Manufacturer - Barrett Firearms
Ronnie Barrett began producing rifles in his garage in the early 1980’s with his first well known design being the M82 chambered in .50 BMG. His first large contracts with the Swedish Armed Forces in 1982 and later with the United States Government just before the Gulf War propelled Barrett Manufacturing into becoming the well-known company that it is today. Barrett’s most known offerings include the M82 (the latest variant being the M82A3), M107/A1 , M95, M99, and more recently the MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design). As of mid 2019, the Department of Defense has awarded various contracts to Barrett in order to produce the MRAD or the M22 for SOCOM as part of the Military’s new Advanced Sniper Rifle project. The MRAD or M22 is designed to be able to fire various different calibers including: 7.62x51, .300 Norma Magnum, and .338 Norma Magnum with change of the barrel and bolt. Additionally, Barrett has also introduced their own line of AR-15s known as the REC-7; which are chambered in various calibers and are also piston-driven.
FAQ:
Q: What does .50 BMG stand for?
A: .50 BMG stands for .50 Browning Machine Gun. The round was designed by John Moses Browning during World War I for use in Anti-Aircraft guns. Though it was first used in the Browning 1921, it is more famous for its use in the M2 Browning HB which is still in use to this day. Lastly, it is also well known for its use in most of Barrett Manufacturing’s Anti-Material rifles such as the M82.
Q: Is the Barrett a Sniper Rifle?
A: Though the Barrett M82 and M107 are often used to engage targets at long distances due to the characteristics of the .50 BMG, the M82 was originally presented as an Anti-Material rifle designed to take out harder targets. This has not prevented it from being used as a sniping platform by most militaries that have adopted it. The M82A1 was used in the 2nd longest confirmed sniper kill by an Australian 2nd Commando Regiment sniper at ~3,079 yards or 2,815 meters.
