[TV Show] Ultimate Weapons

The Military Channel show "Ultimate Weapons" did sniper rifles today and this is their view on the top ten:

1. CheyTac Intervention M-200 Long Range Rifle System (LRRS)
   
2. Barrett M107
   
3. Accuracy International AWSM (firing .338 Lapua Magnum)
   
4. Barrett Model 99 (firing .416 Barrett)
   
5. Accuracy International AS50
   
6. Desert Tactical Arms Stealth Recon Scout
   
7. Tactical Rifles M40-T7 (firing 6.5x47mm Lapua)
   
8. McMillan Tac-50
   
9. LWRC SABR 308
   
10. Knight's Armament M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System
    

Personally, I like the Stealth Recon for it's portability and the SABR for it's modularity.

I've always liked the M110 myself. Then again, I am a fan of the AR-15 and all it's variants.

No AMP DSR-1? Blasphemy.

I've pretty much been a convert to semi-auto sniper weapons. True, bolt action may be more reliable and accurate, but the advantages of a higher rate of fire I think is a worthwhile trade off.

I suppose if you were some uber-assassin, and you were only planning on taking one shot cause you're some marksman god with 100% accuracy or had to make a 1 1/2 mile shot, then a bolt-action would be the choice. For me, the flexibility of being able to fire multiple times rapidly, if need be, can't be overlooked in my opinion.

Golgo 13 would be fine with a bolt-action.

For the rest of us, semi-auto baby.

Are they crazy? No DSR1? And why did they put an AI rifle as the silhouette on the folder for the Chey-tac and M40? Better yet, what in the world was that idiot doing when he was shooting the SABR? It's a semi-auto rifle and that guy happily fires one round and pulls back the bolt, ejecting another round.

I know snipers in the media are super hyped up and always full of inaccuracies but this is a documentary. Extremely disappointing.

The TV Camera adds ten pounds...
...mostly in fat... in the brain.

The Sako TRG series is widely regarded as being more or less on par with the Accuracy International rifles, and it's not even on the list at all...

Though then again, I have heard of a few issues with those rifles (supposedly the Finns have had some issues with the trigger mechanism under field conditions, and I've also heard that the TRG-42 is kind of tough on optics due to heavy recoil).

People should note that this show is an American production. So unless your gun is really famous, in use by a close ally, being made/used by the US military itself, then there's obvious bias.

(Also, the Military Channel website had a poll on this very subject back in May, and the top rated weapons were then going to be discussed by the "experts" to get their opinions.) So lots of Yanks voted for Yankee weapons, then that's probably your missing link right there.

Actually the part I found most amusing/irritating was the huge number of glaring inaccuracies. Besides the guy shooting the SABR like a bolt-action rifle, there are others like the 7.62 NATO round (they put a 7.62 Russian round there). How about the silly part of their so-called "experts" uttering complete rubbish? I remember one chap saying that "one shot one kill is not true. It's usually the second or third shot that does the most damage". To be fair, he's not entirely wrong. When a sniper handles distances that challenge the limits of his weapon like 1500yards and beyond usually the first shot misses. Or when you're talking about "sharpshooter teams" deployed as part of a group, not true sniper teams that operate independently of an orthodox fighting group. Otherwise whatever he said is nonsense. We should invite him for a Duel to see if he can afford to miss his first shot

The whole episode is on youtube and if you want you can watch it for laughs. With so many inaccuracies can they even dare to call it a documentary?

MikhailN wrote:The whole episode is on youtube and if you want you can watch it for laughs. With so many inaccuracies can they even dare to call it a documentary?

It's not meant to be a documentary. Like "FutureWeapons" and similar shows, it's meant to be pure Infotainment.

If you want a documentary, head over to The History Channel.

Actually, Gunny's new THC show - "Lock and Load" - is a mix of infotainment and documentary (favoring the former).

Kiskaloo wrote:It's not meant to be a documentary. Like "FutureWeapons" and similar shows, it's meant to be pure Infotainment ... "Lock and Load" - is a mix of infotainment and documentary (favoring the former).

Truth right there. It's more for entertainment purposes, take it all with a grain of salt and make sure you're only running on 50% brain cells.

At least the Military Channel during their top 10 assault weapons put the AK over the M16. I would have seen some horrible bias if the M16 was #1.

The Cheytec rifle from what I've seen from other shows is just absurd, gun even has a targeting computer included when you buy one.

Nachtsider wrote:No AMP DSR-1? Blasphemy.

And no M1 Garand or M14, Blasphemy!

anyone know who one among the rifles?

West Nile wrote:anyone know who one among the rifles?

Not quite getting you there, but if you're asking if anyone has shot any of those guns then I'm sorry to disappoint you. I hardly expect anyone to stand up and say "Hey, that's my service rifle. I used it in the AfPak theatre."

who won out of the rifles is what he was asking

Oh. I misunderstood.

The CheyTac Intervention M-200 Long Range Rifle System (LRRS) won. That one deserves to win partly because that ammo is actually quite interesting in the sense that it makes the transition from supersonic to subsonic smoothly. That means that the trajectory is fairly constant over a longer distance (most ammo can't do that) and that makes it possible to do 3000yard miracles (at least in theory ). It is quite an interesting innovation in the field of ballistics.

MikhailN wrote:Not quite getting you there, but if you're asking if anyone has shot any of those guns then I'm sorry to disappoint you. I hardly expect anyone to stand up and say "Hey, that's my service rifle. I used it in the AfPak theatre."

