The M82, standardized by the US Military as the M107, is a recoil-operated, semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle developed by the American Barrett Firearms Manufacturing
company. It is used by many units and armies around the world. Despite
its designation as an anti-materiel rifle, it is used by some armed
forces as an anti-personnel sniper rifle. It is also called the Light Fifty for its .50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO) chambering. The weapon is found in two variants, the original M82A1 (and A3) and the bullpup M82A2. The M82A2 is no longer manufactured, though the XM500 can be seen as its successor.
Barrett Firearms Manufacturing was founded by Ronnie Barrett for the sole purpose of building semi-automatic rifles chambered for the powerful 12.7×99mm NATO (.50 BMG) ammunition, originally developed for and used in M2 Browning machine guns. Barrett began his work in the early 1980s and the first working rifles were available in 1982, hence the designation M82. Barrett designed every single part of the weapon personally and then went on to market the weapon and mass-produce it out of his own pocket. He continued to develop his rifle through the 1980s, and developed the improved M82A1 rifle by 1986.
The first conventional military success was the sale of about 100 M82A1 rifles to the Swedish Army in 1989. Major success followed in 1990, when the United States armed forces purchased significant numbers of the M82A1 during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Kuwait and Iraq. About 125 rifles were initially bought by the United States Marine Corps, and orders from the Army and Air Force soon followed. The M82A1 is known by the US military as the SASR—"Special Applications Scoped Rifle", and it was and still is used as an anti-materiel rifle and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) tool. The long effective range, over 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) (1.1 miles), along with high energy and availability of highly effective ammunition such as API and Raufoss Mk 211, allows for effective operations against targets like radar cabins, trucks, parked aircraft and the like. The M82 can also be used to defeat human targets from standoff range or against targets behind cover.
Further development led to the M82A2 bullpup rifle in 1987, which was a reduced-recoil design to be fired from the shoulder. It failed to make an impression on the world firearms market, and was soon dropped from production. However, in 2006, Barrett completed development of the XM500, which has a bullpup configuration similar to the M82A2.
The latest derivative of the M82 family is the M82A1M rifle, adopted by U.S. Marine Corps as the M82A3 SASR and bought in large numbers. This rifle differs from M82A1 in that it has a full length Picatinny rail that allows a wide variety of scopes and sighting devices to be mounted on the rifle. Other changes are the addition of a rear monopod, slightly lightened mechanism, and detachable bipod and muzzle brake.
Another variant of the original weapon is the M82A1A Special Application Scoped Rifle, an almost identical model but specifically designed to fire the Raufoss Mk 211 Mod 0 round, a type of API (Armour Piercing Incendiary) ammunition.
Barrett M82 rifles were bought by various military and police forces from at least 30 countries, such as Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, the Netherlands Norway, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and others. The M82 also is widely used for civilian .50 caliber long range shooting competitions, being fired accurately out to 910 metres (2,990 ft) and even farther.
The United States Coast Guard's Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron and Law Enforcement Detachments use versions of the Barrett M107 to disable the engines of go-fast boats carrying illegal drugs. Barrett M82 rifles have also attracted attention from civilian law enforcement agencies; they have been adopted by the New York City Police Department as well as the Pittsburgh Police. If it becomes necessary to immobilize a vehicle, a .50 BMG round in the engine block will shut it down quickly. If it is necessary to breach barriers, a .50 BMG round will penetrate most commercial brick walls and concrete blocks.
According to the documentary The Brooklyn Connection, M82s smuggled into Kosovo by sympathizers in the United States quickly became popular long range sniper rifles in the Kosovo Liberation Army.
In Northern Ireland during the 1990s, the South Armagh Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) used Barrett sniper rifles against the British Army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
IRA sniping activities further restricted the freedom of movement of
the British Army in South Armagh by hindering their patrols. The MoD
issued a new type of body armour, which was both too expensive (£4,000)
and too heavy (32 lbs) for use on patrol. The morale of the troops was
so low that some servicemen had to be disciplined for remaining in
shelter while under orders to check vehicles. The IRA strategy also
diverted a large amount of British security resources from routine
operations to tackle the threat. Until the 1994 ceasefire, even the SAS
was unable to prevent the attacks and counter-sniping operations failed.
