Andrew Irwin sets his sights on developments of the .50-calibre rifle.
Barrett rifles are now the most widely used .50-calibre rifles in the world
Since 1982 Barrett Firearms Manufacturing has been dedicated to producing .50-calibre rifles. It all started with Ronnie Barrett’s desire to make a rifle capable of firing the hefty .50-calibre Browning machine gun (BMG) cartridge. The result was the Model 82. Incorporated in 1984, Barrett quickly became the leader in .50-calibre rifle production. Model 82 is semi-automatic, short-recoil-operated and magazine fed.
The bolt is of triangular, three-lug design and rotates on a cam pin connected to the bolt carrier. Once fired, projectile-created energy activates the barrel-and-bolt-carrier group in a rearward motion. The barrel will cease to move after coming in contact with the barrel stop while the carrier continues towards the rear of the rifle and ejects the spent case. Barrel-return springs send the barrel back to the forward position while the bolt carrier strips another round from the magazine and inserts it into the chamber.
To reduce the operator’s felt recoil, the rifle is equipped with a muzzle brake on the end of the barrel. The first-generation rifle weighed 35lbs empty.
When the celebrated Model 82A1 went into production in 1986, the Model 82 was no longer produced. Subsequently the Model 90 was introduced for those customers who required bolt-action accuracy in a lightweight .50-calibre rifle. In 1995 an improved Model 90, the Model 95, began its production run and in 1999 a variation of the Model 95 won the US Army’s heavy-calibre sniper-rifle competition.
xm107 sniper rifle Designated XM107 by the US Army, the Model 95-based rifle has a modified receiver to meet the army’s size requirement when disassembled. It is equipped with an 11.2in. scope rail and new iron sights. At present 35 countries have adopted the Model 82A1 and 15 have adopted the Model 95 for military use, making Barrett rifles the most widely used .50-calibre rifles in the world. The 82A1 went into production with a list of improvements.
Desert Storm
The receiver was shortened by 3in and a fluted barrel with a larger outside diameter was added. To accompany the shorter, lighter, bolt carrier, an accelerator system was put into place. To aid barrel cooling, ventilating holes were added to the receiver. The 82A1 also saw extensive use by marines and other US forces in Desert Storm. In the early 1990s the US Marine Corps selected the 82A1 as their new special-application scoped rifle (SASR).
Barrett has conceived several new variants with the military in mind, including the Model 82A1M. A military version of the 82A1, the M is equipped with spiked bipod legs for better ground contact, a rear sight scale designed for military ammunition and a comfortable rear handgrip. Steady shooting is assisted by a rear-mounted monopod that has adjustable elevation. The civilian 82A1 and 95 are now outfitted with similar scope rails to those of the military rifles. The XM107, 95M, 82A1M and their proprietary parts are offered only as government items.
Single-shot accuracy
The latest addition is the Model 99 that is the most accurate rifle offered by Barrett. The lightweight aluminum receiver has an integrated scope rail and houses the single-shot action, the bolt lugs are comprised of an interrupted buttress thread. The bolt design includes an ejector and extractor so it does not have to be dis-assembled to remove fired cartridges.
Customers have a choice of a 33in heavy barrel or a 29in fluted barrel. Both are match-grade and are cut rifled. Always included is the 69 per cent recoil-reducing muzzle brake. Preparing to fire from a sandbag is an easy task thanks to the quick-release bipod assembly. The 33in barrel weighs 14lbs for an overall rifle weight of 25lbs. Special scope rings were required to mount to the Model 99 scope rail so Barrett introduced adjustable 30mm scope rings.
Scopes
Barrett offers several scopes to accompany the rifles. The Swarovski/Barrett ranging reticle scope was designed so a shooter could acquire different targets at multiple ranges without adjusting the elevation on the scope. The reticle has a shape similar to a Christmas tree, the trunk being the centre of the target, and branches of different width and height serving as range and windage markers. The ranges on the scope are from 500 to 2000m.
Other scopes offered are the Swarovski/ Barrett mil-dot scope and the new Barrett Model 32 scope that has an illuminated mil-dot reticle with 11 brightness settings. A ballistic drop compensator (BDC) also is integrated into the scope. The scope body is 32mm in diameter and is designed for use with the company’s 32mm adjustable scope rings.
Model 98
In the near future the Model 98 semi-automatic, .338 Lapua Magnum rifle will be released. The 98 was the first working semi-automatic prototype chambered in the superb .338 cartridge. Product testers report that they are generating sub-minute groups with custom ammunition at the rifles’ longest-tested range to date of 1000yds. The introduction of the rifle was delayed by the release of the Model 99 and extensive research and development programme work for the US Army. The Model 98 will be equipped with Barrett’s highly effective muzzle brake scaled down for this rifle. Recoil will be minimal.
Developments required for the civilian market, breaking ground on new military rifles with the US Army, and working with foreign governments to adopt their 82A1M and 95M rifles will keep Barrett busy.