Personally, I don't see any harm in making such a statement. War vets the world over (including some I've spoken to) freely say such things.

Nachtsider wrote:

MikhailN wrote:Not quite getting you there, but if you're asking if anyone has shot any of those guns then I'm sorry to disappoint you. I hardly expect anyone to stand up and say "Hey, that's my service rifle. I used it in the AfPak theatre."

Personally, I don't see any harm in making such a statement. War vets the world over (including some I've spoken to) freely say such things.

When grandpa was still alive he'd freely talk about all the service weapons he had wielded. but talking about what he did while wielding it was another story though.

Nachtsider wrote:Personally, I don't see any harm in making such a statement. War vets the world over (including some I've spoken to) freely say such things.

I do. Naming your service rifle tells people which country you're from (well, somewhat) and your vocation. It's not as bad if you say your service rifle is an M16 or AK47 (Conclusion: Western or Eastern Bloc infantryman) but if you went about saying your service rifle is an AI AWM (Conclusion: British sniper) you've just opened a whole can of worms. Especially if your vocation is especially problematic. Contrary to popular belief, snipers and other "special" forces are not revered the world over.

MikhailN wrote:I do. Naming your service rifle tells people which country you're from (well, somewhat) and your vocation. It's not as bad if you say your service rifle is an M16 or AK47 (Conclusion: Western or Eastern Bloc infantryman) but if you went about saying your service rifle is an AI AWM (Conclusion: British sniper) you've just opened a whole can of worms. Especially if your vocation is especially problematic. Contrary to popular belief, snipers and other "special" forces are not revered the world over.

True that. same in world war II, the snipers from that day and age aren't really popular either. Generally being labeled cowered because they hide and shoot at long range. But that's just general public opinion, I know that it takes more then that.

Tommygunner70 wrote:

Nachtsider wrote:No AMP DSR-1? Blasphemy.

And no M1 Garand or M14, Blasphemy!

Thats what I say! BLASPHEMIERS!!!! DEFILERS!!! HOW DARE YOU ALL!!!!

Tommygunner70 wrote:

MikhailN wrote:I do. Naming your service rifle tells people which country you're from (well, somewhat) and your vocation. It's not as bad if you say your service rifle is an M16 or AK47 (Conclusion: Western or Eastern Bloc infantryman) but if you went about saying your service rifle is an AI AWM (Conclusion: British sniper) you've just opened a whole can of worms. Especially if your vocation is especially problematic. Contrary to popular belief, snipers and other "special" forces are not revered the world over.

True that. same in world war II, the snipers from that day and age aren't really popular either. Generally being labeled cowered because they hide and shoot at long range. But that's just general public opinion, I know that it takes more then that.

Not mentioned in the Great War (WWI), some of the Balloon Recon guys did some sniping as well from their baskets as they took pictures. This surprized many balloon shooters as they went out to blow up balloons, only to find that some balloons actually shot back! Fonck was a sniper of the skyways himself- always trying to use the least amount of bullets as possible while in flight, and claimed to have shot down 3 with 5 in one battle. No one believed him as many considered him as a braggart and bore- even if he was telling the truth!

For when the girls need to call in "outside support":

Shock and Awe

1. B-2 Spirit
   
2. Nimitz Class CVN
   
3. B-52 Stratofortress
   
4. Virginia Class SSN
   
5. AC-130U Spooky
   
6. JDAM & LJDAM
   
7. SDB
   
8. MOAB
   
9. Delilah Missile
   
10. Mk 110 Naval Gun
    

Not like the girls will ever need a tank (well, except for Muffin), but...

Heavy Metal (Armor and Artillery)

1. M270 MLRS
   
2. ARCHER Artillery System
   
3. Dragon Fire II
   
4. M109 Paladin firing the M982 Excalibur round
   
5. XM1203 NLOS Cannon
   
6. PzH 2000
   
7. M777
   
8. Abrams M1A2
   
9. Stryker M1128 MGS
   
10. Merkava IV
    

Robotic Warriors

1. X-47B Pegasus
   
2. Crusher *
   
3. MQ-9 Reaper **
   
4. Talisman UUV
   
5. MQ-8 Fire Scout
   
6. VIPeR
   
7. RQ-4 Global Hawk
   
8. Protector USV
   
9. Elbit Skylark
   
10. Multifunctional Utility/Logistics and Equipment - MULE
    

* - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusher_(robot)
** - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MQ-9_Reaper

Close Quarter Battle Weapons

1. TDI Vector / Kriss Super V
   
2. H&K MP7
   
3. Magpul FMG 9
   
4. CornerShot
   
5. FN P90
   
6. Knight's Armament Company PDW
   
7. LWRC M6 PSD
   
8. H&K G36C
   
9. Ferfrans SOAR *
   
10. UZI
    

* - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Operations_Assault_Rifle_(SOAR)

And here is the final installment:

FirePower

1. JAVELIN MPADS
   
2. M32 Multiple Grenade Launcher
   
3. AT4 CS
   
4. BEOWULF Rifle
   
5. RPG-7
   
6. AA-12 Shotgun
   
7. MATADOR AAM *
   
8. SIMON Breaching Round
   
9. Dillon Aero Gatling Gun
   
10. RBS-70 MANPADS
    

* - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MATADOR_(weapon)