Proclaiming a selected lengthy gun as the most effective sniper rifle is a surefire strategy to make 20 individuals indignant for each one one who nods in settlement. That’s one purpose for this prolonged listing. The different is that the definition of a sniper rifle is fluid. Here’s my take—the most effective sniper rifle is the one that’s most able to fulfilling the mission that whoever is carrying it’s tasked with.
Given that we reside in a fancy, unsure, and harmful world, these missions can tackle staggering selection. The environments can vary from snow coated mountains, to vine choked jungle, to crowded cities, to searing desert. The operator is likely to be coping with a hostage scenario, engaged in overwatch for an assault staff, focusing on enemy materiel, or just on patrol along with his squad when contact is made.
Golden Age of the Long Gun
The important developments within the final 20 years with how rifles are made, the combination of electronics into our optics and ballistic assist programs, the spectacular high quality and number of accessible bullets and ammunition, have given us extra succesful sniper rifles—and extra succesful common precision rifles for searching, competitors and leisure taking pictures—than at some other level in historical past.
The outcome has been an explosion during the last couple many years within the variety of sniper rifle programs being discipline by navy and legislation enforcement across the globe. Some traditional platforms—such because the USMC M40 and Soviet-Era SVD, which have each been round for greater than half a century—have withstood the check of time. But we even have numerous newer programs which have rapidly established good reputations on the battlefield, or that appear poised to take action within the close to future.
Picking The Best Sniper Rifles
When pulling collectively this listing of the most effective sniper rifles, I thought of a number of totally different standards. The listing highlights trendy rifles with confirmed monitor data which are presently in use. It contains some newly authorized rifles that coming on-line proper now. It has a pair sniper rifles that aren’t very well-known however serve an attention-grabbing area of interest. And I gave weight to rifles which have commercially accessible variations, which, fortunately, most of them do. I additionally needed to showcase rifles that cowl the spectrum of missions that immediately’s snipers face—which as we’ve seen, covers loads of floor.
Lastly, to slim the scope of this, I centered on rifles utilized by the U.S. navy and our allies, with a pair exceptions.
Best Sniper Rifles Currently In Use
Accuracy International AXSR
Accuracy International AT308
Barrett Mk22 MRAD
Mk 13 Mod 0/5/7
Barrett M82/M107
M40
M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS)
B&T USA 300SPR Pro
FN SCAR Mk 20 SSR
SVD Druganov
HK 417/G28/M110A1
M110 SASS
Sako TRG M10
Sako TRG 22/42
M2010 ESR
Desert Tech SRS A2
Sniper Rifle With A Tragic Tale: Remington MSR / Mk21
Among the world’s greatest sniper rifles, the AI AXSR has a official declare as prime canine. The engineering behind the AXSR created an unparalleled mix of toughness, innovation, and accuracy that’s carrying on the legacy of AI’s sniper rifles.
The AXSR is a multi-caliber rifle that makes use of AI’s signature flat-bottomed, six-lug magnum-length motion mated to their latest chassis. The rifle options integral ARCA rail on the handguard—which is machined to the extra exacting RRS specs—and the decrease portion of the journal part, a 20 MOA NATO Stanag 4694/Mil Std 1913 rail on the motion that indexes completely with the 20 MOA rail on the handguard, toolless changes for important dimensions, and AI’s proprietary Keyslot mounting system.
The AXSR advanced from AI’s AXMC, which continues to be in manufacturing as a legislation enforcement product, and from the legendary AI AWM which has seen in depth service across the globe and has accounted for a few of the longest verified sniper photographs in historical past—together with consecutive hits at 2,707 yards by a British Army sniper in 2009 killing two Taliban combatants manning a machine gun. (Some of the opposite names that variants of the AWM go by embrace the AWM-F, G22-A2, L115A2 and L115A3, that are designations from the British Army.)
By swapping bolts and barrels the AXSR can rapidly convert from heavy-hitting cartridges just like the .338 Lapua, .300 Norma Mag., .300 PRC and .300 Win. Mag., to shorter cartridges resembling .308 Win. and 6.5 PRC.
This versatility was one of many causes the Australian Defense Force simply adopted the AXSR after a two-year trial to exchange the Accuracy International SR98 and Blaser Tactical 2 they’d been utilizing.
I’ve shot mine in .300 Norma Mag. out to 2,000 meters and past and the accuracy of the platform is nothing wanting jaw-dropping. During a multi-day occasion at Gunsite Academy, as an illustration, we arrange a full-sized IPSC silhouette hostage goal at one mile (1,760 yards). The aim was to hit the 10-inch round plate simply behind goal—the hostage taker—with out hitting the silhouette. My rifle was capable of put shot after shot on the plate with out dinging the hostage, demonstrating the sensible discipline accuracy of the system.
How many different rifles can try this chambered in .300 Norma Mag. whereas being constructed powerful sufficient to outlive a fall out of a helicopter? It’s a rattling brief listing.
