New Russian Sniper Rifle Unveiled

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Russia has launched a light weight sniper rifle Kord-M that can fire up to a distance of 2 kilometers. The rifle, which can cut through concrete and brick walls, is also strong enough to take out unsheltered enemy manpower as well as lightly-armored vehicles up to 2 kilometers away.

“A large-caliber sniper rifle should not be too light, because heavier ones have less recoil” an army sharpshooter told Izvestia.The tool weighs just 10 kilos and is capable of penetrating armor up to 15 mm. The high-precision 12.7mm sniper rifle Kord-M, also known as ASVK and 6V7M-1, is light enough to be carried for many miles without straining its owner’s back, Izvestia reported. “Manufacturers of sniper rifles around the world always try to make their heavy rifles weigh less, but no one so far has  been able to pare them down to just 10 kilos,” he added.

The Kord-M weighs less than its foreign counterparts, including the US-made M-82, used by Special Ops troops in virtually every developed country. It also exceeds them in the range of effective fire and is more accurate. The Barrett M82 rifle weighed around 13 kilograms, while its latest upgrade – the Barrett XM500 – weighs 11.8 kilos. Similarly, Britain manufacturers’ AS50 sniper rifle weighs 14.1 kg – just 900 grams less than its AW50 predecessor. Russian Special Operations troops currently use 12.7 mm Kord sniper rifles which are 1.5 meters-long and weigh 12 kilograms. They enable a seasoned sniper to hit targets at a distance of up to 1.5 kilometers.

The Russian development, with its extended effective range of fire (2 km), is way ahead of both the M82 and XM500 (just over 1,1 km) and the AS500 and AW50 (around 1.5 km). A Defense Ministry representative told Defensenews.net that currently the Kord-M is in the final stages of field trials. The first batch will enter service with commando and paratroop units early next year and will eventually be supplied to Mountain troops.