifles. If I’m reading the documents right, the Corps is buying them for $2,896 each, so that totals out at around $2.5 million for the request.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/02/marines-buying-army-rifle-new-pistol-for-marsoc-and-more-iars.html#ixzz1EvtOvyRu

[buglerbilly]

Interesting and detailed article from the NRA website on the M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle ......................

The M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle

The changing nature of the war in Afghanistan led to the re-issue of the 7.62x51 mm NATO M14 rifle.

By Maj. John Plaster, U.S. Army (Ret.)



Not long after U.S. forces invaded Afghanistan, al-Qaeda and its Taliban allies came to realize that America’s 5.56x45 mm NATO infantry rifles lost most of their lethality beyond 500 meters. Demonstrating their adaptability, the insurgents exploited Afghanistan’s sprawling valleys and distant mountainsides to seek engagements beyond the M16’s and M4’s effective ranges.

This is borne out by U.S. Army data, which reveals that more than half of the war’s small arms engagements are now beyond 500 meters, with the enemy employing heavier weapons and then withdrawing before air support or artillery fire can arrive.

One solution, military planners could see, was employing a more capable cartridge already in the system: the 7.62x51 mm NATO. Today’s standard U.S. sniper cartridge, the 175-grain, M118 Long Range load, delivers four times the foot-pounds of energy as the standard 62-grain, 5.56 mm round at extended ranges. In other words, at 600 meters the 7.62 mm round packs about as much energy—1,000 ft.-lbs.—as the 5.56 mm round at 100 meters.

Although M14 rifles were pulled from depot storage, fitted with scopes, shipped to Afghanistan and issued to Army and Marine designated riflemen, the guns proved less than ideal for today’s warfare. First, their fixed stocks could not be adjusted to fit the length-of-pull needed for today’s body armor. And second, the 40-year-old rifles could not accommodate modern accessories such as lasers, night vision scopes and lights, which require MIL STD 1913 Picatinny rails. Fortunately, a solution had already been developed by the U.S. Navy’s Surface Warfare Center at Crane, Ind.

The SEAL CQB Rifle

One year before the 2001 terrorist attacks, U.S. Navy SEALs had gone to Crane to request an updated version of the 42-year-old M14. Great believers in the M14’s reliability and the 7.62x51 mm NATO cartridge’s lethality, they wanted a shortened version with a pistol grip and adjustable-length buttstock for close-quarters use.

The design task fell to David Armstrong, an accomplished small arms engineer who previously had developed the well-received SOPMOD (Special Operations Peculiar Modification System) for the M4 carbine. A mechanical engineer, machinist and recreational shooter, Armstrong began by searching for an off-the-shelf collapsible buttstock.

After trying several, he chose a Sage Int’l collapsible, pistol-grip stock made for the Remington Model 870 shotgun. The telescoping design offered five lengths of pull, in 1-inch increments, that worked well with body armor. Armstrong connected the Sage buttstock to the forward section of a modified M14 fiberglass stock. He also replaced the rifle’s standard 22-inch barrel with an 18-inch unit, reducing its overall length by nearly 10 inches, to 35 inches.

The fiberglass stock, however, did not satisfy him. “The [M14] design has always been tough to beat for reliability, but required laborsome bedding and tuning for best accuracy,” he explained. Earlier sniper versions of the M14, especially the M21 Sniper System, which used a resin-impregnated stock with epoxy bedding, proved so temperamental that snipers were instructed not to remove the action from the stock while cleaning it.

Armstrong took the bold step of designing his own chassis stock, machined from aircraft-grade aluminum. Not only would this be more rigid than fiberglass, but it would include an aluminum bedding block and an assortment of Picatinny rails for optical and illumination accessories. The result was a true “drop-in” stock, requiring no bedding or special fitting. “This stock floats the gas system through a replacement operating rod guide screwed to the rigid stock fore-end and a simple spacer replacing the front band,” he said. He also modified the Sage buttstock’s cheek rest to give it 2 inches of vertical adjustment in 1/4-inch increments.

In addition to installing quad Picatinny rails around the fore-end, he attached a short-rail scope mount that replaced the M14’s stripper clip guide. The final additions were a more effective flash suppressor, three ambidextrous 1 1/4-inch sling slot locations, and a Harris Engineering S-LM Series S bipod. Patented to the U.S. Navy with Armstrong as its inventor, the chassis stock is now produced under license by Sage Int’l in Oscoda, Mich.

“Simply adding the chassis stock system cut the group size of a basic M14 in half without the need for glass-bedding,” he reports. Firing five-shot groups with M118 ammunition at 600 yards, Naval technicians at Crane recorded 2 to 2.5 minute-of-angle (m.o.a.) extreme spreads—meaning 12 to 18-inch groups. Standard M80 ball ammunition shot nearly as well.

The EBR & EMR



When the U.S. Army and Marine Corps later sought modernized M14s, Armstrong merely switched the Navy’s Mk. 14 Mod 0 rifle’s short barrel for a full-length 22-inch version to create the Army’s Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR) and the Marine’s M39 Enhanced Marksman’s Rifle (EMR). These versions measure 38.5 inches overall, with the stocks collapsed, and 45 inches when fully extended.

Although 3 pounds heavier than the standard M14, the EBR and EMR compare favorably to America’s current 7.62 mm sniping platforms, such as the Army’s M24 and M110, and the Marine Corps’ M40A3. The Army is issuing two EBRs per infantry squad, while the Marines have placed the EMR at platoon-level.

The Army EBR is fitted with a Leupold 3.5–10X scope, and the USMC’s EMR optic is the Schmidt & Bender M8541 Scout Sniper Day Scope, the same scope used by Marine snipers. Thus equipped, these designated riflemen have the ability to engage enemy personnel to 800 meters.

Each service is now building its own rifles, with Navy Mk. 14 Model 0’s being produced at the Crane facility, while Army rifles are assembled at Rock Island Arsenal, Ill., and the USMC version at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.

Some 5,000 EBRs have been produced at Rock Island Arsenal, with funding for another 1,200. A further 2,000 Sage stocks have reportedly been sold directly to military units and individuals for conversion of M14s. Still more rifles issued to Marines and SEALs suggest that perhaps 10,000 of these modernized M14s are now in service.

Firing The EBR

Thanks to Fulton Armory of Savage, Md., I was able to test fire a platform nearly identical to the EBR. Available to civilian shooters, this semi-automatic-only rifle incorporates Fulton’s own M14 Receiver, installed on the same Sage Int’l chassis stock that David Armstrong designed.

Examining the rifle in my shop, I found that its military two-stage trigger broke cleanly at 3 pounds, 7.5 ounces—about perfect for me. For test-firing, I mounted a Bushnell Elite 6500 4.5–30X Tactical Scope, which was a simple task with the rifle’s Picatinny rails.

Ergonomics had concerned me because of the stock’s square edges. Nonetheless, I found its balance and heft surprisingly good with the center-of-balance at the magazine well. Having trained on the M14 in the 1960s, I already appreciated the reliability of its gas piston and operating rod system, and the action’s resistance to sand and carbon buildup. Of course, I experienced no stoppages or malfunctions of any kind.

Weighing 14 pounds with a scope, a bipod and a loaded 20-round magazine, this weight plus the straight-line stock resulted in a mild recoil “push,” making it very comfortable to fire. This also assisted target reacquisition for follow-up shots.

The basic difference between the military EBR and Fulton Armory’s version is a National Match barrel—and that really showed on the range. Accuracy with the Fulton Armory EBR was impressive. Firing off sandbags at 100 yards, my Federal Gold Medal Match, .308 Win., 168-grain ammunition punched a three-round group measuring 0.721 inches. Switching to the U.S. military’s load specifically designed for sniping—the 175-grain, M118 Long Range round—the rifle fired even better, scoring a 0.50-inch three-round group.

In the hands of a trained marksman, the EBR—especially with a National Match barrel—is more than capable of dealing with insurgents to 800 meters and beyond. Perhaps the Taliban and its allies have proven adaptable; but, as demonstrated by these 21st century M14s, so have we.

[buglerbilly]

Desert Tactical’s ‘Concealable’ Sniper Rifle

by christian on March 22, 2011



The stats say it’s a full-on rifle that can reach out and accurately touch targets in the 1,000 yard range — but the whole thing fits in the same footprint as a freakin’ MP-5 subgun!?

Kit Up! received an email yesterday from Desert Tactical about their newly revamped Web site (looks pretty good to us) and noticed the Covert SRS Rifle Chasis in their New Products list.

According the DTA, the SRS Rifle can be configured in the most popular sniper rounds for that range, including 308, 300 WinMag and 338 Lapua. The whole thing comes in at 26″ overall and accommodates a 16″ barrel — but you can also go long if you want to.

The SRS Covert was purpose-designed for Police and Military snipers needing ultimate concealability and maneuverability. The rifle’s 26-inch overall length puts it in the submachinegun length class. The Covert’s 16-inch barrels provide 1000 yard capability with exceptional accuracy. The Covert is fully compatible with 26-inch barrel SRS conversion kits.

The whole setup with barrel, action and chasis comes in at about $4,000. Anyone ever shot one of these?

One comment is worth printing here..............

Johnny Quest · 1 hour ago

When they originally announced the model last year, it was in 7.62x51mm only, and probably should have stayed that way. Shooting 300 Win. or 338 Lapua out of a 16" barrel sound too appealing. I suppose a can would help, but still that is awful short to maintain the efficacy of the magnum rounds. The bull-pup configuration already gives the 'shortened' advantage over conventional designs so personally I would keep the magnum calibers with traditional length barrels offered by DTA.

[buglerbilly]

This is a video of the Stealth Recon Scout version with a 26inch barrel and in .338 Lapua Magnum..............



General Video showing likely extreme terrain to show, I suppose, the "benefits" of a bullpup sniper rifle............

[buglerbilly]

The last bit of News on this from Soldier Systems.......................

Desert Tactical Arms SRS Covert Rifle

The Desert Tactical Arms SRS Covert Rifle was definitely one of the niftiest guns at SHOT Show. With a short 16" barrel, chambered in 308 Win, .300 Win or .338 Lapua Magnum, this gun has an overall length of just 26". It is tiny but powerful package.





My only concern would be firing a .338 Lapua Magnum with a muzzle brake so close to my hears. The blast must be ear shattering.



I heard some interesting news about Desert Tactical Arms at the show. Apparently they have sold sniper rifles to Georgia (the country).

UPDATE: I found a note I took when I was at the booth. DTA has been using .338 LM loads with a 300 grain bullets, being pushed at 2250 ft/sec and 250 grain bullets at 2500 ft/sec. That is slightly slower than a .308 Win., but with a much heavier bullet. Not bad for a 16" barrel.

[buglerbilly]

Britain's L129A1

British troops are taking back the half kilometer with the L129A1.

By Christopher Bartocci

3/18/2011

Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have brought back what some thought were obsolete combat tactics. Until recently, the emphasis on small arms has been up close and personal, with practical ranges being less than 300 meters. For that role, the 5.56x45 mm NATO cartridge has been more than sufficient. The topography of the deserts and mountains of Iraq and Afghanistan, however, have reintroduced long-range combat, and NATO troops need rifles to effectively engage targets at ranges from 400 to 1,000 meters. While the U.S. Army has turned to the M14-based Enhanced Battle Rifle and Designated Marksman Rifle, the British opted for a different solution.

In December 2009 the British Ministry of Defense issued an urgent operational requirement for a 7.62x51 mm NATO semi-automatic rifle that could effectively eliminate targets from 500 to 800 meters. The gun was to perform the role of a sharpshooter rifle, as well as have the ability to be used in close-quarters battle conditions, including rapid tactical fire. This was of particular importance to British forces in Afghanistan. In the British Army, sharpshooters are one step down from full-fledged snipers.

Although the Accuracy International L96 bolt-action is suitable for a sniper, the sharpshooter may end up in situations where more rapid firepower is needed. The British wanted a modern rifle that was a significant improvement over the FN-FAL-based Self-Loading Rifle issued to British troops prior to the adoption of the L85A1 bullpup in 5.56x45 mm NATO. The competition was fierce, and many of the top modern riflemakers competed, including Heckler & Koch (H&K), Fabrique Nationale (FN), Knights Armament Co. (KAC), Sabre Defence, Oberland Arms and Lewis Machine & Tool (LM&T). The final two entrants in the trial were the LM&T LM7 and H&K 417.

The testing protocol was different from the U.S. Army and Marine requisites. American rifles, such as the Knights Mk 11 and the M110 SASS (both in the SR-25 family), were developed around match-grade ammunition (M118 and M118LR), which restricts interchangeability with standard M80 ball. The British wanted their rifle to fire standard Radway Green 7.62x51 mm NATO L2A2 ball ammunition and maintain consistent hits on a man-size target at 800 meters. There were three main areas in which the rifles were scored: the company’s response to the solicitation; the company’s technical and manufacturing capabilities; and the operators’ assessments. In the end, the best rifle had to be made by a reputable company with the ability to mass-produce military-grade rifles. The design selected as the L129A1 was the LM&T LM7 7.62x51 mm NATO MWS (Modular Weapon System).

Lewis Machine & Tool is owned by Karl Lewis, and the ISO 9001:2008 certified company has its manufacturing facility in Milan, Ill. The company has extensive experience as a government contractor and OEM manufacturer for many top defense contractors in the United States making 5.56 mm rifles and M203 grenade launchers. LM&T took the industry by storm with the introduction of the first Monolithic Rail Platform upper receiver (MRP). Not only were the upper and fore-end machined as one piece, but the barrel could be removed, and any length barrel could be installed in different calibers, bringing the Stoner-designed system to the next level.

The L129A1

The LM&T L129A1 is based on the AR-10 design with direct-gas operation and a multi-lug rotating bolt. The U.S. Ordnance Corps tossed the AR-10 on the scrap heap in the late 1950s, only to see it reintroduced by Gene Stoner and Reed Knight in the early 1990s. Sadly, Stoner would not live to see the adoption of his AR-10 —as the SR-25-based Mk 11 and M110 SASS—by America’s most elite soldiers a half century after its initial rejection.

