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This is a followup to the thread " Brits claim the 5.56 is too weak for combat"
but I thought it deserved a new thread, since they have made their choice.
Makes sense to me. It's available now and it works.
Other notable comment relative to the other thread: "Soldiers must be good shots to begin with, and take a training course, to be a sharpshooter, which is sort of "sniper lite." "
New sharpshooter rifle(US Made) for British Army
from janes
UK selects 7.62 mm Sharpshooter weapon for Afghan ops
Andrew White Jane's Land Reporter
London
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UK forces are to receive a semi-automatic 7.62 mm x 51 mm 'sharpshooter' weapon to combat Taliban forces engaging beyond the maximum effective range of the 5.56 mm L85A2 assault rifle.
In a USD2.5 million deal the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has contracted Law Enforcement International (LEI) to supply 440 LM7 semi-automatic rifles.
The urgent operational requirement follows calls from troops on the ground for a weapon that can be comfortably patrolled with, can be rapidly initiated and provide an increased range for contacts out to 800 m.
To be redesignated the L129A1, the gas-operated weapon carries a 20-round magazine, is 945 mm long and weighs 5 kg. It will be manufactured by Lewis Machine & Tool Company in the United States, with deliveries expected to begin in early 2010.
Features of the weapon include a single-piece upper receiver and free-floating, quick-change barrels available in 305 mm, 406 mm and 508 mm. It has four Picatinny rails with a 540 mm top rail for night vision, thermal and image intensifying optics. Stock options include fixed or retractable versions.
Industry sources told Jane's that LEI beat competition including Heckler & Koch's HK417 (already supplied to specialist units within the MoD), FN Herstal's SCAR (Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle) and an offering from Sabre Defence Industries.
To date UK soldiers must complete a marksmanship course to become qualified as 'sharpshooters' and are regarded as being a grade below that of a sniper. Following the introduction of Accuracy International's (AI's) .338-cal L115A3 sniper rifle, sharpshooters have been armed with AI's outgoing 7.62 mm L96 rifle. However, the latter's bolt action does not make it a suitable option for a patrolling soldier.
With the majority of contacts occurring at either very close range or at ranges out to between 500 m and 900 m, the "only organic asset" available to responding UK forces in a small-arms capacity is the 7.62 mm General-Purpose Machine Gun, with MoD sources saying that "5.56 mm weapons lack the reach to engage the enemy at those ranges".
"The 5.56 mm is sufficiently lethal at the right range, but troops need 7.62 mm for longer ranges. We should be looking at higher performance rounds with higher lethality at longer range. Research is going to filter into user requirements for the soldier system lethality programme," one MoD source told Jane's .
Another article: http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htweap/articles/20091228.aspx
Semi-Auto Sharpshooter Rifle
December 28, 2009: The British Army has adopted an U.S. (LMT) semi-automatic rifle as a "sharpshooter" weapon, designating it the L129A1. Weighing 11 pounds (5kg), the L129A1 7.62mm rifle has a 20 round magazine and an effective range of 800 meters. The weapon is 37 inches (945mm) long and equipped with rails for scopes and such. About one soldier per squad or platoon would be a sharpshooter, armed with an L129A1. Soldiers must be good shots to begin with, and take a training course, to be a sharpshooter, which is sort of "sniper lite." But while snipers concentrate on being hidden, as well as doing the job with one well aimed shot, the sharpshooter is mainly concerned with hitting the target with one shot at long ranges. This is essential in Afghanistan, where enemy fighters are often encountered at ranges the standard 5.56mm assault rifle has a hard time dealing with.
Semi-automatic rifles are often used as sniper rifles as well. And not just recycled M-14s. The L129A1 is very similar to the American SR25 sniper rifle, adopted by the U.S. NAVY SEALs over three years ago. This weapon is officially known as the Mk11 Sniper Rifle System (SRS).
The Mk11 is a 7.62mm weapon based on the M-16 design (created by retired USAF Colonel Stoner in the 1950s). About half the parts in the SR25 are interchangeable with those in the M-16. The Stoner sniper rifle achieves its high accuracy partly by using a 20 inch heavy floating barrel. The "floating" means that the barrel is attached only to the main body of the rifle to reduce resonance (which throws off accuracy.) The semi-automatic, 41 inch long rifle weighs 10.5 pounds without a scope and uses a 20 round magazine. This is considered the most accurate semi-automatic rifle in the world. It's popular with Special Forces and commandos because it allows a good shooter to take out a number of targets quickly and accurately. The commercial SR25 has a 24 inch barrel, but the navy wanted a shorter one for better use in urban warfare. The rifle was initially purchased for Navy SEALS and marines, but is now used by snipers in all the services, including the navys new infantry force.
