Notes: As the name suggests, this is a single-shot .50 caliber rifle designed primarily for civilian long-range shooting matches. The rifle is built largely of heavy-gauge steel and light alloys, and can be supplied with either a straight tubular steel stock or an M-14-style wooden stock. In either case, the butt is equipped with a Pachmayr recoil pad. The barrels are tipped with a large multi-chamber muzzle brake. These barrels are all heavy barrels (of either 18 or 26 inches), but the Single Shot 50 may be equipped with its standard barrels or Lothar Walther target-quality barrels for added accuracy and stability. Left-handed models are also available, and the rifle may be finished in natural metal, black, or a variety of camouflage patterns. The top of the receiver holds a MIL-STD-1913 rail for the mounting of optics.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This rifle does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Notes: This weapon was designed by ArmaLite primarily for the civilian large-caliber enthusiast, but was employed on a limited basis by military forces due to its long range and stability. The AR-50 uses a number of tried-and-true principles and components from other rifles and systems, such as Armalite’s own rifles, Sako, Barrett, and some others. The AR-50 is quite lightweight for its large size.

The AR-50 uses a unique octagonal receiver, bedded into the stock with a solid aircraft aluminum bedding block. The single-shot bolt action uses a bolt handle with a lift of only 60 degrees and a short throw, to enable follow-up shots that are as quick as possible for a single-shot rifle. The extractor is a spring-loaded plunger-type which is essentially an enlarged version of a Sako extractor. The receiver and action can be had in right and left-handed versions. The heavy steel 31-inch barrel is tipped with a proprietary Armalite multi-baffle muzzle brake which is considered so effective, lightweight, and advanced in design that many other companies making heavy-caliber rifles have licensed the design of the muzzle brake, and many buyers have retrofitted their own heavy-caliber rifles with this brake. (Armalite calls this muzzle brake the "Multiflute Recoil Check.") The stock is aluminum alloy and skeletonized, with a large handle for the nonfiring hand, and can be removed for transport (but not fired in this state). The buttplate and cheekpiece are padded and fully adjustable. The AR-50 is equipped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail atop the receiver, but no iron sights are provided. The pistol grip is identical to that of an M-16A2. A fully-adjustable folding bipod is provided, but the mount allows the installation of several alternate bipods if desired. Steel parts are Parkerized, while aluminum parts are hard-anodized.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon was the bane of both the good and bad guys, being used against government forces by civilians and by government militia against both MilGov and CivGov and against New America. These rifles were also used on a limited basis in other places in the world; Saudi Arabian sniper is believed to have made a shot with an AR-50 against an Iraqi MRL gunner, at a range of nearly 2600 meters, causing the entire crew to surrender!

*When the stock is removed, the bulk of the AR-50 is reduced to 8; however, the AR-50 CANNOT be fired with the stock removed.

Notes: This .50-caliber sniping rifle was designed with special operations and other clandestine operators in mind. It is bolt action heavy rifle that can be disassembled into a package the size of a small suitcase. (TTR stands for Tactical Takedown Rifle.) The TTR-50 is based on the McMillan series of antimateriel rifles, with their reliable action and ease of care. The TTR-50 has a collapsible stock, and has one more unusual feature: it is capable of mounting a suppressor.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Notes: This is an American-made antimateriel and heavy sniping rifle used by both civilians and dozens of military forces throughout the world, including most of NATO. It was first designed for EOD teams to destroy explosives and for sharpshooters to destroy things like naval mines. It has since then been used for many purposes, in almost every corner of the globe. The weapon is recoil-operated, and has a massive muzzle brake to reduce felt recoil; this, along with the M-82A1's use of recoil to operate the mechanism, reduces felt recoil to manageable proportions. Standard telescopic sight issued with the M-82A1 is a 10x of several different manufactures, and there are no backup iron sights. The barrel is of heavy steel and 29 inches long, and tipped with a large multi-baffle muzzle brake designed by Barrett. The bipod is adjustable for height and cant, and it also has an adapter which allows it to be mounted on any tripod or mount compatible with the M-60 machinegun.

