New rifles give Army snipers in Afghanistan needed range

[Psyk00diver]

1/4 mile range? WTF the TAC-50 is nine pounds more and has a mile more range than the XM2010. But the army has always liked Remington, so? Well I don't see it as an equal trade off. I'd take the extra 9 pounds. Hell why not get a REM 700 vxr long range tactical in .300 win mag, and let the Army armorers upgrade them in house for a hell of a lot less money? BTW the Rem 700 vxr is only 8.5 pounds not the 17.5 of the xm2010 for those who whine that the TAC-50 is too heavy.

[fudo]

I read an article some months ago that said that a Canadian sniper set a new distance record in Afghanistan of around 2500 yards. I hope someone bought that guy a beer. That article had the sniper's photo while he received a decoration. He was a 12 year vet, on his 2nd or 3rd tour. I don't recall what the rifle was.
I would need 2 native bearers to carry the rifle, and the Mount Palomar Observatory telescope on that sucker to see anything at that range. That is one heck of a shot in anybody's book.

[SC Tiger]

1/4 mile range? WTF the TAC-50 is nine pounds more and has a mile more range than the XM2010. But the army has always liked Remington, so? Well I don't see it as an equal trade off. I'd take the extra 9 pounds. Hell why not get a REM 700 vxr long range tactical in .300 win mag, and let the Army armorers upgrade them in house for a hell of a lot less money? BTW the Rem 700 vxr is only 8.5 pounds not the 17.5 of the xm2010 for those who whine that the TAC-50 is too heavy.

It's a 1/4 mile range increase, not a 1/4 mile range.

Experience relayed to me from my father is that the extra 9 lbs is a HUGE difference (especially when it is a 50% increase in weight), and the the further you have to lug that thing the worse it gets. While his experience was in the heat of Vietnam, I'm sure the high altitude environment in Afghanistan isn't friendly to those carrying heavy weapons either. As for why the Army doesn't upgrade a Remingon 700, I don't know the answer but I'm sure there is one.

Anyone else notice that the pistol grip looks just like a Hogue revolver grip?

[SC Tiger]

I read an article some months ago that said that a Canadian sniper set a new distance record in Afghanistan of around 2500 yards. I hope someone bought that guy a beer. That article had the sniper's photo while he received a decoration. He was a 12 year vet, on his 2nd or 3rd tour. I don't recall what the rifle was.
I would need 2 native bearers to carry the rifle, and the Mount Palomar Observatory telescope on that sucker to see anything at that range. That is one heck of a shot in anybody's book.

Pretty sure it was a .50 cal. I want to say it was a Barrett but I don't know which one.

[Mosbyranger]

I read an article some months ago that said that a Canadian sniper set a new distance record in Afghanistan of around 2500 yards.

Yeah, the History channel had him on one of it's sniper oriented programs. He was using a 50 cal sniper rifle, whatever version is issued to Canadian troops. He had run out of Canadian issued ammo and was using some he had borrowed from US troops. He had the scoped doped as far as it could go, then used Kentucky windage for his final corrections. Took him 3 shots to drop the BG, first was low and behind, the second one a little closer then the third one sent Omar to see Allah. He said they would look around when the bullet struck, but just kept on hiking, right out in the open. The shot was estimated to be about a mile and a half. Personally, I do not know if I could ever be the friend of that sniper, but I wold work extra hard on not being his enemy.