The Science of Russia’s New Silent Sniper Rifle

Aaron Spuler is a firearms enthusiast and recreational shooter. Follow more or his work at The Weapon Blog

Once a year, giants of the Russian arms industry gather outside Moscow to show off their latest technology and display their vision for the future of human warfare at the Russia’s Army Expo.

This year’s event featured future vaporware like a giant combat walker robot and other concepts far off into the future, such as chameleon camouflage. But a more significant weapon made a much more quiet appearance: the MTs-116M suppressed sniper rifle. Designed to mask noise and muzzle flash, it’s the most advanced version yet of one of the modern battlefield’s deadliest weapons.

The MTs-116M has been around for twenty years. It is a well-proven if unexceptional bolt-action, 7.62mm weapon with an affective range of 700 meters (about 2,300 feet). The new version, unveiled at Army 2018, keeps the basic design but converts the MTs-116M into a silenced 12.7mm weapon. It’s a major and appropriately quiet feat of weapon engineering.

Read the rest of the article: https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/amp22862616/russia-silent-sniper-rifle/