AR-15 vs. TAC-50: Which Sniper Rifle Packs the Deadliest Punch?

The suspect in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump used an AR-15 series rifle. The AR-15 rifle, referred to as the “American Rifle” by the National Rifle Association (NRA), is one of the most common weapons in the United States. The AR-15 is a civilian-improved version of the M-16 military rifle used by the U.S. Army, often used by gunmen targeting mass casualties. The M-16 is one of the world’s two major rifles, along with the Kalashnikov series rifles like the AK-47.

The M-16 rifle, commonly used for regular reserve training, is well-known. However, the civilian AR-15 rifle has gained popularity in the United States because it’s easier to carry and has less recoil. Specifically, AR-15 series rifles can be customized with various accessories, such as readily available scopes. This makes them appealing for even untrained individuals to carry out lethal shootings.

A sniper rifle is designed for long-range precision shooting. Known for its one-shot-one-kill capability, the sniper rifle is gaining renewed attention following the recent shooting incident involving Trump. According to snipers, what are the four most powerful sniper rifles currently?

While ordinary rifles need an accuracy of 3 to 6 MOA (Minute of Arc), sniper rifles require much greater precision, typically less than 1 MOA. To put it in perspective, 1 MOA means the bullet hits within 1 inch at 100 yards (2.9 cm at 100 meters).

The biggest distinguishing feature of a sniper rifle from small arms of the military or police is that it is equipped with a 10x magnification scope. This magnifying scope differs significantly from the optical sighting devices of rifles and machine guns. Because the magnifying scope enlarges the target, it allows for more precise aiming, thereby increasing accuracy.

The 2015 film American Sniper is a movie in which you can see the most sniper rifles. The film, based on the memoirs of the legendary sniper Chris Kyle of the U.S. Special Forces Navy SEAL, features several powerful sniper rifles currently in existence. The McMillan TAC-50 (.50 caliber) sniper rifle is particularly notable for setting the world record for the longest sniper shot at 2.17 miles (3.5 km). It is highly preferred among snipers and is one of the most frequently chosen sniper rifles.

The TAC-50 is a sniper rifle that uses 12.7 x 99 mm NATO .50 caliber rounds. It is primarily a bolt-action rifle McMillan calls the G31 Short Action. The G31 Short Action mechanism is made by carving out a single piece of 4140 chrome-moly 38-40Rc steel. A feature of the G31 Short Action is that the recoil lug is integrated into the bolt cluster.

The recoil lug is a component that transfers recoil to the butt plate during shooting, typically mounted at the bottom of the barrel or bolt guide. The G31, by integrating the recoil lug, can withstand the significant recoil of a .50 caliber round solely through the cartridge. This design allows for a free-floating barrel.

The G31 also utilizes a free-floating barrel design, unattached to the gun body, allowing for precise sniping and faster barrel cooling. With a pull weight of just 3 pounds, the trigger is ideal for long-range shooting where even the slightest movements impact accuracy. Thanks to its precise barrel and sensitive firing mechanism, it achieves an accuracy of less than 0.5 MOA. The rifle uses a 5-round box magazine, with each magazine costing around $390.

Next, the AS50 sniper rifle is a very accurate and lethal firearm designed for long-range shooting. It can fire up to 5 rounds per minute and penetrate the thickest armor. It is ideal for eliminating enemy personnel and equipment from a distance. Its high accuracy and efficiency make it popular among military snipers and special forces worldwide.

Accuracy International, a British company renowned for its bolt-action AW sniper rifle, developed a semi-automatic anti-material sniper rifle at the request of the Navy SEALs, with design and production beginning in 2007. British soldiers also adopted it, leading to the development of a separate sniper rifle. This rifle uses .50 BMG ammunition and operates on a gas system. It utilizes the existing AW50 magazine and achieves a precision of approximately 1.5 MOA, meaning the bullet hits within 1 inch at 100 yards.