The LM&T’s upper receiver is made from a single 7075 T6 aluminum forging, and there are quad STANAG-4694 rails allowing accessory attachment. All the sides are solid, ensuring zero retention on the rails, which are numerically indexed. There are also five mounting points on the upper receiver for quick-detachable sling swivels.

The heart of the LM&T MWS is the quick-change barrel that can be swapped out at the user level. By removing two bolts, the free-floating barrel can be removed and replaced with one of a different length or even a different caliber. The L129A1 has a 16-inch-long stainless steel barrel rifled in a 1:11.25-inch twist. Each barrel is test-fired with a proof cartridge and then magnetic-particle-inspected for stress fractures. The prong-style flash suppressor is manufactured by SureFire and is capable of accepting a sound suppressor.

The L129A1 comes with Knight’s Armament’s new rear micro back-up iron sight (BUIS), which is adjustable from 200 to 600 meters and is significantly lower in profile than KAC’s previous designs. The folding front sight is also manufactured by KAC. The charging handle has the LM&T-designed enhanced charging-handle latch, which is shaped to shield the shooter’s face from gas when the rifle is fired suppressed.

In keeping with the original AR-10 design, the bolt and bolt carrier are chrome-plated. Chrome is much easier to clean than most finishes, is corrosion-resistant and has self-lubricating properties. The rifle uses an H3 buffer with three tungsten weights. The bolt carrier has a captive firing pin retainer pin—a major plus when cleaning a rifle in the desert. A cotter pin is easy to lose in the sand, and this design prevents that. The bolt, like the barrel, is test-fired with a proof cartridge, magnetic-particle-inspected and marked “MP” to indicate the testing was done. Also, Lewis improved the hammer/trigger pins by incorporating a swell on one end, making them easier to remove.

The lower is made from an aluminum forging as well, and the selector lever is ambidextrous with the settings marked with colored pictograms. The magazine release is also ambidextrous, and a lever under the magazine catch lifts upward on the catch from the left side. The bolt catch is necessarily heavy duty to halt the heavy 7.62 bolt group, and both the take-down and front pivot pins are captive. The trigger is a two-stage match unit. The receiver extension end plate has mounting on either right or left side for a one-point sling, and the extension has seven-positions of adjustment for length of pull.

The stock is a tan LM&T SOPMOD design with two battery compartments and a removable rubber butt pad. A detachable sling swivel may be inserted on either side of the stock. The pistol grip is a tan ErgoGrip. The rifle is delivered with eight 20-round-capacity Magpul PMags, although the L129A1 may come with KAC 20-round steel magazines and will function properly with CProducts steel magazines as well. The right side of the magazine well is marked with the NATO Stock Number (NSN), which is 1005-99-226-6708. Beneath that is “LEI” for Law Enforcement Int’l, the importer of the rifles into the United Kingdom. The left side is marked “LMT CAL. 7.62x51 mm L129A1.”

Optics For Sharpshooters

The primary optic chosen by the British for the L129A1 is a Trijicon ACOG 6X 48 mm powered by both fiber optics and a tritium lamp. The ACOG’s body is of 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum, the same as the rifle’s receiver. The fiber-optic powers the reticle during daylight hours—the tritium lamp in low or no light—and its chevron’s brightness is adjustable by the user. The unit’s reticle has a built-in bullet drop compensator for 7.62x51 mm NATO from 100 to 1,200 meters. Each adjustment is one click per 1/4 inch at 100 yards. To transition from long range to close-quarter battle, there is a Picatinny rail on the ACOG’s top that accepts a 1.2-ounce Trijicon 1X LED Rugged Miniature Reflex sight with a red dot powered by a CR2032 battery. The RMR’s housing is of 7075 T6 aluminum. Additional accessories include the OTIS 7.62 mm Sniper Cleaning System, a small Dewey rod to clean the chamber, a front sight adjustment tool and a rail-mounted, quick-detachable sling mount so the sling may be mounted anywhere on the rail.

The Commercial LM&T LM308MWS

Although the L129A1 is not commercially available, LM&T offers the LM308MWS (Modular Weapons System), which is basically the same rifle in black furniture without the British markings or some of the British-specific equipment. The backup sights are LM&T’s own design used by the U.S. Navy and SOCOM on their MK 18 CQB rifles. The robust BUIS is adjustable for windage and elevation, and it is essentially the rear of a detachable carrying handle, minus the handle. The front sight is a fixed tower mounted to the rail with the standard front sight post.

The MWS’s 16-inch-long, 1:10-inch-twist, chrome-lined barrel comes with the standard M16A2/M4-style compensator instead of the L129A1’s Surefire prong suppressor. Although some may be marked “308 Win,” all have 7.62x51 mm NATO chambers. Eventually LM&T will offer 18" stainless steel barrels, as well as chrome-lined barrels in both 1:10-inch and 1:11.25-inch twists. Also on the horizon are different-caliber barrels and bolts for this modular system and, perhaps, piston-operated conversion barrels and carriers.

The bolt carriers on the original LM308MWS rifles were the same chrome-plated carriers as on the L129A1s, but newer production commercial LM308MWSs come with a modified carrier with a proprietary finish that resembles satin nickel. Also, the rear of the carrier looks more like a selective-fire 5.56 mm carrier with anti-tilt skis. An inch-pound torque wrench set to 140 inch-pounds for installation of the barrel retention bolts is included. One aluminum, 20-round magazine is supplied.

The commercial LM308MWS was paired with an Aimpoint CompM4 and a Leupold Mark 4 LR/T 3.5-10X 40 mm with an illuminated reticle. The latter was mounted using ARMS No. 22 High rings with throw-lever mounts. Testing was conducted using Silver State Armory 168-grain OTM Match and 147-grain, full-metal-jacket M80 ball. In total, more than 1,500 rounds were fired with both optics under different tactical conditions. For a 7.62x51 mm rifle, the recoil was relatively mild, likely because of the inline design of Stoner rifles. At 100 yards, five-shot groups consistently ranged from 0.75 inches to 1.25 inches with the Leupold scope. The barrel was not babied, either, as rapid-fire drills and quick mag dumps were done to test reliability. No malfunctions of any sort were experienced.

Reports indicate the L129A1 is serving British sharpshooters well on the battlefield, and the LM308MWS will likely serve law enforcement and commercial customers just as well. The MWS covered here is just the beginning, as LM&T will undoubtedly release new barrels, calibers and operating systems. This is a top-notch rifle that competed with—and beat—the best in open competition. One would expect nothing less from Karl Lewis.

Manufacturer: Lewis Machine & Tool Co.; (309) 787-7151; www.lewismachine.net
Action Type: direct-gas operated, semi-automatic, center-fire rifle
Receiver: forged 7075 T6 aluminum upper and lower
Caliber: 7.62x51 mm NATO (.308 Win.)
Barrel: 16"
Rifling: five-groove, 1:10" (tested) or 1:11.25" RH twist
Magazine: 20-round detachable box
Sights: LM&T windage- and elevation-adjustable BUIS rear; post front BUIS; MIL-STD-1913 Rail
Trigger Pull: two-stage match, 4-lbs.
Stock: LM&T SOPDMOD Black synthetic collapsible
Overall Length: 35" to 38"
Weight: 9 lbs., 14 ozs.
Accessories: sling, inch-pound torque wrench, owner’s manual
Suggested Retail Price: $3,422

[buglerbilly]

From Soldier Systems....................

Field Density Altitude Compensator

March 24th, 2011

US Tactical Supply is now offering the Field Density Altitude Compensator from Adaptive and Training Services. It is a simple device designed to allow the shooter to quickly compute a firing solution. Developed by Marine Snipers, the FDAC requires no batteries and is lightweight. Its two sides feature MOA (minute of angle) and .1 mil calculators that work in a fashion similar to a slide rule producing solutions based on the G7 drag model.


MOA Side


.1 mil

The FDAC is currently available in two versions (.308 and .300/.338) from www.ustacticalsupply.com who offers them on GSA as well as to retail customers. Look for a .50 version coming this summer.

[buglerbilly]

Army May Field More Powerful Sniper Rifle

April 15, 2011

Military.com|by Christian Lowe



The Army is moving closer to arming all of its sharpshooters with the XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, a powerful new sniper rifle that can reach more than 50 percent farther than the weapon currently in use.

The XM2010 first hit Army ranges late last year, and the service's top gear buyer says it is already targeting bad guys in Afghanistan.

The new rifle takes some of the parts of the current Remington-built M24 bolt-action sniper rifle -- which has been in the Army's inventory since the late 1980s -- and marries them with an updated stock, magazine and rail system.

But in a major shift brought on by experience in Afghanistan, the XM2010 is being built to fire the .300 Winchester Magnum round, which can hit targets up to 1,200 meters away. The current M24 -- much the same as the civilian Remington Model 700 -- fires a 7.62mm round that can reach targets about 800 meters away.

"We're trying to reach those extended ranges in Afghanistan … so [snipers] can reach out and hold that enemy out farther," said Brig. Gen. Pete Fuller in an April 14 interview with military reporters.

Fuller went on to say that the success of the XM2010 in Afghanistan caused the Army to consider fielding the longer-range rifle to all snipers servicewide.

"There is ongoing discussion in the Army right now whether we are going to 'pure fleet' the whole Army with this capability," Fuller said.

"I believe the Army will go in that direction" but a final decision hasn't been made, he said.

The Army will continue to procure the semi-auto M110 sniper rifle for shorter ranges and urban engagements, officials say.

In September, the Army signed a contract with Remington Arms to "rebuild" about 250 M24s into the XM2010 rifle for use in Afghanistan. The contract left open the possibility that the service could buy up to 3,600 rifles if it received the funds.

The Army was concerned that the M24 fell short in typical engagement ranges in Afghanistan, where Taliban fighters tend to ambush U.S. troops from high-altitude escarpments just beyond the lethal range of current Soldier arms.

The bolt-action XM2010 includes a five-round magazine, an adjustable, folding stock and enough rail space to accommodate a variety of optics, designators and illumination tools, the Army says.

According to Army weapons buyers, the original program was spearheaded by Rep. Mike Arcuri, a Democrat congressman whose district includes the Remington Ilion Firearms plant near Utica. Arcuri was defeated by Republican Richard Hanna last year.

"The Army has about 2,500 M24s in its inventory so there is enough headroom in the current contract to provide all sniper teams an XM2010 capability if the Army ultimately approves the decision and allocates the budget to do so," a PM Soldier weapons representative said in a statement.

© Copyright 2011 Military.com. All rights reserved.

[buglerbilly]

Army Wants Lighter, Shorter M110 Sniper Rifle

by christian on April 22, 2011



In a little noticed request for information, the Army is asking industry to come to it with ideas about how to reconfigure or replace the cureent Knights Armament-made M110 sniper rifle.

The weapon is very popular among Joes (and Marines and SEALs) who like its 7.62×51 NATO round and the Stoner styling that helped it blend into the fireteam or squad.

But industry officials (and some readers in the field) tell Kit Up! the current M110s/SR-25s aren’t holding up that well in the zone. One industry source told us that about half the compliment of M110s in any one unit are being cannabalized for parts to keep the other half going.

Here’s what the Army is looking for:

1.Operation: Semi-automatic

2.Caliber: Compatible with 7.62x51mm NATO cartridges

3.Accuracy: Capable of 1.3 minute of angle dispersion or greater with
match ammunition

4.Size: Overall length shall be reduced using a shorter barrel and/or
collapsible buttstock. Maximum length not to exceed 39 without suppressor.
Desired minimum length is less than 36 with stock collapsed.

5.Weight: Weight shall be under 9.0 lb for unloaded rifle without optics
and accessories

6.Grip: A modular, adjustable pistol grip.

7.Trigger: A non-adjustable match style trigger.

8.Hand guard: A forend that includes a fixed 12 o’ clock rail with
configurable 3, 6, and 9 o’ clock rails.

9.Sound suppressor: A muzzle mounted, detachable sound suppressor.

10.Muzzle device: A compensator/muzzle break compatible with the sound
suppressor.

11.Bipod: Tool-less detachment featuring cant and pan/track capability.

12.Day optic: An Army specified variable power day optic and compatible
rings.

13.Back up sights: Iron sights offset 45 deg from the DOS.

14.Sling attachment: Flush cup, quick detach sling attachment points.

15.In addition to the above listed enhancements, the upgraded M110 must meet the
operational and environmental requirements that were fulfilled by the original
M110 SASS.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz1KPLG3EDO
Kit Up!

This may be on offer, the "carbine" version of the Knights Armament SR25 shown for the first time at SHOT 2011 a couple of months ago...............





16inch barrel, not 20inch
2 1/2 inch reduction in overall length with stock extended
5 1/2+ inch reduction stck reduced.

[Weasel]

You've been busy Bugs...

Liked the Sabre Defense piece, and the reference to the anti tilting mechanism for the bolt action on the Adams rod gas recoil system. Plus the Gepard GM6 .50 (of course). :p

cheers

w

[buglerbilly]

You've been busy Bugs...

Liked the Sabre Defense piece, and the reference to the anti tilting mechanism for the bolt action on the Adams rod gas recoil system. Plus the Gepard GM6 .50 (of course). :p

cheers

w

Hey Buddy!

Yeah well it was a choice between posting some news on MilTech or going out with the latest of my Ladyfriends.................I actually find myself enjoying the posting more!!??

Sad reflection on the state of my private affairs.........:rofl :rofl :rofl

[Weasel]

Hey Buddy!

Yeah well it was a choice between posting some news on MilTech or going out with the latest of my Ladyfriends.................I actually find myself enjoying the posting more!!??

