FN 30-11

Notes: This is the one of the standard Belgian sniping rifles. The FN-30-11 can be easily assembled, disassembled, concealed, and (most importantly) recalibrated and re-zeroed. It uses the same action as the Mauser 8mm rifle (it is, in fact, a heavily-reworked big game rifle). The FN 30-11 has a stock that is adjustable in two directions; this is done with spacers in the butt and a rear portion of the stock that can be removed and replaced to suit different snipers. It is normally issued within a wide variety of sights and tools. The FN 30-11’s bipod is the same as the bipod of the MAG machinegun. The barrel, while heavy, is quite short for a sniper’s weapon, and this inhibits range potential; for this reason, the FN 30-11s primary users are police forces and antiterrorist units. The FN-30-11 is designed to use the same bipod as the MAG machinegun.

Twilight 2000 Notes: As the storm clouds of war brewed, Belgian special operations units replaced most of their FN 30-11s with more capable rifles; by the time hostilities started, most Belgian military snipers were using other weapons. Later, FN 30-11s found their way into civilian militia and partisan units in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and even Denmark and Germany. Police forces retained theirs.

Merc 2000 Notes: This became only one of several sniper rifles employed by the Belgian military.

Notes: Based on the Winchester 70 action, the FN A1a SPR is a rifle designed for the needs of US law enforcement agencies. It is one of a family of "Special Police Rifles," that includes the A1a and the A4 (below). It is designed for short-range sharpshooting, having only a 20-inch barrel, but the barrel is heavy and fluted for extra accuracy. The stock is the same one used by the US Marines on their M-40A3 sniper rifle, but in matte black. It has a rubber recoil pad and a MIL-STD-1913 scope base. The front swing swivel can mount most types of bipods.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Notes: The A4 is built on a classic pattern, the pre-1964 Winchester rifle pattern. It has a deep grip-type stock and is made largely of fiberglass. It is an extremely reliable but easy to cycle weapon that allows for quick follow-up shots, yet delivers good accuracy. The A4 SPR may be had with a 20 or 24-inch barrel, fluted or unfluted, with civilian or mil-spec scope rings, and with a detachable or internal magazine.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Notes: Actually built by FN’s US branch, the A3G (A3 Government, sometimes called the "FBI Sniper Rifle") is based on the Winchester Model 70 (the Winchester name is now owned by US Repeating Arms, which licensed the Model 70 design to FN for this venture). It is, however, a heavily-modified Model 70, with a synthetic stock, fluted barrel (which is actually a modified M-240 machinegun barrel), rifling designed specifically for 168-grain bullets or lighter, an adjustable cheekpiece and stock length, and a MIL-STD-1913 rail for the mounting of optics. Though the use of a modified machinegun barrel, with a chromed inner lining as the A3G’s is, is not normally conducive to precision shooting, the A3G is a very accurate as well as robust weapon, partially due to a free-floating barrel, and superb design. It’s a heavy weapon, but very stable.

Twilight 2000 Notes: Due to be introduced to mainstream FBI use in mid-2005, the A3G does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.