Accuracy International Precision Tactical Rifles

     Notes: Accuracy International makes a family of related sniper weapons, based upon a common design, modified for particular chamberings or roles.

     The PM (Primary Military) is the standard sniper rifle of the British Army, and is also used by several unnamed African, Middle Eastern, and Asian militaries.  Unlike most previous British sniper rifles, the PM was designed from the start as a military sniper rifle.  The PM (type-standardized by the British military as the L-96A1) uses a high-quality stainless steel 25.8-inch barrel, fitted into the stock so that it free-floats.  Most of the other working parts are likewise of steel, but the receiver and most other metal parts are made of aluminum alloy. The entire action is enclosed in plastic composites.  The bolt lift is only 60 degrees, and the throw is only 107mm, which means the sniper does need to move a lot between shots, and doesn’t even need to take his eye away from his scope.  The stock of the PM is usually plastic composite, though a wooden stock is available on demand; the stock has a telescoping monopod at the rear, a buttplate adjustable for length of pull and with a recoil pad, and an adjustable padded cheekpiece.  The trigger is adjustable for pull weight.  The folding light alloy bipod is adjustable for height and cant.  The PM has fully adjustable iron sights, but of course a telescopic sight is the primary sight.  Early models mounted the sight with a conventional mount/ring arrangement, but later ones use a MIL-STD-1913 rail.  The standard telescopic sight for the British military varies with the role (standard military snipers use a Schmidt & Bender 6x42 scope, while counterterrorist snipers and special operations troops often use a Hensoldt 2.5-10x scope).  British soldiers often call this rifle the “Green Meanie” due to its base color from the factory and it’s hard-hitting characteristics. The L-96A1 was retired from British military use in 2008, succeeded by the L-115A1.

     The military version adopted by the British and several other countries fires 7.62mm NATO, and is known as the L-96A1.  There are also versions designed for several other calibers, but they tend to be rather rare and meant primarily for special applications.  The .308 Norma Magnum chambering, in particular, was designed primarily as an experiment for the British Army, which was considering the cartridge as a new sniping round, and very limited amounts of PMs chambered for .308 Norma Magnum are available.

     The AW is an improved model of the L-96A1 version of the PM, originally designed to a Swedish specification for a new sniper rifle, but also used by Australia (in a modified form), and Italy.  The Dutch have bought the AW, but only in small numbers starting in 1997; at first they were used primarily in Bosnia, but they then bought more when some Dutch troops were deployed to Afghanistan.   The AW has replaced the PM in production for the British Army (but is still called the L-96A1 in British service).  The standard improvements done to the AW include coatings for the working parts to keep them from freezing in extreme cold, the addition of a muzzle brake, an improved bipod also protected against extreme cold and more finely adjustable than the PM’s bipod, and multipoint sling swivel attachments.  A very few still have a conventional mount/ring arrangement for the telescopic sights, but most have a MIL-STD-1913 rail.  The AW is also able to accept a special silencer designed for it; this silencer can use full-power ammunition (but it only acts as a noise suppressor in this case) or subsonic ammunition.

     The Swedish also adopted a modified version of the AW in 1994 as the PSG-90; the changes to the PM done to produce the PSG-90 included better tempering and coating of the parts for greater reliability in cold weather, a change to a more effective muzzle brake, a slightly longer barrel, more finely adjustable backup iron sights, a MIL-STD-1913 rail as standard, a larger trigger guard, and a better gripping surface on the bolt handle.  The standard scope in Swedish use is a Hensoldt 10-42 with an illuminated Mil-Dot reticule. (They also bought a great deal of 7.62mm SLAP ammunition, and then started domestic production of the round, as it is their standard 7.62mm sniping round.)  The Australians also bought 166 AWs, but theirs have a folding stock and a MIL-STD-1913 rail as standard equipment.

     The AWP is a variant of the AW which is primarily characterized by its shorter barrels, which may be had in 24.1-inch or 20.1-inch lengths.  This version also uses a bipod which can be adjusted to a very low height to enable its use when firing over low obstacles or parapets.  It has no iron sights, no muzzle brake or flash suppressor, and cannot take a silencer.  The AWMP (also known as the AWS) is a version of the AWP uses a 20.1-inch special barrel surrounded by an integrated silencer.  This version is capable of using full-power and subsonic ammunition.  An SWP can easily be converted to an AWMP in about 3 minutes simply by swapping out the barrel assemblies and re-zeroing the scope.  The standard scope for both of these versions is a Schmidt & Bender 3-12x. 

     The AWMP itself has a further sub-type known as the AW Covert.  The Covert is fitted with a shorter barrel that has a high-efficiency, high-durability suppressor, and the stock is modified into one that may be folded.  The entire weapon may also be dismantled to the point where it fits into a small suitcase; in this state, the longest component is only one-quarter the length of the assembled weapon.  If using subsonic ammunition, the Covert produces only 85 decibels of noise; with standard ammunition, 109 decibels of noise are produced.  The Covert’s trigger is very sensitive, and may be set for as little as 1 kg of pressure.  The Covert is issued with a special suitcase, complete with wheels, a retractable handle, and a lining that defies standard X-Rays and CT scans.