In particular, it boasts high precision, a characteristic of the gas-operated action structure. The muzzle, like the Barrett M82, is equipped with its own muzzle brake, so the recoil is lower than the bolt-action AW50 that uses the same ammunition. However, it is stronger than the M82, which has a retractable barrel and a muzzle brake. Therefore, it is rated as a pretty good combat weapon when used by skilled marksmen. It can be folded for excellent mobility and compactness.

A Chinese-made copy of the M99 model gained notoriety during the Iraq and Syria civil wars. Weighing 31.08 lbs (14.1 kg), the M99 has a firing range of approximately 1970 yards.

Another sniper rifle is the M200, developed by Cheyenne Tactical LLC in the United States in 1996. It is also known as the CheyTac M200 Intervention. In 1996, Cheyenne Tactical acquired the rights to the XM series model 408 CheyTac, a derivative of the EDM Windrunner M96. This rifle was submitted to the U.S. Army’s new anti-material sniper rifle project (CFSR) and was compatible with 408 CheyTac ammunition. Cheyenne Tactical then changed the model’s name to M100 and began official production.

Unlike anti-material sniper rifles that use similar large-caliber ammunition, it was made from the start as an LRRS (Long Range Rifle System) to suppress other snipers.

Typically, anti-material sniper rifles use large-caliber ammunition to destroy various equipment and snipe people from a distance. They do not use ammunition made for sniping, so they developed new ammunition to compensate for the limited long-range accuracy. The dedicated ammunition, 408 CheyTac, is a mid-size between 338 Lapua Magnum and 50 BMG, with a bullet mass of only 20g and a bullet energy exceeding 11,000 J. As a bullet made for sniping, the speed drop is much less than that of a regular bullet, and beyond 700 m, it is even more powerful than the 50 BMG.

The precision is also at the world’s highest level, boasting an accuracy rate of 0.2 to 0.4MOA. It officially holds a record of putting three rounds within a 42 cm radius from just over 2,300 yards (2.1 km). It is adopted and used in the Italian special forces, Polish Army special forces, Turkish military special forces, British military special forces SAS, and Jordanian Army 61st Reconnaissance Battalion.

In May 2017, the rifle gained fame when a SAS sniper in Mosul, Iraq, used it to counter-sniper and kill an IS sniper who was targeting the British Army with an SVD from 2600 yards (2,400 m) away. This incident earned it the nickname “the sniper rifle that kills snipers.”

‘L115A3’ (AWM) sniper rifle. Photo= Wikipedia Capture

Last updated in 1997 in the UK, the AWM, also known as the L115A3 or Arctic Warfare Magnum, made history in November 2009 when a British sniper neutralized a Taliban insurgent in Afghanistan from a record distance of 2,706 yards (2,475 meters) using this rifle. The AWM has an effective range of 1,093 yards (1,000 meters) and uses .300 Magnum cartridges. It can deliver a fatal blow, causing more than 148 damage, even against a level 3 helmet.

However, the rifle is not equipped with a scope and can only be obtained through supply drops with a certain probability, making it challenging to acquire. The necessary .300 Magnum ammunition is also only available from supply drops. With just 20 rounds, it leaves something to be desired, yet it remains a popular sniper rifle for those who appreciate the feel of precise shooting.

The Arctic Warfare Magnum can be loaded with either 7.62mm (.300 Winchester Magnum) or the long-range 8.58mm (.338 Lapua Magnum) cartridges. A similar model, the AWP, is used by police and counter-terrorism units with options for 7.62mm (.308 Winchester) or .243 Winchester ammunition and features a shorter barrel length of 610mm (24 inches). It weighs 14.99 lbs (6.8 kg) and has a magazine capacity of five rounds with a muzzle velocity of 3,070 feet per second (936 m/s). The AWP is acclaimed as one of the most powerful guns available, primarily notable for its ability to shoot targets over a mile away accurately.

Moreover, the AWM is designed to function in temperatures as low as -40°C (-40°F). It typically comes fitted with either a Leupold Mark 4 fixed 4x magnification scope or a Schmidt & Bender variable 3-12x magnification scope. In South Korea, the AWSM model is employed by the Navy’s Special Warfare Flotilla, the Police SWAT, and the 707th Special Mission Battalion.