This is a followup to the thread " Brits claim the 5.56 is too weak for combat"
but I thought it deserved a new thread, since they have made their choice.
Makes sense to me. It's available now and it works.
Other notable comment relative to the other thread: "Soldiers must be good shots to begin with, and take a training course, to be a sharpshooter, which is sort of "sniper lite." "
New sharpshooter rifle(US Made) for British Army
from janes
UK selects 7.62 mm Sharpshooter weapon for Afghan ops
Andrew White Jane's Land Reporter
London
UK forces are to receive a semi-automatic 7.62 mm x 51 mm 'sharpshooter' weapon to combat Taliban forces engaging beyond the maximum effective range of the 5.56 mm L85A2 assault rifle.
In a USD2.5 million deal the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has contracted Law Enforcement International (LEI) to supply 440 LM7 semi-automatic rifles.
The urgent operational requirement follows calls from troops on the ground for a weapon that can be comfortably patrolled with, can be rapidly initiated and provide an increased range for contacts out to 800 m.
To be redesignated the L129A1, the gas-operated weapon carries a 20-round magazine, is 945 mm long and weighs 5 kg. It will be manufactured by Lewis Machine & Tool Company in the United States, with deliveries expected to begin in early 2010.
Features of the weapon include a single-piece upper receiver and free-floating, quick-change barrels available in 305 mm, 406 mm and 508 mm. It has four Picatinny rails with a 540 mm top rail for night vision, thermal and image intensifying optics. Stock options include fixed or retractable versions.
Industry sources told Jane's that LEI beat competition including Heckler & Koch's HK417 (already supplied to specialist units within the MoD), FN Herstal's SCAR (Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle) and an offering from Sabre Defence Industries.
To date UK soldiers must complete a marksmanship course to become qualified as 'sharpshooters' and are regarded as being a grade below that of a sniper. Following the introduction of Accuracy International's (AI's) .338-cal L115A3 sniper rifle, sharpshooters have been armed with AI's outgoing 7.62 mm L96 rifle. However, the latter's bolt action does not make it a suitable option for a patrolling soldier.
With the majority of contacts occurring at either very close range or at ranges out to between 500 m and 900 m, the "only organic asset" available to responding UK forces in a small-arms capacity is the 7.62 mm General-Purpose Machine Gun, with MoD sources saying that "5.56 mm weapons lack the reach to engage the enemy at those ranges".
"The 5.56 mm is sufficiently lethal at the right range, but troops need 7.62 mm for longer ranges. We should be looking at higher performance rounds with higher lethality at longer range. Research is going to filter into user requirements for the soldier system lethality programme," one MoD source told Jane's .
Another article: http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htweap/articles/20091228.aspx
Semi-Auto Sharpshooter Rifle
December 28, 2009: The British Army has adopted an U.S. (LMT) semi-automatic rifle as a "sharpshooter" weapon, designating it the L129A1. Weighing 11 pounds (5kg), the L129A1 7.62mm rifle has a 20 round magazine and an effective range of 800 meters. The weapon is 37 inches (945mm) long and equipped with rails for scopes and such. About one soldier per squad or platoon would be a sharpshooter, armed with an L129A1. Soldiers must be good shots to begin with, and take a training course, to be a sharpshooter, which is sort of "sniper lite." But while snipers concentrate on being hidden, as well as doing the job with one well aimed shot, the sharpshooter is mainly concerned with hitting the target with one shot at long ranges. This is essential in Afghanistan, where enemy fighters are often encountered at ranges the standard 5.56mm assault rifle has a hard time dealing with.
Semi-automatic rifles are often used as sniper rifles as well. And not just recycled M-14s. The L129A1 is very similar to the American SR25 sniper rifle, adopted by the U.S. NAVY SEALs over three years ago. This weapon is officially known as the Mk11 Sniper Rifle System (SRS).
The Mk11 is a 7.62mm weapon based on the M-16 design (created by retired USAF Colonel Stoner in the 1950s). About half the parts in the SR25 are interchangeable with those in the M-16. The Stoner sniper rifle achieves its high accuracy partly by using a 20 inch heavy floating barrel. The "floating" means that the barrel is attached only to the main body of the rifle to reduce resonance (which throws off accuracy.) The semi-automatic, 41 inch long rifle weighs 10.5 pounds without a scope and uses a 20 round magazine. This is considered the most accurate semi-automatic rifle in the world. It's popular with Special Forces and commandos because it allows a good shooter to take out a number of targets quickly and accurately. The commercial SR25 has a 24 inch barrel, but the navy wanted a shorter one for better use in urban warfare. The rifle was initially purchased for Navy SEALS and marines, but is now used by snipers in all the services, including the navys new infantry force.