Much of the AXSR’s ruggedness comes from how the rifle and chassis connect. A regular Remington 700 clone has two screws that maintain the inventory and motion collectively and if you happen to look intently on the receiver you’ll discover that the quantity of thread engagement isn’t very a lot. The AI AXSR, in distinction, has 5 motion screws—4 in entrance of the journal effectively, and one behind the set off. Each of these screws has roughly thrice the quantity of thread engagement of a typical 700 clone.
If you undergo the AI AXSR from entrance to again you’ll discover quite a few comparable examples of how the rifle is beefed to outlive the trials of fight. Its next-level toughness can be why the rifle performs so effectively in two-day excessive lengthy vary (ELR) matches, the place a competitor would possibly put 150 to 200 rounds down vary. Rifles that aren’t as rugged battle to keep up their accuracy when run that arduous.
The little brother to the AXSR and AXMC rifles, the AI AT308 is a favourite amongst police snipers. It is a short-action rifle chambered in .308 Win. that may be configured many various methods. Options embrace barrel lengths of 16.5, 20, and 24 inches, a folding inventory, numerous colour finishes, and altering the barrel for different short-action cartridges which have a .308 bolt face.
The base mannequin, with a 20- or 24-inch barrel and glued inventory, is probably the most inexpensive, however nonetheless has the vast majority of options that put AI on the map. That contains AI’s flat bottomed, six-lug motion which is epoxied to the chassis for unimaginable stiffness; AI’s personal two-stage set off and three-position security; quick-detach barrel; and the 10-round double-stack AW journal, which is straightforward to load, has a low profile, feeds flawlessly and is sort of indestructible.
It additionally has AI’s signature outsized bolt deal with and 60-degree throw for quick, optimistic biking that minimizes disturbance of the sight image, permitting the shooter to maintain the goal within the scope.
I shot an AT308 throughout a four-day sniper course within the California desert some years again. That was my first introduction to Accuracy International’s rifles, and like just about everybody else who will get behind one, the AT308 impressed the hell out of me.
We dragged the rifles via rocks and sand, taking pictures them from Conex packing containers and from inside automobiles and have been capable of simply have interaction targets out to 800 yards from advanced taking pictures positions whereas being bodily pressured and underneath time constraints.
The eventualities have been difficult to the purpose the place you had no time to consider or child the rifle. And the AI AT308’s dealt with all of it in stride, which is why they’re among the best sniper rifles for taking pictures out to 1,000 yards.
The Barrett Mk22 MRAD is among the latest sniper rifles within the U.S. navy arsenal. MRAD stands for multi-role adaptive design, a flowery approach of claiming the rifle is a modular switch-caliber platform.
The Mk22’s declare to fame is that it will probably simply swap barrels and cartridges whereas delivering wonderful accuracy. The program that the MRAD received— the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) ASR (Advanced Sniper Rifle) trial—specified that the successful entry reveal 1/2 MOA precision out to 1,500 meters along with having multi-caliber functionality.
The full Mk22 package contains barrels in 7.62×51 NATO (.308 Win.), .300 Norma Mag. and .338 Norma Mag. The SOCOM Mk22s are outfitted with Barrett’s AML 338 suppressor and Nightforce scopes, whereas those bought by the Army use Leopold optics.
Being capable of shoot tight teams at 9/10ths of a mile is one purpose the Mk22 and different MRAD’s in Barrett’s product line have cropped up at ELR matches across the nation.
While being the brand new child on the block is purpose sufficient to land on the listing of greatest sniper rifles, the Barrett Mk22 MRAD is extra than simply the most recent shiny toy. It is a really cleverly engineered rifle that’s best —as considered one of my buddies who’s well-known within the sniper neighborhood put it—for presidency work.
That’s as a result of it’s constructed in order that even an 18-year-old non-public, arguably probably the most harmful power on earth, would have a tough time messing one up. The barrel-change system doesn’t incorporate any threaded components. The barrel is held in place by two retaining fasteners that after loosened will let you slide the barrel free from the receiver. MRAD barrels have an indexing notch on the 12 o’clock place, so orienting them throughout set up is straightforward.
Once the barrel is in place you shut the bolt, which units the headspace, and tighten down the screws. Easy-peasy.
Swapping bolt heads when changing to a distinct caliber is equally fool proof. The pin that holds the bolt head in positioned solely goes in a technique in order that it will probably’t be put in backwards. And reassembling the bolt is completed by reinserting the bolt shroud and firing pin meeting into the bolt physique and twisting it again collectively.
Likewise, the set off is held in place by a single drift pin so servicing it’s a snap. And the inventory itself consists of two items, an higher and decrease, which are pinned collectively not in contrast to an AR rifle, making it straightforward to open for cleansing and upkeep.
The military tapped Sig Sauer to supply ammunition for the ASR earlier this yr, ordering as much as $157.3 million value of 215-grain M1163 ball ammo in .300 Norma Mag. and 300-grain armor piercing M1162 ammo in .338 Norma Mag.