Sad reflection on the state of my private affairs.........:rofl :rofl :rofl

lol...what I find fascinating (and yes, I truly do) is all the talk about 6.8mm Grendel or new type of caliber has been washed away by a "Tsunami" of 7.62mm conservatism.

Very clever strategy by Nick Young to design a platform that is capable of exchanging multiple calibers. Gives them af fighting chance to survive and may even win a contract.

cheers

w

[buglerbilly]

lol...what I find fascinating (and yes, I truly do) is all the talk about 6.8mm Grendel or new type of caliber has been washed away by a "Tsunami" of 7.62mm conservatism.

Very clever strategy by Nick Young to design a platform that is capable of exchanging multiple calibers. Gives them af fighting chance to survive and may even win a contract.

cheers

w

Yup, I truly do not see 6.8mm or any other gucci round making it into service unless there is a dramatic change of mind in the US establishment. The ability of a platform to change calibre is fine but doesn't appear to be well regarded by most if not all Forces in the West at least, there is still an almost fanantic dedication to one calibre/one weapon.

[buglerbilly]

Army Speaks to M110 Performance/Upgrade

by christian on April 26, 2011



The comments are worth a read, follow the link below...........

The Army’s office that purchases Soldier weapons contacted Kit Up! to flesh out the details on news that the service was looking for a replacement or rebuild of the current M110, which is based off the Knights Armament SR-25 rifle.

Industry (and other field and user sources) have told Kit Up! in the past that the M110 had some problems with reliability, parts, bolts, tolerances, quality control and accuracy. But the Army called to tell us that at least since an earlier trigger problem was solved, the service has had no major issues with the M110 and that reliability is high, no bolts are cracking and there isn’t a cannibalization problem.

During a recent trip to Afghanistan to train Army snipers on the new XM2010, PM Soldier Weapons officials said they heard no complaints about the M110.


We heard no major complaints about the 110. Matter of fact, that’s why it was no surprise when we saw the 173rd had a 100 percent approval of the M110. To get a group of snipers together and have such high ratings for a weapon system — that’s almost unheard of because snipers are very individualistic. That’s telling us we’re doing a pretty good job and the weapon’s doing a pretty good job.

Program Manager Lt. Col. Chris Lehner went on to say that the sources sought notice is the service’s attempt to keep pace with the latest technology and capabilities of current SR-25-like weapons.


We’ve seen over the years industry’s ability to make weapons shorter and lighter and keep the accuracy. And heck, why would we not go for something like that?

He also said that Benning was leaning toward equipping the shorter, lighter M110 to the spotter in a sniper team, assuming his compadre is wielding the new XM2010.


Where right now sniper team’s got the spotter and the shooter, and the spotter will simply carry an M4. So now you’re going to have a bolt action for the primary shooter, but instead of carrying an M4, the spotter will have an urban sniper support weapon which will be the M110. … Now you’ve increased the lethality of the team…

It is still unclear what the timeline is for the M110 replacement/rebuild. Lehner said the product team is set to meet at the end of April to decide a schedule and scope. Army officials said so far 13 companies have expressed interest in the program, but Lehner declined (as per acquisition policy) to name any of them.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/04/army-speaks-to-m110-performanceupgrade.html#ixzz1KjPJ3Ni2
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

XM2010 ‘Nailing Fellows’ in Afghanistan

by christian on April 28, 2011



Top Army weapons officials told Kit Up! that they have fielded a number of the XM2010 sniper rifle rebuilds to sharpshooters in Afghanistan already and are set to have all 8 BCTs in the field popping .300 WinMag by mid-May.

Lt. Col. Chris Lehner told Kit Up! in an April 26 interview that he’d just returned from Afghanistan where he gave the XM2010 to snipers “in two different locations” and worked through a three-day course on the weapon’s use, maintenance and capabilities.


We bring all the snipers into one location and within three days, they are minted XM2010 killers. They can use that weapon system like nobody’s business.

He also revealed that within a short time after the long-range-death-dealers took their new rifles to the outpost, they were plinking bad guys from “ridgetop to ridgetop.”


We got reports that immediately within a few days after returning from our training that they were nailing fellows at 1,000 meters without a problem. … They want to get back to their unit so quickly and whack somebody with this thing — they’re itching to get back on a helicopter [after the training] and go whack somebody. And they have…

But Lehner said there’s a lot more to the rifle’s accuracy than it’s powerful caliber.


The optic is a little bit different. It’s a first focal plane reticule with a Horace reticule on it. They’re able to point and shoot and don’t have to do the calculations and the range estimations that they used to do with mildots out to a certain distance. So they’re able to shots out very, very quickly and follow up shots very quickly. And even when they do have to go past a certain range and do some range estimation, they’re about to get it out quicker than they ever have before. We’re confident that they’re going to be able to outgun anyone that’s in their path — even another sniper firing back at them.

The service is on a path to field 250 XM2010s by mid-May. As Kit Up! readers might remember, outgoing PEO Soldier BGen Pete Fuller said he wanted to “pure fleet” the entire Army sniper community with the XM2010 rather than keep the M24 around. It’s unclear where that’s going to go given a new M110, (maybe) new M4, M4 upgrades and a suite of cammo uniforms, but we’ll see.

One thing’s for sure, some snipers in the field speak pretty highly of the new system…


“They listened to snipers when they built it, so they took everything into effect,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. David Dickson, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment sniper instructor, and a native of Southern Pines, N.C. “You can shoot a 10-inch shot group from 1,000 meters.”

The XM2010 will be assigned to sniper teams in Afghanistan before it is distributed to the rest of the Army.

“It is very smooth when shooting the rifle, the scope makes it really easy to accurately hit the target,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Dennis Long, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team 34th Infantry Division, Task Force Red Bulls, and a native of Williamsburg, Iowa.

“It’s a good system and I am very pleased it was able to be distributed so quickly,” said Kreuser. “It’s another system that will help us push the enemy back.”

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/04/xm2010-nailing-fellows-in-afghanistan.html#ixzz1Kt9PhaE5
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

Guided tour of the XM2010

May 10th, 2011 | video | Posted by Rob Curtis

Military Times staffer Colin Kelly shot a down and dirty tour of the the Army’s latest sniper system, the XM2010. He made this video for GearScout over in Afghanistan with help from US Army sniper school Staff Sergeant David Dickson. Thanks, Colin!

http://militarytimes.com/blogs/gearscout/2011/05/10/guided-tour-of-the-xm2010/

[buglerbilly]

SR-25's in Israeli Service?

(From this weekend's disturbances on Israel's Golan border...............)

[buglerbilly]

Not really new but interesting nevertheless...........beast of a gun but not as bad as some in .50cal...........detailed review at link..............via the Firearm blog

ArmaLite AR-50 review



Nick reviews the Armalite AR-50 .50 BMG rifle at TTAG ...

http://thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/05/foghorn/gun-review-armalite-ar-50-50-bmg-rifle/



The AR-50 was designed to do one thing and do it well: hit targets at extreme ranges. According to their 1999 press release, the rifle is an ” . . . economical, accurate rifle for shooters interested in the challenges of long range shooting.” And that’s all it does. It’s a highly specialized piece of equipment with limited use. But where it’s useful, it’s perfect. It’s precisely the right tool for the job: punching precision holes in far away targets.




Uploaded by vafoghorn on May 16, 2011
This footage is from a modified PALMA match aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, May 15, 2011. While the match included firing from 900 and 1,000 yards as well, this footage is from 800 yards.
For more information, visit TheTruthAboutGuns.com

[buglerbilly]

More big bangs...............via the Firearm Blog

Leader 50: .50 BMG semi-auto bullpup rifle

The Leader 50 is an interesting weapon designed by veteran gun designer Charles St. George.


Photo (C) Oleg Volk


Photo (C) Oleg Volk

It is in the same class as the Gepard GM6 Lynx .50 Caliber Rifle, hard hitting, fast rate of fire and light enough to be used off hand as a primary weapon. Unlike the GM6 Lynx (and Barret M82) the Leader 50 is gas operated rather than recoil operated. Having a fixed barrel should, in theory, help accuracy at the expensive of recoil. Oleg Volk says that the recoil is similar to a .30-06 M1 Garand.

It was to be manufactured by the now defunct Sabre Defence, but is now slated to be manufactured by Micor Industries.

More information is available at Defense Review and Oleg Volk's blog.

http://www.defensereview.com/leader-50-bmg-semi-auto-bullpup-50-bmg-anti-materielsniper-rifle-for-military-special-operations-forces-sof-coming-soon-to-a-theater-of-operations-near-you/

http://olegvolk.net/blog/2011/05/19/leader-50-semi-auto-bullpup/

[buglerbilly]

SOCOM Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) Update

by Brandon Webb on May 27, 2011



The military acquisition process is far from being “fast” but, it looks like the PSR is acquisition is moving forward. It appears that the Contracting Office has released new information describing the full and open competition for the 10 year firm fixed price contract (maximum value of $252M). And like I said previously, the DoD acquisition process is not a quick one, the final award is anticipated by April 2012.

Speeding up the DoD acquisition process should be a priority moving forward into the future in my opinion. Advancements in technology and weapon systems happen monthly and should be leveraged (tested and evaluated of course) for the war fighter’s advantage. I see too many cases where outdated weapons and technology are in play because of a lengthy and drawn out acquisition process. Time to fix this if you ask me….

For those that haven’t been tracking the PSR, the specs are below: -Brandon out.

■ Three (3) each Precision Sniper Rifles (PSR) Product Samples shall consist of three PSR rifles of the SAME configuration and caliber
■ One (1) suppressor (TOTAL)
■ Three (3) magazines. Magazines shall be able to hold a minimum of five (5) rounds
■ One (1) No-Go or Field Reject Headspace Gauge and written procedures for use
■ One (1) GO Minimum Headspace Gauge and written procedures for use
■ A minimum of 200 rounds of ammunition (Vendor is responsible for supplying enough ammunition to complete the Go/No-Go testing)
■ The PSR product sample shall weigh no more than 18.0 lbs with 12 o’clock MIL-STD 1913 rail, and an unloaded magazine. Weight excludes any protective MIL-STD-1913 rail covers and all other ancillary equipment
■ The PSR rifle shall have an overall length of no more than 50 inches in the fully extended configuration, less suppressor
■ The PSR shall have a safety mechanism that prevents the weapon from firing when the trigger is depressed and the safety is in the “safe” position
■ The projectile shall have a remaining velocity no less than 1,228 feet per second under nominal conditions at 1500 meters (1640 yards)
■ Maximum of 20 rounds to be fired
■ Velocities measured at 15’ and 1000 Yards (914 meters) /Averaged/Calculate BC
■ Enter BC and 15’average velocity into Sierra Infinity Version 6 Software to obtain remaining velocity at 1500 meters
■ The projectile shall have a minimum of 700 ft-lbs. of kinetic energy at 1500 meters (1640 yards).
Calculate energy based on remaining velocity (from above) and projectile weight/mass
■ PSR rifle, when fired without suppressor, shall hold 1.0 Minute of Angle (MOA) Extreme Vertical Spread (EVS) at 914 meters (1000 yards)
■ Precision capability shall be demonstrated by the vendor at 914 meters (1000 yards). A total of twelve (12) five shot groups shall be fired for record. The offeror shall fire two of the product sample rifles for six groups each.
■ The offeror shall select five of the six groups from each product sample to submit for the Government to acquire an average. The 10-group average shall be 1.0 MOA or less. Groups shall be measured for Extreme Vertical Spread (EVS). The offeror has the option to shoot his rifle from a fixture (to be supplied by the offeror), off the ground/bipod or from a bench rest to demonstrate precision

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz1NZGgOOh5
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog.............

Which Rifle Barrel Manufacturing Method Is Best?

In order to find out which method of rifle barrel manufacturing was best, I interviewed Jochen Anschutz (president of Anschutz) and Woody Woodall (president of Lothar-Walther). I found it interesting that although Mr. Woodall stated that all three of the major methods – cut rifling, button rifling, and hammer forging – can produce equally accurate barrels, and although Mr. Anschutz is surrounded (in Europe) by manufacturers that produce hammer forged barrels, both companies choose button rifling for their precision rifle barrels.

I intended to interview (on video) at least one senior member of a company that uses hammer forged barrels for precision weapons, but was unable to squeeze such an interview in during IWA. It is possible that another such interview might take place in the future. I should note that in conversations with a senior Beretta engineer which took place off camera during the Beretta factory tour, the primary reason for the switch to hammer forging was the precise alignment of the chamber to the rifling. He also stated that overall cost was a factor.

Keep an eye out for future posts discussing how companies like Steyr and Sig hammer forge their barrels.


Uploaded by GunsForSaleDotCom on Apr 30, 2011
http://GunsForSale.com presents a series of interviews with the CEOs of barrel manufacturers Anschutz, Mr. Jochen Anschutz, and Lothar-Walther, Mr. Woody Woodall, to find out more about the types of rifling used today and why they chose button rifling over hammer forging.

Rifle Barrel Manufacturing Q&A

[buglerbilly]

THOR Global Defense Introduces New .408″ Sniper Rifles

By tamir_eshel on May 31, 2011 9:14 pm


The accuracy of the XM408 is greatly enhanced with its high quality KRIEGER barrel as well as recoil reduction, employing the ASA model substantially reducing recoil, allowing for quicker follow up shots among other system enhancements. Photo: THOR

THOR Global Defense Group, has introduced two models of the premier.408 ultra-long range sniper system, the XM408, and M408 (XM408ASA). Military applications of this bolt-action rifle are anti-personnel, anti-sniper and anti-material utilization. The M408 features accuracy improvement offering an overall more stable shooting platform and accurate assembly. Overall, the new weapon offers superior performance and overmatch over .308 or .338 or .338 Lapua Magnum weapons, while offering warfighters a significantly lightweight and more compact alternative to traditional .50 CAL BMG anti-material rifles. An attractive advantage of the .408 caliber is its suitability for long and short range applications, common in urban warfare, where its high penetration does not conflict with the level of over penetration experienced with rifles firing .50 BMG ammunition.

