The Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) was a program by United States Special Operations Command to replace all bolt-action sniper rifles in use by United States special operations snipers with a single bolt-action rifle chambered for a large caliber Magnum chambering like .300 Win Mag, and .338 Lapua Magnum. The solicitation was placed on January 15, 2009. The contract was awarded to Remington Arms for their Modular Sniper Rifle as Mk 21 Precision Sniper Rifle [1]
A 2008 United States military market survey for a Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) called for 1 minute of arc (0.3 milliradian) extreme vertical spread for all shots in a 5-round group fired at targets at 300, 600, 900, 1,200 and 1,500 meters. [2] [3]
In 2009 a United States Special Operations Command market survey called for 1 MOA (0.3 mrad) extreme vertical spread for all shots in a 10-round group fired at targets at 300, 600, 900, 1,200 and 1,500 meters. [4] [5] The 2009 Precision Sniper Rifle requirements stated that the PSR when fired without suppressor should provide a confidence factor of 80% that the weapon and ammunition combination is capable of holding 1 MOA extreme vertical spread, calculated from 150 ten (10) round groups fired unsuppressed. No individual group to exceed 1.5 MOA (0.5 mrad) extreme vertical spread. All accuracy taken at the 1,500 meter point. [6] [7] Other requirements were that the rifle weigh less than 18 pounds loaded, have Picatinny rails, and have an easily changeable barrel.
Sniper Rifle requirements included: [8]
- The system shall be chambered to safely fire factory produced "non-wildcat" Small Arms Ammunition Manufacturing Institute (SAAMI) or Commercial European standard (CIP) ammunition.
- The action can be either manually or gas operated and available in left and right hand versions.
- With primary day optic and ammunition the system shall provide 1.0 MOA from 300 to 1500 meters (in 300 meter increments) when fired from the shoulder or an accuracy fixture in nominal conditions.
This is further defined as 1 MOA Extreme Vertical Spread for all shots in a 10 round group at the stated distances.- Mean Rounds Between Failures (MRBF) shall be 1000 rounds.
- The system shall have an overall length no greater than 52" in full configuration / extended excluding suppressor with a single component no greater in length than 40".
- The system shall weigh no more than 18 lbs with a 12:00 MilStd 1913 rail and a loaded magazine with 5 rounds.
- The system shall be capable of operator breakdown into major components in less than two minutes.
- The system will assemble from the major component breakdown in less than two minutes by the operator.
- The system will assemble from breakdown with no change in weapon zero.
- The system will have an integral MilStd 1913 rail at the 12:00 position, the rail will be capable of maintaining bore sight alignment and weapon zero while conducting routine firing combined with combat movement and operational training drills.
Contenders for the contract included:
On March 8, 2013, Remington announced that the Modular Sniper Rifle had won the contract, beating out the Sako TRG M10. The contract is worth US$79.7 million for 5,150 rifles including suppressors, and 4,696,800 rounds of ammunition over the following ten years. [1]
However, in 2018 decided that the Mk 21 did not conform to SOCOM requirements at the time, and the program was re-competed with the Barrett MRAD selected in 2019 as the Mk 22 Advanced Sniper Rifle solution. [12]
A sniper rifle is a high-precision, long range rifle. Requirements include accuracy, reliability, mobility, concealment and optics for anti-personnel, anti-materiel and surveillance uses of the military sniper. The modern sniper rifle is a portable shoulder-fired weapon system with a choice between bolt-action or semi-automatic action, fitted with a telescopic sight for extreme accuracy and chambered for a high-ballistic performance centerfire cartridge.
The M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) is the military and police version of the Remington Model 700 rifle, M24 being the model name assigned by the United States Army after adoption as their standard sniper rifle in 1988. The M24 is referred to as a "weapon system" because it consists of not only a rifle, but also a detachable telescopic sight and other accessories.
The Heckler & Koch MK 23, MK 23 MOD 0, Mark 23, or USSOCOM MARK 23 is a semi-automatic large-frame pistol chambered in .45 ACP, designed specifically to be an offensive pistol. The USSOCOM version of the MK23 came paired with a laser aiming module (LAM) and suppressor. The USSOCOM MK23 was adopted by the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for special operations units, beating out the nearest competitor, Colt's OHWS. Development of the pistol began in 1991 as special operations representatives identified the need for an "Offensive Handgun Weapons System—Special Operations Peculiar", and delivery of the pistols began in May 1996 to the special operation units.
The .338 Lapua Magnum is a rimless, bottlenecked, centerfire rifle cartridge. It was developed during the 1980s as a high-powered, long-range cartridge for military snipers. It was used in the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War. As a result of this, it became more widely available. The loaded cartridge is 14.93 mm (0.588 in) in diameter (rim) and 93.5 mm (3.68 in) long. It can penetrate better-than-standard military body armor at ranges up to 1,000 metres (1,090 yd) and has a maximum effective range of about 1,750 metres (1,910 yd) with C.I.P. conform ammunition at sea level conditions. Muzzle velocity is dependent on barrel length, seating depth, and powder charge, and varies from 880 to 915 m/s for commercial loads with 16.2-gram (250 gr) bullets, which corresponds to about 6,525 J (4,813 ft⋅lbf) of muzzle energy.
The Accuracy International AWM is a bolt-action sniper rifle manufactured by Accuracy International designed for magnum rifle cartridges. The Accuracy International AWM is also unofficially known as the AWSM, which typically denotes AWM rifles chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum.
