The
Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle is a family of
bolt-actionBolt action is a type of firearm action in which the weapon's bolt is operated manually by the opening and closing of the breech with a small handle, most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the weapon...
sniper rifles designed and manufactured by the
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
company
Accuracy InternationalAccuracy International is a specialist British firearms manufacturer based in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England and best known for producing the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare series of precision sniper rifles...
. It has proved popular as a civilian, police and military rifle since its introduction in the 1980s.
Arctic Warfare rifles are generally outfitted with a
Schmidt & BenderSchmidt & Bender is a German company specialized in producing high end telescopic sights for hunting, sports, law enforcement and military arms....
PM II
telescopic sightA telescopic sight, commonly called a scope, is a sighting device that is based on an optical refracting telescope. They are equipped with some form of graphic image pattern mounted in an optically appropriate position in their optical system to give an accurate aiming point...
with fixed power of magnification or with variable magnification. Variable telescopic sights can be used if the operator wants more flexibility to shoot at varying ranges, or when a wide field of view is required. Accuracy International actively promotes fitting the German made
Schmidt & Bender PM IISchmidt & Bender is a German company specialized in producing high end telescopic sights for hunting, sports, law enforcement and military arms....
/MILITARY MK II product line as sighting components on their rifles, which is rare for a rifle manufacturer. However, the German and Russian Armies preferred a telescopic sight made by Zeiss over Accuracy International's preference.
Original design
The Accuracy International
PM (
Precision
Marksman) rifle was entered into a British competition in the early 1980s as a replacement for the
Lee-EnfieldThe Lee-Enfield bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle was the main firearm used by the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century...
derived sniper rifles then in use by the
British ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
(e.g.
L42A1The L42A1 was a British Army sniper rifle chambered for the 7.62mm NATO cartridge which entered service in 1970. It served until replacement by the Accuracy International L96 in the early 1990s...
). The Accuracy International rifle was selected over the
Parker Hale M85The Parker Hale M85 is a British .308 sniper rifle, with an effective range around 900 metres. It fires from a 10-round detachable magazine, and weighs 12 pounds, telescopic sight included. The rifle was created after the Falklands War by Parker Hale Ltd in response to shortcomings in the...
. The British Army adopted the Accuracy International PM in 1982 into service as the
L96A1 and outfitted the rifle with Schmidt & Bender 6x42
telescopic sightA telescopic sight, commonly called a scope, is a sighting device that is based on an optical refracting telescope. They are equipped with some form of graphic image pattern mounted in an optically appropriate position in their optical system to give an accurate aiming point...
s. In this configuration the rifle is capable of first shot hits with a cold, warm or fouled barrel. Tests with 10.89 g (168 gr) ammunition provided sub 0.5
MOAA minute of arc, arcminute, or minute of angle , is a unit of angular measurement equal to one sixtieth of one degree. In turn, a second of arc or arcsecond is one sixtieth of one minute of arc....
ten-shot groups at 91 m (100 yd) and the rifle was supplied with a telescopic sight, bipod, five magazines,
slingIn the context of firearms, a sling is a type of strap or harness designed to allow a shooter to carry a firearm on his/her person and/or aid in greater hit probability with that firearm...
, cleaning kit and tool roll, encased in a fitted transport case.
Design evolution
Some years later, the
SwedishSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
military were also on the hunt for a new rifle, and in the early 1990s Accuracy International entered an upgraded version of the PM, now known as the
AW or
Arctic Warfare. This was the start of the Arctic Warfare name, which would become the primary name of the rifle family despite its earlier names.
The rifle now featured special de-icing features allowing it to be used effectively at temperatures as low as -40 °C. The stockhole, bolt, magazine release and trigger guard on the AW are large enough to facilitate use with heavy Arctic
mittensA glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb; if there is an opening but no covering sheath for each finger they are called "fingerless gloves". Fingerless gloves with one large opening rather than individual openings for each...
