Sniper rifles

[hitesh]

Military sniper rifles used by different military units. Along with main requirements for accuracy and sufficient effective range, military use commands some other: military sniper rifle must not be too heavy, because sniper usually must carry it for the long hours, with ammunition and other stuff. Also, military sniper rifle must be extremely reliable in any weather and climatic conditions and could withstand hundreds of rounds fired without cleaning and maintenance and without any loss of accuracy. Third, military sniper rifle must be easy to fieldstrip and easy to repair in field conditions. Also, military sniper rifle often must have backup iron sights, in case of telescope breackage.
Another requrement is that military sniper rifle must use military ammunition, conforming to international war threaties and generally available to the troops. In most cases, military sniper rifle use variants of the standart caliber army cartridges (such as 7.62mm NATO or 7.62x54mm R), specially developed for sniping.
Effective range for the standart-caliber sniper rifles against the single human-sized target may be estimated as 700-800 meters for first-shot kills. To extend effective range beyond 1000 meters, often used sniper rifles, designed to fire more powerful ammunition, such as .300 Winchester magnum (7.62x67mm) or .338 Lapua magnum (8.6x70mm).

 

[hitesh]

Steyr AMR / IWS 2000 (Austria)
Caliber(s): 15.2mm Steyr APFSDS
Operation: long recoil, semi-automatic
Barrel: 1200 mm
Weight: 18 kg
Length: 1800 mm
Feed Mechanism: 5 rounds detachable box mag.

 

[hitesh]

Barrett XM500 long range sniper rifle (USA)
Caliber: .50BMG (12.7x99mm)
Operation: gas operated, semi-automatic
Barrel: n/a
Weight: 11.8 kg
Length: 1168 mm (46")
Feed Mechanism: 10 rounds detachable box magazine

 

[hitesh]

DSR-Precision DSR 50 sniper rifle (Germany)
Caliber(s): 12.7x99mm / .50 BMG
Operation: bolt action
Barrel: 800 mm
Weight: 10.3 kg empty
Length: 1350 mm (with blast compensator)
Feed Mechanism: 3 rounds detachable box magazine

 

[hitesh]

M99B / M06 anti-materiel / sniper rifle (PR China)
Caliber(s): 12,7x108 (M99B-I and M06) or 12,7x99 / .50BMG (M99B-II)
Operation: gas operated semi-automatic
Barrel: mm
Weight: ~12 kg (unloaded, less telescope sight)
Length: 1250 mm (M99B) or 1360 mm (M06)
Feed Mechanism: 5-round detachable drum magazine

 

[hitesh]

Heckler & Koch PSG-1 sniper rifle (Germany)
Caliber: 7.62 x 51mm NATO (.308 Win)
Action: Semi-automatic, roller-delayed blowback
Barrel: 650 mm
Overall length: 1208 mm
Weight: 8.10 kg with scope and no magazine
Magazine: 5 or 20 round detachable box
Scope: Hendsoldt 6x42, 6 settings from 100 to 600 meters
Expected accuracy: Sub-1MOA with match grade ammunition

 

[hitesh]

Galil Sniper Rifle (Israel)

Caliber(s): 7.62mm NATO (.308Win)
Operation: gas operated, rotating bolt, semi-auto
Barrel: 508 mm
Weight: 8 kg loaded (20 rounds), with scope, sling and bipod
Length: 1115 mm
Feed Mechanism: 20 rounds detachable box mag.

 

[ALBY]

CheyTac Intervention [USA]

Specifications
Weight 31 lb (14 kg) without scope (M-200)
Length 53 in (1.34 meters) (stock extended), 46¾ in (1.18 m) (stock collapsed) (M-200)
Barrel length 29 (73.7 cm) in standard w/ 1:13 twist (M-200), 26 in (66 cm) optional.
Cartridge .408 Chey Tac or .375 Chey Tac
Action turn-bolt
Effective range 2000+ m - M-200
Feed system 7-round detachable box magazine
Sights day or night optics

 

[ALBY]

Good old DRUGANOV

AS VAL

 

[hitesh]

TEI M89SR sniper rifle (Israel )

Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO (.308Win)
Operation: gas operated, semiautomatic
Barrel: 560 mm
Weight: 4.5 kg empty, less scope
Length: 850 mm
Feed Mechanism: 10 or 20 rounds detachable box magazine

 

[hitesh]

VSS 'Vintorez' silenced sniper rifle (USSR/Russia)

Caliber: 9x39mm SP-5 and SP-6 subsonic cartridges
Action: auto, selective fire, gas-operated, striker-fired.
Length: 894mm
Barrel length: 200 mm
Weight: empty: 2.6 kg, loaded w. scope PSO-1: 3.41 kg
Magazine: 10 or 20 rounds detachable box

 

[hitesh]

Zastava M76 sniper rifle (Yugoslavia)

Calibers: 7.92x57 Mauser; also 7.62x51mm NATO and 7.62x54R
Operation: semiautomatic, gas operated, rotating bolt
Barrel: 550 mm
Weight: 4.2 kg
Length: 1135 mm
Feed Mechanism: 10 rounds detachable box magazine

 

[pmaitra]

Biathlon Rifle IZHMASH

 

[Cadian]

VSSM (6P29М)
Modernized "Vintores" short-range silenced sniper rifle.

