Why the Marines have failed to adopt a new sniper rifle in the past 14 years

[Jeff L]

Why the Marines have failed to adopt a new sniper rifle in the past 14 years
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...5cf_story.html

[barretcreek]

This thread sends me back to one in Guntalk about the model 98 and the Lee Enfield vs. Maxims.

What is the max. range of a .50/12.7 mg? While I understand the range limitations of 7.62 projectiles vs. .338 ones, if the teams are known as soon as they get into position, someone will hit them with mg or mortar fire asap. So moving up to .416 or .50 cals. still ain't gonna do the trick.

[pmclaine]

Ill be shooting my PWS built M40A1 in about 2 hours. Im expecting 1 inch minus MOA at 100 yards with a 1970s Weaver K10 and my mediocre skills.

Thats one reason why the M40 still exists.

PS - MST 100 Unertl 10X repro is three months out.

Lots of good (passionate) discussion on this topic in these two threads...

http://www.m40rifle.com/forum/m40a7/...-lapua#post640

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=541&f=5514&t=13905135

[pmclaine]

And as an aside the USMC has been using the same sniper rifle since about 1966. Chuck MaWhinneys receiver was found to be still in service in 1996 as an A1. I wouldnt be surprised if some of the VN 6 digit receivers are now A5s that will be put into the A6 Remington chassis.

[Shooter5]

The author covered the broad strokes and is basically spot on; no other service (or our partners and allies, for that matter) settles for 762Nato as standard anymore for very sound tactical reasons. The Corps officers sitting on their hands and responsible for this inaction ought to be charged - its quite simply dereliction. Any statement made contrary is pure whitewash and avoidance of facts. After all the recent combat, it is known how and why 762 weapon systems are inadequate; there is no (longer) any excuse. Not that there was one. The minimum standard is essentially 300WM and the switch barrel/caliber systems allow for even greater flexibility.
Jarhead leadership: get off your dumbass, retro, rigid mindset and order the troops the tools they need. Get it done. Now.

[jgaynor]

Did somebody fail or did they consider alternatives and decide to not make a change at this time?

I read the original article and it seemed a little too biased toward "lets run out and buy the latest high-tech toy."

[usmc69]

http://www.americanspecialops.com/sp...iper-rifle.php

[Col. Colt]

Everybody in the US .mil has Barretts - or do they?? And a .50BMG should be a pretty close match, since the sniping record distance was set be a Canadian with one. And if the Marines want to keep their own shop and build their own rifles on the proven Remington platform, just build some long action M40s in .338 Ultra Mag, right?

How many times have they actually, in combat, been outranged? Here is one account, are there lots of others, or is this just a rare exception? Most sniping that actually takes place is under 1000 yards, traditionally - do we have proof that has really changed? They can't just bring a Barrett along, for specialized use when needed? The big .50 has a lot of specialized rounds the .338 does not. CC

[Chris W.]

While the USMC is second to none as a fighting force, they have seamed to field the older equipment. While serving on the U.S.S. Raleigh ( LPD-1 ) we had 500 USMC on board, and 500 Dutch. Talking to several about their older equipment, seams like the USMC fielding older stuff goes all the way back to WW2, the why is unknown, but they do. Army and other services always got the new stuff first. Even the Navy has a tradition of filling the armories on ships with older weapons, but unlike the USMC much less likely to see use. Has to go back to a mindset of the leadership at the very least. I personally think this mind set needs to be changes fast even if it takes sending some officers at the top home for good. In my opinion, the USMC should be given the very best and modern to work with if we expect to send them in harms way, it's the very least we could do. They bring their life to the fight, least we could do provide the best equipment available to them.
Chris

[StockDoc]

Maybe, because the old one works?