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December 8, 2000

The US Army has selected the Barrett-95 sniper rifle as its new anti-materiel weapon. Using the same .50-caliber round used in the M2HB heavy machinegun and the Marine Corps Barrett-82A3 sniper rifle, the Barrett-95 (to enter service as the M107) is intended to destroy trucks, radars, artillery, missiles, and other targets within 2,000 meters. The Barrett-82 (more commonly known as the Barrett-50) is very heavy. The original weapon tipped the scales at more than 39 pounds; the latest M82A3 still weighs 30 pounds. The Army M107 weighs only 25 pounds, regarded as light enough for a Ranger to carry several miles through the forest to reach a firing position. While the M82A3 is semi-automatic and uses a ten-round magazine, the Army M107 is a bolt-action weapon fed by a five-round magazine.--Stephen V Cole