Barrett M82

The Barrett M82 also called Light Fifty the first of the Barrett .50 series, is a semi-automatic anti-material rifle created by the american company Barrett Firearms Manufacturing in 1980 and entering in operation in 1989.

Description
The Barrett Firearms company was founded by the Ronnie Barrett for a single purpose of building semi-automatic rifles chambered for powerful .50 BMG ammunition, originally developed for and used in heavy machine guns. Barrett began his work in early 1980s and first working rifles were available in 1982, hence the designation M82. Barrett continued to develop his rifle through 1980s, and developed improved M82A1 rifle by 1986. The first real success was the purchase of about 100 M82A1 rifles by the Sweden Army in 1989. Major success followed in 1990 - 1991, when U.S. Military purchased numbers of the M82A1 during the operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Kuwait and Iraq. About 125 rifles were initially bought by U.S. Marine Corps, orders from U.S. Army and Air Force followed soon. The M82A1 is known for U.S. Military as the SASR - "Special Applications Scoped Rifle",and it was and still is used as an anti-materiel weapon and EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) tool. The long effective range along with high energy and availability of highly effective ammunition such as API and Raufoss Mk 211 allows for effective operations against targets like radar cabins, trucks, parked aircrafts and soon. M82 also can be used to defeat enemy snipers or criminals from stand off range or when targets are behind the cover, but the anti-personnel work is not a major application for Barrett M82 (or any other .50 BMG rifle, for that matter).

Further development led to the M82A2 bull-pup rifle (1987), which was designed to be fired from the shoulder, but did not succeed, and was soon dropped from production. The M82A2 was obviously designed as a cheap anti-helicopter weapon,suitable for use against highly mobile targets when fired from the shoulder. The latest derivative of the M82 family is the M82A1M rifle, adopted by USMC as the M82A3 SASR and bought in significant numbers. This rifle differs from M82A1 in that it have a full length Picatinny rail that allows a hugevariety of scopes and sighting devices to be mounted on the rifle. Other changes are addition of the rear monopod, slightly lightened mechanism and detachablebipod and muzzle brake. The Barrett M82 rifles were bought by various military and police countries from at least 30 countries, such as Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK, USA and others. The M82 also is widely used for civilian .50 caliber long range shooting competitions, being fired accurately out to 1000 yards (911 meters) and even further.

As a side note I must point out that the Barrett M82A1 rifle was recently(2002) used as a platform for experimental OSW (Objective Sniper Weapon) prototype. The M82A1 rifle was fitted with shorter barrel of 25mm caliber, and fired low-velocity high explosive shells developed for 25mm OCSW automatic grenade launcher. The experimental OSW showed an increased effectiveness against various targets but the recoil was beyond the human limitations.

The M82 is a recoil operated, short barrel stroke, semi-automatic firearm. When the gun is fired, barrel initially recoils for a short distance (about an inch- 25 mm) being securely locked by the rotating bolt. After the short travel a post on the bolt, engaged in the curved cam track in the receiver, turns bolt to unlock it from the barrel. As soon as the bolt unlocks, the accelerator arm strikes it back,transferring some part of the recoil energy of the barrel to the bolt to achieve the reliable cycling. Then barrel is stopped and the bolt continues back, to extract and eject a spent case. On its return stroke bolt strips the fresh cartridge from the box magazine and feeds it into the chamber and finally locks itself to the barrel. The striker also is cocked on the return stroke of the bolt. The gun is fed from the large detachable box magazines, that hold 10 rounds.

The receiver is made from two parts (upper and lower), stamped from sheet steel and connected by cross-pins. Heavy barrel is fluted to improve heat dissipation and save weight, and fitted with large and effective reactive muzzlebrake. On the earlier models the muzzle brakes were of round cross-section, latter M82 rifles are equipped with two chamber brakes of rectangular cross-section. M82A1 rifles are fitted with scope mount and a folding backup iron sights. M82 rifles are often equipped with Leupold M series 10X telescope sights. The M82A1M (USMC M82A3) rifles have long Picatinny accessory rail mounted on the top of the receiver, that can accept wide variety of scopes, day or night. Every M82 rifle is equipped with folding carrying handle and with a folding bipod (both are detachable on M82A3). M82A3 also fitted with the detachable rear monopod under the butt. The buttpad is fitted with soft recoil pad to further decrease the felt recoil. M82A1 and M82A3 rifles could be mounted on the M3 or M122 infantry tripods (originally intended for machine guns) or on vehicles using special Barrett soft-mount. M82A1 can be fitted with carry sling but according to those who carried it in the field, M82 is way too uncomfortable to be carried on sling due to excessive length and heavy weight. It is usually carried in special carry soft or hard case.