The Mk 22 was authorized in 2019 when USSOCOM chosen it over competing submissions from Accuracy International and others. The Mk22 replaces the M2010 ESR (Enhanced Sniper Rifle) and Mk21 MSR (Modular Sniper Rifle) that had been produced by Remington since 2011 and 2013, respectively.
Mk 13 Mod 0/5/7
The Mk 13 sniper rifle is synonymous with the Navy SEALs. Not solely is it one of many coolest trying sniper rifles utilized by U.S. Military forces, but it surely has been carried by a few of our best-known snipers, together with SEALs Chris Kyle—of American Sniper fame—and Robert O’Neill, the person credited with killing Osama Bin Laden. For these causes alone it deserves recognition as considered one of our greatest sniper rifles.
The Mk 13 has gone via a number of iterations over time, together with the Mod 0, Mod 5 and Mod 7. But basically it’s a Remington 700 lengthy motion mated to an Accuracy International AICS chassis or, earlier in its life in Mod 0 trim, to a McMillian A2 inventory with its distinctive bulbous fore-end. The Mk 13 was chambered in .300 Win. Mag., giving the rifle an official efficient vary of 1,200 yards, although in reality it was able to making longer photographs.
The most well-known instance of this was Chris Kyle’s verified kill at 1,600 yards with a Mk 13 taking pictures Mk248 Mod 0 ammo loaded with 190-grain Sierra Matchkings. This ammo, now often called A191, had a printed efficient vary of 1,200 yards, however was correct and deadly at higher distances, as Kyle demonstrated.
The Mk 13 Mod 0 was by no means produced in nice numbers however was important for being a .300 Win. Mag. at a time when the .308 was dominant. This was a tip-of-the-spear weapon carried by our elite warriors, and far of its early historical past is shrouded in the identical thriller that outlined the SEALs of that point, however the first of those rifles have been constructed within the Nineteen Nineties. Very few photos of the unique Mod 0 even exist, and when a provide of unique military-issue McMillian A2 surplus shares grew to become accessible a pair years in the past, they commanded premium costs for collectors trying to construct Mk 13 Mod 0 clones.
The most typical configuration for the Mk 13 Mod 5 is with Accuracy International’s thumbhole folder AICS inventory, which was additionally carried by SEALs in fight. Among our greatest sniper rifles, I don’t suppose there may be one which has a extra iconic look.
The Mk 13 continues to serve, and a Mod 7 model, with a more moderen AI chassis and upgrades to the suppressor, was adopted by the USMC in 2018. The Marines plan to finally substitute these rifles Mk 22 MRADs, however for now this .300 Win. Mag. sniper rifle lives on.
What the Barret M82 lacks in pin-point accuracy, it makes up for in its Hulk-like means to smash. This semi-auto .50-cal. monster has been on the scene since 1989 and is primarily employed as an anti-material rifle in opposition to vehicles, vans, boats, planes, lightly-armored automobiles, concrete partitions and the rest that wants massive holes punched in it.
As anybody who’s ever operated one is aware of, the M82 offers the shooter a trip they received’t quickly overlook. That goes for each the sensation of pulling the set off and seeing the impact of the shot downrange. The first time I minimize free with one it felt just like the fist of some vengeful god smiting my metal targets at 800 and 1,000 yards. I extremely suggest the expertise.
The rifle does an incredible job absorbing the substantial recoil generated by the .50 BMG. The M82 has as short-recoil working system the place the barrel strikes to the rear about one inch with the bolt nonetheless locked contained in the chamber. After that preliminary journey, the bolt rotates out of battery and continues its approach rearward to eject the empty and feed a brand new spherical.
The measurement and weight of the elements, together with the lengthy bolt journey, produce a particular cha-chunk sound and really feel when firing the M82. The rifles include both a beefy muzzle brake or a suppressor that appears like somebody screwed a mortar tube on to the barrel. Combined with the ample recoil pad, this provides as much as very manageable felt recoil because the shooter works via the 10-round journal.
Even although the rifle has been round for the reason that late 80s, the Army didn’t formally undertake it because the M107 till 2002, when the necessity for such a beast grew to become obvious in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those M107s have been topped with Leupold Mark 4 4.5-14×50 scopes.
If you resolve to go down the M107 rabbit gap, you’ll rapidly see that the rifle has been provided in at least a half-dozen configurations, together with the M82A1, A1A, A1M, A2 and A3 variants. And if you happen to don’t need to be not noted of the enjoyable, you’ll be able to leap on-line and order an M82A1 your self proper now.
Scores of nations all over the world have hopped on the M82 bandwagon, so despite the fact that the Mk 22 MRAD will take over a few of the duties that the M107 presently serves for U.S. Military forces, the massive Barrett .50 goes to be booming for years to come back, cementing its legacy as among the best sniper rifles ever.
I’d be shocked if I may discover a Marine Scout/Sniper who wouldn’t be prepared to throw fingers if you happen to argued that the M40 wasn’t the most effective sniper rifle of all time. And they’d have a degree. The M40 is a real OG, having been in service for the reason that Ballistic Dark Ages (circa 1966).
