| XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle | |
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The XM2010 rifle (right view) |
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| Type | Sniper rifle |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See Users |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Remington Arms |
| Designed | 2010 |
| Manufacturer | Remington Arms |
| Produced | 2010–present |
| Number built | 250 by December 2010 of 3,600 ordered |
| Specifications | |
| Barrel length | 610 mm (24 in) |
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| Cartridge | .300 Winchester Magnum |
| Action | Bolt-action |
| Muzzle velocity | 869 m/s (2,850 ft/s) w/MK 248 MOD 1 Sniper load (220 gr.) |
| Effective range | 1,200 m (1,312 yd)[1] |
| Feed system | 5-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Telescopic sight AN/PVS-29 clip-on sniper night sight |
The XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle (ESR), formerly known as the M24 Reconfigured Sniper Weapon System, is a sniper rifle developed by PEO Soldier for the U.S. Army.[2] It is derived from the M24 Sniper Weapon System and is intended to replace existing M24s. After winning a competitive bidding process, Remington was awarded the production contract. Up to 3,600 weapons will be procured. The Army expects to begin fielding 250 upgraded weapons to deployed U.S. Army Snipers by the end of December 2010.[3][4] Later project manager for Soldier weapons Colonel Douglas Tamilio said the XM2010 expected fielding will happen in January 2011.[1]
The major configuration change for the XM2010 system is the conversion from 7.62x51mm NATO to more powerful .300 Winchester Magnum ammunition to provide approximately 50% additional effective range. This rechambering to dimensionally larger cartridges is possible since the M24 was designed to use the "long-action" version of the Remington 700 receiver. The US Army hopes that the additional effective range helps their snipers in engagements in mountainous and desert terrain in which the War in Afghanistan is fought.[5] The general penalties for using bigger more powerful magnum rifle ammunition compared to smaller non-magnum standard rifle cartridges to obtain extra effective range are increases in recoil, jump, flash and barrel wear.
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The XM2010 is considered a "total conversion upgrade", by which the chambering, barrel, stock, magazines, muzzlebrake, suppressor, and even the optics will be changed. The main reconfiguration changes compared to 7.62×51mm NATO chambered M24 rifles are:[6]
According to Remington Arms each rifle is tested to meet (and typically exceeds) the requirement to fire ≤ 1 MOA (less than a 2-inch shot group at 200 yards) before being released for fielding.
In 2009 the US government purchased MK 248 MOD 0 and MOD 1 .300 Winchester Magnum match-grade ammunition for use in .300 Winchester Magnum sniper rifles like the U.S. Navy Mk.13 SWS or reconfigured M24 SWS's. This ammunition was developed as a .300 Winchester Magnum Match Product Improvement (PIP) and uses the (190 gr) and 14.26 g (220 gr) Sierra MatchKing Hollow Point Boat Tail (HPBT) very-low-drag bullet fired at a nominal muzzle velocity of 869 m/s (2,850 ft/s) ± 15.2 m/s (50 ft/s). According to the U.S. Navy this ammunition should increase the maximum effective range of .300 Winchester Magnum sniper rifle systems to 1,370 m (1,500 yd), decrease wind deflection on bullets in flight and use a reduced muzzle flash propellant that remains temperature stable across an operational temperature range of -32 °C to 74 °C (-25 °F to 165 °F).[10][11][12] According to JBM Ballistics,[13] using the G7 ballistic coefficient provided by Bryan Litz, the Mk 248 MOD 1 .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge, when fired at its nominal muzzle velocity of 869 m/s (2,850 ft/s), should have approximately 1,286 m (1,406 yd) supersonic range under International Standard Atmosphere conditions at sea level (air density ρ = 1.225 kg/m3).
The Army is likely to upgrade its 2,500 M24 SWS to XM2010 standard.[14]
The U.S. Army issued three XM2010s to snipers at the United States Army Sniper School 18 January 2011.[15] Army snipers have been using the XM 2010 in combat in Afghanistan since March 2011.[5]
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