The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle is a bolt-action sniper rifle designed and manufactured by the British company Accuracy International. It has proved popular as a civilian, police, and military rifle since its introduction in the 1980s. The rifles have some features that improve performance in very cold conditions without impairing operation in less extreme conditions.
The M40 rifle is a bolt-action sniper rifle used by the United States Marine Corps. It has had four variants: the M40, M40A1, M40A3, and M40A5. The M40 was introduced in 1966. The changeover to the A1 model was completed in the 1970s, the A3 in the 2000s, and the A5 in 2009.
The FN SCAR is a gas-operated self-loading assault/battle rifle with a rotating bolt. It is constructed to be extremely modular, including barrel change to switch between calibers. The rifle was developed by Belgian manufacturer FN Herstal (FNH) for the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to satisfy the requirements of the SCAR competition. This family of rifles consist of two main types. The SCAR-L, for "light," is chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge and the SCAR-H, for "heavy," is chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO. Both are available in Close Quarters Combat (CQC), Standard (STD), and Long Barrel (LB) variants.
The SR-25 is a designated marksman rifle/semi-automatic sniper rifle designed by Eugene Stoner and manufactured by Knight's Armament Company.
The PGM 338, also known as the PGM .338 LM or PGM Mini-Hecate .338, is a French-designed and manufactured sniper rifle. 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 M110 Semi Automatic Sniper System is an American semi-automatic sniper rifle/designated marksman rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO round. It is manufactured by Knight's Armament Company, developed from the Knight's Armament Company SR-25, and adopted by the U.S. military following the 2005 US Army Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle competition. The M110 is to be replaced by the lighter and more compact M110A1 CSASS, which is developed from the G28, a variant of the Heckler & Koch HK417.
The Sako TRG is a bolt-action sniper rifle line designed and manufactured by the Finnish firearms manufacturer, SAKO of Riihimäki. The TRG-21 and TRG-22 are designed to fire standard .308 Winchester/7.62×51mm NATO sized cartridges, while the TRG-41 and TRG-42 are designed to fire more powerful and dimensionally larger .300 Winchester Magnum (7.62×67mm) and .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6×70mm) cartridges. They are available with olive drab green, desert tan/coyote brown, dark earth or black stocks, and are also available with a folding stock.
The DSR-1 is a compact bolt-action rifle designed, manufactured and marketed by the German company DSR-Precision GmbH and was marketed also by the German company AMP Technical Services as a specialized sniper rifle for police sharpshooters. It has been adopted by the German GSG 9 counter-terrorist unit, as well as by other European special police units and agencies.
The APR is family of Swiss sniper rifles designed in 2003 as a further evolution of the French PGM Précision rifles by the Thun-based Brügger & Thomet company.
The .338 Norma Magnum is a cartridge first introduced in 2008 and came into production in 2009, designed by Norma of Sweden.
The M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle (ESR), formerly known as the XM2010 and M24 Reconfigured Sniper Weapon System, is a sniper rifle developed by PEO Soldier for the United States Army. It is derived from the M24 Sniper Weapon System and replaced the existing M24s. After winning a competitive bidding process, Remington was awarded the production contract for up to 3,600 weapons. The Army had anticipated sending the upgraded weapons to deployed snipers in late 2010, but later expected fielding would happen in January 2011.
The Modular Sniper Rifle, or MSR, is a bolt-action sniper rifle developed and produced by Remington Arms for the United States Army. It was introduced in 2009, and was designed to meet specific United States Army and USSOCOM Precision Sniper Rifle requirements. The MSR initially won the PSR competition, and was called the Remington Mk 21 Precision Sniper Rifle in U.S. military service. However, it was then decided that the Mk 21 did not conform to SOCOM requirements at the time, and the program was re-competed with the Barrett MRAD selected in 2019 as the Mk 22 Advanced Sniper Rifle solution.
The Barrett MRAD or multi-role adaptive design is a bolt-action sniper rifle that was designed by Barrett to meet the requirements of the SOCOM PSR. The MRAD is based on the Barrett 98B with a number of modifications and improvements. The Barrett MRAD was named the 2012 Rifle of the Year by the NRA.
The AX50 is a sniper rifle developed by British firearms manufacturer Accuracy International. Devised as an upgrade, it is the latest iteration of the AW50 rifle and is built to withstand sustained, heavy usage. Inheriting all the attributes of its predecessor, it allows the operator a high level of accuracy and performance in the harshest of conditions.
The MK 13 rifle is made using the Accuracy International Chassis System (AICS) version 2.0 mated to a long action Remington 700 receiver. The AICS 2.0 folding stock reduces the rifle's overall length by 210 mm (8.3 in) when folded and adds 0.2 kg (0.44 lb) to the rifle's total weight. The rifle has a cheek-piece design that adjusts sideways and for height for optimal cheek position when using night vision equipment or telescopic sights with large objective lenses. There is also a quick-adjust cheek-piece option that has a spring-loaded cheek-piece in conjunction with a quick-adjust butt plate. The side panels are made from a high-strength polymer and are available in the colors olive drab, dark earth or black. Sling attachment points are mounted on each side of the rifle, so it can be carried flat against the back and used comfortably by left- and right-handed users. A front attachment point is situated below the fore-end and can be used to anchor a target-style sling or replaced by an adapter for a Harris bipod.