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The US Army has been testing its new precision rifles, the Squad Designated Marksman Rifle and the Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle and the first feedback from troops is coming in. Last year TFB reported the adoption of the two new rifles, which are both based on Heckler & Koch’s 7.62x51mm HK417.
Stars & Stripes recently spoke with troops that had the chance to put some rounds through the Squad Designated Marksman Rifle (SDM-R) at Fort Bliss, Texas. Rather than the more powerful scope used by the CSASS, the SDM-R is equipped with a SIG Sauer TANGO6 1-6×24 optic and is intended to engage targets at between 300 and 600 meters.
Sgt. Marc Rittikaidachar, assigned to 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, fires the newly developed Squad Designated Marksman Rifle, or SDM-R, at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Jan. 25. The brigade was selected by U.S. Army Forces Command to be the first to field the weapon. (U.S. ARMY)
Sgt. James Snow said that the new rifle was “easy to move around, and you can do a lot of things with it. Absolutely, I would carry this around every day if I was deployed. Every day, you could carry it for every single situation.” The testing at Fort Bliss was intended to help the Army decide on what accessories to issue with the 6,612 SDM-Rs it plans to purchase. Captain Sean McIntosh, assistant program manager of individual weapons, PEO Soldier, said: “This system was completely built off what soldiers wanted. All the components on this rifle were hand-picked by soldiers. We’re trying to do our due diligence to get these guys everything they’re asking for.”
Sgt. Marc Rittikaidachar felt that if he “had to clear a compound, I’m not handicapping the ability of [the marksman] I assign to carry that weapon system. If I need him to help clear the compound, he’s still able to engage targets up close.”
Test Snipers engage targets in depth at ranges varying from 300 to 1,000 meters from a standing supported position during the Compact, Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle (CSASS) operational test at Fort Carson, Colo. (Photo Credit: Maj. Michael P. Brabner, Test Officer, Maneuver Test Directorate, U.S. Operational Test Command)
In addition to SDM-R testing in Texas, the new CSASS has been put through its paces in Colorado at Fort Carson. The US Army’s Operational Test Command has been putting the new rifle in the hands of snipers from the 4th Infantry Division to see how it fairs. Over a 10 day period, eight snipers have put 8,000 rounds through the rifles from various positions. Sadly less was shared about the soldier’s impressions of the CSASS but Sgt. 1st Class Cecil Sherwood of the 61st Cavalry Regiment said he really enjoyed his trigger time with the new CSASS.
A test Sniper engages targets identified by his spotter while wearing a Ghillie suit during the Compact, Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle (CSASS) operational test at Fort Carson, Colo. (Photo Credit: Maj. Michael P. Brabner, Test Officer, Maneuver Test Directorate, U.S. Operational Test Command)
From the photographs, we can see that the SDMR’s lower receivers are marked M110A1 – the CSASS’ designation, as the designation for the SDMR has not yet been announced. Both of the rifles appear to be using the same OSS Helix HX-QD 762 suppressor.