A Highway Code-style sign saying "SNIPER AT WORK" was mounted by the
IRA near Crossmaglen and became an icon of the republican cause.
The Barrett M82A1 rifle was used in 2002 as a platform for the experimental OSW[ (Objective Sniper Weapon) prototype. This weapon was fitted with a shorter barrel of 25 mm caliber, and fired high-explosive shells developed for the 25×59 mm OCSW (Objective Crew Served Weapon) automatic grenade launcher. The experimental OSW showed an increased effectiveness against various targets, but the recoil was beyond human limitations. This weapon, also known as the Barrett "Payload Rifle", has now been designated the XM109.
The XM107 was originally intended to be a bolt-action sniper rifle, and the rifle Barrett M95 was originally selected by the U.S. Army in a competition between such weapons. However, under the trials the decision was made that the U.S. Army did not, in fact, require such a weapon.
Then the Army decided on the Barrett M82, a semi-automatic rifle. In
summer 2002, the M82 finally emerged from its Army trial phase and was
approved for "full materiel release", meaning it was officially adopted as the Long Range Sniper Rifle, Caliber .50, M107. The M107 uses a Leupold 4.5–14×50 Mark 4 scope.
The Barrett M107 is a .50 caliber, shoulder fired, semi-automatic sniper rifle. Like its predecessors the rifle is said to have manageable recoil for a weapon of its size owing to the barrel assembly that itself absorbs force, moving inward toward the receiver against large springs with every shot. Additionally the weapon's weight and large muzzle brake also assist in recoil reduction. Various changes were made to the original M82A1 to create the M107, with new features such as a lengthened accessory rail, rear grip, and monopod socket. Barrett has recently been tasked with developing a lightweight version of the M107 under the "Anti-Materiel Sniper Rifle Congressional Program", and has already come up with a scheme to build important component parts such as the receiver frame and muzzle brake out of lighter weight materials.
The Barrett M107, like previous members of the M82 line, is also referred to as the Barrett "Light Fifty." The designation has in many instances supplanted earlier ones, with the M107 being voted one of 2005's Top 10 Military Inventions by the U.S. Army.
The receiver is made from two parts (upper and lower), stamped from sheet steel and connected by cross-pins. The heavy barrel is fluted to improve heat dissipation and save weight, and fitted with a large and effective reactive muzzle brake. On the earlier models the muzzle brakes had a round cross-section; later M82 rifles are equipped with two-chamber brakes of rectangular cross-section.
M82A1 rifles are fitted with scope mount and folding backup iron sights, should the glass scope break. The U.S. military M82 rifles are often equipped with Leupold Mark 4 telescopic sights. The M82A1M (USMC M82A3) rifles have long Picatinny accessory rails mounted and US Optics telescopic sights. Every M82 rifle is equipped with a folding carrying handle and a folding bipod (both are detachable on the M82A3). The M82A3 is also fitted with a detachable rear monopod under the butt. The buttpad is fitted with a soft recoil pad to further decrease the felt recoil. M82A1 and M82A3 rifles could be mounted on the M3 or M122 infantry tripods (originally intended for machine guns) or on vehicles using the special Barrett soft-mount. The M82A1 can be fitted with a carry sling but according to those who carried it in the field, the M82 is too uncomfortable to be carried on a sling due to its excessive length and weight. It is usually carried in a special carry soft or hard case.
The M82A2 differed from M82A1 mostly in its configuration— the pistol grip along with trigger was placed ahead of the magazine, and the buttpad placed below the receiver, just after the magazine. An additional forward grip was added below the receiver, and the scope mount moved forward.
The maximum effective range of the M107 is 1,830 metres (2,000 yd). The maximum range of this weapon (specifically the M107 variant) is 4,000 metres (4,400 yd), as quoted in the owner's manual. Fifty caliber (and larger) rounds have the potential to travel great distances if fired in an artillery-like fashion, necessitating the observance of large safety margins when firing on a range.