. This version was accepted into use by the
Swedish ArmyThe Swedish Army is one of the oldest standing armies in the world and a branch of the Swedish Armed Forces; it is in charge of land operations. General Sverker Göranson is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Army.- Organization :...
in 1991 as the
Prickskyttegevär 90 (Psg 90).
The modifications to the original PM or L96A1 made the British Army decide to adopt the "improved" AW version as well, designated
L118A. The rifles were fitted with Schmidt & Bender MILITARY MK II 3-12x50
telescopic sightA telescopic sight, commonly called a scope, is a sighting device that is based on an optical refracting telescope. They are equipped with some form of graphic image pattern mounted in an optically appropriate position in their optical system to give an accurate aiming point...
s offering the operator more flexibility to shoot at varying ranges, or in situations when a wide field of view is required. This rifle has seen service in recent conflicts such as
Operation GranbyOperation Granby was the name given to the British military operations during the Gulf War. 53,462 troops were deployed during the conflict. The total cost of operations was £2.434 billion of which at least £2.049 billion was paid for by other nations such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia; £200...
and
Operation TelicOperation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
.
Rifle system family
It has since spawned an entire family of sniper rifles using the Arctic Warfare name, and has been adopted by a number of other countries, including
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
,
BelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
,
IndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
,
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
,
LatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
,
Malaysia,
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
,
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
,
RussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
,
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
,
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Other AI rifles descended from the L96A1 include the
AI AE, and the
AI AS50 (see
variants below).
Most Arctic Warfare rifles are chambered for the 7.62x51 mm NATO cartridge, but it can also be fitted for other cartridges. It is mounted with a
muzzle brakeMuzzle brakes and recoil compensators are devices that are fitted to the muzzle of a firearm or cannon to redirect propellant gases with the effect of countering both recoil of the gun and unwanted rising of the barrel during rapid fire...
to cut down on recoil, jump and flash.
Each country's rifles differ slightly. The Swedish Psg 90 for example, uses a Hensoldt (Zeiss) scope and can also use
sabotA sabot is a device used in a firearm or cannon to fire a projectile, such as a bullet, that is smaller than the bore diameter, or which must be held in a precise position. The term is also applied to a battery stub case, a device used similarly to make a small electrical battery usable in a...
rounds. In 1998 the German
BundeswehrThe Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
adopted the first folding-stock Magnum version of the AW chambered in
.300 Winchester MagnumThe .300 Winchester Magnum is a popular, belted, bottlenecked magnum rifle cartridge that was introduced by Winchester Repeating Arms Company in 1963 as a member of the family of Winchester Magnum cartridges. The .300 Winchester Magnum is a magnum cartridge designed to fit in a standard length...
(7.62x67 mm) and with optics made by the German company Zeiss as the
Scharfschützengewehr 22 (G22).
The AW's complete parts interchange ability and reliability in adverse
weatherWeather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
conditions have made it a popular, if expensive, weapon. The rifle offers good accuracy (a capable marksman can expect ≤ 0.5
MOAA minute of arc, arcminute, or minute of angle , is a unit of angular measurement equal to one sixtieth of one degree. In turn, a second of arc or arcsecond is one sixtieth of one minute of arc....
consistent accuracy with appropriate ammunition), and its maximum effective range with a Schmidt & Bender 6×42 PM II scope is around 800 metres (874.9 yd).
The Arctic Warfare family's main commercial competitor/equivalent on the high end factory sniper rifle market is the
Sako TRGSako TRG-22/42 sniper rifles were developed by the Finnish firearm manufacturer SAKO of Riihimäki. The TRG-22 is designed to fire standard .308 Winchester ammunition, while the TRG-42 is designed to fire more powerful .300 Winchester Magnum and .338 Lapua Magnum ammunition and therefore has a...
product line, that is capability-wise, generally on par with the Arctic Warfare system but somewhat less expensive.
