Dayhoff Westminster Soundtrack: Debate rages over the need for a better Marine sniper rifle By James K. Sanborn, June 17, 2015

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Debate rages over the need for a better Marine sniper rifle By James K. Sanborn, June 17, 2015

Debate rages over the need for a better Marine sniper rifle By James K. Sanborn, Staff writer June 17, 2015 http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2015/06/debate-rages-over-need-for-better.html

A smoldering debate over the need for a more powerful sniper rifle for Marines is once again ablaze. http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/tech/2015/06/17/debate-rages-over-marine-corps-sniper-rifles/28811495/

The Army’s M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle has a range of about 1,300 yards. A new story by the Washington Post has reignited the debate over the Corps’ needs for new sniper rifles. - Ms. Andricka Thomas/ATEC

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A recent story by the Washington Post has generated renewed controversy among Marines who say that some snipers have been outgunned on deployments, taking fire from targets they can see, but not shoot. While the Marine Corps' M40 is undeniably rugged and accurate, its .308 cartridge is unreliable beyond half a mile.

The story compares the Corps' rifle to the Chinese M99, which can reach targets twice as far away. The British and U.S. Special Operations Command also have sniper rifles with better firepower that can reach nearly a mile. And the Army's M2010 can reach targets about 1,300 yards away.

Marines told the Post that having the best training doesn't matter if their rifles and cartridges are subpar. Some said they fear better weapons can reach the hands of their enemies, including Islamic State militants.

Marine snipers have long been frustrated with the Corps' Vietnam-era M40s and .308 Winchester cartridge. In 2005, Marines operating in Iraq were calling on the Corps to develop a sniper rifle that had a range of more than 1,600 yards, nearly twice that of the M40.

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