     The AWM Super Magnum is essentially an L-96A1 upgraded to accept the higher power cartridges, especially the .338 Lapua.  The barrel is slightly longer to take the full potential of the .338, and the range is increased significantly.  In addition, the standard sight interface is a MIL-STD-1913 rail, and the recoil pad is more substantial.  A folding stock is an optional feature.  Barrels are 27 inches in .338 Lapua Magnum, and 26 inches for the other two calibers; both are tipped with a high-efficiency muzzle brake.  This rifle’s range can approach the range of the .50 caliber rifles, yet it is only slightly heavier than the standard L-96A1.  As of 2006, the only official users of the AWM are the British, Germans and the Dutch, but it is an open secret that there are a lot of unofficial users.  The British and Dutch ordered the .338 Lapua model, while the Germans ordered theirs in .300 Winchester Magnum; the British call theirs the L-115A1, while the Germans call theirs the G-22. 

The Dutch and Germans started using them in 1997, but the British waited until 1999 to field them.

     The British are currently using the L-115A3 version of the AWM Super Magnum, which is identical to the L-115A1/AWM Super Magnum except that it has a more adjustable stock and a standard MIL-STD-1913 rail. It was with this rifle that British sniper Craig Harrison set a new record for sniping in late-April 2010 – 2745 meters, and he scored an astonishing three consecutive hits at that range.

     The AE is described as an “affordable AW.”  It was designed with US law enforcement in mind – to be a good sniper’s weapon without breaking a police department’s budget.  It is similar to the AW in form, but is made from less expensive synthetics.  Instead of an adjustable cheekpiece is a raised portion of the stock.  Instead of a mechanically-adjustable stock, the stock is supplied with spacers.  The magazine is 5 rounds instead of ten.  The barrel is of the same quality, but is a shorter 23.5 inches, and has no muzzle brake or flash suppressor, and is not designed to take a silencer.

     The US Mk 13 is basically an “Americanized” version of the AW, chambered for .300 Winchester Magnum, and with a Lilja 26.5-inch barrel tipped by a muzzle brake which can be replaced by a suppressor.  (The suppressor is modified from that of the Knight SR-25.) The Mk 13 uses a Remington 40-X adjustable trigger. The Mk 13 is also adjustable for length of pull and cheekpiece, and has a different rubber recoil pad, along with a side-folding stock.  It is beginning to be fielded by the US Navy, will be soon with the US Marines, and being given a hard look by the US Army.

     The PSR is a candidate for the US XM-2010 sniper rifle competition, one of only two entries that are available to the public.  The PSR is essentially a switch-barrel AX, able to fire .338 Lapua Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum, and 7.62mm NATO, and with the shooter able to change caliber as needed.  The PSR can also take a quick-attach/detach suppressor. (Snipers normally know the correct dope to put on their scopes to account for the different rounds and whether a suppressor is present.)  The idea is that the 7.62mm version is more compact and can fire more potential ammunition types; the .338 Lapua Magnum is the “long reach” round, with the .300 Winchester Magnum at the mid-point of the two.  The 7.62mm barrel is 24 inches, the .300 Winchester Magnum 26 inches, and the .338 Lapua Magnum 27 inches.  The barrels are match-grade, free-floating, deeply-threaded, and fitted with a compact-yet-effective muzzle brake (and others can be used); they are also heavy in profile.  A full-length MIL-STD-1913 rail stretches from receiver down the top of the handguard, there is a rail on each side, and on the bottom of the handguard.  The stock being tested by the US Army and available to the public not only side-folds, it has a recoil pad, adjustable butt angle, a cheekpiece adjustable for height and angle of cheek, has an extendible monopod at the toe, and is adjustable for LOP both by knob and by spacers.  Though current PSRs use separate proprietary magazines for each caliber, it is rumored that the XM-2010 candidate PSR is testing a single magazine with inserts for each smaller chambering.  The action is permanently fixed to the receiver and does not reciprocate, giving the shooter great stability in his platform.

    

The AX Series

     The AX series replaced most of the PM line starting in 2009. They are noticeable for their stock, which is side-folding, has a recoil pad, and is adjustable for cheek height and length of pull, as well as angle of the butt. The AX series also have a monopoid on the stock that slides out from the bottom and has a wide base to provide a firm base in long hides. The rifles are further user-adjustable with interchangeable backstraps for the pistol grip.  The trigger is a two-stage design.  The receiver is topped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail, as does the top, sides, and bottom of the handguards.  The bipod is a heavy-duty Harris design which is adjustable for height and cant, and is rugged enough to take considerable wear and abuse.

     The AXMC (AX Multi-Caliber) is the base member of this line.  This rifle, as the name would suggest, can be switch between three different barrels and three chamberings. Changing chamberings takes a change in the barrel and sometimes the bolt. These rifles are available as true multicaliber rifles or as rifles that are designed for the specific caliber they are firing.  The AXMC version has marginally less accuracy than the versions specifically for a given caliber; note that the barrels are basically identical to the individual rifles except for the ability to change them.  The AX-308, specifically chambered for 7,62mm NATO, uses a 20-inch heavy barrel tipped with a beefy, large muzzle brake, though the muzzle brake is user-replaceable with a silencer, and can fire sub-loaded ammunition without an adjustment in gas pressure.  The AX-300 is similar, and designed primarily for US military interests.  It is chambered for .300 Winchester Magnum, a common US sniping round.  It uses a 20-inch barrel similar to that of the AX-308, though the AX-300’s barrel is designed for the harder wear of the .300 Winchester Magnum round.  The AX-338 is designed for the .338 Lapua Magnum round; it’s barrel is 27 inches long, and otherwise of similar profile to the other versions’ barrels.