The accuracy of the XM408 is greatly enhanced with its high quality KRIEGER barrel as well as recoil reduction, employing the ASA model substantially reducing recoil, allowing for quicker follow up shots among other system enhancements.


The XM408 sniper rifle is designed to fire .408 Chey-tac bullets weighing 419gr.

The rifle is designed to fire .408 Chey-tac bullets weighing 419gr. This ammo is fired through the 30” (76.2 cm) K&P fluted match grade barrel with 1:13 twist rate, developing muzzle velocity of 2900 fps. Effective range is about 1,500 yards.

With stock extended the XM408 length is 54.5” (138 cm), gross weight is 26 lbs (11.79 kg). The rifle loads a magazine of seven cartridges. The XM408 features a CNC & EDM machined 42 Rockwell hardened receiver and bolt, fully adjustable hardened aluminum stock with sliding mechanism and adjustable mono-pod.


The THOR XM408 is designed to fire .408 Chey-tac bullets weighing 419gr. This ammo is fired through the 30” (76.2 cm) K&P fluted match grade barrel with 1:13 twist rate, developing muzzle velocity of 2900 fps. Effective range is about 1,500 yards.

Copyright © 2011 Defense Update. All Rights Reserved.

[buglerbilly]

Video: SF Snipers Make the ‘Kill’

by christian on June 6, 2011



Kit Up! was given the opportunity to follow students of the Army Special Forces Sniper Course during their culmination exercise at Fort Bragg a couple weeks ago.

One thing that’s interesting about the SFSC is that it’s the only school in the US military that trains for what is called “Level 1″ sniping. Instructors there told me that means that a SFSC-trained sniper is allowed to kill targets on an objective where friendly forces are also present in close proximity.

http://www.military.com/video/forces/army/kit-up-original-video-sf-snipers-make-a-kill/978627673001/

A couple other things of note — instructors said there’s been a bit of a change in philosophy with SFSC recently. First, instructors don’t wash out as many students as they once did during early shooting tests. As one MSG told me “we can make you a shooter.” That puts extra demands on instructors who sometimes have to come in on weekends to make sure some of their less accurate students are getting that sub-minute of angle group.

Also, there’s more reliance on technology and less class time devoted to the alchemy of divining the atmospheric conditions and all the other factors that go into calculating long range accuracy. Handheld computers and whiz wheels are now standard issue and since less time is devoted to arcane math, more time can be devoted to teaching all the other things that go into being a spec ops sniper.

Both moves were not without controversy, however, and the changed philosophy prompted some old-timers to leave the school, we’re told. I know there will be many of the purists on this blog that think “modernizing” the sniper school philosophy is a bad thing — and that’s understandable. But the MSG who spoke to me about this and was the impetus for much of the change has a combat resume that’s unimpeachable.

Check out the video and see first hand how these one shot killers learn their trade.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz1OY4e0aGD
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

LWRCI REPR .308 Review - Vuurwapen Blog

VuurwapenBlog



Uploaded by VuurwapenBlog on Jun 7, 2011

A video review of the LRWCI REPR semi-auto precision rifle. Two upper receiver assemblies were used for this review - the 16" and 20" versions - enabling a wider look at the platform than would be possible if just one upper was reviewed.

[buglerbilly]

German Sniper Training 1944: 1 of 7

WORLDWARTWOvideos

Uploaded by WORLDWARTWOvideos on Jun 20, 2009

German Sniper Training 1944: 1 of 7

Still relevant mostly....................



Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh0O-AYWUvc&feature=player_detailpage
Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46C_IpOsJyA&feature=related
Part 4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMF9gETL03M&feature=related
Part 5 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDAEp_rqAgQ&feature=related
Part 6 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkXkNBDBilU&feature=related
Part 7 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVDEBhOG_Ms&feature=player_detailpage

[buglerbilly]

USASOC Reveals FNH-USA Mk20 Plan

by christian on June 8, 2011



So a couple of you have asked about the status of the FNH-USA-built Mk20 Sniper Support Rifle in last week’s post and I thought I’d put out what I know and don’t know (which is a lot).

First off, I’ve pinged SOCOM for an official update, but I also wanted to share with you a slide I obtained that shows Army Special Operations Command’s plan for their sniper rifle inventory. All I’m doing at this point is reading tea leaves, but here goes.

According to the slide, USASOC plans to divest itself of the Mk11 (7.62)-Mk12 (5.56) rifles in their inventory beginning in the last quarter if this fiscal year (which is now). They will replace them with the Mk17 SCAR Heavy and the Mk20 SSR through Q3 of 2017.

Now, what’s confusing to me is that in paralell to the USASOC initiatives on the SCAR and SSR, the Army is also running its own M110 upgrade and is replacing all Mk11s with M110s. If the M4 is good enough for USASOC to cancel its Mk16 purchasing plans, then why isn’t the M110 and the newly modified M110 A1 good enough? Honest question, not being critical at all.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/57207781/SOF-Warrior-Sniper-Rifle

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz1OjpBHKeF
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

High Country Sniper Training

by The Mad Duo on June 13, 2011



Sniper Country, founded back in February by Nick Young of Desert Tactical Arms, is steadily improving their already impressive Utah range. They’re currently utilizing 55,000 acres to teach a number of courses and are working on developing more. We talked to SCT’s Kyle Craemer (formerly a USMC Scout Sniper) last week in between site surveying and range construction. He’d been working the Unknown Distance and Known Distance ranges to determine exact ranges, firing lines, roads, etc. They’re placing multi-color steel targets, in his words, “waaaay out and UP there at the top of a mountain” and have just finished surveying a 1200-yard flat range where they’ll be hosting a machine gun shoot this month.

Sniper Country Training features high and extreme angle shooting, high altitude ranges, counter-sniper engagement ranges, flat ranges and multi-stage ranges. Many of the courses incorporate stalking, rock climbing, ATV vehicle training and of course land navigation—through some pretty difficult, often very cold terrain.



The stable of classes includes Precision Rifle I (literally starting with the Milliradian theory and learning what Minute of Angle means, taking shots out to 600 yards), Precision Rifle II (developing “shooting knowledge to the level of a sniper school graduate” against moving and stationary targets in full and low light out to 1,000 yards) through Precision Rifle III (which is where it really gets hard). They also offer Field Firing Position Workshop (shots out to 1,000 yards from various positions), Long Range Hunter (for the big and dangerous game hunter in difficult places), High Angle Workshop (learning “advanced shooting solutions at high angles and extreme long ranges” out past 1,000 yards), Stalking I and II and of course Land Navigation. One course that looks particularly compelling is The Sniper Experience, which requires completion of at least Precision Rifle II. In Sniper Experience students plan and execute sniper missions with other teams, utilizing coordinated shots from supported positions. It includes mission planning, stalking, intel collection, shooting and return to friendly lines—all with the threat of ambush or compromise.



Kyle advises all instructors are all former military snipers with extensive operational experience who draw on their backgrounds to create realistic training scenarios.

In addition to the rugged training terrain, Sniper Country has a lodge available for attending students. Hopefully soon your redoubtable Kit Up! Editor will soon be attending one of their courses and we can tell you more.



Sniper Country Training:

http://www.snipercountrytraining.com/

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz1PCxrcX2N
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

The Original SOE Therma-rest shooting mat

July 8th, 2011 | Product Announcement | Posted by Rob Curtis





Original Special Operation Equipment’s upcoming shooting mat is a BYO setup that uses your standard issue 72″ x 24″ Therma-rest sleeping pad to comfernate your prone activities. It’s as simple as it looks in these preview photos. Just unzip the mat and slide your pad in. Just make sure you have someone around the LP/OP to keep you awake. No solid word in price or availability, yet. This one is still in development, so features could be added, changed or pulled. They’ve guesstimated the pad wrapper will sell for under $100. Keep an eye on OSOE’s Facebook page for the latest on this and other upcoming projects.

[buglerbilly]

Knight’s Armament Mystery Rifles for Spec Ops Units

by Jack Murphy on August 4, 2011



In 2008, while attending the Gryphon Group mobile force protection course I was fortunate to be invited to attend a tour of the Reed Knight factory in Florida with a small group of soldiers from other Special Forces Groups. At the time, taking pictures was pretty much forbidden, but it seems that since then Reed Knight has hosted a number of open house events for the public.

Walking through the machine shop we were able to see automated machine units drilling lower receivers for the M110 sniper rifle from solid billet which was pretty cool to watch and something that was definitely not permitted when I toured the Glock factory at Smyrna, Georgia later that year. Viewing some of the fully assembled products, I was interested to see a half dozen short barrel, bolt-action .300 Winchester Magnum sniper rifles that our tour guide, one of Reed Knight’s vice presidents, told us was bound for a certain SOCOM unit.

Outside in the lobby were examples of current products made at their facility, one of which was a M4 variant that fired 7.62×39 (AK-47) rounds. As our guide explained to us, a Special Operations unit was concerned early into OEF that as they were clearing deeper into cave complexes in Afghanistan that they were running low on ammunition and had to effect a battlefield recovery from dead enemy, claiming their Kalashnikov rifles for themselves. With a special order placed by this unit for a M4 style rifle that would fire recovered Taliban ammunition, Reed Knight shut down it’s entire factory for several weeks to dedicate their full effort to a separate compound on their property that houses classified weapons projects.

With the finished product in hand, SOCOM bought something like a half dozen of the M4 rifles chambered for 7.62×39 and Reed Knight never heard anything of it again!

(Photo: Above is NOT a Knight’s 300 WinMag)

Kit Up! contributor Jack Murphy is a former Ranger and SF Soldier and is the author of the military thriller Reflexive Fire.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/08/knights-armament-mystery-rifles-for-spec-ops-units.html#ixzz1U6xPURiS
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

Special Forces Worry About M110 Durability

by Jack Murphy on August 15, 2011



The Army rolled out the M110 to much controversy, but in response to valid concerns and shifting tactical situations that snipers were encountering overseas. With soldiers fighting in built up urban areas, target ranges were decreased and the number of targets often increased, creating a need for a semi-automatic Sniper system to be fielded Army wide. However, many of us in the Special Operations community felt that the Army was getting the short end of the stick with the M110.

Where is the forward assist?

The first time I laid eyes on the M110 was at the SOF armorers course in Crane, Indiana. Crane’s Subject Matter Expert in sniper systems was giving a class on the rifle when I blurted out, “Where is the forward assist on that thing?” My SR-25 had one so what was the issue? The instructor responded that Colt was the patent holder for the forward assist design and it would have set the entire M110 project back years and millions of dollars to license the design or start from scratch to create something new that performed the same functionality.

Many shooters will no doubt tell you that they never use their forward assist anyway, so who cares? It is a different situation for snipers who may very well stalk into their hide site. In this scenario you are not going to have your semi-automatic sniper rifle loaded inside your drag bag and will need to chamber a round, slowly and quietly, once at your hide site. This is where a forward assist can be of critical importance to the sniper in making sure his first round is properly chambered. The solution we were given by Crane? Stick a cleaning rod in the bolt carrier and jamb it forward.

Scope zero set

Another major failure of the M110 is not the fault of the rifle, but rather the Leupold scope provided with it. There was no zero set on the elevation turret so after you slipped your scales the turret could continue to rotate counter-clockwise, causing the sniper to lose his zero-point.

Shot out barrels

I had a number of colleagues who attended our Special Forces Group’s SOTIC course at Ft. Campbell with their new M110 rifles. More than just a few came back reporting shot out barrels after less than five hundred rounds fired. The guns were dropping up to eight Minutes of Angle (MOA) and becoming hopelessly inaccurate. Snipers and spotters ended up sharing a weapon in many Sniper teams. While I did not have this experience with the M110′s on my team, I had too many Green Berets report this experience to me personally to discount it or chalk it all up to hype. The Army often keeps these types of failures in-house, worried that bad publicity will result in the Army getting something even worse down the line rather than simply correcting the flaws in the system. I’ve been told by soldiers recently rotated out of theater that the new generation of M110′s do not have this issue so it seems this flaw has since been corrected.

The M110 was developed and fielded for legitimate purposes, but in the rush to field a semi-automatic rifle I think that the Army lost sight of the big picture. In my opinion, replacing bolt-action sniper rifles with a semi-auto is short sighted. Bolt guns are much easier to fire, giving the sniper better feedback. Semi-autos are more difficult to master and sadly, many snipers simply don’t get that much range time. As one SOTIC instructor told me, “A lot of soldiers will like the M110 simply because they have nothing else to compare it to.”

Kit Up! contributor Jack Murphy is a former Ranger, Special Forces Soldier and is the author of the military thriller Reflexive Fire.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/08/special-forces-worry-about-m110-durability.html#ixzz1V6y1cLWD
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog.........

Problems with the Semi-Automatic M110 Sniper Rifle?

Jack Murphy, former Special Forces Soldier and author, has claimed that many of the special forces community are unhappy with the Knight's Armament Company M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System. This is the first time I have read or heard of issues with the M110, other than that they were not supplying enough of them!


M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System

Murphy says that the lack of a forward-assist is frustrating for snipers who chamber a round slowly, to prevent noise, and then use the forward assist to ensure the round is in battery. Apparently the SOP is to use a cleaning rod to push the bolt forward. Using a thumb or finger to push the bolt forward would also work.

Another problem, according to Murphy, is that the scope selected for the M110. This is not a problem with the M110 rifle or even the scope itself, just with the specifications. If it was a big enough problem Leupold could retrofit the scopes with zero-able turrets.

Ultimately, a semi-automatic sniper rifle is not going to be as reliable, accurate or light as a bolt action. Conversely, a bolt action is never going to be able to achieve the same rate of fire as a semi-automatic. Murphy wrote ...


The M110 was developed and fielded for legitimate purposes, but in the rush to field a semi-automatic rifle I think that the Army lost sight of the big picture. In my opinion, replacing bolt-action sniper rifles with a semi-auto is short sighted.