The coronary heart of the M40 is a Remington 700/40X bolt motion, as you in all probability know, however to ensure that it to earn the M40 designation it’s reworked by armorers on the Weapons Training Battalion situated at Marine Corps Base Quantico.
I’ve toured the ability previously and met the Marines who construct the rifles and do load improvement for numerous tasks and may attest to the truth that they’re true masters of the craft.
The unique M40s have been wood-stocked Remington 40Xs that held 5 .308 Win. rounds in an inside field journal. The majority wore Redfield Accurange 3-9X scopes. Though correct underneath regular circumstances, it didn’t take lengthy for the Marines in Viet Nam to study that wooden shares didn’t do effectively within the jungles of Southeast Asia.
In the early Nineteen Seventies, the Weapons Training Battalion, with the assistance of Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock, probably the most storied sniper in American historical past, designed the M40A1, which was the Corps’ first purpose-built sniper rifle.
To shield the rifle from the weather, the M40 A1 was constructed with a McMillian fiberglass inventory and fitted with a hard and fast 10X Unertl optic. The A1 served for a very long time, and it wasn’t till the mid-90s that the Marines developed the following variant.
Next in line was the A3, adopted by the A5, and, lastly, the A6/A7 mannequin. Over the M40’s evolution, the rifle has had upgrades to the optics, went to a removable field journal system and threaded barrel (each launched on the A5), and has had tweaks to the inventory to have the ability to mount night time imaginative and prescient tools. The ultimate A6/A7 iteration sports activities the RACS (Remington Arms Chassis System) inventory that debuted on the ill-fated Remington MSR Mk 21.
M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS)
The Marines have their beloved M40 on the most effective sniper rifle listing, whereas the Army rocks the M24 SWS. Though the M24 arrived on the scene a lot later than the M40—it debuted in 1988, whereas the M40 was first deployed in 1966—these rifles are kissing cousins, each bolt-action .308s primarily based off the Remington 700, however with one key distinction. (Insert your favourite inter-service rivalry crayon-eating joke right here.) The Army’s M24 is constructed on a long-action 700 receiver, whereas the USMC M40 is a short-action .308.
Now you would possibly surprise why the Army would choose a long-action 700 to run the .308, when a smaller, lighter, stiffer, and theoretically extra correct short-action receiver would do the job. Good query. The lore surrounding that call mentioned the Army initially thought of the .30/06 and wanted rifles that might chamber that spherical. That’s what I had heard, at any fee.
My good pal Tom Beckstrand, a former Army Special Forces Captain and Sniper Team Leader and probably the most educated gun author on trendy navy precision rifles, corrected me on this frequent false impression.
The full story is past the scope of this text, however the brief model is that the when the M24 challenge was getting off the bottom within the 80s the driving power behind it was a small cadre of Special Forces (SF) NCOs who had been tasked with creating the SF Sniper School, often called the because the Special Operations Target Interdiction Course (SOTIC). The creation of this course was prompted by risk of a full-scale Soviet assault on the U.S. and NATO and the corresponding must ship SF Snipers behind enemy strains the place they might have little, if any, assist.
The NCOs needed a rifle that might face up to the trials of the course and that theoretical mission, and the Army’s M21, which was an accurized M14, didn’t minimize it. These NCOs and others within the SF neighborhood additionally determined that any rifle in .308 Win. was inadequate as effectively, so that they spec-ed out the M24 as the reply and, as ordinally conceived, it was to be chambered in .300 Win. Mag.
Well Big Army was serving to pay for the rifle and so they insisted that or not it’s chambered in .308, as a result of that’s the spherical they have been already utilizing, and, effectively as a result of they mentioned so. The compromise that the SF guys managed to barter was to get the rifles constructed with long-action receivers in order that they may very well be transformed to .300 Win. Mag. at some future time. And that’s the origin story of the Army’s long-action M24 .308 SWS.
Those M24s have been constructed with HS Precision shares with an aluminum bedding block, an adjustable size of pull, and a hinged floor-plate journal that might maintain 5 rounds. They have been first topped with fixed-power Leupold 10X scopes and had 24-inch barrels with a 1:11.25 twist. Variants of the M24 included the A1, A2 and A3 fashions that included adjustments resembling shares with higher adjustability, removable magazines, the addition of sound suppressors, and—within the case of the A3—being rebarreled in .338 Lapua.
Did the SF guys ever get the .300 Win. Mag. M24 they needed? Happily, sure. It took some time, however with the approval of the M2010 ESR, which can be on the most effective sniper rifle listing, these .308 M24s received transformed to .300 Win. Mag. and swapped their HS shares for the Remington Arms Chassis System (RACS).
The B&T USA 300SPR Pro is the most effective sniper rifle for minimizing noise whereas maximizing enjoyable. This integrally suppressed take-down is chambered in .300 BLK and, as we’ve written earlier than, it’s precisely what you’d image Jason Bourne utilizing in pursuit of reality, justice and big field workplace returns.