     The AX PSR (Precision Sniper Rifle) was designed at the behest us USSOCOM to provide a sniper rifle with the multicaliber capability of the AXMC with the capability to be broken down into smaller components to put into a non-descript container or simply provide a more manageable load.  USSOCOM realized that while the standard US sniper caliber is 7.62mm NATO, times are a-changin’, and the standard US sniper round (at least for USSOCOM) is becoming .300 Winchester Magnum, with .338 Lapua for special applications.  The AX PSR breaks down and reassembles in two minutes each, and once assembled, the stock is folding. Atop the receiver and atop and below the handguards are two full-length Picatinny rails, with the sides near the ends of the handguards having two short length of rail.  The barrels are match-grade and made of stainless steel, heat-treated and tempered.  Changing a caliber entails replacing the barrel, bolt, and magazines.  The barrel is 22 inches and tapered, and is normally equipped with a beefy muzzle brake/flash suppressor, though it can be replaced with a conventional flash suppressor or suppressor/silencer.  The trigger pull weight is almost a hair trigger, at 1.5-2 pounds of pressure.

     The AT-308 is a civilian version of the AX-308, otherwise identical.

 

     Twilight 2000 Notes:  The L-96A1 began replacing older sniper rifles in British use shortly before the Twilight War, and began to replace the C-3 in Canadian service when the war began. Like the M-24 SWS, the weapon still had not been delivered to many units by the time of the war.    The “odd-caliber” models were in sporadic use by several countries throughout the war.  The Italians never got their AWs; the British got far less than they wanted.  The Australians got some of their folding-stock AWS, but some 100 of the AWs they got were standard fixed-stock versions.  Other NATO countries used the AW in small numbers.  The Swedes were the only ones to really see large-scale deployment of the AW.  The AW Covert was a favorite of assassins working for the CIA and MI6, as well as equivalent military agencies; some well known victims include the Commander of the Soviet Strategic Central Region Command in 1997 and Carl Hughes’ eldest son in 2001.  In addition to the users above, the AWM is a favorite of British, Australian, and New Zealander SAS and SBS units, and is also used by the US Army’s Delta Force, and the Belgians.  The AE does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline, nor does the Mk 13 or the PSR.

     Merc 2000 Notes: The Italian procurement of the AW was such that by 2000, they were using about 300 of them.  When three AW Covert rifles were sent to CIA agents in Afghanistan in 2003, they were believed to have been intercepted by Al Qaida terrorists.  A lot of AWMs are known to be floating around in Africa; in addition to military use, they have been bought by big game hunters and poachers alike.  The US, British, Dutch, and Swedes began using the PSR in 2016.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

PM (L-96A1)

7.62mm NATO

6.49 kg

10

$2395

PM

.308 Norma Magnum

6.86 kg

10

$2722

PM

.300 Winchester Magnum

6.96 kg

10

$2758

PM

7mm Remington Magnum

6.37 kg

10

$2462

AW (L-96A1)

7.62mm NATO

6.4 kg

10

$2453

AW (With Silencer)

7.62mm NATO and 7.62mm NATO Subsonic

7.88 kg

10

$3223

AW (PSG-90)

7.62mm NATO

6.51 kg

10

$2635

AW (Australian)

7.62mm NATO

6.6 kg

10

$2548

AWP (24.1” Barrel)

7.62mm NATO

6.8 kg

10

$2340

AWP (24.1” With Silencer)

7.62mm NATO and 7.62mm NATO Subsonic

8.28 kg

10

$3130

AWP (20.1” Barrel)

7.62mm NATO

6.59 kg

10

$2209

AWP (20.1” With Silencer)

7.62mm NATO and 7.62mm NATO Subsonic

8.07 kg

10

$2934

AWMP

7.62mm NATO and 7.62mm NATO Subsonic

6.4 kg

10

$2934

AW Covert

7.62mm NATO and 7.62mm NATO Subsonic

6 kg

10

$2972

AWM

7mm Remington Magnum

6.8 kg

5

$2668

AWM

.300 Winchester Magnum

6.95 kg

5

$2964

AWM

.338 Lapua Magnum

7.52 kg

4

$3406

AE

7.62mm NATO

6.01 kg

5

$2312

Mk 13

.300 Winchester Magnum

6.85 kg

10

$2888

Mk 13 w/Suppressor

.300 Winchester Magnum & .300 Winchester Magnum Subsonic

8.33 kg

10

$3658

PSR

7.62mm NATO

6.94 kg

10

$2374

(With Silencer)

7.62mm NATO Subsonic

10.92 kg

10

$3597

PSR

.300 Winchester Magnum

7.56 kg

10

$2808

(With Silencer)

.300 Winchester Magnum Subsonic

11.38 kg

10

$3992

PSR

.338 Lapua Magnum

7.8 kg

10

$3255

(With Silencer)

.338 Lapua Magnum Subsonic

11.62 kg

10

$4439

AXMC

7.62mm NATO

6.1 kg

10

$2521

(With Silencer)

7.62mm NATO

9.68 kg

10

$3053

AXMC

.300 Winchester Magnum

7.22 kg

10

$2887

(With Silencer)

.300 Winchester Magnum

10.8 kg

10

$3533

AXMC

.338 Lapua Magnum

7.8 kg

10

$3259

(With Silencer)

