How SEALs Carried Out Their Mission

The Washington Post ^ | Monday, April 13, 2009 | Ann Scott Tyson

[SOLTC]

As far as I know, the designated marksman program is still in existance.

They may have initially replaced the M-4 with a Springfield varient. Since 2004 both the Army and Marines have used an accurized M-16.

BTW I’m trying to find out what weapon the SEALs used in the rescue.

[cyberaxe]

.....according to the website, probably one or more of these.....

Sniper Rifles
M14 Sniper Rifle (7.62mm)
MK11 Mod 0 Sniper Weapon System (7.62mm)
M82A1 Heavy Sniper Rifle (.50 cal)

.....and according to the first story HERE it was "The SEALs, probably using MK11 sniper rifles,".....

[SOLTC]

That’s a good assumption.
However, I know that the SEALs use more types of rifles than those 3. SOF units are always testing something.

When things quite down, I’ll ask friends at SOCOM about this.

BTW I did work at SOCOM.

[cyberaxe]

.....everything I posted is from "public" domain websites.....

.....I'm sure what "really" goes on and used would be an eye opener to most of us "regular" folks.....

.....(especially dev groups toys and tactics).....

[SOLTC]

From DOD BUZZ

We also have some information — unconfirmed, though we’re working on it — about how the shots were taken and what was used. Our firearms expert Eric Poole who writes for Tactical-Life posits that the snipers were using the MK-11 .308 sniper system manufactured by Knights Armament Co. This weapon is awesome, by the way (I’ve shot it a few times myself) and, if this is indeed what the shooters used, would mark a major, high-profile departure from legacy thinking about sniping which holds bolt-action rifles as the Gold Standard or marksmanship.

“Poole figures the DevGru frogmen removed the “overpowered” standard-issue Leupold scopes and opted for the Aimpoint CCO augmented by the PVS-14 night vision monocular. Though the SEAL version of the MK-11 Mod 0 is issued with suppressors, it’s unclear whether the operators used them, but I’d bet a million bucks they did.”

From Wikipedia:
The United States Navy Mk 11 Mod 0 Sniper Weapon System (NATO Stock Number 1005-01-475-7980) is a complete rifle system based around the highly accurate Knight’s Armament Company SR-25 semi-automatic rifle. It was originally conceived and constructed to meet a requirement placed by the U.S. Navy SEALs.

The Mk 11 Mod 0 has received worldwide recognition as one of the most accurate and durable semi-automatic rifle systems in existence. It is currently in service with most operational components of United States Special Operations Command and also with the Israeli Special Forces. The system has also recently become available to civilian consumers at a unit price of around $7,500 USD; however, it lacks the sound suppressor unit.

The Mk 11 Mod 0 system uses match grade 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition. The Mk 11 system includes the rifle, 20 round box magazines, QD scope rings, Leupold Vari-X Mil-dot riflescope, Harris swivel-base bipod on a Knight’s mount, and QD sound suppressor, which is also manufactured by Knight’s Armament Co. Flip-up BUIS (Back up iron sights) are attached to the modified gas block and upper receiver.

According to Knight’s Armament Company, the heart of the Mk 11 system is the free-floated RAS (Rail Accessory System) fore-end. The aluminum fore-end makes no contact with the barrel forward of the receiver, allowing for extreme accuracy. The Mk 11 Mod 0 uses the KAC 11.35 in (288 mm) long match RAS fore-end, which allows for quick attachment/detachment of MIL-STD-1913 components.

The civilian versions are guaranteed to produce groupings using factory match loads of less than 1 inch at 100 yards (25 mm at 100 m) or 0.3 angular mil.

The Mk 11 Mod 0 System is very similar to the KAC M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System, though the M110 utilizes the newer URX Rail system, a length-adjustable fixed buttstock, and an integrated flash hider.

The Mk 11 Mod 0 is not capable of fully automatic fire; it is a semi-automatic rifle.

Note that the KAC SR-25, which is the basis of the Mk 11 Mod 0 system, is different from the M21 Sniper Rifle used for a time by USSOCOM. Although they both fire match grade 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition, the M21 is a modified, accurized M14, while the KAC SR-25 is essentially a derivative of the AR-10, the predecessor to the AR-15 and M16 family of assault rifles.

[cyberaxe]

.....wonder if they used (use) .308 or 7.62?.....

.....I'm sure they take along their own match grade ammo for snipping.....

.....but if they had to be resupplied in field and if they were using .308, would it be readily available?.....

[SOLTC]

Yes!

[cyberaxe]

.....kewl.....

.....any word on if this was DEVGRU's work?.....

.....btw if they normally go through 2500+ rounds a week.....

.....wonder how many rounds their snipers go through?.....

.....still boggles the mind, 3 synced cold bore shots from a moving ship on a moving target.....

[SOLTC]

You won’t get any definitive data about DEVGRU in the rescue. Systems and Methods!

Rumor also has it that there were AF Special Tactics personnel with them.

There may have been intel specialists with them also.