Though the 300SPR Pro prices a reasonably penny (and requires an ATF stamp for each the suppressor and the rifle’s 9.8-inch barrel) it delivers the products. The precision of the pattern I examined was actually spectacular with Black Hill’s 220-grain subsonic masses. The .300 BLK isn’t recognized for stellar accuracy however via the 300SPR Pro the five-shot teams averaged 1.036 inches.
For a extra full rundown on the rifle, take a look at this video on it from final yr’s gun check:
The rifle is Swiss made, splendidly engineered, and for a discrete city sniper setup it’s the cat’s pajamas. While no authorities company is formally utilizing the B&T USA 300SPR Pro, I’ve it on good authority that a few of our extra secretive set off pullers have it of their arsenal.
This semiauto 7.62xs51 NATO (.308 Win.) rifle is an attention-grabbing mix of outdated and new traits in sniper rifles. This rifle hit the scene round 2011 when it first began being fielded by the U.S. navy.
It is a short-stroke gasoline piston-driven rifle with a hard and fast inventory, 20-inch barrel, and an efficient vary of 1000 meters, based on FN. The base weight of the rifle is 10.69 kilos, and it ships with both 10- or 20-round magazines.
The “SSR” stands for sniper assist rifle and hints on the Mk 20’s means to have interaction targets at lengthy distances whereas nonetheless being a viable possibility for close-up preventing. To enhance the accuracy of the platform, FN designed it with an extended trunnion—which is the element that secures the barrel to the receiver—as a sturdier strategy to assist the barrel.
The quad rail configuration is a bit dated, however affords a number of attachment factors for lights, lasers, night time imaginative and prescient and different equipment the operator would possibly need to make use of. Fortunately, the facet rails at 3 and 9 o’clock might be faraway from the handguard in the event that they aren’t wanted, eliminating a few of the Mk 20’s bulk.
The lack of a folding inventory can be a bit anachronistic in comparison with some extra lately fielded programs, such because the M2010 ESR. The inventory can alter for cheek peak and size of pull with none particular instruments, nonetheless.
One good ergonomic contact on the platform is that the security and journal launch are ambidextrous and the charging deal with might be mounted on both facet of the rifle as effectively.
Curiously, the rifle comes with a 1:12 twist, slightly than a 1:10 twist, which is customary for .308s. The slower twist is a nod to our NATO allies, a few of whom are working lighter .308 bullets (150 grains or much less) which can do higher within the 1:12. The 1:12 will nonetheless work with 168-grain projectiles, however from the angle of the U.S. navy, a 1:10 would make extra sense.
FN launched a business model of the rifle, the FN 20S, which is sort of an an identical copy of the Mk 20, besides that it doesn’t ship with any sights, has a distinct muzzle gadget (a three-prong flash hider slightly than the Surefire flash hider/suppressor attachment), comes with one set off module slightly than two, and is marked “20S” versus “Mk20.” The greatest distinction, nonetheless, is that the twist on the .308 is 1:10.
One cool possibility with the FN 20S is that it’s now accessible in 6.5 Creedmoor—with a 1:8 twist—in addition to .308 Win.
SVD Dragunov
No listing of the most effective sniper rifles could be full with out together with the SVD, the preeminent sniper rifle of the Soviet Union and its allies. It was designed by Yevgeny Dragunov within the late 50s and got here into service in 1963, making it the oldest rifle on this listing.
Though the controls on the SVD mimic these of an AK-47/74 it’s not an AK by-product. But just like the AK, the SVD has been produced by so many international locations in so many variants that it’s arduous to maintain monitor of all of them, not to mention synthesize the platform in a brief article like this. But we’ll attempt anyway.
The cartridge the SVD makes use of is the 7.62×54 Rimmed, which isn’t well-known by most American shooters and hunters, however has an iconic standing amongst navy and sniper nerds since it’s among the many prime 2 or 3 most dangerous sniper cartridges in historical past, and arguably belongs on the prime of the listing. It is the second oldest cartridge that’s nonetheless in energetic navy service. The .303 British predates it by a number of years—the .303 was launched in 1889 whereas the 7.62x54R began its navy profession with the Russian Empire in 1891. The 7.62x54R’s unsurpassed longevity, coupled with the scope of navy conflicts it has been part of is why it’s thought of probably the most lethal sniper spherical of all time.
After the SVD got here on line the Soviets labored to create extra correct ammunition for the rifle, and over the many years there have been quite a few masses developed by the Russians and different customers of the SVD.
I’ve by no means had an opportunity to shoot an SVD, however the printed accuracy requirements for the rifle and its purpose-built sniper ammunition are fairly spectacular given the age of the design. Depending on the ammo and variety of photographs within the group, the SVD is anticipated to be not more than 3 MOA on the higher finish, whereas a lot of the higher-quality masses are anticipated to group from simply over 1 MOA to round 2 MOA.