Barrett Firearms Manufacturing was founded by Ronnie Barrett for the sole purpose of building semi-automatic rifles chambered for the powerful 12.7×99mm NATO (.50 BMG) ammunition, originally developed for and used in M2 Browning machine guns. Barrett began his work in the early 1980s and the first working rifles were available in 1982, hence the designation M82. Barrett designed every single part of the weapon personally and then went on to market the weapon and mass-produce it out of his own pocket. He continued to develop his rifle through the 1980s, and developed the improved M82A1 rifle by 1986.
The first conventional military success was the sale of about 100 M82A1 rifles to the Swedish Army in 1989. Major success followed in 1990, when the United States armed forces purchased significant numbers of the M82A1 during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Kuwait and Iraq. About 125 rifles were initially bought by the United States Marine Corps, and orders from the Army and Air Force soon followed. The M82A1 is known by the US military as the SASR—"Special Applications Scoped Rifle", and it was and still is used as an anti-materiel rifle and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) tool. The long effective range, over 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) (1.1 miles), along with high energy and availability of highly effective ammunition such as API and Raufoss Mk 211, allows for effective operations against targets like radar cabins, trucks, parked aircraft and the like. The M82 can also be used to defeat human targets from standoff range or against targets behind cover.
Further development led to the M82A2 bullpup rifle in 1987, which was a reduced-recoil design to be fired from the shoulder. It failed to make an impression on the world firearms market, and was soon dropped from production. However, in 2006, Barrett completed development of the XM500, which has a bullpup configuration similar to the M82A2.
The latest derivative of the M82 family is the M82A1M rifle, adopted by U.S. Marine Corps as the M82A3 SASR and bought in large numbers. This rifle differs from M82A1 in that it has a full length Picatinny rail that allows a wide variety of scopes and sighting devices to be mounted on the rifle. Other changes are the addition of a rear monopod, slightly lightened mechanism, and detachable bipod and muzzle brake.
Another variant of the original weapon is the M82A1A Special Application Scoped Rifle, an almost identical model but specifically designed to fire the Raufoss Mk 211 Mod 0 round, a type of API (Armour Piercing Incendiary) ammunition.
Barrett M82 rifles were bought by various military and police forces from at least 30 countries, such as Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, the Netherlands Norway, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and others. The M82 also is widely used for civilian .50 caliber long range shooting competitions, being fired accurately out to 910 metres (2,990 ft) and even farther.
The United States Coast Guard's Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron and Law Enforcement Detachments use versions of the Barrett M107 to disable the engines of go-fast boats carrying illegal drugs. Barrett M82 rifles have also attracted attention from civilian law enforcement agencies; they have been adopted by the New York City Police Department as well as the Pittsburgh Police. If it becomes necessary to immobilize a vehicle, a .50 BMG round in the engine block will shut it down quickly. If it is necessary to breach barriers, a .50 BMG round will penetrate most commercial brick walls and concrete blocks.
According to the documentary The Brooklyn Connection, M82s smuggled into Kosovo by sympathizers in the United States quickly became popular long range sniper rifles in the Kosovo Liberation Army.
The Barrett M82A1 rifle was used in 2002 as a platform for the experimental OSW[ (Objective Sniper Weapon) prototype. This weapon was fitted with a shorter barrel of 25 mm caliber, and fired high-explosive shells developed for the 25×59 mm OCSW (Objective Crew Served Weapon) automatic grenade launcher. The experimental OSW showed an increased effectiveness against various targets, but the recoil was beyond human limitations. This weapon, also known as the Barrett "Payload Rifle", has now been designated the XM109.
The XM107 was originally intended to be a bolt-action sniper rifle, and the rifle Barrett M95 was originally selected by the U.S. Army in a competition between such weapons. However, under the trials the decision was made that the U.S. Army did not, in fact, require such a weapon.