Though the US Military has unofficially been using the M-82A1 for almost two decades, it is only recently that the rifle has been type-standardized, first as the XM-107, and then the M-107 (the Marines and the Navy use the same rifle as the M-107, but call it the M-82A3, the few foreign users of the M-107 generally call it the M-82A1M). The M-107 is nearly identical to the standard M-82A1; however, there are some differences worth mentioning. The M-107 is designed to be field stripped without using tools. The muzzle brake may be easily removed by the sniper and replaced with a sound suppressor. Atop the receiver is a 19-inch MIL-STD-1913 rail. The skeletonized stock has an actual handgrip on the bottom instead of a simple rod of metal, and attached to this handgrip is a folding monopod to help support the weapon. The M-107 has attachment points for mounting on any tripod or pintle mount able to accept an M-60 or M-240 machinegun. The finish is a bit more weatherproof, and the bipod is slightly different; it is a quick-release model with spiked feet. The M-107 may also be mounted on a soft mount designed for the rifle, and/or vehicle-mounted on this soft-mount or, via an adapter, on any vehicle mount which can take a weapon designed for a medium or heavy machinegun or grenade launcher. The barrel is threaded at the muzzle; this allows the muzzle brake to be removed and replaced with other muzzle brakes, or even suppressors/silencers. The M-107 is also over a full kilogram lighter than the M-82A1. Military snipers recommend the use of the Mk 211 Raufoss cartridge, but the M-107 may fire any sort of .50 Browning Machinegun cartridge except SLAP. For game purposes, it is otherwise identical to the M-82A1.

A recent variant of the M-107 is the M-107CQ (Close Quarters). This is basically a shorter version of the M-107, with a barrel nine inches shorter and much lighter than the standard M-107. This variant is designed both for military users operating in MOUT situations or fighting from helicopters or vehicles, and for police snipers who do not need the kind of range that a full-sized M-82A1 or M-107 produces. The M-107CQ is not an official US military variant, though it is believed to be extensively used by the US military.

Of course, the nomenclature, "M-82A1," would seem to indicate that there was an M-82 before it; there in fact was. Barrett’s initial design was similar, but it used a 37-inch barrel with a heavier muzzle brake, and was fed by an 11-round magazine. Not only was the M-82 incredibly unwieldy due to its length, it was heavier. (The range, however, was incredible.) Nonetheless, this was the design sold between 1985-87, although it sold only in small numbers, primarily to civilian large-caliber enthusiasts.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon was used in so many places on the planet that it was nearly ubiquitous, despite its small numbers. The M-107 is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline, nor is the M-107CQ; however, the addition of a MIL-STD-1913 rail and replacement of the bipod were common modifications done to M-82A1’s used by the military in the Twilight 2000 timeline. The M-82 version is slightly more common in the Twilight 2000 timeline than in the real world, and is used by NATO in very small numbers, often with the addition of a MIL-STD-1913 rail and replacement bipod.

Notes: This bullpup version of the M-82A1 is lighter and somewhat simplified in operation. The shoulder rest is moved to behind the magazine, and the action passes over the firer's shoulder. A second pistol grip has been added behind the barrel for more stable hip firing. It is mostly a niche weapon for heavy-caliber rifle collectors, and does not see much use as a military or police weapon.

Notes: This is Barrett’s first attempt at a bolt-action bullpup version of the M-82. It is basically a less-refined counterpart to the later M-95, being a Barrett in bolt-action bullpup form with a different bipod, slightly different muzzle brake, and less tolerance to wear and dirt.

Notes: The M-95 is essentially more-developed version of the M-90, and retains the bullpup design of the M-90. Improvements over the M-90 are primarily in the areas of ergonomics and resistance to wear and dirt, and in addition the muzzle brake is lighter and more compact yet just as effective. The M-95 uses upper and lower receiver halves, with the lower receiver being of light aluminum alloy and the upper receiver being of steel. (For transport or field stripping, these halves may be separated by removing the two pins holding them together.) The barrel is 29 inches long and of heavy steel, equipped with the same muzzle brake as the M-82A1. The bipod is also the same as that of the M-82A1. The buttplate includes a Sorbothane recoil pad. The M-95 uses a standard Barrett scope mount. The M-95 is used not only by civilian collectors and long-range shooting enthusiasts; it is used by the military forces of 15 nations as well as police departments all over the US.

At one point (in 1999), the US Army had selected the M-95 as its new antimateriel rifle, at that time preferring it over the M-82A1. The M-95 was even given the designation XM-107. However, a change in operational policy on the part of the Defense Department, coupled with input from snipers and EOD teams who wanted a semiautomatic antimateriel rifle, led to the "XM-107" designation being transferred back to the M-82A1M design. Barrett gave the company designation of M-95M to the militarized version of the M-95; changes to the M-95 included the installation of a 12-inch MIL-STD-1913 rail atop the receiver, a hard chrome-plated chamber, an improved extractor, backup iron sights, and the same bipod as used on the M-82A1M (M-107). Though the M-95M was ultimately not chosen by the US Army, it is still used in an unofficial capacity by the US military in small numbers, as well as by some foreign military units.