The rifle is a gas-operated short-stroke piston design, with a gasoline port that may be toggled between two settings. Standard subject magazines maintain 10 or 20 rounds, and the fashionable variations of the SVD are capable of mount totally different optics and night time imaginative and prescient sights. Originally the SVDs have been outfitted with PSO-1 mounted 4X scopes, which have been connected to the rifle with a mount that positioned them excessive above the barrel and offset barely from the bore axis.
These attention-grabbing optics had a range-finding reticle and a BDC elevation turret. The approach they have been positioned on the SVD allowed the shooter to make use of the rifle’s backup iron sights with out dismounting the scope.
The most trendy variants of the SVD, such because the SVDM which was launched in 2014, have artificial folding shares that alter for important dimensions to the match the shooter, a Picatinny rail on prime to mount optics, sport excessive magnification variable energy scopes, make use of a quick-detach bipod, and use a a lot heavier barrel.
In phrases of pure accuracy, the SVD can’t compete with our greatest trendy sniper rifles, however within the DMR function for which it was initially designed it’s nonetheless a extremely efficient system. While the Russian navy has indicated that they plan to maneuver away from the SVD within the close to future, the rifle’s widespread use in Africa, Asia and the Middle East means will probably be a fixture on the battlefield for many years to come back.
The Heckler & Koch 417, a gas-operated short-stroke piston rifle in 7.62×51 (.308 Win.) with selective-fire functionality, is the inspiration for the G28 and M110A1 sniper programs being fielded by the U.S. navy, German navy and police (GSG 9), and by navy and police models in one other dozen international locations or so.
G28 is the designation of the rifle within the German Bundeswehr, whereas within the U.S. Army and U.S. Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), it’s referred to as the M110A1. Though comparable, the specs of the G28 and M110A1 are usually not an identical.
The M110A1 is available in two flavors, CSASS and SDMR designations, each of that are semiautos. The CSASS (Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System) was introduced in 2016 when H&Ok received the Army contract for this system. The SDMR (Squad Designated Marksman Rifle) model was introduced by the Army in 2018. The two rifles are outfitted otherwise, although they each fall underneath the DMR umbrella and have some overlap of their missions. The Army began fielding the CSASS in 2019 and the SDMR in 2020.
In CSASS trim, the rifle comes with a Schmidt & Bender 3–20×50 PM II Ultra Short sight, OSS SRM6 suppressor, adjustable Geissele two-stage set off, Geissele scope mount, Geissele M-Lok handguard, Harris bipod and has a collapsible inventory with an adjustable comb.
The SDMR sports activities a Sig Sauer Tango 6 1–6×24 first-focal airplane scope with a BDC reticle, has its personal model buttstock and the barrel is available in a distinct twist fee, reflecting the several types of ammo the SDMR and CSASS operators will largely use. Like the CSASS rifle, the SDMR is provided with an OSS suppressor.
Both varieties of rifles have 16.3-inch barrels and ambidextrous security, magazine launch and bolt lock controls.
M110 SASS
Not to be confused with the M110A1, which can be on the most effective sniper rifle listing, the M110 SASS is a barely bigger .308 Win. semiautomatic, which is constructed for the U.S. Army by Knights Armament Corp (KAC). The business model, the SR-25 is analogous, although not an identical.
This rifle is the Army’s most important .308 sniper system and is in use across the globe. The M110 SASS’s customary package features a Leupold 3.5-10x scope, a Harris bipod, and an evening imaginative and prescient scope. It was developed to exchange the M24 SWS (Sniper Weapon System), the notion being {that a} semiautomatic is extra versatile and related than the traditional Remington 700-based bolt motion on the fashionable battlefield. It launched in 2007.
The M110 SASS’s measurement and weight is one purpose the Army began the CSASS and SDMR applications, and a bonus of the H&Ok M110A1 CSASS is that it’s extra compact and transportable.
Knights Armament responded by creating the M110A2 to deal with these points. It is shorter and considerably lighter than the unique. Empty, the M110 SASS is 13.8 kilos, whereas the A2 is 10.5 kilos.
There’s additionally an A3 model, which is a 6.5 Creedmoor conversion package for SOCOM, with uppers which have each 14.5- and 22-inch barrels.
If this sounds a bit messy, that’s as a result of it’s. Even extra so as a result of the Marine Corps and Navy are mulling over these platforms and variants, and each KAC and H&Ok are doing what they’ll to get a slice of the pie.
Eventually the mud will settle within the battle of the M110s, and there’s little question that the prevailing rifles will look very totally different than the M110 SASS. But that doesn’t change the truth that the M110 SASS continues to be the dominant, and most generally used, .308 sniper rifle presently within the discipline with the U.S. Army.
If there’s one sniper rifle on this listing that doesn’t get the like it deserves, it’s the Sako TRG M10. This drop-dead magnificence is the rifle that was spurned by USSOCOM through the PSR trials that led to the navy adopting the Remington MSR Mk 21, which later flopped.
The Sako TRG M10 was the runner-up within the PSR program and was by many accounts the higher rifle.
As with the opposite submissions within the PSR trial, the Sako TRG M10 is a quick-barrel change system, and is constructed on a chassis inventory with maybe the most effective ergonomics of any rifle in its peer group.