The Barrett M107 is a .50 caliber, shoulder fired, semi-automatic sniper rifle. Like its predecessors the rifle is said to have manageable recoil for a weapon of its size owing to the barrel assembly that itself absorbs force, moving inward toward the receiver against large springs with every shot. Additionally the weapon's weight and large muzzle brake also assist in recoil reduction. Various changes were made to the original M82A1 to create the M107, with new features such as a lengthened accessory rail, rear grip, and monopod socket. Barrett has recently been tasked with developing a lightweight version of the M107 under the "Anti-Materiel Sniper Rifle Congressional Program", and has already come up with a scheme to build important component parts such as the receiver frame and muzzle brake out of lighter weight materials.
The Barrett M107, like previous members of the M82 line, is also referred to as the Barrett "Light Fifty." The designation has in many instances supplanted earlier ones, with the M107 being voted one of 2005's Top 10 Military Inventions by the U.S. Army.
Barrett M107CQ
A commercial development of the "new" M107, the M107CQ is specifically designed where the firepower of a .50 caliber rifle is required, but the bulk of the M82/M107 series prevents the weapon from being used. The M107CQ is 9" shorter in overall length (all in the barrel) and 5 pounds lighter than the M107. According to the manufacturer, the M107CQ is suitable for use in helicopters, force protection watercraft, tactical scout land vehicles, and as an urban soldier's combat multiplier for close quarter battles.
Barrett M107A1
In October 2010, Barrett unofficially reported production of the M107 had ceased; and in January 2011 the company announced that its successor, the M107A1 was available for commercial release. Significant enhancements include a reduction in weight of 5 pounds, a new cylindrical titanium muzzle brake and titanium barrel key/recoil buffer system which allows the weapon to operate with a Barrett-designed suppressor, and other functional modifications that increase durability and operator utility.
Technical description
The M82 is a short recoil semi-automatic firearm. When the gun is fired, the barrel initially recoils for a short distance (about 1 in or 25 mm), while being securely locked by the rotating bolt. After the short travel, a post on the bolt engaged in the curved cam track in the receiver turns the bolt to unlock it from the barrel. As soon as the bolt unlocks, the accelerator arm strikes it back, transferring part of the recoil energy of the barrel to the bolt to achieve reliable cycling. Then the barrel is stopped and the bolt continues back, to extract and eject a spent case. On its return stroke, the bolt strips the fresh cartridge from the box magazine and feeds it into the chamber and finally locks itself to the barrel. The striker is also cocked on the return stroke of the bolt. The gun is fed from a large detachable box magazine holding up to 10 rounds, although a rare 12-round magazine was developed for use during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.The receiver is made from two parts (upper and lower), stamped from sheet steel and connected by cross-pins. The heavy barrel is fluted to improve heat dissipation and save weight, and fitted with a large and effective reactive muzzle brake. On the earlier models the muzzle brakes had a round cross-section; later M82 rifles are equipped with two-chamber brakes of rectangular cross-section.
M82A1 rifles are fitted with scope mount and folding backup iron sights, should the glass scope break. The U.S. military M82 rifles are often equipped with Leupold Mark 4 telescopic sights. The M82A1M (USMC M82A3) rifles have long Picatinny accessory rails mounted and US Optics telescopic sights. Every M82 rifle is equipped with a folding carrying handle and a folding bipod (both are detachable on the M82A3). The M82A3 is also fitted with a detachable rear monopod under the butt. The buttpad is fitted with a soft recoil pad to further decrease the felt recoil. M82A1 and M82A3 rifles could be mounted on the M3 or M122 infantry tripods (originally intended for machine guns) or on vehicles using the special Barrett soft-mount. The M82A1 can be fitted with a carry sling but according to those who carried it in the field, the M82 is too uncomfortable to be carried on a sling due to its excessive length and weight. It is usually carried in a special carry soft or hard case.
The M82A2 differed from M82A1 mostly in its configuration— the pistol grip along with trigger was placed ahead of the magazine, and the buttpad placed below the receiver, just after the magazine. An additional forward grip was added below the receiver, and the scope mount moved forward.
