American snipers go magnum

[Steyr M40A1]

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/USA-Orders-499M-in-300-Winchester-Magnum-Ammo-05493/

[Kid Shelleen]

Nice video. As the old ad said "Reach out, reach out and touch someone."

It's about time that they listened to the snipers. My nephew is a Ranger sniper. He has been in and out of Afganistan, Iraq and who knows where else about 15 times (I've lost count). He goes over for about six weeks to 3 months at at time, does his job then comes home and trains some more. Then he is off again. He has been in country now for about 3 weeks, we think Afganistan but who knows.

He's been bitchin' about the range of his weapon vs other forces there (British, Canadian & Australian) for a long time now.

[Steyr M40A1]

I wonder why the US did not go with the Cheytac 408 or the Barrett 416?
Is the 300mag better than the 338?

[billt]

I wonder why the US did not go with the Cheytac 408 or the Barrett 416?
Is the 300mag better than the 338?

In the real world, how many sniper shots are taken beyond 1,000 yards? From muzzle to 1,000 yards, the .300 Win. Mag. is a more than proven cartridge. While the .408 and .416 are indeed  fine cartridges, how many can handle them? It's the same deal with law enforcement. After the FBI got all shot up in Miami with revolvers, they made the decision to go with 10MM auto pistols. Many agents weren't up to the task of good marksmanship with the much more powerful round. The result was to download it, which eventually ended up with the introduction of the .40 S&W which is nothing more than a shortened, less powerful 10 MM. A bit like the .38 Special / .357 Magnum concept except in reverse. Ballistic numbers don't mean as much when you factor in the human element. It's better to hit with a .300 than to miss with a .416.    Bill T.

[tombogan03884]

I wonder why the US did not go with the Cheytac 408 or the Barrett 416?
Is the 300mag better than the 338?

No but probably far easier to contract for than the proprietary 416 Barrett, or Cheytac .408. Also the gun itself saves some weight over the 338. Most likely it was a compromise between competing requirements.

[Sponsor]

[fightingquaker13]

There is also the fact that in Iraq, most snipers are operating a two to three hundred yards providing overwatch for troops in the streets. Afghanstan, with the hills, you might need to reach out, but as Bill said a 1000 meter shot is going to be the exception and the .300 win mag doesn't reguire any heavier a rifle than a .30-06. Not the best cartridge maybe but a darn good compromise. Plus its been proven as a hunting round for decades.
FQ13

[JdePietro]

Previously, many snipers have had success using tuned up M-14s (from the 1960s) as sniper rifles. While semi-automatic and rugged, the M-14 wasn't designed to be a sniper rifle. The M110 was a better semi-automatic sniper rifle, since it is inherently more reliable and accurate.

That is an outright bold faced lie. More accurate? Sure I'll give them that but on a scale not even worth arguing...

http://www.smithenterprise.com/support05.03.html  <--- Does seem to hot against an equal.

In other news...

I am not a member of the military brass so I'm sure the big picture is dictating this to be a smart move, but it does make you scratch your head and wonder why they would spend $4000 on a $7000 rifle and not give them a round like the .338 that can effectively reach out past the .300win???

  None of this makes sense...

[TAB]

38.4 MILLION rounds should last them quite a while

it sounds like a lot, but  its really not.


if there are 5000 snipers, each firing 100 rounds a month, thats only  6 years worth in ammo.

[billt]

No but probably far easier to contract for than the proprietary 416 Barrett, or Cheytac .408. Also the gun itself saves some weight over the 338. Most likely it was a compromise between competing requirements.

+1.

Very good points.  Bill T.

[m25operator]

I don't know the article got it right, the whole idea of the .300 WM was to keep it in a 30/06 OAL, and it could be chambered in a standard length action, the M24's to my knowledge are built on standard length actions instead of short actions because the military had already thought of this. Just screw on a new barrel, open up the bolt face or install a new bolt, headspace and go. Should not cost 4,000, if the military armorers build them, material costs for premium parts should be 1500 or so, including an HS precision detachable mag assembly.