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Growing Popularity of 8.6mm Sniper Round
Strategy Page ^ | 10-09-07

Posted on 10/09/2007 4:37:41 AM PDT by Renfield

October 9, 2007: The British Army is replacing most of its 3,000 7.62mm L96A1 sniper rifles with one modified to use the .338 (8.6mm) Lapua Magnum caliber round. The Accuracy International "Super Magnum" rifle is basically a L96A1 "Arctic Warfare" rifle modified to handle the larger, 8.6mm Lapua Magnum round. The new rifle (the L118A1) weighs 15 pounds (without a scope), is fifty inches long and has a 27 inch barrel and a five round magazine.

Snipers in Iraq, and especially Afghanistan, have been calling for a longer range round, but find the 12.7mm (.50 caliber) weapons too heavy. The .338 (8.6mm) Lapua Magnum round has an effective range (about 1,500 meters) about 50 percent greater than the 7.62mm standard NATO round. The 8.6mm round entered use in the early 1990s, and became increasingly popular with police and military snipers. Dutch snipers have used this round in Afghanistan with much success, and have a decade of experience with these larger caliber rifles. British snipers in Afghanistan are also using the new round.

Recognizing the popularity of the 8.6mm round, Barrett, the pioneer in 12.7mm sniper rifles, came out with a 15.5 pound version of its rifle, chambered for the 8.6mm.


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: 2ndamendment; 338; banglist; rifles; rkba; secondamendment; snipers
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To: 300magnum

LOL.....Well Thank’s for redirecting my Thanks !

Stay safe !


81 posted on 10/10/2007 10:54:50 AM PDT by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet. ©)
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To: Squantos
"Your Rem 700 in 338 Win Mag or Lapua Mag ?"

.300 Win Mag.

82 posted on 10/10/2007 5:49:29 PM PDT by blackbart.223 (I live in Northern Nevada. Reid doesn't represent me.)
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To: blackbart.223
".300 Win Mag."

Oops. I meant .338 Win Mag. My bad.

83 posted on 10/10/2007 5:51:46 PM PDT by blackbart.223 (I live in Northern Nevada. Reid doesn't represent me.)
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To: green iguana
Girls Guides Swat Team. Don’t they operate out of Biddeford

Well they was. But me and the geezer SWAT outa the the Livermore Falls VFW hadda take'em out after the Big Cookie Scam. We are armed with Winchester 38-55's* ...ammo's back-ordered at Gooch's at the moment. Last batch had some duds, primers was kinda green. We dyed our red wool hunting outfits black... kinda nice as you can see the plaid a little bit. The knee pads we stole from skateboards parked at the Rumford Junior High.

* Your 38-55 is fabulous for moose, providing of course, the targeted animal is of an highly inquisitive and patient nature.

84 posted on 10/10/2007 10:53:50 PM PDT by Kenny Bunk ( Teddy K's 'Immigration Reform Act' of 1965. ¡Grácias, Borracho!)
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To: JDoutrider
carries the 338 for most critters as well as a 44 mag on their hip!

THey oughta carry a 35 Remington and 100 proof on the hip, case they falls outa there canoes.

85 posted on 10/10/2007 10:56:11 PM PDT by Kenny Bunk ( Teddy K's 'Immigration Reform Act' of 1965. ¡Grácias, Borracho!)
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