The M-99 is essentially a single-shot variant of the M-95, with a longer 33-inch barrel. It was designed primarily for law enforcement, to stop vehicles by destroying their engine blocks, or penetrate the vehicles and kill their drivers or passengers if necessary, and do it at long range. Though the M-99 was originally designed to be a less-expensive counterpart to the M-95, it has acquired a reputation as one of the most accurate and reliable heavy sniping rifles in the world. Early production versions of these rifles used standard drilling and tapping for scope mounts, but most of them produced after 1995 use a MIL-STD-1913 rail (unless the buyer wants something else). A civilian long-range rifle enthusiast even used an M-99 to set the world match accuracy record in 2004, using an M-99 fed with match-quality ammunition.

Though the M-99 began life as a rather uncomplicated weapon, it has morphed into several variants. The M-99-1 is a shortened version of the Barrett 99; instead of the M-99s 33-inch barrel, the M-99-1 uses either a 29 or 25" barrel. A new development, introduced in early 2006, is an M-99 and an M-99-1 chambered for a new round developed by Barrett, the .416 Barrett. The round is basically a .50 BMG necked down to .416 caliber, and is said to be surprisingly effective. This chambering is available only as a 33-inch-barrel M-99 or a 29-inch-barrel M-99-1; no 25-inch-barrel version is as yet available.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The M-95M does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline. M-99s are rather rare rifles in the Twilight 2000 timeline, and the other versions of the M-99 do not exist at all.

Notes: Also known as the OSW (Objective Sniper Weapon), the Payload Rifle is a highly Modified Barrett M-82 made to fire a small grenade of the same type as fired by the OCSW. It is basically a semiautomatic grenade launcher. It was designed to give US special operations snipers the ability to defeat light armored vehicles as well as deal with massed infantry. It is otherwise a shorter-barreled Barrett, with a Picatinny Rail interface. There are rumors of its use in Afghanistan and Iraq, but it is still officially in the testing phases; however, it has been given the official designation of XM-109.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Merc 2000 Notes: This weapon is not available until 2007 in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Notes: Developed primarily for the US military, the XM-500 is a bullpup version rifle based on the M-107 version of the M-82A1, with some other modifications. The XM-500 is officially listed as still being in the early stages of development, and it is not known if it has seen any sort of combat or even combat training use.

The existence of the XM-500 was first revealed in 2006, though it is likely that prototypes existed at least several months before that, if not longer. Construction is largely to the same standards as the M-107 (modified for its bullpup format, of course), but in addition has a rubber recoil pad and a shorter MIL-STD-1913 rail, since the receiver top is shorter. Some of the primary users of the XM-500 are to be airborne, air assault, and special operations units; they wanted a more compact and lighter Barrett. Therefore, the use of light alloys was done as much as possible, and that in addition to the bullpup layout reduces the weight substantially. The 29-inch barrel of the M-107, along with the muzzle brake on a threaded muzzle, is retained. The bipod has been moved in location to just behind the front end of the handguards/receiver, just in front of the cooling slots.

Exactly when the XM-500 will enter service is unknown, but considering that it is based on an already-proven rifle, the wait will probably not be long.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The XM-500 does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline as such, though some similarly-modified M-82A2s were apparently used by NATO military forces.

Notes: The CheyTac (Cheyenne Tactical) LRRS (Long-Range Rifle System) is a design that is based on the EDM Arms Windrunner sniper rifle. The weapon has, however, been modified to fire a new, proprietary cartridge, the .408 CheyTac cartridge. This offers damaging performance superior to that of the .338 Lapua Magnum and range slightly better than the .50 Browning Machinegun round, and also allows for a lighter weapon.