Design details
The AW system is almost unique in being a purpose-designed sniper rifle, rather than an accurised version of an existing, general-purpose rifle.
The modular design of the AW system allows for flexibility, serviceability and repairability under field and combat conditions. Major rifle components like the barrel and bolt can be switched between rifles or replaced in the field by their operator with the help of some tools. The chambering can also be switched by the operator as long as the barrels, bolts and feeding mechanism can handle the different cartridges dimensionwise.
Features
Rather than a traditional wooden or
polymerA polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
rifle stockA stock, also known as a buttstock or shoulder stock, is a part of a rifle or other firearm, to which the barrel and firing mechanism are attached, that is held against one's shoulder when firing the gun. Stocks are also found on crossbows though a crossbow stock is more properly referred to as a...
, the AW is based on an aluminium chassis which extends the entire length of the stock. This chassis system is marketed as the Accuracy International Chassis System (AICS) and can be used for all Accuracy International rifles. All other components, including the receiver, are bolted directly to this chassis. Two hollow polymer "half thumb-hole stock panels", usually green, are in turn bolted to the chassis, creating a remarkably rugged, yet for its sturdiness comparatively light, weapon.
The Accuracy International
receiverIn firearms terminology, the receiver is the part of a firearm that houses the operating parts. The receiver usually contains the bolt carrier group, trigger group, and magazine port. In most handguns, the receiver, or frame, holds the magazine well or rotary magazine as well as the trigger mechanism...
is bolted with 4 screws and permanently bonded with epoxy material to the aluminium chassis and was designed for ruggedness, simplicity and ease of operation. To this end, the heavy-walled, flat-bottomed, flat-sided receiver is a stressed part, machined in-house by AI from a solid piece of forged carbon steel. AW rifles are offered in two action lengths—standard AW (short) and long SM (magnum). The six bolt lugs, which are arranged in two rows of three lugs each, engage a heat-treated, steel locking ring insert pinned inside the front bridge of the action. The ring can be removed and replaced to refresh headspace control on older actions. The AW system cast steel bolt has a 0.75 inches (19.1 mm) Ø combined with gas relief holes in a 0.785 in (19.9 mm) Ø bolt body and front action bridge allowing high-pressure gases a channel of escape in the rare event of a cartridge case head failure. Against penetrating water or dirt the bolt has milled slots, which also prevent freezing or the occurrence of other disturbances. Contrary to conventional
bolt-actionBolt action is a type of firearm action in which the weapon's bolt is operated manually by the opening and closing of the breech with a small handle, most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the weapon...
rifles the bolt handle is bent to the rear, which eases the repeating procedure for the operator and reduces the contours of the weapon. The action cocks on opening with a short, 60 degree bolt throw and has a non-rotating (fixed) external extractor and an internal ejector. Firing pin travel is 0.26 in (6.6 mm) to keep lock times to a minimum. Finally, an 11 mm (0.433070866141732 in) integral dovetail rail located above the receiver is designed to accommodate a number of different types of optical or electro-optical sights. As an option a
MIL-STD-1913 railThe Picatinny rail or MIL-STD-1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail or a "Tactical Rail" is a bracket used on some firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform. A similar system is the Weaver rail mount.-Description:...
(Picatinny rail) can be permanently pinned, bonded and bolted to the action providing a standard interface for many optical systems.
Barrel
The
free-floatingA free-floating barrel is a specific design technology used in highly accurate rifles, particularly match grade rifles, to increase the accuracy of the weapon.With normal rifles, the barrel rests in contact with the stock...
, heavy, stainless steel barrels (stainless steel barrels resist throat erosion better than normal barrels) for the available cartridge chamberings all have a different length, groove cutting and
riflingRifling is the process of making helical grooves in the barrel of a gun or firearm, which imparts a spin to a projectile around its long axis...
twist rate optimized for their respective chambering and intended ammunition.