There is a place for both semi-auto and bolt-action sniper rifles. The best possible solution would be to have enough of both so that sniper teams could select the best weapon for their mission.

[ Many thanks to Lance for emailing me the link. ]

[buglerbilly]

Two Targets, One Bullet: How the Ultimate Sniper Rifle Was Made

By Christian Jennings, Wired.co.uk August 18, 2011 | 11:15 am



In 2007, when the Navy SEALs went looking for an alternative to the Barrett weapons system it already used — an ultra-high-caliber rifle capable of firing .5-inch cartridges at distances beyond 1,200 meters — it talked to the best weapons manufacturers across the globe. Eventually it contacted a small company with 50 employees, who, it had heard, could make a weapon suitable for its tactical and operational demands.

It didn’t buy American; it skirted around the excellence of German and Scandinavian weapons design; and, unsurprisingly, it didn’t call the Russians. It went British. It approached an enterprise that embodies a high-tech, design-focused approach, blending traditional British engineering with the latest technological innovation.

The Portsmouth company, Accuracy International (AI), equips the British Special Boat Service and Special Air Service with sniper rifles. In 2008, it signed a 3.7 million-pound contract to supply almost 600 sniper weapons to the UK Ministry of Defence. What came out of the SEALs’ approach to AI was a new gun.

“The fact that such a small company can be a world-beater in the manufacture of quality weapon systems in a market dominated by huge American and European companies is a huge achievement,” says Color Sergeant Lee Chevenix, a British Army sniping-team instructor. “I know from first-hand experience how revered the AI product is, even in the States, where traditionally U.S. producers are favored.”

AI’s weapons are now part of long-range sniping lore. Craig Harrison, a British Army sniper from the Household Cavalry, hit two Taliban machine-gunners with two consecutive shots at a range of 2,475 meters in Helmand province, Afghanistan, in 2009. Inadvertently he had taken the world sniping record using an L115A3, the 0.338-inch caliber military sniper-rifle system made by AI that is now standard issue for the British Army.

“We saw two insurgents running through a courtyard,” Harrison said in interviews. “They came forward carrying a PKM [a general purpose Russian machine gun], set it up and opened fire…. Conditions were perfect, no wind, clear visibility. I rested the bipod of my weapon on a compound wall and aimed for the gunner firing the machine gun. The driver of my Jackal [patrol vehicle] spotted for me, providing all the information needed for the shot, which was at the extreme range of the weapon.”

Harrison killed one machine gunner with his first attempt and hit the other with the next. He then let off a final round to knock the enemy weapon out of action. His gun was the same as the one used by Black Watch corporal Christopher Reynolds, who killed a Taliban commander at a range of 1,853 meters. In 2009 another AI rifle, the L96A1, was used by two snipers from 4th Battalion, The Rifles (formerly the Greenjackets), part of the Welsh Guards battle group, to make 75 confirmed Taliban kills in 40 days. In one instance, two human targets were killed with a single bullet.



There is no sign for AI at its headquarters and manufacturing base on an industrial estate in Hampshire. But pass through a plain steel door and it’s clear where you are: There’s a meter-square photograph of two British Army snipers in action in Afghanistan on the wall. A sign reads: “Welcome to the home of the world’s finest sniper rifle.”

It is a bullish claim to make in such a competitive market, but it is one that is supported by many who have used the company’s weapons on the front line.

Writing about AI’s Arctic Warfare version of its AW sniper weapon’s system, American Rifleman magazine, the publication of the National Rifle Association, had the following to say: “The AWP is one of the very few rifles designed from the get-go to be a sniper’s rifle…. Every component of the AWP was designed from the outset for one purpose only, to culminate in a production rifle that would raise the standard of long-range performance to a new and higher level.”

Although the British Army — which, along with the Israelis, Canadians and the Americans, is considered to have among the best-trained and most operationally effective snipers in the world — buys weaponry from AI, the Ministry of Defence isn’t shy of shopping outside Britain: along with AI sniper rifles, the Special Air Service uses Swiss Sig-Sauer handguns, Canadian Diemaco assault rifles, German Heckler & Koch submachine guns and Minimi 5.56mm squad assault weapons. A MOD purchase order tends to mean that a product has proved its value.

“It all started life out of a garage in 1978,” says one of the company’s founders, Dave Walls, a burly and genial 65-year-old. “We wanted to make a weapon that had all the features of a good and accurate target rifle with the rugged applicability of a military weapons system. We listen to the soldier on the front line, we are flexible, we would work on something written on the back of a fag packet.”

He and a colleague, Dave Caig, along with two-time Olympic shooting gold medallist Malcolm Cooper, started out working on other people’s weapons in Caig’s garage in Worthing. Their first deal was to supply the Special Boat Squadron, or SBS, with a 7.62mm weapons system. The gun was deemed so successful that they won a tender to re-equip the British Armed Forces with 1,200 rifles in 1982. In this way, the L96A1, which would eventually segue into the L115A3, was born. Almost 30 years later, AI was supplying weapons to 60 countries.

Sniping, and the design, engineering and manufacture of sniper rifles, revolves around one characteristic: precision. There are no grey areas with sniping — a bullet fired at long range either hits its target, or it doesn’t, depending on how good the rifle and its human operator are.

“The underlying issue regarding the physics, design and manufacturability of our weapons is the fact that somebody’s life is relying on it,” explains Ian Scrace, who runs AI’s engineering department.

The task facing sniper-rifle designers is to make sure that, up to the point where the bullet leaves the barrel, its journey is as exact as possible. To do this, manufacturers must design and engineer a rifle barrel that sits in a completely stable chassis assembly that doesn’t move when fired.

Scrace attempts to perfect the physics of this process in AI’s engineering department. There, the former design technologist at Rolls-Royce sits in front of his computer screen, using 3D modelling software called SolidWorks. In front of him — laid out in blue, red and green on the screen — is a 3-D representation of the trigger assembly, bolt and magazine housing of a rifle.

Other weapons manufacturers use software, of course, but AI combines it primarily with solid input from combat snipers on the front line. AI has a website and e-mail address where snipers serving in the field in, say, Helmand province, will send in comments, photographs and descriptions of their use of the weapon, commenting on such minutiae of design as the degree of reverse incline on the bolt handle.

“A lot of our training had been focused on what [British paratroopers] had learned in battle in 2006, and as snipers we knew that the new A3 rifle had been greatly enhanced due to their combat experiences,” says Cornwall. “Not only did we have a great weapons system that could outshoot our opponents by at least twice the distance, we also had an improved sight and tactical suppressor [devised by AI through crowdsourcing] that could keep the sniper hidden when firing in the dust and darkness.”

“SolidWorks allows us to get away from guesswork in drafting, and draft in a virtual world,” says Scrace. “The program allows us to appreciate appearance and ergonomics. And it means we can easily accommodate user requirements because we have a virtually configurable system.”

In 2006, British paratroopers, commandos and infantrymen, faced with counter-insurgency operations in Afghanistan, realized they needed a sniper weapon with a larger caliber (and hence more powerfully charged cartridge) and longer range than the AI 7.62mm L96 they had been using. British troops in Iraq were predominantly based in urban areas, but Afghanistan changed that. They needed something that could hit targets beyond the 900 to 1,000 meters at which the L96 operated.

“The British Army was forced by the insurgent-sniper threats in Basra and Helmand to rediscover the art of sniping,” says Tim Ripley with Jane’s Defence Weekly. “Every British Army rifle company, and in some cases infantry platoon, now has its own snipers. Few British troops in Afghanistan will now leave their bases without a sniper on post — they are mission-essential kit.”



AI modified the L96 sniper-rifle system, producing the AX338 munition, which fires a larger cartridge — or round — than the L96.

The company uses a totally modular manufacturing system, and all components apart from the rifle barrels are created in-house, in two plants five minutes’ drive apart.

Scrace continues to revolve the section of the rifle on his screen, moving the cursor so that he can change the size of the magazine housing. “Essentially, I’m manufacturing virtually,” he says while working onscreen. The software allows him to see how individual parts of a bolt assembly fit together and interact in considerable detail before physical prototypes are made.

Mechanical analysis is accomplished using finite-element analysis or FEA software, which offers a precise analysis of how a component or assembly will behave when forces are applied during use. This does not replace the need for physical testing, but can significantly reduce the number of prototypes required before AI commits to manufacture.

Scrace and his colleagues work to monitor, observe and control the effects of the “harmonics of vibration” of a weapon when it is fired. This means studying — to the millisecond — the moment when the weapon is fired, and when its component parts move most, invisibly to the human eye, and thus affect what is known as “fall of shot.”

The moment the percussion cap of the bullet is hit by the firing pin and the propellant ignites is when the working parts of the weapon — the steel of the barrel, the way the barrel lies in the chassis assembly — are under the maximum physical stress. It is at this split second that the weapon vibrates, parts move, the barrel moves microscopically off the sight-line, and the bullet can itself change track almost imperceptibly.

Downstairs from the engineering department is one of the machine rooms where the three main parts of the rifle are cut from aluminum. The parts are the front frame, which holds the barrel; the center section, which houses the bolt, chamber, trigger assembly and working parts; and the rear frame, which accommodates the pistol grip and the butt.

The basic action — the main working and firing parts — is made out of steel and housed on top of the center section. Parts such as the chassis, the stock and the magazine are made in an assembly area containing a welding room and presses. Once the three main sections and the basic action have been assembled and embedded into the AI customized chassis assembly, the butt plate and bolt are added.

The company then carries out extensive quality checks: at least one in five weapons will have its barrel given a 100 per cent check before it leaves the factory.

In the early ’90s, when developing its Arctic Warfare variant of the AW rifle, engineers would test them by hosing them down with water, leaving them in a freezer over the weekend, then loading a round into the weapons on the Monday morning to see if they functioned.

“Once, with the Welsh Guards in contact with the Taliban, all their SA80 assault rifles jammed,” says Frank Fletcher, AI’s senior firearms instructor. “Only the GPMGs [general purpose machine guns] and their sniper rifles still worked.”



The AX338 sniper rifle, which was modified to become the Army’s L115A3, currently in use, is a direct descendant of the various models of the AW variant of rifle AI started making in 1991. Some models are for police use and sold to law-enforcement agencies in the U.S. and elsewhere; others are primarily military.

The .338 Lapua Magnum round was adopted by AI in 1998. The ammunition has good ballistic design, says Scrace, and consistently high-quality production methods. The projectiles most often consist of a lead and antimony core with a copper jacket. A tungsten carbide core can be used to provide an armor-piercing capability.

Prior to this, the caliber of bullet used in the British Army’s sniper rifles had been the NATO standard round of 7.62mm caliber, the same size as the old .303 round used in the second-world-war Lee-Enfield.

Nowadays, the standard infantry weapons used by the American and British armies, indeed by most of the world’s armies, is the lighter 5.56mm, which the Americans use in their Colt M4 carbines, and the British in their SA80 assault rifles.

Both calibers have varying benefits: The 5.56mm is lighter, so a soldier can carry more ammunition, and the lighter charge gives a sufficient killing range up to a maximum of about 450 meters. The downside is that the rounds are light and fast so they tend to pass through the human body, thus having little “stopping power.” Advocates of the 7.62mm say that the heavier round tends to stop a human being even if a hit is made off the “CBM”, or central body mass.

The British Army has realized that 5.56mm alone is not sufficient, so a typical 10-man infantry section would now carry a variety of weapons in both calibers. These include a 7.62mm GP belt-fed machine gun, an 8.59mm sniper rifle, a 7.62mm sharpshooters assault rifle, a 5.56mm Minimi squad assault weapon and the 5.56mm SA80 assault rifles carried by the individual soldiers.

Improved sniper-rifle technology has also led to improved antisniper technology. An exchange of information between designers and users had led the US military to fund a project known as RedOwl, or robot-enhanced detection outpost with lasers, which uses laser and acoustic sensors to determine the exact direction from which a sniper round has been fired.

The basement below the assembly area is the domain of AI’s firearms instructor, Frank Fletcher, the former color sergeant and sniping instructor who served with the British Parachute Regiment in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, Macedonia and Iraq. A Para tattoo graces his right bicep and a Parachute regiment ring is attached to the strap of his watch.

“I deal with the clients,” he smiles, exuding calmness and confidence. “The SAS [Special Air Service], the SBS, the Parachute Regiment, the Special Forces Support Group.” He holds up an AX338 which is sitting at rest on an ergonomically designed firing table, pointing down the 100 meter-long shooting range.

Fletcher opens a box of .338 ammunition and takes out five shining brass rounds. He beckons me over and hands me the weapon. The design of the weapon, Walls said upstairs, forces the shooter into the optimal shooting position. And so it proves. The ergonomics of its design mean that the weight of the weapon is distributed through its bipod and resting butt.

I’m no stranger to weaponry, having fired the .303 Lee-Enfield and Bren Gun as a cadet, the 7.62mm FN self-loading rifle and GP machine gun in the TA Parachute Regiment, the 5.56mm FAMAS assault rifle in the French Foreign Legion and, as a journalist for 15 years across Africa and the Balkans, 10 variants of Kalashnikov.

But the AX338 is a completely new experience. It seems almost weightless. A suede bag containing sand supports the bottom of the butt, a bipod props the front stock of the weapon. I place a hand into the ergonomically perfect pistol grip; the other arm wraps around the butt.

Shooting can require enormous effort: in order to keep the sight from dancing in front of the marksman’s eyes, the weapon must be kept still using force by supporting all the rifle’s weight with one arm. But the AX338 seems to configure itself to individual idiosyncracies. Looking through the telescopic sight, I acquire the target 100m downrange.

“Aim just above the center of the target, keep the weapon still, squeeze the trigger gently,” Fletcher says. “Exhale gently, then hold your breath, and squeeze to fire.”