The M10’s ergonomic refinements grow to be obvious as quickly as you lay down behind one and begin taking pictures. The approach the inventory adjusts for size of pull and cheek peak are elegant and capable of be finished with none instruments. The rifle contains an built-in software package contained inside the inventory itself so you’ll be able to carry out full upkeep on the rifle within the discipline if vital.
The ambidextrous security is housed inside the set off guard and might be operated with gloves on. The similar goes for the rifle’s journal launch, which is situated simply in entrance of the set off guard.
Sako well machined the totally different caliber barrels with totally different numbers of grooves simply behind the muzzle break so you’ll be able to decide a barrel’s chambering by really feel alone. The three calibers the M10 is obtainable in are .308 Win., .300 Win. Mag., and .338 Lapua Mag.
Of course, the rifle additionally shoots like a home on hearth, which ought to hardly come as a shock to anybody conversant in Sako’s historical past and the Finn’s status as snipers. I spent two days taking pictures one at a coaching facility in North Carolina when it was first launched and was smitten. Despite the prohibitive price ticket, I left decided to personal one finally.
Though the U.S. Military handed on fielding the TRG M10, Canada’s Army simply adopted it, becoming a member of international locations resembling France and Israel who use it as effectively. Domestically, the M10 is being utilized by Maryland State Police—a variety that confirms the state has good style, past simply crab truffles.
The Sako TRG 22s and 42s are rifles with one foot within the navy world and one other within the searching and competitors realm. Of all of the entries on the most effective sniper rifle listing, the TRGs are a great crossover gun for civilian and navy use.
The distinction between the 22 and 42 is the size of the motion. The TRG 22 is chambered in brief motion calibers—presently .308 Win., .260 Rem., and 6.5 Creedmoor—whereas the TRG 42 is a long-action rifle that’s chambered in .300 Win. Mag. and .338 Lapua.
The base TRG is a fixed-stock design with changes for comb place (each laterally and vertically) and size of pull. The butt plate angle, peak and pitch additionally adjusts. The fore-end contains an integral rail for mounting a bipod as effectively.
The TRG is nothing if not beefy and its burly appears to be like are a testomony to the rifle’s rugged construct. I’m not saying the rifle is not possible to break—however you’d have to essentially attempt to mess one up earlier than inflicting any significant hurt. The base 20-inch .308 weighs about 10.25 kilos and with a 26-inch barrel that goes to 10.75 kilos. The long-action 42s weigh a few pound extra.
It makes use of a three-lug bolt with a 60-degree throw that will likely be immediately recognizable to anybody who has shouldered a Sako 75 or 85, and runs off a removable journal. The .308/.260/6.5 Creed journal holds 10 rounds, whereas the .300 Win. Mag. holds seven and the .338 Lapua holds 5.
In 2013, Sako upgraded the platform within the type of a greater set off and the addition of an additional plunger ejector within the bolt face. The security is nestled inside the set off guard and is straightforward to make use of whereas being well-protected from getting by accident bumped.
The newer TRG 22A1 and 42A1 fashions, launched in 2018, borrow parts from the TRG M10 multi-caliber system. The shares on these variations fold and alter in the identical approach because the M10 and have an M-Lok suitable fore-end, although they lack the M10’s barrel-swapping function. It is a stunning system with wonderful ergonomics.
No shock that Finnish navy snipers have used the TRG 22 and 42 because it was developed, in addition to the TRG 21/41 sequence that preceded it. Many European particular forces models and snipers additionally shoot the TRG 22 and 42, as do numerous armies all through Asia and the Middle East.
M2010 ESR
The M2010 isn’t an unique, stand-alone rifle. Rather it’s a conversion package. The Army needed to improve their standard-issue .308 Win. M24 SWS rifles, which they’d been utilizing since 1988, to one thing with extra attain due to the distances that confronted our troopers within the mountains of Afghanistan. Since the M24s have been constructed on Remington 700 lengthy actions, they may very well be rechambered in .300 Win. Mag., which brings much more punch to the occasion.
The M2010 ESR—for enhanced sniper rifle—was outfitted with a folding chassis inventory absolutely adjustable for cheek peak and size of pull, permitting it to be match to the person extra exactly and folded down for simpler transport and storage. The inventory goes by the acronym RACS, for Remington Arms Chassis System.
The rifles got here with fast detach AAC suppressors that mated up with a muzzle brake. And they have been topped with Leupold Mark 4 6.5–20×50mm ER/T M5A2 first-focal airplane scopes working Horus H58 reticles.
The rifles shipped with a 5-round removable field journal and have been deemed efficient to 1,500 yards when taking pictures Mk248 Mod1 .300 Win. Mag. ammo, which is loaded with 220-grain Sierra Matchking HPBT bullets. In reality, nonetheless, the ammo is succesful past that distance.
From the 24-inch free-floating barrels, the ammo had a muzzle velocity of 2850 fps and would stay supersonic out to about 1,400 yards at sea stage. The M2010s have been additionally examined with older Mk248 Mod 0 ammo (aka A191) loaded with 190-grain Sierra Matchkings at 2975 fps or so.