For the
.243 WinchesterThe .243 Winchester is a popular sporting rifle cartridge. Initially designed as a varmint round, it is now more frequently used on medium to large game such as whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorn, wild hogs, and even black bear and caribou...
chambering barrels the twist rate is 254 mm (1 in 10 in) and for
.308 WinchesterThe .308 Winchester is a rifle cartridge and is the commercial cartridge upon which the military 7.62x51mm NATO centerfire cartridge is based. The .308 Winchester was introduced in 1952, two years prior to the NATO adoption of the 7.62x51mm NATO T65...
/7.62x51mm NATO chambering barrel variants the twist rate is 305 mm (1 in 12 in) excepted for the suppressed barrel variant.
If the consistent accuracy requirement of an operator is no longer met the barrel can fairly easily be renewed. This is normal practice for active high performance precision rifle operators, who regard barrels as expendable items.
Safety
A three-position, firing pin blocking
safetyIn firearms, a safety or safety catch is a mechanism used to help prevent the accidental discharge of a firearm, helping to ensure safer handling....
lever on the bolt shroud allows the bolt to be manipulated with the safety on. If the weapon is decocked, the firing pin is tactile at the end of the bolt-action, making it possible to feel if the weapon is ready to fire or not in poor visibility. The safety of the weapon is also positioned at the rear. It carries two coloured markings: white point—safety on, red point—safety off.
Trigger
The two-stage trigger mechanism displays an adjustable trigger pull weight of 10 to 20 N (2.2 to 4.4 lb
f). The trigger assembly can be easily removed for cleaning by undoing the two socket head cap screws.
Ammunition feeding
Cartridges are fed through the bottom of the receiver using a detachable, double-column, steel box magazine. Rifles chambered from .300 Winchester Magnum onwards use a single row magazine.
AICS (Accuracy International Chassis System)
The Accuracy International Chassis System (AICS) can be configured for various actions (all Accuracy International and some
Remington 700The Model 700 series of firearms are bolt-action rifles manufactured by Remington Arms since 1962. All are based on the same centerfire bolt action. They often come with a 3, 4 or 5-round internal magazine depending on caliber, some of which have a floor-plate for quick-unloading, and some of which...
receivers), triggers, and other items. The AICS version for Remington 700 receivers was introduced in 1999. The basic variant is the AICS 1.0 with a fixed cheek-piece. The AICS 1.5 variant sports a fully adjustable cheekpiece. The AICS 2.0 is a folding stock that reduces the rifle's overall length by 210 mm (8.3 in) when folded and adds 0.2 kg (0.440924524369755 lb) weight to the rifle's total weight. The AICS 2.0 also has a adjustable cheekpiece that adjusts left/right as well as for height to obtain optimum cheek position when using night vision equipment or telescopic sights with large objective lenses.
There is also a quick-adjust cheekpiece option that has a spring-loaded cheekpiece in conjunction with a quick-adjust butt plate.
The AICS side "panels" are made from a high-strength polymer and are available in the colours olive drab, dark earth or black.
Sling attachment points are mounted on each side of the rifle, so it can be carried flat against the back and used comfortably by left and right-handed users.
A front attachment point is situated below the fore end and can be used to anchor a target style sling or be replaced by an adapter for a Harris bipod.
Accessories
The AW is usually equipped with an integrated
bipodA bipod is a support device that is similar to a tripod or monopod, but with two legs. It provides significant stability along two axes of motion .-Firearms:...
and it also has a monopod mounted on the buttstock.
Accuracy International accessories for the Arctic Warfare system include a selection of PM II series telescopic sights made by
Schmidt & BenderSchmidt & Bender is a German company specialized in producing high end telescopic sights for hunting, sports, law enforcement and military arms....
with laser filters for the military scopes, aluminium one piece telescopic sight mounting sets,
MIL-STD-1913 railsThe Picatinny rail or MIL-STD-1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail or a "Tactical Rail" is a bracket used on some firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform. A similar system is the Weaver rail mount.-Description:...