.338 Lapua Magnum

11.38 kg

10

$4269

AX-308

7.62mm NATO

6.1 kg

10

$2525

(With Silencer)

7.62mm NATO

9.68 kg

10

$3056

AX-300

.300 Winchester Magnum

7.22 kg

10

$2890

(With Silencer)

.300 Winchester Magnum

10.8 kg

10

$3542

AX-300

.338 Lapua Magnum

7.8 kg

10

$3364

(With Silencer)

.338 Lapua Magnum

11.38 kg

10

$4308

AX PSR

7.62mm NATO

6.6 kg

10

$2563

(With Silencer)

7.62mm NATO

10.18 kg

10

$3118

AX PSR

.300 Winchester Magnum

7.8 kg

10

$2924

(With Silencer)

.300 Winchester Magnum

11.38 kg

10

$3599

AX PSR

.338 Lapua Magnum

8.42 kg

10

$3330

(With Silencer)

.338 Lapua Magnum

12 kg

10

$4215

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

PM/L-96A1 (7.62mm)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

3

Nil

104

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

2

Nil

136

PM (.308)

BA

5

1-2-3

8

3

Nil

110

With Bipod

BA

5

1-2-3

8

2

Nil

144

PM (.300)

BA

5

1-2-3

8

3

Nil

108

(With Bipod)

BA

5

1-2-3

8

2

Nil

140

PM (7mm)

BA

4

1-2-3

8

3

Nil

104

(With Bipod)

BA

4

1-2-3

8

2

Nil

136

AW (L-96A1)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

2

Nil

105

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

Nil

137

AW (Silenced, 7.62mm)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

12

3

Nil

88

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

12

1

Nil

114

AW (Silenced, 7.62mm Subsonic)

BA

3

1-Nil

12

2

Nil

50

With Bipod

BA

3

1-Nil

12

1

Nil

65

AW (PSG-90)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

2

Nil

109

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

Nil

142

AW (Australian)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7/8

2

Nil

105

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7/8

1

Nil

137

AWP (24.1”)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

3

Nil

97

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

1

Nil

127

AWP (24.1”, Silenced, 7.62mm)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

11

3

Nil

81

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

11

1

Nil

106

AWP (24.1”, Silenced, 7.62mm Subsonic)

BA

3

1-Nil

11

2

Nil

47

With Bipod

BA

3

1-Nil

11

1

Nil

61

AWP (20.1”)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

3

Nil

75

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

1

Nil

98

AWP (20.1”, Silenced, 7.62mm)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

11

3

Nil

63

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

11

1

Nil

81

AWP (20.1”, Silenced, 7.62mm Subsonic)

BA

3

1-Nil

11

2

Nil

40

With Bipod

BA

3

1-Nil

11

1

Nil

52

AWMP (7.62mm)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

9

3

Nil

63

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

9

1

Nil

81

AWMP (7.62mm Subsonic)

BA

3

1-Nil

9

2

Nil

40

With Bipod

BA

3

1-Nil

9

1

Nil

52

AW Covert (7.62mm)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7/9

3

Nil

57

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7/9

2

Nil

75

AW Covert (7.62mm Subsonic)

BA

3

1-Nil

7/9

2

Nil

38

With Bipod

BA

3

1-Nil

7/9

1

Nil

49

AWM (7mm)

BA

4

1-2-3

8

2

Nil

105

With Bipod

BA

4

1-2-3

8

1

Nil

137

AWM (.300)

BA

5

1-2-3

9

2

Nil

109

With Bipod

BA

5

1-2-3

9

1

Nil

142

AWM (.338)

BA

6

1-3-Nil

9

2

Nil

122

With Bipod

BA

6

1-3-Nil

9

1

Nil

159

AE

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

3

Nil

93

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

1

Nil

121

Mk 13

BA

5

1-2-3

7/8

2

Nil

122

With Bipod

BA

5

1-2-3

7/8

1

Nil

158

Mk 13 (Silenced, .300 Win Mag)

BA

3

1-Nil

11/12

2

Nil

80

With Bipod

BA

3

1-Nil

11/12

1

Nil

104

Mk 13 (Silenced, .300 Win Mag, Subsonic)

BA

3

1-Nil

11/12

2

Nil

67

With Bipod

BA

3

1-Nil

11/12

1

Nil

87

PSR (7.62mm)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

6/8

2

Nil

99

With Bipod

BA

4

2-3-Nil

6/8

1

Nil

129

PSR (7.62mm, Subsonic/Suppressed)

BA

3

1-Nil

9/10

2

Nil

57

With Bipod

BA

3

1-Nil

9/10

1

Nil

74

PSR (.300 Magnum)

BA

5

1-2-3

7/8

2

Nil

94

With Bipod

BA

5

1-2-3

7/8

1

Nil

123

PSR (.300 Magnum, Subsonic/Suppressed)

BA

5

1-1-Nil

11/12

2

Nil

74

With Bipod

BA

5

1-1-Nil

11/12

1

Nil

96

PSR (.338 Magnum)

BA

6

1-3-Nil

7/9

3

Nil

126

With Bipod

BA

6

1-3-Nil

7/8

2

Nil

165

PSR (.338, Subsonic/Suppressed)

BA

4

1-2-Nil

12/13

2

Nil

76

With Bipod

BA

4

1-2-Nil

12/13

1

Nil

99

AXMC (7.62mm)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

6/7

2

Nil

75

(With Bipod)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

6/7

1

Nil

98

(With Silencer)

