American Snipers Go Magnum

[jody]

American Snipers Go Magnum

June 18, 2009: The U.S. Army has ordered 38.4 million rounds of .300 Winchester magnum ammunition for its newly modified M-24 sniper rifles, as well as similar SOCOMs Mk13 models. The new ammo will cost about $1.30 per round. The .300 Winchester magnum will be ordered in minimum lots of 56,160 rounds (117 boxes of 480 rounds each). The entire 38.4 million rounds will last a while.

All this is in response to requests from snipers for a longer range weapon, but not one as bulky and heavy as the 30 pound .50 caliber rifle (which is good to about 2,000 meters). Thus the army is modifying existing M24 rifles to fire the more powerful .300 Winchester Magnum round. It was felt that this gave the snipers all the additional range they needed, without requiring a much heavier rifle. SOCOM has been using this approach since the early 1990s.

The calls were loudest from snipers operating in Afghanistan, where U.S. Army and Marine Corps shooters wanted a sniper rifle that can consistently get kills out to 1,800 meters. The current 7.62mm round was good only to about 800 meters. The 300 Winchester magnum is a more powerful, but not much larger, round than the current 7.62mm one. By replacing the barrel and receiver of the $6,700 M24 sniper rifle, for about $4,000, you can fire the .300 Winchester Magnum round. This is longer (at 7.62 x 67mm) than the standard 7.62x51mm round, and is good out to 1,200 meters. An improved version of the round is expected to extend that range another 200 meters or so.

There was another option, and that was to replace the barrel and receiver of the M24 sniper rifles to handle the .338 (8.6mm) Lapua Magnum round. Thus you still have a 17 pound sniper rifle, but with a round that can hit effectively out to about 1,600 meters. British snipers in Iraq, and especially Afghanistan, have found the Lapua Magnum round does the job at twice the range of the standard 7.62x51mm round. The 8.6mm round entered use in the early 1990s, and became increasingly popular with police and military snipers. Dutch snipers have used this round in Afghanistan with much success, and have a decade of experience with these larger caliber rifles. British snipers in Afghanistan are also using the new round, having converted many of their 7.62mm sniper rifles. Recognizing the popularity of the 8.6mm round, Barrett, the pioneer in 12.7mm sniper rifles, came out with a 15.5 pound version of its rifle, chambered for the 8.6mm. But the U.S. preferred the lighter .300 Winchester magnum solution.

[ZombieHorde]

1. If American gun owners are going magnum,

then this disproves the "gun nuts have small penises" theory.

[NightWatcher]

2. let me guess, you dont know a great deal about rifle application in the field

Most police snipers use a variant of the Remington 700, of which the M24 is anew variant that will allow our soldiers to protect themselves better (at 1800 yards) with the lighter Remington that the tradional military sniper rifle...

oh wait, yours' was a penis joke, nevermind, good one

[ZombieHorde]

3. I don't much about rifles, but I do know penis jokes.

I have been known to sling a few fart jokes as well.

[doc03]

4. This kind blows the old military ammo

is too dangerous for civilians to own line when the military ops for a civilian hunting cartridge, doesn't it?

[benEzra]

6. A civilian deer/elk rifle (Remington M700) firing a civilian deer/elk cartridge. (n/t)

[SlipperySlope]

7. Can't you tell the difference?

Are you blind?

This is a sporting rifle suitable for ownership by civilians:


This is a weapon of war that no civilian has any justifiable reason possessing:


Don't even get me started on the deadly MK 248 Mod 1 versus something reasonable like a Federal Premium 200 grain Bear Claw.

[eqfan592]

8. Hey, does that have one of those shoulder things that go up?!?!?! (nt)

[krispos42]

20. Worse...

...it's got a shoulder thing that goes OUT!!!

:yoiks:

[eqfan592]

22. OHNOES!!!

lol, that smiley you used cracks me up!

yoiks!

[petronius]

9. But the scary black one has the telescopey thingy on the top!

:scared:

[michreject]

17. LOL

Same gun.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. Damn, this defines a whole new class of assault rifles for the the Brady Bunch to whine about

[michreject]

18. The Brady bunch can complain about the 7.62X51

The .308 is approved for civilian usage. It's a good thing too. I use a .308 in my FN-FAL. :)

[AtheistCrusader]

21. The Right Arm of the Free World

Gotta get me one of those before it's no longer an option.

[michreject]

24. mine's a Springfield SA-4800 MATCH

922r compliant.

800 yds and the target is mine.

[Xela]

10. Hmmm, I wonder if .308/7.62 NATO "items" will drop in demand/prices?

So, I wonder what will happen to all them goodies in .308/7.62 NATO?

At first I thought that rifles like the M14/M1A may drop in demand and utility, but I guess those could stick around as DMR's for a while longer.

Xela

[eqfan592]

11. I was thinking similar thoughts.

I'm hoping the government will sell off the old receivers on the cheap to make some cash off them. I'd buy one in a heart beat!

[PavePusher]

12. Receivers?!

They should sell the entire rifle. CMP, anyone?

[eqfan592]

14. From what I got from the story...

...they are keeping the stocks and just swapping out the receivers. But either way, the CMP would be the ideal place to sell them through :)

[PavePusher]

23. Ah, that makes some sense, I missed it the first read. n/t

[mddem9850]

13. Absolutely nuts

[eqfan592]

15. Umm, what is? (nt)

[benEzra]

16. You realize that this is basically

a commercial deer/elk hunting rifle (Remington Model 700, accurized and detailed), and .300 Winchester magnum is a commercial deer/elk hunting caliber, yes? Military snipers are stepping up to what's available in the hunting world...

[jeepnstein]

19. That's a Fudd caliber.

I guess that'll bring it a bit closer to home when someone starts peeing their pants and wants to ban "sniper rifles" the next time.

[The Green Manalishi]

25. 300 Win Magnum, love mine

Winchester Model 70, stainless barrel and synthetic stock. Bought it for elk hunting, I imagine in the hands of a better shot than me anything within 500 to 600 yards smaller than a grizzly is toast. Kicks like a sumbitch. 30-06 on steroids.

[taurus145]

27. Wearherby .300 Mag!!!

Wearherby .300 Mag Wearherby .300 Mag Wearherby .300 Mag Wearherby .300 Mag

Now repeat that until you come to your senses.

[PavePusher]

29. Lost in translation...

:evilgrin: :rofl:

[taurus145]

26. What nonsense!

Everyone knows that the .300 Weatherby Magnum is better. Q.E.D.

[lazer47]

28. 1200 meters??,, I don't guess any of you have fired an M1 Garand

[eqfan592]

30. I own and have fired one. :)

But the longest I've heard of somebody being able to hit a target at is 1000 yards. Well, hit and repeat the shot at all.

[taurus145]

31. It's mostly up to the shoter

I've seen some of the guys at Camp Perry do some amazing things with Garands. I was, an am, envious of them.

I can keep 'em in a paper plate at 1,000 yds (with a .300 mag), but these guys are almost robotic in their accuracy with that old 30-06.

[aikoaiko]

Makes sense given the application.

The 300 WinMag is a good round. Arguably there are some a little better in some attributes but its a good round.

[PavePusher]

33. It's possible it is the best for the purpose, with COTS ammo and rifles. n/t

[DU GrovelBot]

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