(Picatinny rails), lens hoods, various optical and kill flash filters and lens covers for telescopic sights, auxiliary iron sights for emergency use, cleaning kits, muzzle brakes/flash-hiders and
suppressorA suppressor, sound suppressor, sound moderator, or silencer, is a device attached to or part of the barrel of a firearm which reduces the amount of noise and flash generated by firing the weapon....
s, butt plates and spacers to regulate the length of pull and butt angle to the requirements of the individual shooter, buttspikes, bipod (adapters), handstops, mirage bands, soft and heavy-duty transit cases and various maintenance tools.
Variants
There are two main types of AW models. Models offered by AI, and type classified models in service with governments. AW models are related to, but not necessarily exactly synonymous with specific models adopted by countries.
PM (Precision Marksman)
The rifle from which the Arctic Warfare family was developed. In this original form it entered service in the UK in the mid 1980s with the designation
L96A1 (chambered for 7.62×51 mm NATO).
AW (Arctic Warfare)
The basic 'improved' version of the L96A1 (still chambered for 7.62×51 mm NATO). The name stems from special features designed to enable operation in extreme cold climates.
Adopted as the following:
- L118A1: version in British military service
- Psg 90: version in Swedish military service. Psg is short for Prickskyttegevär ("Sniper Rifle").
- SR-98: version which is the standard sniper rifle for the Australian Army and is used by various Police services, Chambers the 7.62x51mm NATO Round fed from a detachable 5 shot magazine. This rifle features an adjustable butt pad, cheek pad, and rear mono pod, all in a folding stock, as well as an integrated adjustable bipod and free floating barrel.
According to the Accuracy International AW brochure the AW is available in 7.62x51mm NATO and
.243 WinchesterThe .243 Winchester is a popular sporting rifle cartridge. Initially designed as a varmint round, it is now more frequently used on medium to large game such as whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorn, wild hogs, and even black bear and caribou...
chamberings, though on special request other chamberings that will function in the AW bolt action can be fitted.
AWP (Arctic Warfare Police)
The AWP was a version intended for use by
law enforcementIn North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
as opposed to military, with AWP standing for Arctic Warfare Police. The most notable features were that the distinctive frame was black coloured, not a light green colour. It also has a shorter 24 in (609.6 mm) barrel in comparison to AW model. The AWP is normally chambered for 7.62 mm NATO/
.308 WinchesterThe .308 Winchester is a rifle cartridge and is the commercial cartridge upon which the military 7.62x51mm NATO centerfire cartridge is based. The .308 Winchester was introduced in 1952, two years prior to the NATO adoption of the 7.62x51mm NATO T65...
or
.243 WinchesterThe .243 Winchester is a popular sporting rifle cartridge. Initially designed as a varmint round, it is now more frequently used on medium to large game such as whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorn, wild hogs, and even black bear and caribou...
ammunition though it could be chambered for other cartridges. The AWP should not be confused with Accuracy International AW AE which also has a black finish, but is a cheaper non-military version of the AW series.
AWS (Arctic Warfare Suppressed)
The AWS is specifically designed for use with subsonic ammunition which, depending on the target, gives an effective maximum range of around 300 metres (328.1 yd). Its noise levels are similar to those that are generated by .22 LR match ammunition. The weapon is fitted with a special
.308 WinchesterThe .308 Winchester is a rifle cartridge and is the commercial cartridge upon which the military 7.62x51mm NATO centerfire cartridge is based. The .308 Winchester was introduced in 1952, two years prior to the NATO adoption of the 7.62x51mm NATO T65...
/7.62x51mm NATO special 406 mm (16 in) long barrel which has a twist rate of 229 mm (1 in 9 in) and an integral suppressor. The AWS barrel/suppressor combination has a total length of 711 mm (28 in), which keeps the weapon's overall length within normal limits. The user can remove the barrel/suppressor combination and replace it with a standard AW or AWP barrel in about three minutes. As with all such systems, the sight will need re-zeroing after a barrel change.