BA

3

1-Nil

10/11

2

Nil

40

(With Silencer and Bipod)

BA

3

1-Nil

10/11

1

Nil

51

AXMC (.300)

BA

5

1-2-3

6/7

2

Nil

77

(With Bipod)

BA

5

1-2-3

6/7

1

Nil

96

(With Silencer)

BA

3

1-1-Nil

10/11

1

Nil

62

(With Silencer and Bipod)

BA

3

1-1-Nil

10/11

1

Nil

80

AXMC (.338)

BA

6

1-3-Nil

6/9

2

Nil

128

(With Bipod)

BA

6

1-3-Nil

6/9

1

Nil

162

(With Silencer)

BA

4

1-2-Nil

12/13

1

Nil

62

(With Silencer and Bipod)

BA

4

1-2-Nil

12/13

1

Nil

81

AX-308

BA

4

2-3-Nil

6/7

2

Nil

76

(With Bipod)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

6/7

1

Nil

98

(With Silencer)

BA

3

1-Nil

10/11

2

Nil

40

(With Silencer and Bipod)

BA

3

1-Nil

10/11

1

Nil

52

AX-300

BA

5

1-2-3

6/7

2

Nil

75

(With Bipod)

BA

5

1-2-3

6/7

1

Nil

97

(With Silencer)

BA

3

1-1-Nil

10/11

1

Nil

48

(With Silencer and Bipod)

BA

3

1-1-Nil

10/11

1

Nil

62

AX-338

BA

6

1-3-Nil

8/9

2

Nil

137

(With Bipod)

BA

6

1-3-Nil

8/9

1

Nil

171

(With Silencer)

BA

4

1-2-Nil

12/13

1

Nil

77

(With Silencer and Bipod)

BA

4

1-2-Nil

12/13

1

Nil

96

AX PSR-308

BA

4

2-3-Nil

6/8

2

Nil

86

(With Bipod)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

6/8

1

Nil

112

(With Silencer)

BA

3

1-Nil

10/11

1

Nil

52

(With Silencer and Bipod)

BA

3

1-Nil

10/11

1

Nil

67

AX PSR-300

BA

5

1-2-3

6/8

2

Nil

104

(With Bipod)

BA

5

1-2-3

6/8

1

Nil

130

(With Silencer)

BA

3

1-1-Nil

10/11

1

Nil

80

(With Silencer and Bipod)

BA

3

1-1-Nil

10/11

1

Nil

99

AX PSR-338

BA

6

1-3-Nil

6/8

2

Nil

109

(With Bipod)

BA

6

1-3-Nil

6/8

1

Nil

136

(With Silencer)

BA

3

1-2-Nil

10/11

1

Nil

80

(With Silencer and Bipod)

BA

3

1-2-Nil

10/11

1

Nil

98

 

Armalon BGR

     Notes: With the BGR, Armalon asked several specialist gun shops in Britain to come up with their best ideas and components, then assemble them into a high-quality sniper rifle.  They came up with a bolt with a short, even pull, a firing pin hard enough to ignite the hardest or lowest-quality primers, a match-grade hammer-forged fluted barrel, and a combination muzzle brake/flash suppressor.  Though available in wood of any desired type, the normal stock for the BGR is made of carbon fiber or Kevlar.  A rail under the foreguard will accept a bipod, sling, foregrip, flashlight, or laser-type sight, and though the sight mount is not a Picatinny rail, virtually any sort of Western sight equipment may be mounted, whether of military or civilian origin.  Most were built for 7.62mm NATO chamberings, but .243 Winchester and .300 Winchester Magnum versions were also available. 

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

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

BGR

.243 Winchester

6.01 kg

5, 10, 20

$2053

BGR

7.62mm NATO

6.6 kg

5, 10, 20

$2493

BGR

.300 Winchester Magnum

7.07 kg

5, 10, 20

$2855

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

BGR (.243)

BA

3

2-Nil

8

2

Nil

93

BGR (.243, Bipod)

BA

3

2-Nil

8

1

Nil

121

BGR (7.62mm)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

2

Nil

111

BGR (7.62mm, Bipod)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

Nil

144

BGR (.300)

BA

5

2-3-Nil

8

2

Nil

120

BGR (.300, Bipod)

BA

5

2-3-Nil

8

1

Nil

156

 

Armalon PR

     Notes: Starting from a Remington 700 base, Armalon’s primary goal with the PR was to greatly increase the magazine capacity of the weapon, to make more suitable as a platoon sharpshooter’s weapon.  The later nylon-stocked version of the Remington 700 is used, and the barrel is increased in length and given more weight.  It is available in 5.56mm NATO or 7.62mm NATO chamberings; 5.56mm NATO versions can use certain AR-15/M-16 series magazines, while 7.62mm NATO versions are fed by magazines designed for the AR-10, M-14, or M-1A.  Other than caliber, the four versions are available: without a muzzle brake, and one with a muzzle brake, both with or without fluted barrels.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: As production started shortly before the Twilight War, the PR is a rather rare weapon, found mostly in Britain, and to a lesser extent, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands. 