The AX338 delivers a loud percussive crack. The recoil seems controlled, as if it is spread through the entire weapon; the bolt-action for the ejection of the spent cartridge case is light, fluid and smooth. The bolt glides. I fire another four shots, the click-clash of the bolt-action flicking the bronze cartridge case high and right from the weapon. Fletcher retrieves the target and grins.

“You see,” he says, “that weapon will do anything for you. Your first two shots are straight through the same hole.”

Christian Jennings wrote about forensic science in 08.10. Additional research: Dan Smith

Photos: UK Ministry of Defence, Accuracy International

[buglerbilly]

Barrett MRAD .338 Lapua Sniper Rifle Review

by Brandon Webb on August 23, 2011



My first impression of the Barrett MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) straight out of the box was that Barrett had designed a beautiful rifle. The rifle I received for my evaluation was a bolt action chambered for .338 Lapua Magnum.

The concept behind Barrett’s MRAD system, is that it provides the shooter with an adaptable modular shooting platform. The MRAD can be re-configured to a variety of different calibers depending on the mission or application [be sure to follow link to previous Kit Up! video].

I did quite a few sniper patrols in northern Afghanistan with my partner Chris in early 2002 with SEAL Team Three ECHO platoon. And there were quite a few enemy engagements where the .338 Lapua would have come in handy for both of us. We sighted a lot of Taliban and Al Qaeda between 1200-2000 meters along the border of Pakistan but they were just out of reach of our .300 Winmag bolt-action rifles. Chris and I had to settle for calling in close air support air on most of these instances but what I wouldn’t give to go back in time and have the MRAD on patrol back then! I don’t know of any sniper that wouldn’t want a .338 Lapua Magnum in the toolbox.

I took the rifle back to just under 800 yards and it was shooting very flat and accurate. I was punching steel silhouettes dead center and taking head shots at this distance with a 2-minute wind hold on the Mil Dot scope. I also had my female friend Sally Lyndley with me to take pictures; she’s no slouch and is one of the world’s top fashion stylists (clients include Vogue, Love, Disney, etc.). She has zero shooting experience and I had her on steel at 500 yards consistently and she was very comfortable using the rifle. This speaks highly of the MRAD system in the sense that I re-configured the rifle for a female shooter in under a minute and had a beginner holding on target consistently at 500 yards with no complaints (recoil being a common issue). I wrapped up at 800 yards out of ammo and very satisfied with the rifle.

Post shooting, the MRAD is very easy to break down and clean. Access to the trigger housing assembly and lower/upper receiver is very simple with detailed step-by-step instructions provide in the operators manual.



I recently developed a proprietary 100-point scoring system for weapons and optics that I have been using as a valuable analysis tool for consumers. My 100-point system is divided up into four major categories worth 25 points each.

1. Design/Innovation
2. Quality of Manufacturing and Materials
3. Functionality
4. Overall Professional Assessment

The Barrett MRAD system comes in at 87 points, which is a solid score. I took off for single load feeding issues that contributes to the overall functionality and gave high marks for the elegant minimalist design and quality of manufacturing and materials. These are both something that other US manufacturers should pay attention to and learn from if they want to stay competitive in the market.

The MRAD is a very well made rifle and was a pleasure to shoot. It will make a great addition to any snipers quiver as well as the long range shooting enthusiast collection.

-Brandon

You can follow former Navy SEAL Brandon at www.brandontylerwebb.com

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/08/barrett-mrad-338-lapua-sniper-rifle-review.html#ixzz1VtcqzFr0
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog..........

Juggernaut Tactical Rogue Bullpup Stock

August 25th, 2011



Got an extra M1A or M14 laying around that you want to convert into a bullpup configuration? Then the Juggernaut Tactical Rogue Bullpup Stock is worth taking a look at. Their intent was to build the best possible stock from the outset for the M14.



Juggernaut Tactical thought the bullpup design was a natural for the M14 as it moves the action 11″ closer to the body making it more compact and more balanced. Additionally, this design makes it more capable in built up areas where a traditional M14′s length works against itself in tight spaces. This overall design could serve well as a counter-sniper platform.


Uploaded by THEH2OMAN on Jul 31, 2011
18.0" MK14 SEI barreled action in the NEW Rogue Bullpup stock system from Juggernaut Tactical. Great trigger and balance. A Smith Enterprise, Inc. Wind Talker sound suppressor is used in the video. Visit M14HDW.US for additional pictures and information.

Additionally, they have integrated several modern technologies into the design that are not found on a standard M14. It has an adjustable neoprene bedding system that eliminates tolerance issues with different manufacturer’s receivers, while still maintaining high accuracy. The optics are free-floated and the Rogue offers 39 inches of 1913 Picatinny rails, located at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock. The rails are laser indexed to simplify the attachment and reattachment of accessories. Additionally, it incorporates a push-button safety.



The stock is available in Black or Tan and available for order now from www.athenswater.com/Rogue_M14_HDW



Uploaded by TacticalLifeVideo on Aug 4, 2011
For many of us, not only is the venerable M1A system still viable, but it remains one of the most reliable semi-automatic .308 rifles on the planet. It has proven itself time and time again in real combat.
Is it old technology? You bet, but given that many of our best-trained warriors of the day still prefer it, there still must be something there. The same is certainly true for police officers. Many are in service today in police departments and state patrols all over the country.
It has a ton of advantages, but it can be a bit long and a bit heavy. It is also problematic to install scopes, sights and similar devices on it. There are some good stocks out there these days that address some of that, but often they do so by adding weight and sacrificing portability. http://www.tactical-life.com/online/exclusives/sneak-peek-juggernaut-tactical...

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog...........I'll post this here but it applies to all rifles, assault or sniper.............

Knight’s Armament BulletFlight For Android

The smartphone ballistic calculator that started it all, KAC's Bullet Flight, is now available for Android.



BulletFlight is the only smartphone ballistics app that claims to be used by military snipers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Because KAC has access to military equipment they are able to include weapon profiles for the latest US military weapons, such as the new XM2010 Sniper Rifle.

https://market.android.com/search?q=bulletflight&so=1&c=apps

The top-end M (Military) version also features wireless bluetooth integration with the Kestrel Pocket Weather Trackers. No more tedious inputting of atmospheric data or relying on inaccurate (non-local) weather data from the internet


Kestrel 4000 Pocket Weather Tracker with Wireless Bluetooth Technology

The app comes in three different versions. The Level 1 version ($3.99) is a lightweight simple ballistic calculator / heads up display. The Level 2 version ($11.99) has the features normally associated with ballistic calculators, such as ballistic tables. The M (Military) version ($29.99) is packed full of extra data and has, as I mentioned before, Kestrel integration.

[buglerbilly]

Some pics of the new Bullpup modification of the M1/M14............neat little system...........



Neat muzzle brake design.........

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog..............

Free Digital Reticle Book



August 30th, 2011

Gun Digest is giving away a free digital copy of the “Handbook of Standard Reticle Patterns by Manufacturer”, Compiled by D. Andrew Kopas. It’s a 82-page reference contains diagrams of tactical reticles from all the major optics manufacturers. All you have to do is register on their site. It’s a pretty handy reference considering how many different reticles are on the market.

www.gundigest.com/reticlebook

[buglerbilly]

Army Mods Sniper Competition Rules

September 02, 2011

Military.com|by Matthew Cox



Snipers from around the world will soon shoot against each other at Fort Benning, Ga., but this year they'll have to leave their fine-tuned rifles and high-powered optics at home.

For the first time in the eleven-year history of the U.S. Army International Sniper Competition, all competitors will use the same sniper rifle and optics of equal power.

The new rules are designed to "level the playing field, so it isn't so much an equipment race," said Capt. Daniel Wilcox, who overseas Army Sniper School at Benning as commander of C Company, 2nd Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment.

The Sniper School-hosted competition has become a popular event for the sniper world. Teams come for the chance to showcase their skill but also to learn different techniques and tips from fellow snipers.

This year, teams from Canada, Australia, Ireland, Germany and possibly Thailand are expected to participate, Benning officials said. So far, there will also be 16 teams from the active-duty Army and National Guard, as well as from the Marine Corps and Air Force.

The competition is scheduled for Sept. 23-30 and will include a sniper symposium, range time for zeroing weapons and competition events running Sept. 27-29.

Benning officials try to make each competition more challenging, and this year is no different. They announced their intention to prohibit teams from competing with their own sniper rifles in a May 19 memo to all competitors.

Members of the sniper community question the restriction since it runs contrary to training practices that encourage these precision shooters to become intimately familiar with the sniper weapons they take to war.

Benning officials maintain that the competition will test all of the competitors' sniper skills -- from stalking to detecting concealed targets -- not just shooting.
But there will be several shooting events where contestants will have to engage stationary and moving targets, both day and night.

Each sniper team will be issued a bolt-action rifle chambered for 7.62mm. The rifles, which are on loan from the Army Marksmanship Unit at Benning, are very similar to the Army M24 sniper rifle but have a short action instead of a long action, Benning officials say.

Competitors will be allowed to bring their own day optics, as long as they are no greater than 12 power. While it usually depends on the mission, some snipers use up to 20 power optics. Night optics will be issued prior to the competition.

The tighter restrictions are designed to "keep the outcome of the competition based around shooter ability and not equipment; this is in keeping within the best interests of all the competitors and the spirit of the competition," according to the memo.

Each sniper team will also be issued an M110 semiautomatic sniper rifle to serve as a spotter's weapon and two M9 9mm pistols.

Wilcox took command of Sniper School in June after the new rules were approved. He said he is aware of concerns snipers have about going into a competition with an unfamiliar weapon.

"They will be given two days to shoot that weapon before the competition," Wilcox said. "They are not going to just show up, and we hand them a gun and it's time to go. We will see how it works. We are going to do it, but I'm not going to say it is going to be like that forever."

In addition to the new weapons rules, this year's competition will run at a faster pace with most events occurring simultaneously over approximately 72 hours, Wilcox said.

"Last year they tried to do the 72-hour continuous ops thing -- and that sounded really sexy -- but what they didn't really do was run events simultaneously, so even though the intent was to keep them going for three days, they would get to an event and be in a holding area for two to four hours," Wilcox said.

"Two to four hours times 10 events, that's 20 to 40 hours of sleep in 72 hours. That's more sleep than I get during the work week. There will be less down time over the course of the competition."

Before the competition starts, competitors are required to attend a sniper symposium Sept 23-24. Each team will have to give a 10-15 minute presentation about their training program, weapons and lessons learned from past operations.

The winning team will have their names put on a trophy that remains at the Sniper School. A number of companies will be donating prizes as well.

"There is going to be cool stuff, guns and optics for the winners," Wilcox said.

© Copyright 2011 Military.com. All rights reserved.

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog..............

Cadex Defence Introduces New Rifle Chassis Family

September 12th, 2011



Canada-based Cadex Defence will debut the new Strike 33 rifle chassis at DSEI in the Rangemaster booth (# N8-393). It joins the Strike 30 and Strike 50, both already on the market. The Strike 30 is designed for .308 rifles, and naturally the 50 is built to accept .50 barreled actions. The new Strike 33 adds the popular .338 Lapua to the lineup.



All of the stocks are folders and incorporate adjustable comb height, length of pull as well as butt pad. Additionally, the lower housing is removable for for maintenance and adjustment and has a magazine well for removable magazines. Finally, the fully configurable fore end features detachable Picatinny rail segments so that you only add rail where you need it.

www.cadexdefence.com

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog...........

Hog Saddle Tripod Mounted Rifle Rest

September 13th, 2011



Designed by a Marine Scout Sniper and OIF Veteran, the patent pending Hog Saddle is a rugged, lightweight (16 oz), mobile shooting platform that has been designed from the ground up to universally attach to tripod-based modular equipment, providing the shooter with a stable shooting position adaptable to any environment. These are in use now with military and LE shooters.



The Hog Saddle is built around four principles:

RUGGEDNESS – Specifically designed for the military sniper to be impact and corrosion resistant

PORTABILITY – 16 oz

VERSATILITY – Universal to any tripod platform utilizing 1/4-20 or 3/8-16 thread attachments

AMERICAN MADE – They didn’t sell out and go to Asia or India. They have kept their business in the USA



The Hog Saddle is CNC machined from a solid block of aluminum and then hard anodized and features a black oxide stainless steel bolt and guide rods. Adjustments are via a heavy-duty torque knob. Other components work in concert to mitigate noise and hold the weapon fast. There is a stainless steel noise dampening tension spring as well as 1/4 inch thick, recessed urethane pads specifically engineered to absorb rifle recoil and reduce muzzle jump.

Made in USA. Get yours from HogSaddle.com.

http://hogsaddle.com/

[buglerbilly]

New rifle from SAKO at DSEI.....................



Description - translated by Babelfish or similar so the Engrish is weird at times!


Lainaus:In London, he debuted a new, wielokalibrowy SAKO TRG sniper rifle M10. The weapon is available in three calibers, with barrel lengths we have available, with varying degrees of dorsal mikroskosem mounting rail, with the various lodges in different colors

Finnish weapon was developed specifically launched in 2009 the American Precision Sniper Rifles (PSR), in which special forces command (U.S. SOCOM) wants to replace their existing structures - M24, M40 and Mk 13th SAKO joined the competition with a new, albeit based on solutions TRG TRG 22/42 M10 rifle. Its world premiere takes place at the DSEi exhibition held in London.

TRG SAKO M10 has a modular design - based on a common chamber castle you can get guns in three calibers, with two bed lengths running rails. The castle is also the key that allows you to unscrew the bolt retainer and disassembly of the barrel bed. After replacing the barrel, lock and gun magazine can be adjusted to three types of ammunition 7.62 mm x 51, 7.62 mm x 67 (.300 Winchester Magnum) and 8.6 mm x 70 (.338 Lapua Magnum). The first cartridge is used mainly for training, due to lower costs and less wear on the bore. Barrels, locks and magazines are clearly marked, so the shooter could by touch, even in the dark, distinguish between different caliber

The new rifle is SAKO folding the right side of the castle chambers flask with adjustable feet and increase the length of the buccal pads. At the bottom of the flask is a universal mounting rail used to mount the rear supports.