There are currently three models of the LRRS-Intervention: the M-100, a semiautomatic takedown version designed primarily for military use; the M-200, a bolt-action version of the M-100 designed for military and police use; and the M-310, a non-takedown, single-shot model designed for police use and for civilian enthusiasts of long-range rifles. All three versions come with an adjustable/folding skeletonized stock, MIL-STD-1913 rail above the receiver, an underbarrel carrying handle, and a large pepperpot-type muzzle brake (which can be removed and replaced by a suppressor). None of these rifles are equipped with iron sights. They are sold with a CheyTac ballistic computer, which is a commercial handheld-type computer loaded with CheyTac’s special software; this is to compute shooting conditions and the sights mounted on the rifle to find the best aiming solution. In addition, they are sold with a Kestrel 4000 weather sensor package, which is linked to the handheld computer.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Notes: This is a massive, bolt-action, heavy-caliber sniper rifle designed from a scaled-up AR-15 action and body. However, though some parts are similar or identical to the AR-15 (the stock, pistol grip, parts of the trigger group, magazine catch, recoil spring, and a few others), this is definitely not simply a big AR-15. The bipod is adapted from an M-60 machinegun. The muzzle brake is borrowed from the ArmaLite AR-50. The stock is perhaps most like that of the AR-15; in fact, any sort of AR-15-compatible stock will fit on the BA-50. The FA-50 uses a MIL-STD-1913 rail to allow it to mount virtually any sort of optic, sight, or accessory. The BA-50 comes in three versions, a standard length model, "carbine" version, and a suppressed model. They are generally finished in OD Green DuraCoat with black camouflaging stripes, but other colors can be had.

Externally, the FA-50 (Fast-Action) appears quite similar to the BA-50, but the FA-50 is a semiautomatic rifle. This means that while the FA-50 is externally similar to the BA-50, internally it is very different. There are also some minor weight differences, but accouterments are the same as used on the BA-50.

Twilight 2000 Notes: These weapons do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Merc 2000 Notes: These weapons are currently used by US and NATO special operations forces, in small numbers, with the FA-50 being the most-common military rifle. Most of these are "tricked-out" in a manner similar to that of the M-107/M-107CQ.

Notes: Described as a heavy tactical rifle, the Windrunner is a .50 caliber rifle designed for military, police, and civilian applications. It has a number of unusual features; one of these is that it may be broken into up to 5 pieces for transport – thus the reason EDM calls the Windrunner a "Tactical Takedown Antimateriel Rifle." Disassembly of the Windrunner takes about a minute, and reassembly takes under 3 minutes. After disassembly, the Windrunner occupies a space about 32 inches long and can be put into a rifle case or large suitcase.

The receiver is machined from a single block of 4140 chrome-molybdenum steel, which is then hardened to 4042 specifications. The barrel is similarly-machined, but is made from graphite composites with an internal steel liner, and is fluted for both cooling and stiffness. It is attached to the receiver with a threaded nut using a self-locking ratchet; the threads are also reversed so that firing only makes the barrel retain its tightness instead of causing it to become looser. This 30-inch barrel is heavy and match-quality, and is tipped with huge pepperpot muzzle brake with 80 vent holes and is fastened to the barrel in a similar manner. The stock is also made from steel, and the entire stock slides on rails for length of pull adjustments, though the stock assembly itself is rather abbreviated. The cheekpiece is not adjustable (and is in fact a part of the stock), but is padded, along with the buttplate. The bipod is the same as used on newer versions of the M-21, and is adjustable for height and cant. The stock is also equipped with a folding monopod which is adjustable for height. The receiver is topped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail for the mounting of optics.

Variants of the XM-107 include the SS-99, which is a single-shot version of the XM-107, and the SS-338, which is chambered for .338 Lapua Magnum. The latter is not an antimateriel rifle, but rather a sniper rifle, but is included here for completeness. Both are otherwise identical to the XM-107.

It should be noted that despite EDM’s designation of the .50 Browning Machinegun version of the Windrunner ("XM-107"), this is not any sort of official US military designation, nor is it related to the M-107 version of the Barrett M-82A1.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This rifle does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Notes: Designed both for civilian competition shooting and military use, the HA-50 is "sort-of" a bullpup-design rifle – it is a single-shot weapon, but the bottom-mounted loading port is behind the pistol grip, reducing overall length. Much of the parts of the weapon are either handmade or hand-finished, which makes the HA-50 a tight, solid weapon with excellent accuracy. The single-shot design allows the HA-50 to use virtually any sort of .50 Browning Machinegun ammunition – from standard ball to match rounds, and even such exotic rounds such as .50 Spotting Round ammunition. The design of the muzzle brake also allows the HA-50 to use SLAP rounds and other saboted rounds, something most rifles equipped with muzzle brakes cannot do without destroying the muzzle brake instantly.

The standard HA-50, the HA-50 FTR (Field Tactical Rifle) is largely built from high-grade steel, with some synthetic parts such as the pistol grip and foregrip (another unusual feature on such a rifle), and an aluminum alloy bipod. The stock houses part of the action, and the butt has a simple buttplate with a thick recoil pad attached. The bipod is a quick-deploy Harris-type bipod adjustable for height and cant. The bipod is mounted at the point of balance of the rifle, at the end of the receiver. The HA-50 FTR has flip-up front and rear iron sights (though due to the design of the receiver, the sight radius is only about the same as that of the M-4 carbine). However, the receiver is also topped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail, and the HA-50 FTR is primarily meant to be used with a telescopic sight of some sort. The trigger unit is taken from the AR-15, but modified for bolt action and hand-tuned to lower the pull weight and slightly increase the pull length. The barrel is match quality and made of chrome-moly steel, with a length of 22 inches.

