Barrett Rifle

This is coolbert:

Here is a weapon that always arouses a lot of interest:

The Barrett sniper rifle.

A bolt-action sniper rifle firing a fifty [12.7 mm] caliber round.

Was originally intended to be used as a means for Explosive Ordnance Disposal [EOD] personnel, to disarm, from a distance, unexploded and hazardous munitions.

"The Barrett is used in war by the US sparingly. The rifle is used first and foremost as an EOD/anti-materiel rifle"

But has become much more.

Particularly, when firing an armor-piercing-incendiary [API] or MK 211 Raufoss round, has a capability far beyond that of the original EOD mission.

"The multipurpose name is based on the projectile having an armor-piercing (tungsten core), an explosive and an incendiary component . . . It is a suitable round for engaging helicopters, aircraft and lightly armored vehicles, as well as unarmored vehicles, and it has the capability of igniting jet fuel."

"allows for effective operations against targets like radar cabins, trucks, parked aircraft and so on. The M82 can also be used to defeat human targets from standoff range or when targets are behind cover."

Right! When used, in particular, by special operations units, behind-the-lines-guys, allow for the destruction of equipment such as aircraft, vehicles, etc. One hit from the armor piercing/incendiary/high-explosive [API-HE] Raufoss round can render in an instant a jet combat aircraft inoperable!! UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES ONE MAN ON THE GROUND COULD TAKE OUT A WHOLE SQUADRON OF COMBAT AIRCRAFT, THOSE AIRPLANES NEVER EVEN BEING ABLE TO TAKE TO THE AIR!!
The Barrett rifle is used by the militaries of a variety of nations to include:

"Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Indonesia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and others."

Also employed by organizations best described as para-military. Including:

* "The United States Coast Guard".
* "New York Police Department".

[it used to be at one time, not that long ago, that American Coast Guard personnel performed their mission UNARMED!! That is now A THING OF THE PAST!!]And also by groups of less than savory character:

* "Kosovo Liberation Army".
* "South Armagh Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA)".
* "Mexican drug gangs".

That Raufoss round has been condemned in some quarters. AN ILLEGAL ROUND, EXPLOSIVE IN NATURE, NOT ALLOWED AS ANTI-PERSONNEL AMMO AS WOULD BE TRADITIONAL BALL AMMO!! It has been [?] decided that the Raufoss is a legal round useful as anti-personnel ammo. Seems the round only explodes AFTER passing through the body of a man. The guy is already dead before the round explodes. NOT ILLEGAL in that sense!!

coolbert.