Available barrel lengths for ammunition 7.62 mm x 51 are 408, 510, 602 and 656 mm, magazine holds 11 rounds. For the 7.62 mm ammunition and 8.6 x 67 mm x 70 is offered with barrel lengths of 408, 510, 602 and 689 mm, magazine capacity of the first caliber is 7 rounds, while in the second eighth Exterior dimensions are the same magazines

[buglerbilly]

Remington’s LWRACS could be an upgrade for the USMC M40

Posted by Rob Curtis | September 28th, 2011 | GearScout, Modern Day Marine


Remington's LW-RACS photographed at Modern Day Marine in Quantico, Va Wednesday, September 28, 2011.







Check out the .308 Light Weight Remington Arms Chassis System built on the Remington 700 short action. The skeletonized chassis is Remington’s offer as the Marines put out feelers for an upgrade to the M40 sniper rifle system. The LWRACS is a necked down version of the full-on RACS built for the XM2010 and PSR program entry. Major features include:

• The new handguard has a smaller diameter than its bigger brother
• A one piece fore end with a split top rail
• The hinged butt stock is now removable
• Separate indexed coarse and micro-fine adjustments for butt stock length and cheek pad height
• Tool-free butt stock pad position adjustment
• The 7075 aluminum chassis weighs 4.5 pounds

Remington reps tell me that the LW-RACS may hit the commercial market in some form in 2012.

[buglerbilly]

First Round Hits, now automated?

by Jack Murphy on September 29, 2011



Long distance sniper rifle, wind meter, laser range finder, calculator, and more…can it all be combined into one package?

Part of me always wondered why the defense industry never joined a sniper’s scope and a laser range finder together. Once the target was lased, the scope could electronically calculate the correct data and display how many clicks the shooter needs to come up or down, or better yet, automatically set the sights for you to bring your reticule to the correct position. An engineer once told me that something similar to this had been accomplished way back in the 90′s with the first Land Warrior program but got scrapped when the rest of the platform was dropped by the Pentagon.

Now it looks like Lockheed Martin and DARPA are carrying the baton forward with the Mission Systems and Sensors, or MS2, program having developed a viable proof of concept prototype:

“The [MS2] system demonstrated the capability to measure the average down range crosswind profile, the range to the target, spotter scope position, target heading, air temperature, pressure and humidity… These measurements were used to calculate the ballistic solution for a 0.308 bullet. The ballistic solution with azimuth/elevation coordinates and range were used to calculate the aim point offset and displayed as a red cross (+) in the dedicated rifle scope. The aim point offset was adjusted for the rifle scope crosshair zero and magnification settings. The displayed red cross, which was updated with varying crosswind conditions, was the new aim point to adjust the gun position and hit the target.”

The reticule mechanism sounds similar to that of the Mk47 grenade launcher’s sighting system which ranges the target and than displays a dot on the optic showing the point of aim that the user needs to fire at in order to hit his target.

I would be fascinated to know how the sensor package actually works, specifically how it intends calculate wind speed down range. Measuring the wind at the sniper’s firing position is easy, but not always helpful. Generally the sniper gauges the wind two third of the way to his target where it is most likely to effect the bullet’s trajectory as the round is bleeding off some it’s velocity.

“The system developed should provide the capability to profile downrange crosswind and range to target in near real time, replacing the current spotter scope and complementing the rifle scope used by sniper teams.”

Hmmm.

(Source: Defense Media Network)

Kit Up! contributor Jack Murphy is a former Ranger, Special Forces Soldier and is the author of the new military thriller PROMIS: Rhodesia.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/09/first-round-hits-now-automated.html#ixzz1ZOcmAu5C
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog............

Bundeswehr G28 Designated Marksman Rifle

Strategie-technik reports that the Bundeswehr have adopted the H&K MR308 rifles and designed it the G28. THe H&K MR308 is an AR-10 style weapon. The G28 has a chromed-lined 16.5" barrel (16.5" is the new standard for DMR rifles, 18"+ is last ry). Fully loaded with optics, it will weigh in at 17.4 lbs. H&K will also be suppling a conversion kit with a shorter and lighter barrel.

http://strategie-technik.blogspot.com/2011/09/neues-zf-selbstladegewehr-g28-fur-die.html



The rifle will be issued with a specially designed 3-20x56 Schmidt & Bender scope. An Aimpoint Micro T1 is fitted atop the S&B scope as a backup or close-quarters sight. Ammunition, designated 7.62mmx51 DMR, has been designed specifically for the gun.

I find it especially interesting that the Bundeswehr are adopting a Flat Dark Earth-like color for the new rifle. Brown is the new black.

[ Many thanks to Clairon for emailing me the info. ]

[buglerbilly]

Special Forces team takes top honors at international sniper competition

October 5, 2011

By Vince Little, The Bayonet


A competitor fires on a target downrange Thursday during the 2011 International Sniper Competition at Fort Benning, Ga. This year's field included entries from Ireland, Spain, Canada, Germany, the Air Force, Marine Corps and Army National Guard. There were state police tandems from Florida and California.

FORT BENNING, Ga., Oct. 5, 2011 -- The world's top sniper duo hails from Fort Bragg, N.C.

Master Sgt. Kevin Owens and Sgt. 1st Class Terry Gower of B Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), emerged from a field of 32 teams to capture the top spot in the 2011 International Sniper Competition. Fort Bragg wound up placing three teams in the top five at the 11th annual event, which began here Sept. 27 and wrapped up Friday.

The field included entries from Ireland, Spain, Canada, Germany, the Air Force, Marine Corps and Army National Guard. There were state police tandems from Florida and California.

"It gets more competitive every year," said Sgt. 1st Class Richard Vest, a U.S. Army Sniper School instructor and team sergeant. "As the technology grows, everyone seems to get better. This also gives us a chance to share ideas and spread our knowledge a little, even with other countries."

A wide range of skills was tested as competitors fired rifles at fixed and moving targets, from various distances and positions, both day and night. Instructors said most events required sharp communication between shooter and spotter. Factors such as elevation, weather conditions and wind must be accounted for.

"You can't see everything at one time," Vest said. "Ask any sniper. You really have to rely on your partner. It's not only the guy who pulls the trigger. Your partner has to be able to talk you onto the target."

In the past, teams in the International Sniper Competition could bring any weapon considered military issue. This year, all used the M110 Semiautomatic Sniper System, a 7.62 mm gas-operated rifle that's standard in Sniper School.

"We were trying to alleviate guys from coming in here with high-powered scopes and different guns," said Staff Sgt. Derek Balboa, an instructor. "We wanted to level the playing field a little bit. It had become too much of a gear race. This year, we made it more of a marksmanship skill and competition. I think it turned out pretty good."

Despite the new threat and changing operational focus triggered by 9/11 and the war on terror, the sniper skill sets reserved for more conventional warfare are still needed today, Balboa said.

Nowhere was that more apparent than on the 360-degree "Stalk Lane," which unfolded Thursday at Harmony Church. Teams decked out in camouflage had to move through thick brush and over rolling hills in an effort to get shots on targets about 300 meters away -- all while avoiding detection.

"Patience and attention to detail are very key," he said. "We show guys the techniques and exactly how to move when they're in the school. During the stalk phase, you move in increments. It's feet and inches."

All the scenarios throughout the four-day showdown were relevant to real-world missions and operations, organizers said.

"It's the epitome of our job," said Spc. Andrew Wonderly of C Troop, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division. "It was free bullets for us. We don't always get to do that in our unit."

Wonderly and Sgt. Nik Badovinac formed a Fort Riley, Kan.-based team that finished tied for eighth with 425 points.

"The events were pretty tough," Badovinac said. "They seem easy. Then, when you get out there, you find out it's not easy one bit."

Battling sniper teams from all over the planet also was a learning experience, Wonderly said.

"There's definitely stuff you learn just watching the other guys," he said. "It shows us how far we need to go and what we need to work on. But I'm glad they're all on our side."

The week included a two-day kickoff symposium with discussions about lessons learned in war zones and a review of tactics, techniques and procedures. A rifle vendor shoot and corporate-sponsored expo took place Friday at Red Cloud Range.

Vest said the annual gathering allows representatives from across the sniper community to meet and exchange information, and the competition stands as a solid training opportunity as well.

"You usually work alone in this profession," he said. "Bringing these guys together, you learn more about what to teach the students coming through the courses. And there are things we can pick up and use ourselves."

The networking among the military branches, special operations forces, Sniper School officials and civilians from industry will produce additional benefits for snipers, Balboa said.

"You start seeing trends during the competition from military and civilian teams," he said. "If it's a good idea, it's a good idea. We'll incorporate it as training value.

"This is going to get better and better as far as the competitive aspect goes. Within a month or so, we'll start planning for the 2012 event. We always tweak it a little and try to do different stuff."

TOP FIVE SNIPER TEAMS:

A look at the top five finishers (with point total) in the 2011 International Sniper Competition at Fort Benning:

Champion -- Master Sgt. Kevin Owens and Sgt. 1st Class Terry Gower, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C. (585)

Runner-up -- Cpl. Michael Craven and Cpl. Lloyd Kenny, Irish Defence Forces (555)

3rd place -- Sgt. 1st Class Tony Amerman and Sgt. 1st Class Andy Roy, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group, Fort Bragg (535)

4th place -- Staff Sgt. Jonathan Geib and Sgt. Jesse Wargolet, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment, 29th Brigade Combat Team, Arizona National Guard (505)

5th place -- Sgt. 1st Class Gabe Kessay and Sgt. 1st Class Chance Giannelli, D Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group, Fort Bragg (485)

[buglerbilly]

Couple of nice shots of the HK417 in Aussie service.........




An Australian soldier from Mentoring Task Force – Three looks through the scope of his HK417 rifle during a patrol in the town of Saghaytu, southern Afghanistan.




An Australian sniper from Mentoring Task Force – Three looks through the scope of his rifle from an overwatch position near the town of Saghaytu during an Afghan National Army coordinated clearance of the Khod Valley, southern Afghanistan.

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog.............

LAR Grizzly T-50 .50BMG

NOT sure how far a .50cal round would go out of short barrel like this? The Tripod is a very nice bit of kit tho.............

The LAR Manufacturing Grizzly T-50 is a beast. Designed to be capable of being shoulder fired, it was no accident that a muscular guy was manning the booth of this .50 BMG single shot bullpup. At its shortest barrel length, 32", it weighs in at 30.4 pounds, and thats without a scope, bipod, rails and carry handle! The rifle starts at $3,200.



LAR Grizzly T-50 .50BMG mounted on tri-pod at SHOT Show '11

[buglerbilly]

Meet the New Addition to the FN SCAR Family at MILIPOL Paris

(Source: FN Herstal; issued October 12, 2011)



In conjunction with the 2011 MILIPOL Trade Exhibition being held from 18 through to 21 October in Paris, France, FN Herstal is pleased to introduce the new semi-automatic SCAR-H PR precision rifle.

Derived from the innovative FN SCAR weapon system, the new SCAR-H PR precision rifle is a tailored design for long-range precision fire applications while also providing capability to fight close in. The SCAR-H PR features a 20" heavy barrel and a two-stage trigger module (Match type) allowing high accuracy.

The folding buttstock and the cheek rest can be adjusted, respectively in length and in height, without tools. The operator can therefore optimize the rifle to his requirements (such as body size and body armor).

The iron sights have range settings up to a distance of 600m. The precision rifle also features an extended top MIL-STD 1913 rail that can accept the in-line assembly of night and day sights for longer ranges.

The SCAR-H PR can fire 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition from either 10- or 20-round steel magazine.

Commonality of training and components throughout SCAR® family significantly simplifies, and reduces costs for, operator training and maintenance.

SCAR-H PR Technical Data:

Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
Operating principle: Gas operated, rotating bolt
Firing mode: Semi-automatic
Feed device: 10- or 20-round steel magazine
Weight (without magazine): 4.5 kg
Length
-- with buttstock fully extended: 1.070mm
-- with buttstock fully collapsed: 1.011mm
-- with buttstock folded: 816mm
Barrel length: 20"
Color available: Black

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

AUSA: Remington XM2010 Rifle Re-visited

by Brandon Webb on October 14, 2011


Remington XM2010 on display at AUSA

I actually had to do some work during AUSA but had time to cruise the floor and saw some pretty cool stuff that I’ll post over the next week or so.

Christian has given us some great gouge on the Remington XM2010 in the past but it was nice to see the rifle up close and personal for myself. Although I’ve been critical of the Army’s choice of a bolt action rifle over a semi-auto, regardless it’s a bad ass no frills weapon system. I haven’t had a chance to shoot one but if you guys want me to request a rifle for a test shoot let me know.

As many of you know Remington won the US Army Enhanced Sniper Rifle (ESR) contract September of this year and they’ll be outfitting over 3,000 M24 systems in the inventory.

From Remington


The XM2010 was designed and developed specifically for the sustained harsh environment of the modern battlefield using state-of-the-art technology, manufacturing processes, and corrosion resistant materials. As an upgrade to the combat proven M24 Sniper Weapon System, the XM2010 is chambered in 300 Win Mag for extended effective range using the M24 700 action, and has proven out-of-the-box 1 MOA accuracy. The XM2010 features the new Remington Arms Chassis System (RACS) with a folding stock that allows for adjustment of the length of pull and cheek height and captures the bolt handle when folded. This allows the operator to configure his weapon to his personal physical requirements and transport the system more easily. Additional chassis features include a monolithic rail with removable rail pieces and cable routing guides that maximize rail insert space, co-align electroptics, and manage electric cables. Finally, the XM2010 features such end user driven enhancements as a 5-round detachable box magazine that allows the operator to quickly reload the weapon, a Leupold long range variable powered optic, and the Advanced Armament Corp TiTan quick detach sound suppressor. The XM2010 – an evolutionary leap in precision engagement capability and survivability.

