 M21 sniper rifle | | M21 | | Country | United States | | Type | Semi-automatic sniper rifle | | Inventor | Army Weapons Command,
Combat Development Command,
Limited Warfare Agency | | Date of design | 1969 (XM21; renamed M21 in 1975) | | Service duration | 1969 - 1988
(Officially replaced by M24 SWS, though it remains in service) | | Cartridge | 7.62 mm x 51 | | Action | Gas actuated | | Rate of fire | Semi-automatic | | Muzzle velocity | 853 m/s (2,800 ft/s) | | Effective range | 690 m (750 yards) | | Weight (Unloaded) | 3.95 kg (8.7 lb) | | Length | 1118 mm (44 in) | | Barrel | 560 mm (22 in) | | Magazine capacity | 10 or 20 round box | | Viewing sights | Front: National Match front blade .062
Rear: Match-grade hooded aperture with one-half minute adjustments for both windage and elevation. 26 3/4" sight radius | | Variants | XM21, M25 | | Number built | N/A | The M21 is the semi-automatic sniper rifle adaptation of the popular M14 rifle. It is chambered for the 7.62 mm NATO round. The M21 Sniper rifle Left View. ...
A semi-automatic firearm requires a trigger pull for each round that is fired. ...
A U.S. Army soldier peers through a scope mounted atop his M-21 rifle during operations in Iraq A sniper rifle is a somewhat vague class of rifle used for sniping, but it can be defined as a rifle used for selective destruction of specific small targets from a...
1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday For other uses, see Number 1969. ...
1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ...
1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) is a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The M24 SWS is the military version of the Remington 700 rifle. ...
Rimmed, centerfire . ...
NATO 7. ...
In firearms terminology, an action is the system of operation that the firearm employs to seal the breech (in a breech-loading firearm), and to load consecutive rounds. ...
The gas-actuated system for implementing automatic reloading of a firearm is one of three such systems, the others being recoil-actuated and blowback. ...
The Rate of fire is the speed at which a specific firearm can operate. ...
A guns muzzle velocity is the speed at which the projectile leaves the muzzle of the gun. ...
A semi-automatic rifle is a type of rifle that, when the trigger is pulled, fires a bullet and loads another cartridge from a magazine, without the need to operate a bolt or other loading mechanism. ...
A U.S. Army soldier peers through a scope mounted atop his M-21 rifle during operations in Iraq A sniper rifle is a somewhat vague class of rifle used for sniping, but it can be defined as a rifle used for selective destruction of specific small targets from a...
For other uses of M14, see M14 (disambiguation). ...
NATO 7. ...
History The United States Army wanted an accurate sniper rifle during the Vietnam War. It selected the M14 because of its accuracy, reliability, and the ability for a quick second shot. As a result, in 1969, the Rock Island Arsenal converted 1,435 National Match (target grade) M14 rifles by adding a Leatherwood 3-9x Adjustable Ranging Telescope (ART) telescopic sight and furnishing National Match grade ammunition. It was designated the XM21 until 1971 when it became the M21. US Army Seal HHC, US Army Distinctive Unit Insignia The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ...
The Vietnam War or Second Indochina War was a conflict between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN, or North Vietnam), allied with the National Liberation Front (NLF, or Viet Cong) against the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, or South Vietnam), and its allies—notably the United States military in support of...
Developed and patented by James M. Leatherwood, the Adjustable Ranging Telescope (ART) system combines a rangefinding scale inside the telescopic sight (scope) with an adjustable cam built into the scopes mount that raises or lowers the rear of the sight to compensate for the trajectory of the bullet. ...
The M21 remained the Army’s sniper rifle until 1988 when it was replaced by the M24 SWS (Sniper Weapon System) bolt action rifle. The M24 SWS is the military version of the Remington 700 rifle. ...
In 1991, the military updated the M21, primarily by the addition of a McMillan M2A bedded stock and designated it the M25. These are still in use by various Special Operations units.
The M21 Sniper rifle Right View. ...
The M21 Sniper rifle Right View. ...
Magazines In standard military use, the M21/M25 use the same 10 or 20 round box magazines as the other members of the M14 family and weighs 5.27 kg without the scope. The U.S. military never officially authorized or purchased magazines in any other capacity. The international prototype, made of platinum-iridium, which is kept at the BIPM under conditions specified by the 1st CGPM in 1889. ...
See also The M24 SWS is the military version of the Remington 700 rifle. ...
Caliber: 7. ...
A U.S. Army soldier peers through a scope mounted atop his M-21 rifle during operations in Iraq A sniper rifle is a somewhat vague class of rifle used for sniping, but it can be defined as a rifle used for selective destruction of specific small targets from a...
Legendary U.S. Marine Corps sniper Carlos Hathcock Carlos Norman Hathcock II (May 20, 1942–February 23, 1999) was a Marine sniper during the Vietnam War. ...
Individual weapons by type and current level of use. ...
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