Armalite AR-1 Parasniper

     Appears In: Rifle experiment in 1954 by Eugene Stoner

     Notes: The genesis of the AR-1 was an idea for a very lightweight sniper rifle. The mechanism is based on a Mauser-style action, placed into a variant of the Remington 722 rifle, and had a standard 20-inch sniper-quality barrel.  By looks, it was unremarkable, but it used the latest in parts fabrication as well as an unusual aluminum alloy barrel with a steel liner and a compact muzzle brake. The stock had a thin layer of sheet fiberglass on the outside, and was filled with glass fiber.  The stock is on the shortish side, but had a Monte Carlo adjustable cheekpiece, a recoil pad, and was adjustable for length. The stock used a pistol grip configuration instead of the semi-pistol grip of most sniper rifles of the period.  The AR-1 was bolt-action, with a sturdy interior using mostly aluminum alloy parts. The scope used in the tests was a commercial 4x Bushnell, again chosen for its light weight and mounted with aluminum alloy rings. The US test rifles were chambered in the then-new 7.62mm NATO, while the Dutch chose .30-06.

     Unfortunately, Stoner was never able to interest anyone, including military and police, in the AR-1. Only 10 prototypes and 15 production rifles were built.  Many cited the light weight as producing too much felt recoil. Though Stoner did not necessarily have the Airborne in mind when he designed the AR-1, it still got associated with airborne forces and acquired the name of Parasniper.  While the US and Dutch Armies tested the AR-1 in 1955 at the Aberdeen Proving ground and found it effective, in the end they did not choose the novel rifle for service (though in 20 years or so, such experiments were again carried out by other companies, and some were adopted in small numbers around the world.  The US and Dutch armies found them to have too many extraction failures (where have we also heard that?) and excessive barrel jump, even with the muzzle brake. (Some testing by the Dutch Gendarmeries produced good results, however.) Accuracy was another consideration; the short barrels were simply not effective at long range.

     Four of the unusual rifles have been preserved and are in the Springfield Armory Museum.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

AR-1

7.62mm NATO

2.72 kg

5

$1668

AR-1

.30-06 Springfield

2.72 kg

5

$1950

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

AR-1 (7.62mm)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

4

Nil

64

AR-1 (.30-06)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

4

Nil

74

 

Heckler & Koch WSG-2000

     Appears in: Heckler & Koch literature of the early 1990s.

     Weapon Type: Sniper Rifle

     This weapon was designed by Heckler and Koch as their answer to the heavy-caliber sniping rifles beginning to emerge at the time.  H&K's research indicated that the best antimateriel rifle would be one firing a moderate-caliber round at a high velocity, and be of moderate size to reduce shooter fatigue.  To this end, they developed a 340-grain 9x90mm ammunition fired by a large powder load, to produce a muzzle velocity of over 1100 meters per second.  This was coupled with a computerized sight that is equivalent to a 12x sight with an additional bonus of +3 to hit at all ranges, and also has night vision equal to an image intensifier.  This weapon was to be issued to various Special Operations communities, but was unfortunately never developed beyond one working prototype due to lack of interest and high cost of development (the RL unit price was far in excess than the T2K price).

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

WSG-2000

9x90mm MEN

7.98 kg

5

$6685

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

WSG-2000

SA

8

1-3-5

7

4

Nil

61

WSG-2000 (Bipod)

SA

8

1-3-5

7

2

Nil

81