In March, the U.S. Army awarded a close to $50 million contract for a new sniper rifle.
More specifically, the Army awarded Barret Firearms Manufacturing Inc., a $49.9 million, five-year contract for the MK22 Multi-role Adaptive Design (MRAD), which has been chosen as the new long-range rifle for the Army.
This isn’t the first time that the MRAD rifle has hit the news lately. In January, the Army’s Program Executive Officer Soldier (PEO Soldier) came out and announced the decision to replace the Army’s existing sniper rifle arsenal with the MK22 MRAD. Now, the Army has awarded the long-awaited contract.
The Army plans to use the MRAD rifle to replace the M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle and the M107 0.50 Caliber Long Range Sniper Rifle.
But the Marine Corps is also interested in the MRAD and plans to purchase approximately 250 rifles in order to replace all bolt-action sniper rifles, such as the M40, a Vietnam War veteran, in its arsenal.
The MRAD offers options to the warfighter. It comes in three calibers (7.62 NATO, .300 Norma Magnum, and .338 Norma Magnum) and has the ability to be adapted according to the situation (from bolt-action to semi-automatic) according to the tactical picture.
To be sure, the acquisition of the MRAD has been a lengthy process. First requested by and developed for the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM), the MRAD program started in 2016. SOCOM wanted to upgrade its sniper rifle arsenal through the Advanced Sniper Rifle program. At some point, the Army and Marine Corps saw the value of the MRAD and joined the program.
The Army plans to purchase approximately 2,800 MK22 rifles.
The military and Barrett go a long way back. The gun manufacturer began selling sniper rifles to the US military in the 1980s and has since then sold several models, including the M82, M95, M99, and M107.
Feature photo courtesy of Barrett
If the MK22 newest sniper rifle for the us army can not convert the rifle to a semiautomatic then can Barret Firearms manufacturing make a whole new semiautomatic MK22 sniper rifle in time for both the Can and American army’s in time for WW3 and mass produce them for a massive army of WW3 and possibly equip all the NATO allies with the the same gun Agent47 Edward Vanderdeen asking????
Pretty hard to convert a folding stock bolt action to a semi or full auto weapon. With the folding stock, there is no room for the bolt carrier, buffer & spring to recoil into like the buffer tube on a selective fire rifle. “Sniper rifles” are designed for long range accuracy, NOT high cyclic rates! Much easier to convert a selective fire weapon to a bolt action.
Eddy Vanderdeen here Agent 47 Is it possible if Barrert firearms manufacturing Inc could make the MK22 sniper rifle into a Semi auto matic. and given to each army guy of both the Can and American army for WW3 coming!!!
Please give me a shout to Eddys request.
With all due respect Stavros, I do not think think the MRAD can be converted to semi-auto fire. I have followed this weapon system for awhile, and have never seen a semi-auto version. Please correct me if I am wrong. The cool thing about the MRAD, is it is a switch barrel rifle, easily converted in the field. Great article!