The maximum effective range of the M107 is 1,830 metres (2,000 yd). The maximum range of this weapon (specifically the M107 variant) is 4,000 metres (4,400 yd), as quoted in the owner's manual. Fifty caliber (and larger) rounds have the potential to travel great distances if fired in an artillery-like fashion, necessitating the observance of large safety margins when firing on a range.
U.S. designation summary
- M82: 12.7×99mm Barrett M82 semi-automatic rifle.
- M82A1: 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A1 semi-automatic rifle. Improved variant including redesigned muzzle brake.
- M82A1A: 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A1 semi-automatic rifle variant. Optimized for use with the Mk 211 Mod 0 .50 caliber round.
- M82A1M: 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A1 semi-automatic rifle variant. Improved variant including lengthened accessory rail. Includes rear grip and monopod socket.
- M82A2: 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A2 semi-automatic rifle. Bullpup configuration.
- M82A3: 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A3 semi-automatic rifle. New production rifles built to M82A1M specifications, featuring lengthened accessory rail which is usually, but not always, raised higher up than the M82A1M/M107. Unlike the M82A1M/M107, it does not include rear grip and monopod socket.
- XM107/M107: Initially used to designate 12.7×99mm Barrett M95 bolt-action rifle. Designation changed to apply to a product improved M82A1M variant. Includes lengthened accessory rail, rear grip, and monopod socket.
- M107A1: 12.7×99mm Barrett M107A1 semi-automatic rifle. Improved variant of M107/M82. Features stronger construction with a 4 lb reduction in overall weight. Includes a retractable monopod, redesigned stock, thermal-guard cheek-piece, and a four-port muzzle brake designed for use with a sound/flash suppressor.
Specifications
M82A1
- Caliber: .50 BMG (12.7×99mm) and .416 Barrett (10.6×83mm)
- Operation: short recoil, semi-automatic
- Overall length: 57 inches (145 cm) w/ 29 inch (73.7 cm) barrel or 48 inches (122 cm) w/ 20 inch (50.8 cm) barrel
- Barrel length: 508 millimetres (20.0 in) or 737 mm (29.0 in)
- Feed device: 11-round detachable box magazine
- Sights: Flip up, optics vary by user preference
- Weight: 30.9 lb (14.0 kg) w/ 29 inch (73.7 cm) barrel or 29.7 lb (13.5 kg) w/ 20 inch (50.8 cm) barrel
- Muzzle velocity with 660 grain, 42.8 g projectile: 853 m/s (2,800 ft/s) with 400 grain, 26.0 g solid brass projectile: 990 m/s (3,200 ft/s)
- Effective range: 1,800 m (5,900 ft)
- Maximum Range: 6,812 m (22,349 ft)
- Expected accuracy: Sub-MOA with match ammo
- Unit replacement cost: $8,900 US
M82A2
- Caliber: .50 BMG (12.7×99mm)
- Length: 1,409 mm (55.5 in)
- Barrel length: 737 mm (29.0 in)
- Weight (unloaded): 14.75 kg (32.5 lb)
- Effective range on equipment-sized targets: 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
- Muzzle velocity: 900 m/s (3,000 ft/s)
- Magazine capacity: 10 rounds
- Unit replacement cost: $6,000
- Status: Prototype seeing combat in Iraq
M107
- Caliber: .50 BMG (12.7x99 mm)
- Length: 1,448 mm (57.0 in)
- Barrel length: 737 mm (29.0 in)
- Weight (unloaded w/ scope): 12.9 kg (28.4 lb)
- Magazine capacity: 11 rounds
- Weight of magazine: 1.87 kg (4.1 lb)
- Accuracy: 3 Minutes of Angle (MOA)
- Muzzle velocity: 853 m/s (2,800 ft/s)
- Effective Range: 1,829 m (6,001 ft)
- Maximum Range: 6,812 m (22,349 ft)
XM500
Main article: Barrett XM500
- Bullpup
- Caliber: .50 BMG (12.7×99mm)
- Length: 1,168 millimetres (46.0 in)
- Operation: gas operated, semi-automatic
- Barrel: 447 millimetres (17.6 in)
- Weight: 11.8 kg (26.0 lb)
- Feed device: 10-round detachable box magazine
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