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

PR (No Brake, Non-Fluted)

5.56mm NATO

5.5 kg

10, 20, 30

$1659

PR (Brake, Non-Fluted)

5.56mm NATO

5.5 kg

10, 20, 30

$1709

PR (No Brake, Fluted)

5.56mm NATO

4.8 kg

10, 20, 30

$1659

PR (Brake, Fluted)

5.56mm NATO

4.8 kg

10, 20, 30

$1709

PR (No Brake, Non-Fluted)

7.62mm NATO

6.4 kg

10, 20, 30

$2304

PR (Brake, Non-Fluted

7.62mm NATO

6.4 kg

10, 20, 30

$2354

PR (No Brake, Fluted)

7.62mm NATO

5.7 kg

10, 20, 30

$2304

PR (Brake, Fluted)

7.62mm NATO

5.7 kg

10, 20, 30

$2354

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

PR (5.56mm)

BA

3

1-Nil

7

2

Nil

86

PR (5.56mm, Bipod)

BA

3

1-Nil

7

1

Nil

112

PR (7.62mm, No Brake)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

3

Nil

103

PR (7.62mm, No Brake, Bipod)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

2

Nil

133

PR (7.62mm, Brake)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

3

Nil

103

PR (7.62mm Brake, Bipod)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

1

Nil

133

 

De Lisle Carbine

     Notes:  This weapon was designed in World War 2 in very small numbers for use by British Commandoes, US Army Rangers, the OSS, and other clandestine forces, mostly for the purpose of taking out sentries.  The action is based on the Lee-Enfield series of rifles, but the caliber is .45 ACP, and the barrel is fitted with a very efficient silencer.  It is, in fact, one of the quietest firearms ever designed, with the only audible noise upon firing being the firing pin hitting the primer, and the only other noise being the operator cycling the bolt (unfortunately much louder).  Despite the silencer, it is also one of the longest-range weapons in this caliber.  Production stopped shortly after World War 2, but in the mid-1980s new ones began appearing here and there in use by clandestine forces, made by both known and unknown manufacturers. 

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

De Lisle Carbine (Fixed Stock)

.45 ACP

3.7 kg

8

$785

De Lisle Carbine (Folding Stock)

.45 ACP

3.2 kg

8

$810

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

De Lisle Carbine (Fixed Stock)

BA

2

2-Nil

6

2

Nil

33

De Lisle Carbine (Folding Stock)

BA

2

2-Nil

5/6

2

Nil

33

 

De Lisle Mk 4

     Notes: This silenced sniper rifle is the inheritor of the heritage of the .45-caliber De Lisle Carbine of World War 2 vintage.  This version bears little resemblance to that weapon, having a fixed stock with adjustable endplates and cheekpiece, ability to mount more types of sighting or night vision equipment, and a bipod.  The De Lisle Carbine was more of an ad hoc weapon, while the Mk 4 is a purpose-built sniper's weapon.  The Mk 4 may fire both 7.62N subsonic ammunition (the normal load) and 7.62N ball and SLAP, but with regular types of 7.62N, the weapon is louder (Class III noise instead of Class II), and the suppressor wears out three times as fast.  The suppressor/barrel combination can be replaced easily, with no special skills and without tools, in 5 minutes.  The De Lisle Mk 4 has no iron sights. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon was in use by various special operations units of several NATO and Western armies during the Twilight War, as well as by snipers and assassins employed by intelligence agencies such as the CIA and MI-6.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

De Lisle Mk 4

7.62mm NATO or NATO Subsonic

4.7 kg

4

$2528

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

De Lisle Mk 4 (7.62mm NATO)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

39

De Lisle Mk 4 (7.62mm NATO, Bipod)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

2

Nil

51

De Lisle Mk 4 (7.62mm Subsonic)

BA

3

1-Nil

8

2

Nil

31

De Lisle Mk 4 (7.62mm Subsonic, Bipod)

BA

3

1-Nil

8

1

Nil

40

 

Enfield No. 4-Based Sniper Rifles

     Notes: Like many countries at the time, Britain issued sniping weapons to its troops which were essentially little-modified versions of their standard military small arms.  Usually, these weapons were rifles which had come off of standard production lines, but had shown themselves to be unusually well-made or for whatever reason shot better than the usual example of the standard service rifle.  Britain used a version of the Enfield No. 4 Mk 1 for this purpose.

     The Enfield No. 4 Mk 1T is a sniping version of the standard No.4 Mk 1, with a scope mount and a wooden cheek rest screwed to the stock. In addition, the rear sight has been replaced with a tangent sight.  It was used by the British during World War II and can still be found in former Commonwealth countries. 

     The Enfield Enforcer is an evolutionary advancement of the No. 4 Mk 1T, designed when the British Army started passing on their old No. 4 Mk 1T’s to the police in favor of the then-new L-42A1.  The police felt their “new” No.4 Mk 1T’s were a bit too beaten up from service use, and they also wanted a weapon that fired the 7.62 NATO cartridge, which was cheaper, and even in Britain, easier to obtain than the .303 British round.  In addition to the conversion to 7.62 NATO caliber, the barrel of the basic No 4 rifle is lengthened, stiffened, and given more weight.  Though the iron sights are altered to better suit the new cartridge, the primary sighting method is through the Pecar 4-10x telescopic sight.  These weapons were later replaced with more modern ones.

     The L-42A1 is basically an Enfield No 4 Mk 1 or Mk 1*(T) brought up to (then) modern standards, primarily by a conversion to 7.62mm NATO and the ability to mount more modern telescopic sights and night vision equipment.  Most of the other modifications are to suit the change in caliber.  The Enforcer is a police version of the same weapon.  The L-42A1 is long out of service with British units, but many former British Commonwealth nations are still equipped with it.