The M2010s, which have been first fielded in 2011, had a comparatively brief shelf life, nonetheless. Not lengthy after the ultimate batch was delivered by Remington in 2014, the Army pivoted away from it and from the Mk21, which was additionally made by Big Green.
The purpose the M2010 made the most effective sniper rifle listing is that it marked the transfer away from the old-school M24 system, which was functionally much like what Marine snipers had been utilizing since Viet Nam, and ushered within the period of the fashionable space-gun sniper rifle. In whole, 2,558 M2010s have been made.
This bullpup bolt-action brings loads of versatility in a compact package deal. It is a switch-barrel platform that may deal with each short- and long-action cartridges relying on the shooter’s wants. Its modular design makes configuring the rifle for numerous makes use of a snap.
While it isn’t as frequent as a few of the different sniper rifles on this listing, it’s in service with quite a few militaries across the globe and has been adopted by quite a few legislation enforcement companies within the U.S. and overseas.
I lately did an in-depth assessment of the Desert Tech SRS A2, however the highlights of the rifle embrace the next:
- Smart ergonomics, particularly for a bullpup
- Excellent set off, once more particularly for a bullpup
- Very good accuracy
- Ease of swapping barrels and cartridges
- Fun as hell to shoot
The final level is likely to be probably the most related. For leisure shooters the Desert Tech SRS A2 is a very interesting platform. With the assorted conversion kits a shooter can optimize the SRS for lengthy vary targets, predator management and suburban searching with subsonic ammo, or common searching duties, so long as you don’t thoughts the rifle’s weight.
The Tragedy of the Remington MSR / Mk21
One rifle not included in the most effective sniper rifle listing is the Remington MSR / Mk 21. The purpose for that’s that not lengthy after the rifle received the PSR (Precision Sniper Rifle) trial in 2013 it crashed and burned.
The causes for which are advanced, and a full telling of the story would require a bottle of bourbon and a number of other hours. But if you happen to needed to choose two most important elements one was that Remington didn’t ship the identical ammunition and rifle that they used to win the contract. Secondly, the necessities that SOCOM had specified for the PSR trials have been unrealistic and after the MSR was chosen inside conflicts and delays at SOCOM created a scenario the place Remington had run out of time to repair the problems that cropped up.
That second issue is the place the story will get actually tangled, however the level is SOCOM performed a job within the MSR (Modular Sniper Rifle) program going off the rails as effectively. But for the sake of brevity we’ll simply have a look at the problems with the rifle and ammunition.
The first MSRs that have been constructed employed wonderful high quality barrels made by a extremely regarded provider—and it was with that firm’s barrels that the MSR received the PSR contract. Not lengthy after, nonetheless, Remington’s administration took subject when the barrel maker demanded to be paid earlier than delivering the following batch. To spite that firm and minimize value from the MSR, Remington switched to their very own hammer-forged barrels. That sort of conceitedness and heavy-handed habits was frequent with respect to how Remington handled their suppliers.
A compounding subject was the .338 Lapua ammunition that Barnes delivered originally of the contract. During the choice and analysis section, that ammo was loaded to hit a particular velocity—2700 fps with a 300-grain Sierra Matchking. That is a highly regarded load, however these MVs have been wanted to ensure that the ammunition to get near the efficiency requirements SOCOM demanded for accuracy at 1500 meters. The system additionally was designed to be able to working at larger than regular SAAMI pressures. I say get near, as a result of what SOCOM was asking for—fifty 10-shot teams at distance with not less than 80 % of them demonstrating not more than 1 MOA vertical dispersion—was pure fantasy. No rifle or shooter on earth is able to assembly that requirement.
That mentioned, when Barnes began fulfilling the contract, on account of a problem SOCOM found whereas testing the .300 WM MK248 Mod 1 ammunition for an unrelated contract, they switched up the load for the 338 LM and commenced loading to a goal stress slightly than velocity. That misplaced them about 150 fps, which isn’t an enormous deal at 100 yards, however brought about a major degradation in accuracy at 1,640 yards (1,500 meters) even earlier than factoring within the cheaper barrels.
This lack of efficiency, coupled with another small points, soured SOCOM on the MSR.
Adding to the bitterness of the Mk 21 tablet was the truth that the PSR program was a very massive deal for our snipers. The aim was for the primary time to subject a bolt-action rifle that was able to altering calibers rapidly within the discipline, was correct at prolonged ranges, that included all the fashionable ergonomic adjustability of a top-tier chassis inventory, and assist scale back the variety of sniper rifles we’re fielsding by having the capability to satisfy a number of missions.
What was meant to be the U.S. navy’s sniper rifle of the long run was shelved after just some years, and utilizing “lessons learned’ in 2018 SOCOM “re-competed” this system—to make use of authorities converse—with the ASR (Advanced Sniper Rifle) trials resulting in the adoption of the Barrett Mk 22 MRAD.