The Firearm Blog

The photo below shows a couple of South Ossetia militia. The guy on the right is carrying a Sako TRG.

It is unlikely Finland would allow arms exports to South Ossetia. It was probably bought on the civilian market and then exported. I cannot imagine that South Ossetia would have many snipers so this is feasible.

Their squad sharpshooters (or whatever they call them in that part of the world) are probably using the SVD.

I cannot make out if it is a TRG-21 / 22 (.308 Win) or TRG-41 / 42 (.338 Lapua or .300 Win Magnum). I have never seen a photo of a 41/42 without a muzzle break, but I think the 21/22 can have the Sako TRG muzzle break attached, please correct me if I am wrong.

Click to expand the image

H/T: MP.net

This company is selling custom 3D camo that attaches to all types of ghillie suits (and equivalent). They do not say what the camo objects are made of but I would assume it is some type of foam (the objects are almost weightless).

The causal observer will only see a sniper killed by a pile of wood.

Cleverly disguised as a rock monster. Half man, half rock.

In all seriousness I think this is a very cool product. I am not sure if military snipers need such a product.

More here.

At SHOT Desert Tactical Arms announced their Stealth Recon Scout (DT SRS) sniper weapon system. It is a bolt action bullpup rifle.

It features

* 1/2 MOA accuracy is standard
* 11 inches shorter than conventional rifles
* Quick Caliber conversion between 243 win, 308 win, 300 win, and 338 LM
* Rugged, it was designed and built to be as tough as any other system out there.
* Adjustable trigger 1-5 lbs and you can also enable or disable the second stage on the trigger, as well you can reduce your trigger pull length to whatever you want.

The 338LM pictured below (with bipod, scope mount, sling, and S&B 5-25x) is 15.75 lbs and has an overall length of 37.5″. The 308 WIN (22″ fluted barrel) is approx 3 lbs lighter with an overall length of 31.5″, making it the shortest sniper rifle in the world to my knowledge, yet you can still mount the bipod the same distance forward on the rifle that you can on a standard McMillan stock.

We actually beefed up the barrel and bolt camming area up by 39% over the original DSR-1. Every operational sniper that has handled the rifles have said they are the most comfortable rifles they have ever handled.

The trigger is excellent, I can assure everyone of that and those going to the shot show will get to try it.

Postal, your hilarious, no black eyes with this gun. The bolt has a 60 degree lift and six lugs. The bolt manipulation is about 2-3 inches rearward of a normal bolt gun, It feels very natural and you don’t loose your cheek weld during operation. Your technique changes slightly but it is very accommodating. If you shoot the SRS left handed then you have to roll your head over slightly to manipulate the bolt.

We won’t be making a lefty, at least not for a while, sorry.

.338 LM with 26″ barrel+muzzlebrake next to an M4

Some more photos (rifle chambered in .338 LM)

Prices:

Shot Show Prices will be (Tentative):
SRS 338LM $3585 (26″ fluted barrel includes DTA muzzlebrake)
SRS 300WIN $3450 (26″ fluted barrel no brake)
SRS 243WIN $3275 (24″ fluted barrel)
SRS 308WIN $3275 (22″ fluted barrel)

Conversion kits (includes bolt, barrel, barrel ext, and magazine)
338LM $1480 (includes DTA Muzzlebrake)
300WIN $1265
243WIN $1205 (if you already have a 308win bolt you can deduct $300)
308WIN $1155

Some more photos

Desert Tactical Arms have not website, this information was gathered from googleing (this thread and this thread).

Hopefully an official website will be put online. If you are from Desert Tactical Arms, please email me with your website address.

A clip from the U.S. Army’s International Sniper Competition.

I missed this. If any one recorded this please let me know.

The Chinese have two types of gas operated semi-automatic .50/12.7mm caliber rifles. Both only shoot at 2 MOA with standard ammunition.

This is enough for anti-material work but well below western sniper rifle standards. For comparison, the Barrett M82 is supposed to shoot sub MOA (less than 1 MOA).
It is available in either 12.7×108mm or .50BMG.

It comes in two versions.

The M99

and the bullpup M99B / M06



More info here.

Everyone has seen Saddam Hussein’s gold plated AKs. I came across this photo on the Wired Danger Room blog (they took the post down)

I am fairly certain that this rifle is an Iraqi Al Kadesih rifle (a 7.62mm Nagant firing Dragunov SVD clone) but I could be wrong. Please correct me if you know what it is.

The Marines are testing the .338 Lapua chambered TRG-42 rifles in Iraq:

The current M40 barreled for the .308 round is dependable and can reach out and touch someone at about 1,000 meters. But the TRG-42 is designed for the sniper who wants a little more range – like 2,300 meters, says Beretta firearms instructor, Corey Gumbert – without having to carry the heavy .50 Barrett rifle.

Gumbert said his company has handed over a few of the .338 Lapua-chambered TRG-42s to the Marine Corps and so far they like them.

More here