A muzzle brake or recoil compensator is a device connected to, or a feature integral to the construction of, the muzzle or barrel of a firearm or cannon that is intended to redirect a portion of propellant gases to counter recoil and unwanted muzzle rise. Barrels with an integral muzzle brake are often said to be ported.
An anti-materiel rifle (AMR) is a rifle designed for use against military equipment, structures, and other hardware (materiel). Anti-materiel rifles are chambered in significantly larger calibers than conventional rifles and are employed to eliminate equipment such as engines and unarmored or lightly armored targets. While modern armored vehicles are resistant to anti-materiel rifles, the extended range and penetration still has many modern applications. While not intended for use against human targets, the bullet weight and velocity of anti-materiel rifles gives them exceptional long-range capability even when compared with designated sniper rifles. Anti-materiel rifles are made in both bolt-action as well as semi-automatic designs.
Transitional ballistics, also known as intermediate ballistics, is the study of a projectile's behavior from the time it leaves the muzzle until the pressure behind the projectile is equalized, so it lies between internal ballistics and external ballistics.
The Hécate II is the standard heavy sniper rifle and anti-materiel rifle of the French Army, sometimes known as the FR-12.7. It is manufactured by PGM Précision of France. This is the largest weapon manufactured by PGM, chambered for the .50 BMG cartridge. The name of the rifle is derived from the ancient Greek goddess Hecate.
The Barrett M82 is a recoil-operated, semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle developed by the American company Barrett Firearms Manufacturing.
The PGM 338, also known as the PGM .338 LM or PGM Mini-Hecate .338, is French sniper rifle from the early 1990's. It uses the .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6×70mm) cartridge, which remains supersonic up to a range of 1200–1500 m depending on the exact ammunition type and environmental conditions.
The Bor is a Polish bolt-action 7.62×51mm NATO and .338 Lapua Magnum caliber sniper rifle. The weapon received the code name Alex during development, after the name of the lead designer Aleksander Leżucha, creator of the 12.7×99mm NATO Wilk anti-materiel rifle. After the development phase, the rifle received the military designation 'Bor'.
The RT-20 is a Croatian bullpup anti-materiel precision rifle developed by Metallic in Rijeka in the mid-1990s and marketed by RH-Alan. It was developed to shoot the thermal sights on Serbian M-84 and T-72 tanks. The name itself is actually an acronym of the Croatian word Ručni Top 20, or "Hand Cannon 20mm". Operating with a bolt action, it houses a single 20mm round and must be reloaded after each shot. Given its large caliber, it is one of the most powerful anti-materiel rifles currently in use by any country and is comparable to the South African Denel NTW-20 and the Indian Vidhwansak, with the difference being that the RT-20 is recoilless.
The Barrett M99 is a single-shot anti-materiel rifle that was first introduced in 1999 by the Barrett Firearms Company as a less expensive alternative to the company's higher-priced offerings. The rifle uses a bullpup configuration with a pistol grip.
The Gepárd anti-materiel rifles are a family of Hungarian weapons manufactured by Sero International designed to destroy unarmored and lightly armored targets. These long-range large-caliber rifles have high accuracy and muzzle velocity. In 1987 the Hungarian People's Army sought to obtain a compact, mobile weapon that could damage lightly armored targets. The project, led by Ferenc Földi, culminated in the creation of the Gepárds.
The McMillan TAC-50 is a long-range anti-materiel rifle. The TAC-50 is based on previous designs from the same company, which first appeared during the late 1980s. As of 2022 it holds the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill. McMillan makes several .50 caliber rifles, based on the same proprietary action, for military, law enforcement and civilian use. It is produced in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States by McMillan Firearms Manufacturing.
The DSR-1 is a compact bolt-action sniper rifle designed, manufactured and marketed by the German company DSR-Precision GmbH and was also marketed by the German company AMP Technical Services as a specialized sniper rifle for police sharpshooters. It has been adopted by the German counter-terrorist unit GSG 9, as well as by other European special police units and agencies.
The Barrett M90 is a bolt-action, bullpup rifle chambered in .50 BMG. It was designed and manufactured by Barrett Firearms Company. In 1995, Barrett stopped production of the M90, and replaced it with the M95.
The Barrett XM500 is a gas-operated, semi-automatic, anti materiel/sniper rifle currently in development by the Barrett Firearms Company. It is fed by a 10-round detachable box magazine situated behind the trigger in bullpup configuration.
The Desert Tech Stealth Recon Scout (SRS) is a bolt-action sniper rifle developed by the Utah-based firearm manufacturer Desert Tech. It was unveiled at the 2008 SHOT Show. It is known for its bullpup design.
A muzzle shroud, linear compensator, blast shield, forward blast diverter or concussion reduction device (CRD) is a sleeve that attaches to and extends beyond the muzzle of a firearm in order to redirect some of the noise and concussion, or shock wave, from the muzzle blast forward and away from the shooter, and other bystanders, behind and to the sides.
Harris Gunworks, a Phoenix, Arizona based U.S. firearms manufacturer, began operations as G. McMillan & Co. after Gale McMillan spun off the rifle building portion of his McMillan Rifle Stock business. McMillan sold this to a group of investors headed by Wes Harris. With Harris as President, the company received its first of many military contract awards. Harris parlayed McMillan's reputation for high quality, high accuracy benchrest competition rifles, to create markets for military sniper rifles and custom hunting rifles.
Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC) is an American company that develops and manufactures firearms, firearm suppressors, muzzle devices and related accessories.
A silencer, also known as a sound suppressor, suppressor, or sound moderator, is a muzzle device that reduces the acoustic intensity of the muzzle report and muzzle rise when a gun is discharged, by modulating the speed and pressure of the propellant gas from the muzzle and hence suppressing the muzzle blast. Like other muzzle devices, a silencer can be a detachable accessory mounted to the muzzle, or an integral part of the barrel.
The ZijiangM99 is a semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle first introduced in 2005. It has since seen use by the People's Liberation Army Navy and Marine Corps in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, and has been seen in the hands of various rebel groups involved in the Syrian Civil War.
