Kord-M large-caliber sniper rifle to enter in service with the Russian armed forces in 2017 TASS 12512161
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Military Defense Industry Technology - Kord-M sniper rifle
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| Kord-M large-caliber sniper rifle to enter in service with the Russian armed forces in 2017. | |||
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The first examples of the cutting-edge Kord-M large-caliber sniper rifle will be fielded with the Russian Armed Forces in 2017, according to Russian daily newspaper Izvestia. Russian special forces will receive the unique Kord-M large-caliber sniper rifle to enable special operators to eliminate enemy manpower and lightly armored vehicles at a range of 2 km. The weapon’s light enough weight, a mere 10 kg, will allow the commandos to haul the advanced rifle on long forced foot marches.
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 Kord-M 12.7-mm sniper system 6S8 (Photo Vitaly Kuzmin) |
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| The Kord-M high-accuracy sniper system also is known as ASVK-M and 6V7M-1. The weapon was developed by the Degtyaryov Plant in the town of Kovrov. It turned out to be far lighter than its foreign rivals, in particular, the US-made M82 equipping virtually all special outfits in the world, and it is said to have surpassed its foreign competition in terms of targetable range, according to early feedback. At present, the tests of the ASVK-M are nearing an end, a Defense Ministry official close to the matter has told the Izvestia. In 2017, its first examples will be fielded with special forces and airborne units and then will enter the inventory of the mountain infantry brigade’s snipers. Degtyaryov’s representatives declined to comment on the trials. Now, the snipers with Russian special forces operate the ASVK Kord large-caliber sniper system measuring 1.5 m long and weighing more than 12 kg. A skilled sniper firing the Kord hits a target out to 1.5 km. The Kord-M is a derivative of the ASVK, but its weight has diminished to 10 kg and its targetable range has been extended to 2 km through the use of advanced technologies and materials and a new design. The ASVK-M punches through armor up to 15 cm thick, concrete walls and brickwork. A large-caliber sniper rifle should not be too light. The heavier the rifle, the better it dampens strong recoil owing to its weight, a military officer, a sniper himself, has told the Izvestia daily. For instance, the recoil of the standard-issue Kord exceeds that of the AK-74 by several orders of magnitude and is bad for health. In particular, if you fire it for a long time, your kidneys suffer and you feel as if you have been hit on your head a few times. The Kord-M’s designers managed to strike a reasonable balance, and the weapon’s weight reduction has not increased its kick. |
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 Kord-M 12.7-mm sniper system 6S8 (Photo Copyright Army Recognition) |
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According to the officer, the standard-issue Kord is a good rifle with excellent accuracy, but it better fits the snipers of infantry brigades and divisions, operating on armored cars.
Special operators behind the enemy lines have to carry their gear on their backs, hence, the weight of their weapons influences the success of their missions, the officer explained. Major sniper rifle manufacturers do their best to reduce the weight of their large-caliber weapons, but no one has succeeded in cutting it to 10 kg. For instance, while the Barrett M82 weighed around 13 kg, the latest Barrett XM500 weighs 11.8 kg, and the weight of the AS50 from British company Accuracy International has dropped by only 900 g - to 14.1 kg - over its earlier weapon, the AW50. Interestingly, the targetable range of the M82 and XM500 is slightly longer than 1,100 m and that of the AS500 and AW500 about 1,500 m. "Now that mass attacks are being replaced with surgical commando assaults, special forces sorely need rifles to kill a wide range of targets at long range. The weapons should be light and small enough so that they do not prevent snipers from displacing quickly," Popular Mechanics Editor-in-Chief Alexander Grek has told the Izvestia daily. The designers of such weapons faced a number of problems not that long ago, with their large-caliber rifles being rather heavy and kicking hard. However, the advent of more sophisticated muzzle brakes, alloys and ammunition has enabled the manufacturers to slash the weight of their weapons, while retaining their long range, according to the Izvestia daily. |
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