AWC (Arctic Warfare Covert)
The Covert system is essentially an AWS with a folding stock with a 305 mm (12 in) long barrel/suppressor combination with a 203 mm (1 in 8 in) twist rate. It is supplied in a small suitcase which houses the rifle with the stock folded and the barrel/suppressor combination detached. The polymer suitcase is lined with closed-cell foam featuring cut-outs for the stock/action/optics/bipod combination, the bolt, the suppressor, a magazine and a box of ammunition. While the Covert system's compacted size is considerably smaller than that of any conventional system, its special barrel and integral suppressor keep the weapon's overall length within normal limits when deployed.
It is notably used by the USSOCOM 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force), the
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Special Air ServiceSpecial Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
and the German
KSKKSK may refer to:* Karşıyaka S.K., a sports club from Izmir, Turkey* Kill Switch...Klick, an American industrial band* Kissing Suzy Kolber, a sports blog* Kommando Spezialkräfte, part of Germany's Special Forces...
(designated G25)
AWM (Arctic Warfare Magnum)
The (
AWMThe AWM is a sniper rifle manufactured by Accuracy International. It is also known as the AWSM , which typically denotes the .338 Lapua Magnum version.-The Arctic Warfare Magnum system:...
) (
Magnum) is chambered for longer, more powerful magnum cartridges specifically
.300 Winchester MagnumThe .300 Winchester Magnum is a popular, belted, bottlenecked magnum rifle cartridge that was introduced by Winchester Repeating Arms Company in 1963 as a member of the family of Winchester Magnum cartridges. The .300 Winchester Magnum is a magnum cartridge designed to fit in a standard length...
.
It was the first AW variant featuring a folding stock and has been adopted since its first introduction in the
German ArmyThe Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
in 1998 by several armies:
- G22 (Gewehr 22 or Scharfschützengewehr 22) by German Army
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, it features a folding stock and is chambered for the .300 Winchester MagnumThe .300 Winchester Magnum is a popular, belted, bottlenecked magnum rifle cartridge that was introduced by Winchester Repeating Arms Company in 1963 as a member of the family of Winchester Magnum cartridges. The .300 Winchester Magnum is a magnum cartridge designed to fit in a standard length...
round (designated 7.62x67 mm).
AWSM (Arctic Warfare Super Magnum)
The Accuracy International AWSM is an AWM variant chambered for long, high-powered super magnum cartridges like the .338 Lapua Magnum round.
It has been adopted since its first introduction in the British and Dutch armed forces in 1996 by several armies:
- L115A1 and its 'improved' version L115A3; UK designations of AWSM chambered for .338 Lapua Magnum.
AX Series
The Accuracy International AX338 long range rifle series was designed for long, high-powered super magnum cartridges and was unveiled in January 2010 at the
SHOT ShowThe ' is an annual tradeshow for the shooting, hunting, and firearms industry. It is the biggest event of this type in the world together with IWA & OutdoorClassics , also taking place annually. "SHOT", besides being a general reference to shooting, is an acronym for "Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor...
tradeshow. It is a major design evolution based on the AWSM variant and its development was according to Accuracy International partly driven by a Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) U.S. Special Operations Command solicitation. The AX 338 rifle is chambered for the .338 Lapua Magnum round and features parts that dimensionally or otherwise are not interchangeable with the AW rifle series. The AX338 was designed as a modular multi caliber rifle, meaning it can be user changed from .338 Lapua Magnum to .300 Winchester Magnum and 7.62x51mm NATO by exchanging bolts, magazines and barrels.
Compared to the AWSM, the bolt action of the AX338 is longer and wider and the internal magazine length is lengthened, allowing the unimpaired use of .338 Lapua Magnum cartridges loaded to the C.I.P. (
Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu PortativesThe Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives is an international organisation whose members are 14 states, mainly European....