Not sure why they went with Leupold for the optic, Nighforce is a much better choice in my opinion. I had problems with the Leupold glass coming loose internally when I was a sniper student…haven’t trusted the brand since. Remington makes solid stuff…would be nice to see a solid accurate semi-auto in 7.62 from them. Either way you slice it, it’s doom on you Al Qaeda….Hold 2 right and send it!

Brandon out.



Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/10/ausa-remington-xm2010-rifle-re-visited.html#ixzz1aoS9nxUq
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

Long Range Sniper Ballistic Solutions

by Brandon Webb on October 17, 2011 · Comments (1)


Pictured is the Cheytac 408 tac driver....this thing is just getting warmed up at 1500 yards.

SOCOM released a Request for Proposal (RFP) back in June of this year for Research and Development in the areas of Ballistic sensors. It looks like the response date closed September 30. Kit Up will keep an eye out for the winner which should be announced sometime in December according to sources. The program summary and requirements are outlined below.

Enjoy! - Brandon

Program Summary

The Department of Defense, U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), has a requirement for research and development in the following technology areas: Long Range Sniper Ballistic Solution Sensors and Computers, Sniper/Designated Marksman Affordable Ballistic Solutions, Enhanced Target Detection and Identification, Enhanced Ergonomics, and Virtual Training.

Requirements

■ Long Range Sniper Ballistic Solution Sensors and Computers:

■ USSOCOM warfighters require technologies that provide the capability to measure continuously or sample winds at multiple ranges, from multiple directions and at varying speeds all the way from muzzle to target. A discrete vs. continuous sampling (average) of the wind vector is acceptable. The measure of effectiveness being the increase in first round hits at extended ranges. Technologies that measure or receive input from other devices for range, angle of fire, cant, temperature, humidity, air density, angular rate of moving targets. The technology must rapidly and accurately integrate the sensor data and compute a ballistic solution based on individual weapon and ammunition resulting in hits on stationary personnel size targets at 1500m and moving targets to 1000m. The technology must interface with issued ballistic tools to give a range and wind correction in mils or minutes of angle (MOA) that can be applied on the shooters weapon though hold or dial on data. This capability is specifically aimed at improving sniper first round target hits on stationary personnel sized targets out to 1500m Threshold and 2000m Objective.

■ Sniper/Designated Marksman Affordable Ballistic Solutions:

■ Technologies that provide affordable ballistic solution enhancements to meet the objectives of current SOF sniper rifles and assist the sniper in operating more effectively without the support of a spotter. The technology must be light, affordable, provide accurate hold offs compatible with current weapons and optics, and be easily trained and rapidly employed. This capability is specifically aimed at maintaining and improving sniper first round target hits out to 1000m Threshold and 2000m Objective.

■ Enhanced Target Detection and Identification:

■ Technologies that provide enhancements for snipers to detect camouflage, gunfire, and threat optics, recognize weapons/uniforms, facial features, and visually augmented day/night vision, at extend the ranges to 1500m Threshold 2000m Objective. This capability is specifically aimed at improving the snipers ability to locate and identify targets commensurate with the rules of engagement.

■ Enhanced Ergonomics:

■ Technologies that would significantly reduce the size, weight, and power consumption of the snipers mission equipment. Technologies that enhance the man/machine interface with the weapons system making easier, quicker and more intuitive in operation, and/or simplifying training requirements.

■ Virtual Training:

■ Technologies to provide “virtual” training that adapts to the individual’s knowledge level, reticle patterns, and scope adjustments in mils and minutes of angle while accurately modeling the effects of wind, atmospheric conditions, altitude, range, angle of fire, etc., in varying terrain and include target detection / identification. This capability is specifically aimed at maintaining and improving sniper first round target hits out to 1500m Threshold and 2000m Objective while reducing training resource requirements.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/10/long-range-sniper-ballistic-solutions.html#ixzz1b2HqL266
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog..............

FN SCAR-H PR (Precision Rifle)

FN Herstal is officially debuting the 7.62x51mm FN SCAR-H PR (Precision Rifle) at the MILIPOL Paris expo this week.



The production version of this rifle looks slightly different from the prototype we saw last year. [see above] FN has replaced the awkward looking, but weight saving, angled forend for a standard forend with longer side and 6 o'clock rails. Other minor changes include replacing the pistol grip for a standard M16A2 grip and using a slightly different front sight. It retains the 20" heavy barrel and two stage match trigger.

[ Many thanks to Jesse for emailing me the link. ]

[buglerbilly]

SOCOM Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) on the back burner

by Brandon Webb on October 18, 2011




One of Brandon's favorites: The Blaser Tactical 2 with Zeiss Optic

The Contracting Office stated at the end of September that there is no timeframe for the release of the PSR Request for Proposal. With big budget cuts coming as Afghanistan winds down, it looks like the PSR will be put on the back burner for a while.

I personally believe that SOCOM will continue to receive a big piece of the DOD budget but there will likely be tough decisions ahead and some programs will inevitably get cut completely. I believe most of the fat will be trimmed from bricks & mortar types of programs (vehicles, guns and gear) and the money will be invested in Unmanned Systems (Predator/Micro weaponized UAS) and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems (smart radios & SIGINT).

The sniper in me hopes that PSR makes the cut for sure. There are some solid candidates out there including some of my favorites like Remington and Blaser. If completely done away with this could be a huge blow to the manufacturers that invested millions “at risk” in early R&D. The total award ceiling for the contract was over two hundred million dollars. Here’s a review of the original phase one requirements. I’ll keep you posted on anything new. Brandon out.

REQUIREMENTS:
Phase I

-Three (3) each Precision Sniper Rifles (PSR) Product Samples shall consist of three PSR rifles of the
SAME configuration and caliber
-One (1) suppressor (TOTAL)
-Three (3) ammuniition magazines. Magazines shall be able to hold a minimum of five (5) rounds
-One (1) No-Go or Field Reject Headspace Gauge and written procedures for use
-One (1) GO Minimum Headspace Gauge and written procedures for use
-A minimum of 200 rounds of ammunition (Vendor is responsible for supplying enough ammunition to
complete the Go/No-Go testing)
-The PSR product sample shall weigh no more than 18.0 lbs with 12 o’clock MIL-STD 1913 rail, and an
unloaded magazine. Weight excludes any protective MIL-STD-1913 rail covers and all other ancillary
equipment
-The PSR rifle shall have an overall length of no more than 50 inches in the fully extended
configuration, less suppressor
-The PSR shall have a safety mechanism that prevents the weapon from firing when the trigger is
depressed and the safety is in the “safe” position
-The projectile shall have a remaining velocity no less than 1,228 feet per second under nominal
conditions at 1500 meters (1640 yards)

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz1b9t0YN17
Kit Up!

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog................

New Zealand Army adopts LMT AR-10 for new Designated Marksman Rifle

The New Zealand Army has adopted the Lewis Machine & Tactical LMT .308 AR-10 rifle as their Designated Marksman Rifle. Last year British Army also adopted the LMT 308 as a designated marksman rifle.



Uploaded by NZDefenceForce on Oct 17, 2011
Introduction and training of the new Army Marksman weapon

The rifle looks to be a similar configuration to the British L129A1. The differences that I can see are the use of a Leopold 4.5-14X scope instead of a fixed power Trijicon scope, a foldable foregrip and backup iron sights mounted at a 45 angle. This is the first time I can recall a military AR-15/AR-10 rifle being issued with angled iron sights.

I have shot the LMT 308 and I was incredibly impressed. Hitting targets with it was just to easy.

[ Many thanks to WhaleOil for emailing me the link. ]

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog.................

Tyr Tactical Sniper Bandoleer

October 23rd, 2011

Tyr Tactical has posted photos of a new Sniper Bandoleer on their Facebook page. The concept is that it can be worn over the shoulder and then laid out in front of the shooter to work out of.



According to Tyr, here is the Sniper Bandoleer “Outfitted with MR701 x 2, MR704 x 2, CM005 x 1, GP057 x 1, ODMUT2 x 1 provides load carriage for 6 x 7.62 Mags, Laser Range Finder, Kestrel, Accuracy First Whiz Wheel, Leatherman MUT, General Purpose Pouch (5″x 7″)”



www.tyrtactical.com

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog.............more images of this new DMR

H&K G28 DMR Rifle: Accuracy Meets Firepower

The Bundeswehr's H&K G28 Designated Marksman Rifle is one nice looking, albeit heavy, rifle.


© Aurelien


© Aurelien

[ Many thanks to Aurelien for emailing me the photos. ]

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog..............

FN SCAR-H PR (Precision Rifle) DMR in the wild



I just noticed that the SCAR-H PR, like the H&K G28 DMR, lacks weight-saving cut-outs in the handguard (other than the cut out for access to the gas system), yet the prototype included cut-outs. I wonder why they were removed.

[ © Aurelien. Many thanks to Aurelien for emailing me the photo. ]

[buglerbilly]

SAKO TRG M10 Sniper Rifle

Nice new shot from last week's Milipol show in Paris.................

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog.............

Russian Sniper School

EnglishRussia has posted high-quality photos taken at a Russian military Sniper training school. Very interesting.

http://englishrussia.com/2011/12/10/what-it-is-like-to-be-a-sniper/



[ Many thanks to Rolf for emailing us the link. ]

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog..............

The VKS: Russia’s other 12.7x55mm Rifle

Nice looking lttle package..............I'd be curious to see what it shot like?

I recently wrote about the ASh-12, the new 12.7x55mm assault rifle developed at TsKIB SOO (KBP). Its older brother, or maybe third-cousin-twice-remove would be more accurate, is the KBP VKS Sniper Rifle.


KBP VKS Sniper Rifle equipped with night vision and suppressor.

The KBP VKS is technically chambered for the same 12.7x55mm cartridge cases as the ASh-12, but loaded rounds are considerably different. The Ash-12 is 12.7x55mm cartridges are loaded with (relatively) light bullets, much like the .50 Beowulf and the ancient .50-70 Government. The VKS is loaded with very long and very heavy bullets, so much longer that I doubt they would function in an ASh-12. The bullets weigh up to 1170 grain!


12.7x55mm Sniper Family: Standard Round (Left), Solid Bronze (Middle), Armor Piercing (Right)

The VHS is designed to be a suppressed sniper rifle and would normally be used with a suppressor. To achieve maximum noise reduction in the vicinity of the target, a bullet fired must be travelling subsonically. Kinetic energy is a function of velocity and mass. The only way to increase the kinetic energy of a bullet is to either increase its velocity or its mass. If a round's velocity can't be higher than 1126 feet/second (speed of sound), then to increase its energy you must increase its mass. This is why the 12.7x55mm is loaded with such heavy bullets.



The concept of a heavy subsonic .50 caliber round was pioneered by SSK Industries who developed the .500 Whisper. The recoil form the .500 Whisper and similar cartridges is reputed to be brutal.

According to guns.ru, the rifle weighs 14 lbs (unloaded, but including scope and suppressor) and the magazine holds five rounds. Despite its semi-automatic appearance, it is actually a straight-pull bolt action.

[ Many thanks to Lionel for the photos. ]

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog............

Kel-Tec RFB Hunter

Altho listed for hunting here this is a 7.62×51mm NATO round rifle and hence has Sniper applicability for Deisnated Marksmen role due to its calibre and bullpup configuration..........

In the second quarter of this year Kel-Tec will begin producing a 24" heavy barreled version of the Kel-Tec RFB. It is primarily designed for hunters who want a full length barrel to get the most power out of their rounds, but in a shorter rifle. The MSRP will be $2130.

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog...........there are overview pics of the whole system in post #143 above............

Some H&K G26 Pr0n for You

January 21st, 2012



H&K displayed an example of the new German Army automatic Sniper rifle, the G26. Intended as a replacement for the PSG1, the G26 is a tuned up 417 with a steel receiver. This, combined with the full length forend brings it in at a little over 16 lbs. Unfortunately, the rail sections do not extend all the way to the end of the forend.



The stock is a bit different than the 417s in both style and function. The integral cheek riser is adjustable and will reciprocate when you charge the rifle. Additionally, the action is very smooth and it was simple to charge. Interestingly, while the safety is ambidextrous and the upper receiver integrates grooves on both sides to lock the charging handle in place, the weapons comes with two charging handles, a left and right to accommodate all shooters. The buttplate is also adjustable for length of pull.



The dust cover is plastic.



One interesting feature of the scope is the T1 mount.



H&K informed us that the are currently no plans to import the G26. However, there are a few of the accessories for integration into the 417.

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog.............

Meet the FN Ballista

Very cool looking rifle!

Two years ago Remington jumped into the modular precision rifle platform with their MSR line, this year FN hit back hard with their Ballista rifle. Easily convertible from .338 Lapua, .300win mag, and .308. Swapping out calibers can be done under 1.5-2 minutes, and is done so by loosening 4 captive barrel screws, and uses a self-adjusting bolt for proper head-spacing. The gun utilizes a composite mix of aluminum, steel, and polymer stock, with folding stock (adjustable), and more rails then AMTRAK. Coming in around 17lbs this looks to be a strong competitor in the military precision platform market.

[buglerbilly]

Video of the Ballista...........



Uploaded by GunsAndAmmoMag on Aug 25, 2011
Benjamin Voss of FN Herstal USA gives us an exclusive look at the FNH Ballista Sniper rifle before consumers can even get their hands on it sometime in 2012.
To read more about the FNH Ballista Sniper Rifle visit:
http://www.gunsandammo.com/2011/08/25/fnh-ballista-sniper-rifle/

[buglerbilly]

Not really new but new-ish............via the Firearm blog...........

Bushmaster BA50

Bushmaster has their Bushmaster BA50 rifle prominently displayed at SHOT Show.





Bushmaster claim that the muzzle brake reduces recoil to that of a .243 Win. hunting rifle.



The rifle retails for about $5519.