The M82A2 differed from M82A1 mostly in that the pistol grip along with trigger had been placed ahead of the magazine, and the buttpad has been placed below the receiver, just after the magazine. Additional forward grip was added below the receiver, and the scope mount has been moved forward too.

==Variants==
 * M82: 12.7×99mm Barrett M82 semi-automatic rifle.
 * M82A1: 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A1 semi-automatic rifle. Improved variant including redesigned muzzle brake.
 * M82A1A: 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A1 semi-automatic rifle variant. Optimized for use with the Raufoss Mk 211 .50 caliber round.
 * M82A1M: 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A1 semi-automatic rifle variant. Improved variant including lengthened accessory rail. Includes rear grip and monopod socket.
 * M82A2: 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A2 semi-automatic rifle. Shoulder-mounted.
 * M82A3: 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A3 semi-automatic rifle. New production rifles built to M82A1M specifications, featuring lengthened accessory rail which is usually, but not always, raised higher up than the M82A1M/M107. Unlike the M82A1M/M107, it does not include rear grip and monopod socket.
 * XM107/M107: Initially used to designate 12.7×99mm Barrett M95 bolt-action rifle. Designation changed to apply to a product improved M82A1M variant. Includes lengthened accessory rail, rear grip, and monopod socket.

Operators

 * Bahrain 
 * Belgium
 * Bhutan 
 * Botswana
 * Brazil
 * Chile
 * Czech Republic
 * Denmark
 * Finland 
 * France
 * Georgia
 * Germany: The M107 is used and designated G82 in the German Army.
 * Greece 
 * India: The M107 is used by Mumbai Police Force One Commandos.
 * Israel: Used by the IDF Combat Engineering Corps.
 * Italy 
 * Jordan 
 * Kuwait 
 * Lebanon 
 * Lithuania: Lithuanian Armed Forces.
 * Malaysia: Used by the Malaysian Special Operations Force.
 * Mexico 
 * Netherlands
 * Norway
 * Oman
 * Philippines 
 * Poland: Used by the GROM special forces.
 * Portugal 
 * Qatar
 * Saudi Arabia
 * Singapore
 * Spain
 * Sweden: Used as Ag 90.
 * Turkey 
 * United Arab Emirates 
 * United Kingdom 
 * United States 

M82A1

 * Caliber: .50 BMG (12.7×99mm) and .416 Barrett (10.6×83mm)
 * Operation: short recoil, semi-automatic
 * Overall length: 57 inches (145 cm) w/ 29 inch (73.7 cm) barrel or 48 inches (122 cm) w/ 20 inch (50.8 cm) barrel
 * Barrel length: 508 millimetres (20.0 in) or 737 mm (29.0 in)
 * Feed device: 10-round detachable box magazine
 * Sights: Flip up, optics vary by user preference
 * Weight: 30.9 lbs (14.0 kg) w/ 29 inch (73.7 cm) barrel or 29.7 lbs (13.5 kg) w/ 20 inch (50.8 cm) barrel
 * Muzzle velocity: with 660 grain, 42.8 g projectile: 853 m/s (2,800 ft/s) with 400 grain, 26.0 g solid brass projectile: 990 m/s (3,200 ft/s)
 * Effective range: 1,800 m (5,900 ft)
 * Maximum Range: 6,812 m (7,450 yd)
 * Expected accuracy: Sub-MOA with match ammo
 * Unit replacement cost: $8,900.00 US

M82A2

 * Caliber: .50 BMG (12.7×99mm)
 * Length: 1,409 mm (55.5 in)
 * Barrel length: 737 mm (29.0 in)
 * Weight (unloaded): 14.75 kg (32.5 lb)
 * Effective range on equipment-sized targets: 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
 * Muzzle velocity: 900 m/s (3,000 ft/s)
 * Magazine capacity: 10 rounds
 * Unit replacement cost: $6,000
 * Status: Prototype seeing combat in Iraq

M107

 * Caliber: .50 BMG (12.7x99 mm)
 * Length: 1,448 mm (57.0 in)
 * Barrel length: 737 mm (29.0 in)
 * Weight (unloaded w/ scope): 12.9 kg (28.4 lb)
 * Magazine capacity: 10 rounds
 * Weight of magazine: 1.87 kg (4.1 lb)
 * Accuracy: 3 Minutes of Angle (MOA)
 * Muzzle velocity: 853 m/s (2,800 ft/s)
 * Effective Range: 1,829 m (2,000 yd)
 * Maximum Range: 6,812 m (7,450 yd)

XM500

 * Caliber: .50 BMG (12.7×99mm)
 * Length: 1,168 millimetres (46.0 in)
 * Operation: gas operated, semi-automatic
 * Barrel: 447 millimetres (17.6 in)
 * Weight: 11.8 kg (26.0 lb)
 * Feed device: 10-round detachable box magazine