Accuracy International L96A1 / Arctic Warfare sniper rifle (UK) British Army L96A1 sniper rifle Accuracy International Arctic Warfare (AI AW 7,62) 7.62x51 sniper rifle Accuracy International Arctic Warfare Folding (AI AWF 7,62) 7.62x51 sniper rifle, with buttstock folded Accuracy International Arctic Warfare Magnum Folding (AI AWM F 300WM) .300 Winchester Magnum / 7.62x63 sniper rifle Accuracy International Arctic Warfare Police (AI AWP 7,62) 7.62x51 sniper rifle photo: Zack Smith Caliber: L96, AW, AW Police, AW Folding: 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 win); Super Magnum: .338 Lapua (8.60x70mm), .300 Win Mag, 7mm Rem Mag Operation: Bolt Action Length: 1270mm Barrel lenght: 686mm (.338 Lapua), 660mm (.300 and 7mm) Weight: 6.8kg empty without telescope Magazine Capacity: 5 round box magazine Maximum Effective Range: ca. 800 meters for 7.62mm NATO variants, 1100+ meters for Magnum variants In early 1980's British Army started the search for the replacement of the aging L42 Enfield sniper rifles. Main compettitors were british companies Parker-Hale with their Model 82 bolt action rifle, and Accuracy International, with their PM rifle. Eventually, PM rifle won the competition and was accepted by British Army under the designation of L96. One of the most notorious features of the PM rifle was design of the stock. Instead of the solid polymer or wooden stock, PM / L96 rifle used hollow polymer stock, made from two halves and assembled around aluminium bedding block, that extends through entire stock lenght. L96 also was equipped with backup iron sights. In mid-1980s Swedish armed forces began their own quest for the new sniper rifle, which could survive cold and harsh nordic environments. The AI again become the winner in this race with improved L96 design, named "Arctic Warfare". In 1988 Swedish forces adopted AW rifle in 7.62mm NATO chambering under the designation of PSG 90. British Army, in its turn, also adopted this improved design under the designation of L96A1, as well as many other militaries and Law Enforcement agencies around the world. In 1998, the Bundeswehr (Germany Army) also adopted the AW Super Magnum rifle chambered in .300 Winchester magnum (German caliber designation is 7.62x67mm) as Scharfschutzengewehre (sniper rifle - german) G22. Built by Accuracy International of Portsmuth, England, this line of rifles is among the best in the World of sniper rifles today. This rifle can shot less than 2" (51mm) groups at the distances of 600 yards (550m), using boat-tail match ammunition. Arctic Warfare is a line of 5 rifles. Original Arctc Warfare was designed for the British military. It gained its designation by special anti-icing features, allowing sniping operations to be carried out under Arctic conditions as low as -40C (-104F)! Other models are Police (AWP), Suppressed (AWS), Folding (AWF) and Super Magnum (AW SM). Three first rifles designed for 7.62mm NATO ammunition, while Super Magnum can be chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum and 7mm Remington Magnum. AW has a 26" (660mm) barrel, AWP has 24" (609mm). AW SM barrels available in lentths from 24" (609mm) to 27" (686mm). The standart scopes supplied by Accuracy International are Smidt&Bender 3-12X variable or the Leupold Mark 4 fixed 10X scope. Dragunov SVD Sniper Rifle (USSR/Russia) Original SVD rifle with wooden furniture, right side Original SVD rifle with wooden furniture, left side SVD rifle, major parts and assemblies SVD-S rifle with folding butt and polymer furniture Russian-made hunting version of the SVD, the 7,62x54R Tigr (Tiger) rifle with new-style plastic SVD furniture. Note that there's no bayonet lug on the barrel Foreign SVD clones and look-alikes: top to bottom Al Kadesih rifle (Iraq), Type 85 rifle (China) and FPK rifle (Romania). Note that only two former rifles are true clones of SVD; the latter one, FPK in fact is a modified Kalashnikov AK rifle restyled to look like SVD and chambered for 7,62x54R. Caliber: 7.62x54R Operation: gas operated, short stroke, rotating bolt; semi-automatic Weight: 4.31kg empty with telescope Length: 1225 mm Barrel Length: 620 mm Capacity: 10 round detachable box magazine Dragunov SVD was designed not as a "standard" sniper rifle in its Western meaning of the term. In fact, main role of the SVD in Soviet / Russian Army is to extend effective range of fire of every infantry squad up to about 600 meters and to provide special fire support. SVD is a lightweight and quite accurate (for it's class) rifle, cabable of semi-auto fire. First request for new sniper rifle was issued in 1958. In 1963 SVD (Snaiperskaya Vintovka Dragunova, or Dragunov Sniper Rifle) was accepted by Soviet Military. SVD can use any kind of standard 7.62x54R ammo, but primary round is specially developed for SVD sniper-grade cartridge with steel-core bullet. Every infantry squad in the Russian (Soviet) army had one man with SVD. SVD rifle is extremely reliable in all conditions, and designed