#M82A1

The Barrett M82A1 is one of the most iconic and recognizable rifles on the planet today.  Since 1989 they’ve been the go-to anti-materiel rifle for various military and law enforcement agencies.  Mike Pappas of Dead Air Silencers is certainly no stranger to 50 BMG and has been a Barrett M82 enthusiast for years.  Except he decided the best could be even better and decided to overhaul his own M82A1.

Barrett and GoatGuns have entered into a licensing agreement which will see GoatGuns add a 1:3 scale Barrett Model 82A1 to product their line up. The miniatures can be picked up in assembled or unassembled packs.

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is procuring two long range rifles from US manufacturer Barrett Firearms Manufacturing. The island armed forces will be purchasing the .50 BMG caliber M107A1 anti materiel rifle as well as the .338 Lapua Magnum caliber Multi Role Adaptive Design (MRAD) sniper rifle. The rifle buy is for forty M107A1 anti material rifles, forty two MRAD sniper rifles, and optics, suppressors, accessories, packaging, and all other ancillary equipment as part of a “total system” purchase. The weapons are a part of the New Zealand Defence Force’s modernization effort, which has included new handguns, infantry rifles, machine guns, and other weapons. According to NZDF material released along with the announcement, the MRAD sniper rifles will be replacing the NZDF’s legacy Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifles in 7.62mm NATO caliber, bringing a considerable increase in range and capability to New Zealand snipers. As well, M107A1 .50 caliber anti materiel rifles will give the NZDF the ability to attack vehicles and installations out to 1,500m. Both weapons are reportedly slated for use not only by the New Zealand Army, but the New Zealand Special Air Service (SAS), as well. Procurement of the weapons under a sole source contract followed six weeks of testing of several competing rifles in Waiouru, where more than 10,000 rounds were expended in evaluation.

Thanks to Kei Kimura for sending this our way. His friend made a 1:1 scale replica of a Barret M82A1 out of cardboard. In Japan this art form is called “Papercraft”. Usually papercraft are made of sheets of paper cut, folded and glued into shapes. This is made of cardboard understandably because of the size and weight.  It takes a bit of set up but the action works and ejects the casing out. The audience are more than ecstatic when they see it work.

The Barrett .50 caliber anti-material rifles are truly icons in the firearm world. These man portable cannon allow an individual to have 10 rounds of earth-shattering .50 BMG ammunition on tap to destroy enemy equipment, vehicles, and so on. With too many movie and video game appearances to count, the Barrett .50s certainly get lots of due attention from the public. But what are these rifles really used for? How do they work? What’s in the box? Well, let’s have a look!