Barrett M107

The Barrett M107 is a .50 BMG caliber Special Applications Scoped Rifle is a semiautomatic long range sniper rifle. This rifle is actually a variant of the original M82A3 Special Application Scoped Rifle (SASR) and was adopted by the US Army in 2005. There is an interesting story as to how the M107 came to be the official SASR for the US Army. The US Army had actually selected the XM107 as their official bolt action sniper rifle however they had a change of heart and decided that they did not need the weapon after all. The problem was the funds had already been apportioned for the purchase of the XM107 rifles. In order to avoid further complications the US Army reissued the M82A3 to M107 and utilized the funds to purchase these rifles instead.

As the name suggests, the M107 is meant for long range firing and has the capability to hit on target from a distance of 2000 m. The military snipers are meant to hit their targets that are not in the rifleman's range, mobility, size, visibility and location and with the M107's 2000 m mark, it has the capability to hit targets located at a distance beyond the range of the standard M24 7.62mm caliber Sniper Weapon System. It also has the amazing competence to strike targets without much collateral damage. The complete system consists of the .5o caliber semiautomatic rifle, various optic sights that that can be used in all kinds of weather, day and night, a 10 round detachable magazine, detachable bi-pod, tactical soft case, transport case, detachable sling, cleaning equipment and of course the manuals.

The rifle weighs 10kg unloaded with a barrel length of 736mm which is similar to the M82A1. It is fired from the shoulder and is portable. This rifle also incorporates a dual chamber muzzle brake and a specially designed recoil pad (since it works on the principal of short recoil instead of gas) which have significantly reduced recoil by half. This rifles key assignment is to overpower targets such as parked aircraft, radar sites, computers, command control and other lightly resistant materials from a maximum distance of 2000 m. The M107 is expected to replace the M82A1 as the detonation tool in Explosive Ordnance Detachment.

There are 8 basic steps in the operation of the M107 which are called feeding, chambering, locking, firing, unlocking, cocking, extraction and ejection. Feeding is when the cartridge is detached from the magazine and loaded into the chamber. When the bolt forces the round fully into the firing chamber, and the extractor snaps over the case rim, it's called chambering. Locking happens when the firing chamber is closed by three locking lugs which have rotated into position in the barrel extension. Firing is when the trigger is pulled. After the cartridge is fired, the bolt unlocks from the barrel extension. Cocking refers to the release of pressure from the trigger and disconnection of the cocking lever from the trigger. As soon as the bolt withdraws from the barrel and locks in an extended position, the extractor will then pull the case from the firing chamber. Ejection is when the fired case is expelled from the rifle.

The commercially developed version of the M107 is known as the M107CQ. This version of the rifle has a shorter barrel hence shortening the entire riffle by 9 in. It also weighs 5 pounds lesser than the M107 and is best utilized in helicopters, tactical scout land vehicles, force protection watercraft and as a combat multiplier for urban soldiers in close encounters. M107 is a powerful rifle and full precaution must be taken when the weapon is being used such as hearing protection because of the very damaging level of noise it produces when fired; eye protection because if the scope is attached close to the rear, the eyepiece can cause injury to the shooter's brow and also to avoid further injury or discomfort, the shooter has to place the rifle with the recoil firmly against his shoulder an be positioned directly behind the barrel.