For You Snipers out There

[Red Leg]

Thought many of you would find the news ab0ut the new Army and USMC sniper rifle of interest. No it is not a Blaser R8 - but it is multi-caliber!

https://www.military.com/daily-news...liber-sniper-rifle.html?ESRC=army-a_200304.nl

 

[Ridgewalker]

Fascinating! Can’t wait to read more about it. I’m maybe a 400 yard hunter, but
steel or paper targets at extreme ranges (Whittington Center for example) is fun!

 

[Ray B]

At $16,000 per I'd hope that they'll get something for the money.

 

[perttime]

A Barrett.... Surely Barrett, like a few other brands I could name, know what they are doing.

 

[USMA84DAB]

Thanks for passing this on, Red Leg!

 

[BRICKBURN]

Multiple calibers for a sniper. Hmmmm

 

[crs]

Yes.
This is on Fox News on my smart phone. Must be making the rounds.
The proof is in the pudding.

 

[Seavas]

A buddy was telling me last year about the development of this rifle. He laughed when I asked if guys would be changing barrels/calibers out in the field. Cool concept though and would cover all North American game!

 

[BeeMaa]

At $16,000 per I'd hope that they'll get something for the money.

Yeah, can almost buy a Blaser R8 for that kind of money.

 

[mark-hunter]

My smartphone, just offered me the link on the article on this new, MRAD rifle on National Interest magazine, yesterday. Looks like news is becoming viral.
On the other hand, I would be happy with just good, old fashioned rem 700, aka m24 fot target plinking at the range...

 

[worth1]

Cool set up and have seen it but can’t remember how heavy it is. Would be even better if the 300 Norma was an Improved version.

 

[Chago]

This is such a dumb concept. Many companies have been coming out with their variation for years now. I can not imagine any actual military or even police snipers actually carrying parts required to change calibers in the field. On top of parts you have different ammo, and of course different data. I think the draw is that the military can buy one rifle system and assign different calibers to different teams, without needing multiple rifles models??? I'm not sure to be honest. What I do know though is I know many guys who are deployed with these models. Particularly the cadex and the pgw models. And none of them carry a spare barrel.

 

[sestoppelman]

I like old school...

 

[Ray B]

Two differences between that M14 and the one I used. 1. It had a selector switch on it rather than the lock, and 2. It had a starlight scope on it instead of whatever scope is shown. Otherwise, it's a great outfit.

 

[sestoppelman]

Well Ray, this is of course a civilian clone, an Armscorp M21 to be exact. I only have the little button in the selector cut out to fill part of the hole. These selector parts are in fact illegal where we live here in WA state btw. No machine gun parts allowed at all. Even though not connected to the mechanism in any way and impossible to make the rifle full auto. Just plain stupid!
Anyway, the scope on there is a Springfield Govt 6X, that no long rides atop this rifle, having been replaced with an older Redfield.
It still a great outfit, one of a half dozen I have.

 

[Ray B]

As I look more closely at it, I see that the transfer bar is also missing. If it was there the rifle can be set to full auto even without the switch. Which I suppose is why it would be a problem to have the transfer bar. In actuality, the only use we ever found for having the M14 on full auto was if we were trying to convince someone that it was an M60.

 

[sestoppelman]

Well not quite Ray. Regardless the parts one might put on the rifle it still wont be full auto capable as a critical part is missing from all civilian model M14/M1A rifles. That would be the lug on the underside of the receiver that accepts the part for the "giggle switch" to operate from. That's the maddening thing about these rifles. Our Govt in all its wisdom destroyed thousands of the original M14 rifles by running them thru "cap;n crunch", literally cutting the receivers in two pieces. All they had to do to make them semi auto only was buzz off the lug on the underside because without it, no place to attach the giggle switch.

 

[sestoppelman]

This shows the giggle switch lug on an original TRW receiver that has been de-milled via cap'n crunch. Without the lug shown, you can stack all the auto parts you want to on the rifle and it wont be auto capable. All Uncle had to do was buzz that leg off and presto, no auto, no giggle, no fun.

 

[Bill DeHaan]

I've handled this "new" Barrett and am very impressed. Changing calibers in this weapons system is pretty easy even in the field. I believe the phased roll out is done for reasons that relate to rifle caliber and purpose. Similarly, with the full roll out, there are a number of benefits that are expected. Here are just a few. The new Barrett (in any caliber) is much easier to shoot, by more riflemen, than the 50cal big brother. Ammunition is lighter which is a huge benefit to the soldier on foot. The 7.62 round is a great choice for SDM (Squad Designated Marksmen), while the larger calibers are well suited for more specialized marksmen and missions. If a rifleman is familiar with the new rifle platform, of any of the three calibers, he/she will be familiar and pretty proficient with the others because the chassis and action are so similar. Would I expect a rifleman to carry rifle barrels/bolts into the field. No - but they (squad, company) would likely carry "identical" rifles of more than one caliber. I can imagine the 7.62 for close in overwatch, the .300 and .338 reserved for vehicle/building/barrier penetration, or shots >700 yds. Would I expect a soldier to change barrels/bolts on any given rifle? No. But the armorer will. Lastly, successfully managing two or three weapons with differing DOPE is not a problem - especially with today's electronics.

 

[Forrest Halley]

My thought on the multiple caliber is that the gun can be on the far side of the supply chain and still operate. Availability of .308 would at least keep it shooting if not as accurately.