     The purpose of the L-39A1 was to provide a satisfactory rifle for military shooting competitions.  The British military tried an accurized and scoped version of the L-1A1, but this proved unsatisfactory to competition shooters.  Old Enfield No. 4s were refurbished and rechambered for 7.62mm NATO ammunition; improvements included new sight mounts and new, cold-forged, heavy barrel.  It should be noted that the L-39A1 was never intended to be a sniper weapon (though it is sometimes used in the training of snipers), and thus lacks a lot of the refinements that dedicated sniping weapons have, such as adjustable stocks, fully adjustable triggers (though it does have a set trigger), and suchlike.

     The Australian No 1 Mk III HT is based around the stock of an older version of the SMLE, but is equipped with a rebuilt action equivalent to a No 4’s action, a new trigger, and a heavy 25.2-inch barrel that was specially-bedded.  A 4x scope was used, simply called the Sight, Telescope, Pattern 1918 (AUS). It’s just a little more accurate than the standard No 4 Mk 1T.  Though only 1500 such conversions were made, they were refurbished and reworked continually and used between World Wars 1 and 2 and throughout World War 2, until just slightly afterward.

     The Canadians used the No.4 Mk I(T) and No4 Mk I*(T), for most of their careers in .303 British, and these are identical to their British counterparts for game purposes.  However, most of these rifles were later reworked to chamber 7.62mm NATO and also received many other improvements.  These are equivalent to the L-42A1 for game purposes.  Most of these Canadian sniper versions used a Canadian No 32 or 67 telescope, but about 100 of the 7.62mm rifles were equipped with US Lyman-made scopes.  I have not been able to discover what the criteria for receiving such a scope was.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Enfield Enforcers were used to equip some Territorial militias loyal to the Crown.  About 40,000 L-42A1s were supplied to China in one of the largest secret arms sales ever.  Though the L-39A1 was not designed to be a sniper’s weapon, it was used in just a manner, particularly by home guard and militia units in the British Isles.

     Merc 2000 Notes: Enfield Enforcers were dumped on the international arms market late in the 20th century.  The L-42A1 started showing up in most Central American and South American countries starting in 2002, though only Belize and El Salvador are officially listed as having been sold the L-42A1.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

No. 4 Mk 1T

.303 British

4.41 kg

10

$1808

Enforcer

7.62mm NATO

4.75 kg

10

$1696

L-42A1

7.62mm NATO

4.31 kg

10

$1694

L-39A1

7.62mm NATO

4.42 kg

10

$1691

Australian No 1 Mk III HT

.303 British

4.41 kg

10

$1815

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

No.4 Mk 1T

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

99

Enforcer

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

111

L-42A1

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

112

L-39A1

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

111

Australian No 1 Mk III HT

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

118

 

LMT L-129A1

     Notes: In mid-2009, the British Ministry of Defense contacted a British company, Law Enforcement International, about their need for a new rifle for use by Sharpshooters (equivalent to Designated Marksmen in US units) and for use by the second member of a sniper team, when the first member is armed with a heavier, bolt-action rifle.  This contact and the subsequent evaluations were done in a very secretive manner, but testing was done by every level of troops from armorers and engineers down to the snipers that would actually be using the rifle.  Considerable input was supposedly also gained from US Marine Scout/Sniper School at Quantico and the US Army Marksmanship Unit. One thing that became clear to LEI early on was that they could not build the rifle themselves, and several possible rifles were already available that required a minimum of modification to meet the MoD’s requirements; other candidates included versions of the FNH SCAR-17 and the HK-417.  However, it was a specialized version of Lewis Machine & Tool’s LW-308MWS that won out in this competition, and was type-standardized in early 2010 as the L-129A1.  The resulting version of the LW-308MWS differs in several areas from the civilian LW-308MWS, as well as the version that LMT entered in the SASS competition that was eventually won by a version of the Stoner SR-25.  LMT emphasizes that the L-129A1 is not necessarily better than the LW-308MWS, but it does have a number or refinements not present on the civilian versions and that were not used on their SASS candidate; the L-129A1 is, in fact, almost entirely manufactured on the same line as the LW-308MWS.