for heavy use. It has backup adjustable iron sights as a standard option, as well as a bayonet mount (standard AK-47 bayonet type). Latest modernization incorporate rugged polymer stock. Also, for mounted and airborne troops a special variant was developed with folding buttsock and shortened barrel (590 mm). New flash hider/muzzle brake also installed. It must be noted that several countries produced SVD copies or look-alikes. Of those, the "true" clones (rifles that have similar internal design) are Iraqui Al Kadesih rifle and Chinese Type 85 (in 7,62x54R) and NDM-86 (in 7,62x51 NATO). Others, such as Romanian Romak FPK or Yugoslavian Zastava M76, are only look-alikes as their internal design is different and usually based on Kalsshnikov AK assault rifle. Russia also produces a civilan version of the SVD, known as "Tigr" (Tiger), in 7,62x54R and 7,62x51 (.308 Win). This usually has shorter barrel, although it is available in several different versions. Older hunting version of the SVD, the "Medved" (Bear) is no longer produced and is quite scarce. Dragunov SVD is gas-operated, semi-automatic rifle. It uses short-stroke gas piston, and gas chamber has a two- position manual gas regulator. Barrel is locked by rotating bolt with three lugs. Receiver is machined from steel block. The safety is somewhat reminiscent in its appearance to that of Kalashnikov AK assault rifle, although internal design of the trigger unit is different, and there's no provisions for full automatic fire. Trigger unit is assembled on a separate removable base that also incorporates a trigger guard. The second, smaller lever, located on the right side of receiver behind the safety, is a receiver cover catch, and is sued to disassemble the gun. Standard furniture includes a skeletonized wooden butt and a removable wooden handguard. Late production models may feature polymer handguards and, sometimes, polymer skeletonized butt. The short SVD- S rifle is fitted with separate pistol grip, made of plastic, and a side-folding metallic butt. All SVD rifles are fitted with adjustable open sights, as well as proprietary side rail mount, which will accept telescopic or IR sights on quick-detachable mounts. Standard telescope sight is the 4X fixed magnification PSO-1 with range-finding reticle. SVD rifles also are issued with carrying sling, cleaning kit and other accessories. A standard AK-type bayonet can be installed on the barrel. __________________________________________________________________________________________ SIG STR970 & SHR970 (Switzerland) SIG STR 970 Tactical Rifle SIG SHR 970 Tactical Rifle Data: SIG LTR 970 Caliber(s): 7.62mm NATO (.308Win) ant .300 Win magnum Operation: Bolt action, rotating bolt Barrel: 609 mm Weight: 4.43 kg empty without scope Length: 1143 mm Feed Mechanism: 4 (.308 win) or 3 (.300 win mag) rounds detachable box mag. Both STR and SHR 970 models are based on SHR (Swiss Hunting Rifle) actions and manufactured by SIGarms, Switzerland. The SHR model is marketed as "Lightweight Tacticla Rifle", while STR is addresed as "Long range Tactical Rifle". The STR model, has McMillan stock, while SHR model has (unknown) stock. Both stocks made from polymer. SIG 970 action is designed with quick interchangeable barrels/calibers, with bolt locking directly into barrel. The barrel itself has heavy contours and id fluted to reduce weight and improve heat dissipation. Both .308 and . 300 win mag barrels has integral muzzle brakes. Rifle has 3 positions safety mechanism ("Fire", "Safe, Bolt locked", "Safe, Bolt unlocked"). Cocking indicator is located on the rear of the bolt. Receiver is drilled and taped to accept scope mounts. Exact accuracy is unknown, but one could expect it to be 1MOA or less with proper ammunition. Sig 550 sniper (Switzerland) Caliber: 5.56mm NATO (.223 Rem) Action: Gas, semi-auto Barrel lenght: 650 mm Weight: 7,02 kg loaded with scope Lenght: 1130 mm Magazine: 5, 20 or 30 rounds detachable box. SIG 550 Sniper is a "sniperized" variand of the famous Sig 550/Stg.90 assault rifle, manufactured by SAN Swiss Arms (former Sig Arms, now - a member of the SIGARMS group). 550 Sniper is a good short to medium military marksman rifle or police/antiterror rifle, capable of quick and accurate follow-up shots. __________________________________________________________________________________________ PGM Ultima Ratio 'Intervention' (France) Ultima Ratio 'Intervention' rifle Ultima Ratio 'Commando II' rifle (with folding stock) Caliber(s): 7.62mm NATO (.308Win) Operation: bolt action Barrel lenght: 600 mm (470 mm for 'Commando' versions) Weight: 6 kg (5 kg for 'Commando') Length: 1120 mm (1020 mm / 740 mm for 'Commando II' with retracted / folded butt) Feed Mechanism: 10 rounds detachable box mag. Ultima Ratio rifles are made by PGM Precision company in France. Some UR 'Intervention' and 'Commando' (shortened variants) of these rifles are known to be adopted by French Military as a replacement for FR F1 and FR F2.