Anti-materiel rifle
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An anti-materiel rifle is a rifle that is designed for use against military equipment (matériel) rather than against other combatants ("anti-personnel").
They are similar in form and appearance to modern sniper rifles and can often serve in that role, though they are usually chambered for cartridges more powerful than is normally required for neutralizing an enemy combatant and can operate at a greater range. In general, anti-materiel rifles are chambered for 12.7 mm NATO (.50 BMG) or larger ammunition but due to their design are much more accurate than the normal weapons which use such ammunition (e.g. M2 Browning machine gun).
The origins of the AM rifle go back to the First World War, during which the first anti-tank rifles appeared. While modern tanks and most other armoured vehicles are too well protected to be affected by anti-materiel rifles, the guns are still effective for attacking unarmored or lightly armored vehicles. They can be used by infiltrating units against enemy fuel dumps, grounded aircraft, communications equipment, trucks, automobiles, and similar targets. Their value is in being able to precisely target and disable enemy assets from long range at a very low relative cost.
They can also be used in non-offensive roles for safely destroying unexploded ordnance.
Well-known anti-materiel rifles include:
- Armalite AR50, USA (12.7 mm NATO (.50 BMG)
- Barrett M82A1, USA (12.7 mm NATO (.50 BMG)
- Accuracy International AW50F, Britain (12.7 mm NATO (.50 BMG)
- Steyr IWS 2000, Austria (15.2 mm Proprietary Steyr APFSDS)
- Gepard anti-materiel rifles, Hungary (12.7 mm NATO or 12.7x108 mm (.50 Russian) or 14.5 mm Russian)
- KSVK rifle, Russia (12.7x108 mm (.50 Russian))
- Mechem NTW, South Africa (14.5x114 mm or 20x83.5 mm)
[edit] See also
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