     The standard barrel length for the L-129A1 will be 20 inches, though options include a 16-inch and 12-inch barrel.  As the L-129A1 is designed almost entirely to the needs of snipers in Afghanistan, the 20-inch barrel will be the most common barrel length used.  The barrel is a heavy match-quality barrel which is free-floating.  The barrels are normally tipped with a flash suppressor, though the flash suppressor can be removed and replaced with a silencer. The L-129A1 is essentially a much-modified and refined version of the AR-10, and as such has a great deal of AR-type features.  Atop the receiver is a MIL-STD-1913 rail running from the back of the receiver almost to the front of the handguard; this top rail is 21.25 inches long.  Both the upper and lower receiver are built of light alloy, and the upper receiver’s MIL-STD-1913 rail is machined as part of the receiver (though it joins with a MIL-STD-1913 rail atop the handguard to form a single length of rail atop the rifle. The amount of light alloy used mean that the weight of the L-129A1 remains quite low for its type of rifle. At the rear of the receiver and the front over the gas block are flip-up backup iron sights.  The handguards have three more MIL-STD-1913 rails, and these run almost the entire length of the handguards.  Parts such as the handguards and pistol grip, as well as the stock, are finished in desert tan, while the rest of the rifle is finished in a dark gray color (not black; true black is actually a very rare color in nature). The handguards themselves are of aluminum with a polymer coating. The lower receiver is essentially the same as that of the standard LW-308MWS, but the stock is an LMT SOPMOD stock, which is also a popular replacement stock on many weapons used by US SOCOM units.  This is a sliding stock which looks in many ways similar to the stock of an M-4 carbine, but is much more adjustable for length and has compartments for the storage of batteries and cleaning equipment.  If desired, a sniper can request his unit armorer to replace the issue stock with a fixed AR-15A2-type stock, also desert tan in color.  (if a fixed stock is used, subtract $20 from the price and use the higher of the Bulk figures.) All control are ambidextrous, and the ejection port has a machined-in brass deflector behind it to ensure that ejected cases to not go down a left-handed shooter’s shirt, as on an M-16A2 and its descendants.  The trigger pack is a two-stage match-quality trigger.  Some sources state that LMT uses its standard finish on the L-129A1; LMT’s standard finish is tough enough, but other sources state that a new finish was developed for the L-129A1 which is even more weatherproof and offers more lubrication qualities. The L-129A1 does not normally mount a bipod, though of course one could be added to the bottom MIL-STD-1913 rail.

     No civilian versions of the L-129A1 are expected to be built by LMT, and it is not expected to be sold on the export market, even to Britain’s allies.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The L-129A1 is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

L-129A1 (20” Barrel)

7.62mm NATO

5.1 kg

20

$1285

L-129A1 (16” Barrel)

7.62mm NATO

4.99 kg

20

$1240

L-129A1 (12” Barrel)

7.62mm NATO

4.88 kg

20

$1194

L-129A1 Silencer

N/A

3.6 kg

N/A

$725

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

L-129A1 (20”)

SA

4

2-3-Nil

6/7

3

Nil

69

With Silencer

SA

3

1-Nil

8/9

2

Nil

49

L-129A1 (16”)

SA

4

2-3-Nil

5/7

3

Nil

65

With Silencer

SA

3

1-Nil

7/9

2

Nil

42

L-129A1 (12”)

SA

4

2-Nil

5/6

3

Nil

46

With Silencer

SA

3

1-Nil

6/8

2

Nil

34

 

Parker-Hale PH-82

     Notes: Like many modern sniper rifles, the PH-82 is a much-modified Mauser 98 rifle.  The barrel is made of heavy cold-forged chrome-molybdenum steel.  The butt has spacers to adjust the length, and the cheekpiece is adjusted by completely removing the rear of the butt and replacing it with one of different dimensions.  The trigger is adjustable for pull and length.  The PH-82s intended mission was night sniping, and in addition to mounting most NATO telescopic sights, it can also mount NATO night vision equipment of the 1980-1990 era.  The PH-82 was not used by Britain, but is still used by Australia and New Zealand.  The Canadians also still use a modified form of the PH-82 (where it is known as the C-3), but most Canadian military examples have been replaced by the improved C-3A1.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

PH-82

7.62mm NATO

4.8 kg

4-I

$1682

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

PH-82

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

4

Nil

104

 

Parker Hale PH-85

     Notes: The PH-85 was one of the candidates to become the new British sniper rifle in the 1990s; eventually, it came down to the PH-85 and the Accuracy International PM, and the PM won.  This meant that though Parker-Hale had an excellent sniper rifle, they had no military contracts for it, and were also faced with a rapidly-shrinking commercial market in Britain and Western Europe.  Parker-Hale thus decided to sell the design (along with some others) to Gibbs Rifle Company in the US, which is where the PH-85 is now produced. 

     The PH-85 has a synthetic stock that is manufactured in different colors for all camouflage conditions, and a detachable bipod (one of the better ones in service), a silent safety catch, a threaded muzzle (for a suppresser), and a STANAG-compatible sight mount with iron sight backups.  The PH-85 is usually sold with a Schmidt & Bender 6x scope, and has a special bracket to mount the Simrad KN-250 electronic converter; this allows an image intensifier to be added to a conventional telescopic sight.  The muzzle of the PH-85 can be removed, to reveal threads for the attachment of a suppressor.  The PH-85 became a favorite of US law enforcement snipers. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: PH-85 was taken into service by the British Army to supplement the L-96A1 when deliveries of that rifle fell short.  It was also used by the US military to supply snipers, as well as US government agencies such as the FBI, ATF, CIA, etc. 

     Merc 2000 Notes: As well as sales to law enforcement, Gibbs had some scattered sales to world military forces, and some other “unnamed parties” that triggered a government investigation in 2003. 

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

PH-85

7.62mm NATO

5.7 kg

10

$2368

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

PH-85

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

111

PH-85 (Bipod)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

2

Nil

144

 

Sterling Sniper

     Notes: This is a fine British weapon, well made and accurate as well as lightweight. (Most snipers are surprised at how light it is.)  It is a simple weapon, but has a sight rib, telescopic sights, as well as night sights, a bipod, and cheek pad.  It is a weapon that has never seen any large-scale official sales, yet is used by a lot of police and paramilitary units around the world.  It was one of the first rifles to be fitted with the MIL-STD-1913 optics mounting system. 

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Sterling Sniper

7.62mm NATO

4.09 kg

4-I

$2318

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Sterling Sniper

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

4

Nil

94

Sterling Sniper (Bipod)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

2

Nil

122