Rifle Story: The Best Sniper Rifles Used By the US Army
To win conflicts, the US Army requires sniper weapons. What are the best firearms? – While over-the-horizon capabilities with missiles will be used in stand-off battle against near-peer opponents, the individual American sniper is also a valuable weapon in ground warfare stand-off conflict. The M24, Mk-22, and M110 are three sniper rifles that the US Army prefers and would not leave behind.
M24 has a tumultuous past.
Without firing the M24 at least once during his tenure, no Army sniper would earn his spurs.
The M24 is an excellent all-around weapon. It is based on the 57-year-old Remington Model 700, which is well-known among civilian hunters and target shooters. Over the years, four million Model 700s have been sold. Army snipers have been using the M24 since 1988.
The 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge is chambered in the M24. The barrel is 24-inches long and free-floating. The barrel’s velocity has risen, and it resists heat build-up. A powerful Leupold Mark IV 10x scope and a bipod complete the gun.
The bolt-action M24 has a five-round magazine and is center-fired. Semi-automatic rifles can jam, misfeed, or malfunction, whereas bolt-action rifles rarely do. When fully loaded, the rifle weighs 15 pounds. The M24 has an 800-meter range.
Staff Sergeant Jim Gilliland of the United States Army sniper team hit a bad man with his M24 at a range of 1,249 metres, or seven-tenths of a mile, in 2005.
The Barrett Mk-22 is the most adaptable aircraft for multi-mission success.
The Barrett MRAD Mk-22 is next on the Army’s sniper hit list. Barrett was awarded a $49.9 million five-year contract by the Army to construct 2,800 rifles earlier this year. MRAD stands for Multi-Role Adaptive Design, and it describes how it can be used for a variety of missions. This is the Army’s most recent sniper rifle.
Three calibres are available for the Mk-22 modular system: 7.62 x 51mm NATO,.300 Norma Magnum, and.338 Norma Magnum. These have a range of more than 1,000 metres. It includes three separate barrels and bolts that can be swapped out, as well as a big suppressor to help hide the sniper when he fires. A full-length M1913 Picatinny top rail is also included.
In comparison to the M24, the Mk-22 has low-weight fluted barrels that make it slightly easier to carry. It has a folding stock that makes it more portable. It also includes many customizable features, such as the cheek-rest, which adjusts to different arm lengths. Soldiers who jump out of planes for a living will appreciate the adaptability and small size.
The M110’s speed is semi-automatic.
The M110 is in third place. This is based on the original AR-10, but with AR-15-like features. It was made specifically for urban snipers. The M110 is a rifle that fires the.308 (7.62 x 51 mm NATO) bullet and has been used in Afghanistan and Iraq. It can also fire the 6.5 mm Creedmoor cartridge, which is more powerful. 783 metres per second is the muzzle velocity. With the suppressor, it weighs 17.3 pounds and has an 800-meter range.
Because the M110 is semi-automatic, snipers can fire a large number of rounds down range with faster follow-up shots. It has a maximum effective range of 1,000 metres. For shooters, the suppressor provides better concealment. Although both rifles are similar in weight, the barrel is only 20 inches long, a little longer than the M24.
It normally comes with a Leupold Mk4 3.5-10x40mm variable-power scope with easy-to-control controls and an illuminated reticle. A night-vision sight is also available as an option. The M110 includes a complete rail that may be used to swap different sights.
Regular infantry units can designate a marksman to be equipped with the M110 because it is identical to the M16 and M4. This allows a unit to have a longer range than a carbine.
Which US Army Sniper Rifle Is The Best?
While these rifles are listed one through three in this post, I’m having a hard time deciding which one is the Army sniper’s preferred weapon. With the highest overall reliability and record-setting shots, the M24 is the most tried and reliable.
Barrett produces the Mk-22, which is becoming a more capable sniper rifle manufacturer with each passing year. The M110’s familiar appearance makes training new users a breeze. You can’t go wrong with any of the three options.