 

[Hari Sud]

All the above sniper rifles were discussed on the US Military Channel until last year. They got tired of repeating that one hour program and took it off.

It is less important what is out there in the market. It is more important to know how many will work in desert heat and dust in Rajasthan and how many will work in Siachen at -40C.

It may still happen that all the above may fail in Indian conditions. As an example, All the foreign assault rifles brought, for tests with big names and bigger publicity brochures, to India for a major supply contract failed under one or the other conditions. The good old INSAS still works under all conditions after ten years of effort to rectify the problems (same as M-16 from 1962 to 1972). I am not sure any of the above rifles will ever work.

So what does the Indian Army uses as a sniper rifles in different units?

 

[Hari Sud]

Anybody knowledgeable try and educate me about Indian made Anti Material Rifle - Vidhawansk, which is copy of Denel rifle. This rifle also doubles as a sniper rifle at a long range. Under flimsy circumstances the last Defence Minister blacklisted Denel, hence lost a very capable arms company's products including a very specialized ammunition which shoots and kills yonder and yonder. Vidhawansk was a direct effort to supply them a gun of same capability, but the army will not take the Indian version.

Our very spoiled army brat, rejected Vidhawansk as too heavy. But they failed to appreciate its effectiveness at 1500 to 2000 meters range. Denel rifle was not any less heavy.

Indian Army has been looking for an alternative for about ten years and have not found it. So tell me what is better, an army unit without a very effective anti material rifle or a unit with this rifle and able to shoot farther and farther and break enemy bunkers with ease, although it is seven pounds heavier.

 

[charlie]

Sako trg m10 - one of the best long range shooting rifle in the world. I wanted to buy one but at that time it was not for sale for civilians, as they wanted to meet the demands of the military first.
Spec - http://www.sako.fi/rifles/sako-trg/trg-m10



Sako Trg 22 - I own this one right now and this is my favourite long range rifle. (Trigger feel is really nice)
Spec - http://www.sako.fi/rifles/sako-trg/trg-22


Sako trg 42 - this fires .338 Lapua & 300 Win (never seen a 300 Win)
Spec - http://www.sako.fi/rifles/sako-trg/trg-42


To have a good long range rifle you need to have a really good scope it's equally important to have a good gun with a good scope.

Sako trg series is used by Russian Spetsnaz and many other special forces around the world.

 

[jouni]

Sako trg m10 - one of the best long range shooting rifle in the world. I wanted to buy one but at that time it was not for sale for civilians, as they wanted to meet the demands of the military first.
Spec - http://www.sako.fi/rifles/sako-trg/trg-m10



Sako Trg 22 - I own this one right now and this is my favourite long range rifle. (Trigger feel is really nice)
Spec - http://www.sako.fi/rifles/sako-trg/trg-22


Sako trg 42 - this fires .338 Lapua & 300 Win (never seen a 300 Win)
Spec - http://www.sako.fi/rifles/sako-trg/trg-42


To have a good long range rifle you need to have a really good scope it's equally important to have a good gun with a good scope.

Sako trg series is used by Russian Spetsnaz and many other special forces around the world.

Sako is pissed off with Finnish government, who not giving enough export permits to all countries SAKO would like.

 

[Hari Sud]

Sako never made into top ten sniper rifles of repute. The top title is held by Chey Tac with special ammunition (Lapua round). Next best internationally classified is Steyr, that also with special ammunition. Since sniper rifle making skill is limited and demand high, every arms manufacturer in every country is getting into the act. Hence Sako is another rifle trying its best to be recognized. Desert Tech is another in that category. All of these are good in one or the other category. Scopes are interchangeable, so are the mounts. Internal mechanisms differ a bit.

The longest sniper shot if I recall correctly was made with Accuracy International sniper rifle in Afghanistan at about 2500 meters. Others in sniper training schools have made long range kills of 2500 meters or greater but not in war like conditions where the enemy is shooting at you.

I like your fancy for Sako rifle. Has it seen war or is it still in the armouries gathering dust. Yes, sniper rifles are not exported, these are difficult to buy weapons. That is why Pakistani request to buy Desert Tech sniper rifle was refused.

 

[jouni]

I am not an expert on sniper rifles, but for me it looks like M10 is way ahead of competition, it looks like a next generation rifle to my eye.