) maximum allowed overall length of 93.50 mm (3.681 in).
The AX338 bolt is 22 mm (0.866141732283465 in) in diameter and the bolt, bolt head, locking ring and barrel tenon construction were designed to be significantly stronger and more capable of handling higher chamber pressures and temperatures and thus higher
bolt thrustBolt thrust or breech pressure is a term used in internal ballistics and firearms that describes the amount of rearward force exerted by the propellant gases on the bolt or breech of a firearm action or breech when a projectile is fired...
safely compared to the AWSM variant. The bolt construction is significantly revised, allowing removal of the bolt head from the bolt body with simple hand tools. Cartridge/caliber changes can be accomplished by the change of a bolt head or complete bolt assembly. The interior of the bolt has a new safety feature added that will prevent the rifle from firing on a partially closed bolt. An improved leaf-spring AW 7.62 style extractor should enhance the cycling reliability of the bolt action. This extractor can be removed and reinstalled with the help of a bullet tip. The top of the receiver features a MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny rail for mounting aiming optics. As an option this rail can be provided with a forward canted angle optimized for extreme long range shooting. The diameter of the barrel threading was enlarged and is unique to the AX 338.
The rifle is fitted with an a 27 in (686 mm) long .338 in (8.6 mm) caliber free floating
flutedIn firearms terminology, fluting refers to the removal of material from a cylindrical surface, usually creating grooves. This is most often the barrel of a rifle, though it may also refer to the cylinder of a revolver or the bolt of a bolt action rifle....
barrel as standard. Other barrel lengths, calibers and twist rates are available as options.
The two-stage trigger has a new trigger shoe that can be moved for and rearwards by 0.5 in (13 mm) and has a 3.3 to 4.4 lb
f (15 to 20 N) adjustable trigger pull.
The AX338 uses new 10-round double stacked .338 Lapua Magnum steel magazines that are inserted into a revised magazine well.
Further the AX338 features a revised external chassis stock system with an octagonal shaped fore end which envelops the free floating barrel offering modular attachment points for user (re)movable MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny accessory rails on four sides. Several lengths of octagonal shaped fore end and Picatinny accessory rails are available as options. The rear of the stock can be either a thumbhole or a pistol grip configuration and has a butt spike as standard. The minimal possible length of pull was reduced compared to the AICS stocks to facilitate usage when wearing thick clothing or body armor. The stock has a left-right and height adjustable cheekpiece as standard or can be fitted with an optional quick adjustable cheekpiece. The pistol grip can be fitted with backstraps of differing sizes that combined with the movable trigger shoe enables the trigger to be tailored to the individual shooter.
An AX AICS stock is planned for Remington 700 short and long bolt action based rifles.
The AX series rifle is also available in a smaller 7.62x51mm NATO dedicated AX308 version with a smaller short action with a bolt diameter of 20 mm (0.78740157480315 in) and in a larger AX50 .50 BMG version with a bigger extra long action with a bolt diameter of 30 mm (1.2 in).
AW50 (Arctic Warfare .50 calibre)
The AW50 was introduced in 2000 by the British and Australian armed forces and is an AW rifle re-engineered and chambered for
.50 BMGThe .50 Browning Machine Gun or 12.7×99mm NATO is a cartridge developed for the Browning .50 caliber machine gun in the late 1910s. Entering service officially in 1921, the round is based on a greatly scaled-up .30-06 cartridge...
(12.7x99 mm NATO).
- G24 (Gewehr 24 or Scharfschützengewehr 24): German Army
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
designation of the AW50.
AW50F (Arctic Warfare .50 calibre Folding Stock)
The
AW50FThe AW50F is a .50 BMG anti-materiel rifle used by the Australian military. It is a version of Accuracy International AW50 , but with an Australian-produced barrel and a folding stock...
is a variant of the AW50 adopted by the Australian military. It differs from the standard AW50 in that it is fitted with a folding stock (hence the
F) and Madco barrel.