The HA-50 LRR (Long-Range Rifle) is a dedicated sniper’s platform; the receiver and action are largely the same as the HA-50 FTR, but the top of the receiver has no iron sights, and the MIL-STD-1913 rail is shorter. The barrel is 30 inches long, but of the same quality as the HA-50 FTR. The butt has a retractable and adjustable support leg, and the buttplate is adjustable for length. The bipod is a highly-modified version of the M-14’s bipod, adjustable for height and cant, and it supports the rifle from the top of the receiver instead of the bottom. This leaves room for a short, 3-inch-wide handguard; there is no foregrip as on the HA-50 FTR.

Notes: This .50 caliber sniping rifle found a place with gun enthusiasts in the US, though it found military use only with certain special operations units (such as the US Navy’s SEALs, who use 350 of them) and the French Army, Germany, Italy, Turkey, and Pakistan. (The British SBS is also known to have at least two of them, and Bahrain has 6.) It is a solidly built, bolt-action rifle capable of long-range shots. Accurate fire is achieved after very little training and familiarization. The muzzle brake is very efficient and accurate shoulder fire is possible. The stock is adjustable, as is the cheekpiece. The M-87 is a single-shot rifle without a magazine; the M-87R is a bolt-action repeater.

Twilight 2000 Notes: As with many such rifles, the Harris M-87R was used to supplement weapons such as the Barrett rifles with many countries when supplies of the Barrett ran short.

Notes: This is basically an M-87R in a bullpup configuration; aside for what was necessary to turn it into a bullpup, it is the same weapon as the M-87R. In addition, there is a semiautomatic version of the M-92.

Notes: A small number of these rifles (about 20) are also in use by the French military, and other sales were made to US civilians and special operations units. The largest military user is the Turkish Army, with about 50 in stock; Russia even has one. It is a version of the M-87R that uses higher capacity magazines. Another change is the hinged buttstock, normally used for storage and transport, though inaccurate fire is possible with the stock folded.

Twilight 2000 Notes: Needless to say, the Russians do not officially have any of these weapons.

Notes: This is another modified version of the M-87R; it is basically an M-87R made of lighter, more advanced materials and with the capability to use larger magazines. It is otherwise identical to the M-87R. It is one of the lightest .50 caliber rifles one can find anywhere, though some troops consider this light weight to be somewhat of a handicap. It is also a somewhat expensive weapon, compared to others of the same type.

Twilight 2000 Notes: Introduced late, and built of exotic materials, the M-95 had extremely limited distribution before Harris Gunworks was put out of commission.

Merc 2000 Notes: The cost of the M-95 meant that most of Harris’ customers bought its cheaper products.

Notes: Introduced in 1996, this is intended to be a heavy antipersonnel rifle used to provide sustained fire support to friendly troops, rather than as an antimateriel rifle. It is basically a continuation of the series started with the M-87R; there are some design changes, mostly in the interests of ergonomics, but the primary change is a switch to semiautomatic operation. The rifle is made entirely of machined parts, rather than stamped or cast parts; the exception to this is the composite one-piece receiver. The buttstock is made from fiberglass and can be removed, but is not folding.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This is literally the last weapon produced by Harris Gunworks until long after the Twilight War; unfinished M-96’s were some of the weapons found by police in the remains of the factory after anti-war activists firebombed the factory about 3 weeks before the November Nuclear Exchange

Notes: The LAR Grizzly Big Bore is a bullpup, bolt-action, single-shot heavy-caliber rifle similar in appearance to several of the Maadi-Griffon designs, most notably the M-89. It is of all-steel construction, with a large muzzle brake and made from 4140 steel which has been further treated to greater hardness, along with a 4340 steel bolt which has also been treated to greater hardness. The Grizzly Big Bore has a positive safety switch similar in outward appearance to that of the M-16 series; the pistol grip is likewise similar to that of the M-16 series. The pistol grip and the rubber recoil pad on the butt are some of the few parts of the rifle which are not made of steel. The Grizzly Big Bore uses a Harris bipod. The telescopic scope and rings are normally sold separately, but I have included them in the cost of the weapon as presented here.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This rifle is extremely rare.