Uruguay’s special forces units are now fielding a .50 BMG precision rifle named the FS50 Peregrino. The single shot bolt action rifle looks very much like a Serbu BFG 50, but was developed and built entirely in Uruguay over a period of approximately two years. Its main distinguishing feature is that with the bolt removed, the barrel can slide back to the rear of the receiver, shortening the rifle more than a foot for easier transportation. Restoring the gun to firing condition is said to take about a minute, and the rifle has been cleverly designed to retain its zero after transitioning back and forth between transport and firing mode many times.

The trick to retaining zero is that the 1913 Picatinny mount for the optic is mounted on the barrel itself, and slides rearward through a cut in the top of the receiver when the rifle is put in transport mode, thus maintaining the relationship of the optic and barrel to each other regardless of barrel position in the receiver. Comparing the photos of the gun in each mode, one can easily see the difference in position of the optic relative to the rifle’s buttstock in the two modes. The bolt is a beefy, Mauser-ish two lug design, and the Peregrino is shown with a side saddle holding four extra rounds on the right side of the receiver. The usual beefy steel bipod and giant fish-gill muzzle brake are other obvious .50BMG traits.

Barrel twist rate is 1 turn in 15 inches, and total barrel length is 30 inches. Weight is around 31 lbs with optic, which in the photos appears to be a 20 power SWFA Super Sniper mounted in four beefy Badger Ordnance style rings. The rifle is said to be sub-MOA and effective range is advertised at one thousand meters. The number of FS50 Peregrinos currently in service, and the total number to be purchased by the Uruguayan military, are unknown at this time.