AS50 (Arctic Semi-automatic .50 calibre)
The
Accuracy InternationalAccuracy International is a specialist British firearms manufacturer based in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England and best known for producing the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare series of precision sniper rifles...
AS50 was developed in 2007 and is a semi-automatic .50 BMG rifle jointly developed by AI and NSWC-Crane (
Naval Surface Warfare CenterThe Naval Sea Systems Command Warfare Centers are composed of the Naval Surface Warfare Centers and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center . They operate in a seamless, integrated manner, and they collaborate with customers using a common work assignment process to get the right work to the right...
) primarily for US Navy SEALs.
AE/AE MkII (Accuracy Enforcement)
The Accuracy International AE was introduced in 2001 as a cheaper, somewhat simplified less sturdy version of the L96/AW series intended for law enforcement. It is not to be confused with the more expensive AWP or AW models intended for military use.
The AE bolt-action differs from the larger more angular AW design. The round AE receiver is lighter compared to the AW models. The action of the AE is also not permanently bonded with epoxy material to the aluminium chassis and hence can be removed. Unlike the AW models, the AE can not be ordered in a left-handed configuration. The AE is fitted in 7.62×51 mm NATO calibre and its barrel is 610 mm (24 in) long.
In 2009 the AE was updated and is since marketed as the AW MkII. The AE MkII rifle system uses AICS 5 and 10 round magazines has a removable trigger group, a screw adjustable cheekpiece. As options a 508 mm (20 in) barrel with muzzle brake or tactical suppressor mounting facilities and a folding chassis are available.
Users (7.62×51 mm NATO or smaller chamberings)
- Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
with folding stock known as the SR-98, Police Tactical GroupPolice tactical groups , formerly known as "police assault groups", are part of the Australian government's National Anti-Terrorism Plan which, since 1978, has required each state and territory police force to maintain a specialised counter-terrorist and hostage rescue unit jointly funded by the...
s.: Purchased a number of AWF rifles. : Special Anti-Terrorist UnitThe Special Suppressive Anti-Terrorist Unit is the Greek counter-terrorism unit of the Hellenic Police. It is the most distinguished part of the Hellenic Police...
aka EKAM : PM variant. The AWS variant is used by the 9th Parachute Assault RegimentThe 9º Reggimento d'Assalto Paracadutisti ' is the or proudest Special Forces unit of the current Italian Army — in part due to its distinguished history, but also due to the arduous training which members must undertake...
and the AWP variant is used by the CarabinieriThe Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations, and is a branch of the armed forces.-Early history:...
.: PM and AW variants are used by the Malaysian Special Operations ForceMalaysian Special Operations Force is a multi service force tasked with a counter-terrorism mission. It consists of the 10 Paratrooper Brigade, Grup Gerak Khas , Pasukan Khas Laut , Pasukan Khas Udara , Pasukan Gerakan Khas , Unit Gempur Marin , Trup Tindakan Cepat and Special Task And Rescue .-...
.: Korps CommandotroepenThe Korps Commandotroepen are the elite special forces of the Royal Netherlands Army. It is one of the two principal units tasked with special operations in the Netherlands , and it is deployable anywhere in the world under any circumstance, conducting all conceivable missions from...
(few AW and AWC 7.62×51mm NATO chambered arms available).: Portuguese ArmyThe Portuguese Army is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal...
.: Adopted the AW rifle in 1988, designated PSG 90.: L96A1 entered service with the British Armed ForcesThe British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
in 1985.
See also
- Sniper rifle
In military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a precision-rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than other small arms. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military...
- Accuracy International AWM
The AWM is a sniper rifle manufactured by Accuracy International. It is also known as the AWSM , which typically denotes the .338 Lapua Magnum version.-The Arctic Warfare Magnum system:...
, the Arctic Warfare Magnum, variant in larger calibre.
- Bolt Action
General references
External links