USA Fielding M110 7.62mm Semi-Auto Sniper Rifle

Defense Industry Daily ^ | 6/9/2010 | Defense Industry Daily

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

In this war, snipers matter in close-quarters urban fights. So does penetrating power. Accurate ranged lethality is equally important for squads in open areas, where engagement distances can easily make 5.56mm rounds ineffective. Bolt-action sniper rifles solve these problems, but can get your best people killed in close-up automatic firefights. Semi-automatic weapons have traditionally been less reliable and accurate, but offer the only reasonable approach that covers both extremes.

The result has been the emergence of a hybrid approach, on both a people level and a technical level. On the human end, militaries like the Americans and British are adopting “designated marksman” or “sharpshooter” roles in normal infantry squads, who aren’t full snipers but do have additional training and qualification. On the technical side, gun makers are fielding semi-automatic systems that offer nearly bolt-action accuracy out to 800-1000 meters, but can also be used in closer-quarters firefights. The British have hurried the L129A1 to their infantry squad sharpshooters, but the Americans have a longer running program, which is beginning to ramp up production and fielding…

The M110 is intended to replace the M24 Sniper Weapon System used by snipers, spotters, designated marksman, or squad advanced marksmen in the US Army. In 2006, the Army projected total buy of 4,492 systems. M24 orders continued into early 2010, however, and it seems likely that both will serve together for a few years.

[omega4179]

Semis have a necessarily looser chamber tolerances and parts start moving around as they function.

[1066AD]

The M110 rifle weighs 7 kg/ 16 pounds

16 lb ? That's quite a chunk to haul around.

[calex59]

Yes, 16lbs is basically the same weight that the old BAR weighed in WWII and Korea. This weight was bitched about by the men who had to carry one, even though the fire power was great. I want to know what is wrong with the M14, which is quite accurate out to 1000 yrds and is already in the inventory.

[60Gunner]

I most respectfully interject here.

I interpret Roklok's post as, "Basically an M-16 [except] in 7.62 NATO caliber [as opposed to the usual 5.56mm NATO round].

Roklok, please feel free to correct me if I assumed wrongly.

Kindest regards,

Gunner

[Dogbert41]

We have very few m14s left. Thank the Democrats and Clinton who destroyed MOST OF THEM in the 90s.

[Charles Martel]

Someone should invent a weapon like this . Maybe call it the M-14.

If we hadn't given away a bunch of our M-14 rifles and destroyed more, we wouldn't need the M110. However, I think it's interesting that aside from optics and accessories, we seem to have hit a plateau in the late 1950s with regard to military rifle design. This new rifle is an AR-10 redux.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

The breech and chamber don’t move at all; after you close the bolt, it’s essentially a single piece that will hold the entire action still until well after the bullet has exited the barrel.

[lowflyn]

” I want to know what is wrong with the M14, “

Using the M-14 would be an admission of incompetence, by those who "know" best

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

16 lb ? That’s quite a chunk to haul around.
~~~
WOW,,,7 lbs less than an M-60!!!

Maybe it comes with Wheels!!!...;0)

[fso301]

I want to know what is wrong with the M14, which is quite accurate out to 1000 yrds and is already in the inventory.

Top ejection is one thing.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

After 50 years of pushing the smaller 5.56mm X 45mm M16 cartridge is the brass FINALLY admitting it is too small???

It's plenty effective to ranges out to 200-300 meters; in fact, a 5.56mm round out of a 16" barrel will still penetrate 1/8" plate steel at a distance of 500 meters. That will perforate a body if you strike it. It's a rather lethal round.

The issue is bullet weight versus crosswind. The 5.56mm drifts too much for accurate "reach out and touch some one" use at ranges in the 600+ meter distances. So a heavier bullet is desirable, hence the use of the 7.62mm.

Personally, I'd prefer to see designated marksmen using the awesome .338 Lapua; not a lot more kick than a 30-06, but confirmed kill ranges beyond 2400 meters. It has nearly the same lethality of the 50 BMG, but with much higher accuracy. IMHO, it's the perfect sniper/anti-sniper round, short of this:

Gotta like 1 MOA and 5000 meter range!

[ltc8k6]

You are confused.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Top ejection is one thing.
~~~
The brass goes to the side,,,

The top is open so it can be loaded with stripper clips,,,
(M-14)

[ltc8k6]

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/03/army_m14_032210w/

They are handing out more m14’s as well.

[MikeSteelBe]

Obsolete weapons such as the 1911A1 pistol and the M14 require extensive modification to make them extremely accurate. Take a really close look at the issued “mil-spec” weapon in both cases vs. the “tuned” competition version. The AR-10 and later M16 as designed by Eugene Stoner did not have the design flaws that got troops killed in Vietnam. In DCM rifle competition, the changes required to Mr. Stoner’s platform are nothing compared to what must be done to Mr. Garand’s platform to shoot tight groups. An AR only requires a barrel tube to take the sling tension off of the barrel and finer sights. The mods to the M1/M1A/M14 are far, far more extensive.

[Tailback]

sigh...Read up on the amount of armorer shop maintenance needed to maintain less that 1 moa accuracy on an M-14.

I was on a state shooting team for 3 years. M-14 is the AR-10’s b*%&h. Spec-ops have been using the SR-25 series rifles for years now. They have mucho dinero to pick any weapon they want to use. They picked an AR-10 variant over the M-14...

M-14 is a great rifle, my M1 Garand is a great rifle. For the work in Trashcanistan I’d want an AR-10 variant. Why don’t any shooters winning at Camp Perry use the M1A anymore?

[MikeSteelBe]

Thanks for confirming my analysis. I was hoping not to have to get into mechanical engineering geekspeak.

[xone]

Why don’t any shooters winning at Camp Perry use the M1A anymore?

Because they use a 5.56 with a heavier bullet.

[MikeSteelBe]

Because the vastly superior inherently more accurate modern design shoots a 5.56 in it’s as issued configuration as opposed to a 7.62.

[Tailback]

Not on the long range course. aka 600-1000 yards which since we’re talking about sniper and DMR rifles you should have considered.

Do you shoot 1000 yard matches with a 5.56? If so, you’re pretty good. Better than the AMU and USMC shooters.