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September 8, 1999

Robar has offered its new RC50 sniper rifle in the classic US .50-caliber (the same 12.7x99mm round used in the M2 Browning machinegun). At 25 pounds, it is one of the lightest .50-caliber rifles available; this also means that despite the very efficient muzzle brake the recoil is considerable. The weapon is 54.5 inches overall; the barrel is 29 inches long. The barrel is fluted to reduce weight and increase cooling. The bore has six grooves with a right-hand twist of one in 15 inches. The RC50 is a bolt-action weapon drawing rounds from a five-round staggered box magazine. The bolt has spiral grooves cut into it to reduce weight and to allow any dirt to channel through the grooves and stay clear of the action. The stock is fiber-glass. List price is $3,850 not including the bipod or the Leupold Mark 4 scope. Applications for such a weapon are limited. It is too heavy and powerful for police snipers. Military snipers use such weapons more to attack artillery pieces and light vehicles than to shoot individual enemy officers. Big game hunting applications are a limited market.--Stephen V Cole