Marine Corps sniper rifle controversy

[LittleLebowski]

Basically the Corps was planning to field yet another .308 M40 variant (the M40A7) and the Washington Post ran this article (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/why-the-marines-have-failed-to-adopt-a-new-sniper-rifle-in-the-past-14-years/2015/06/13/cb924d96-0eaf-11e5-a0dc-2b6f404ff5cf_story.html) pointing out that other services see the need for a better caliber (.338 Lapua/.300 WinMag).

The Post claims that change may be afoot now with this article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/07/24/marine-corps-looks-to-field-new-sniper-rifle/

[ranger]

The advances in weapons systems, capabilities of ammunition plus new cartridges, optics, night vision yield new opportunities for the land warrior - Marine or Army. Ultimately, the desired "effects" SHOULD drive the tactics and weapon system choices. Not every sniper needs to be armed with a 1500 or 2000 yard weapon/cartidge. Furthermore, the requirements for a "Squad Designated Marksman" to bridge the gap at the tactical level between a M4 armed rifleman and the true sniper armed with a 1000+ yard weapon further complicates the weapon/cartridge mix.

[LittleLebowski]

Not every sniper needs to be armed with a 1500-2000 yard weapon but the Marine Corps currently only has the M82 to fulfill that role and it's really not meant for that.

[Jeep]

The Marines were way ahead of the curve with their Scout Sniper concept. They should take the present opportunity to uparm. I think the .338 might be the way to go instead of the .300 Mag., but either will be an improvement (not that they should get rid of their 7.62 rifles--those will fill a role also).

Snipers are going to be a very important part of land operations for years to come.

[TGS]

Furthermore, the requirements for a "Squad Designated Marksman" to bridge the gap at the tactical level between a M4 armed rifleman and the true sniper armed with a 1000+ yard weapon further complicates the weapon/cartridge mix.

Can you clarify this statement?

USMC scout sniper teams often operate independently of squads or other units. It's not like a SDM is overlapping a scout sniper team's job or capabilities....at least in the way the USMC envisioned and implemented the concept of a scout sniper team.

[Paul]

Sometimes in the Corps the only thing worse than the way things are, is trying to make any changes. Institutional inertia can be hard to overcome.

I've heard the idea being batted around that the M40 has stuck around so long because it's the only platform keeping the PWS afloat.

[gtmtnbiker98]

The M40 won't be going anywhere.

[gtmtnbiker98]

The M40 won't be going anywhere.

Told you so: http://bearingarms.com/marine-corps-signals-shifts-army-sniper-rifles-infantry-carbines/ Don't know how reliable the source is.

[JHC]

Told you so: http://bearingarms.com/marine-corps-signals-shifts-army-sniper-rifles-infantry-carbines/ Don't know how reliable the source is.

military.com is running that story also. Sounds definitive. http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/07/30/more-powerful-special-ops-sniper-rifle-unlikely-marine-snipers.html?comp=1198882887570&rank=1

[Blood_Brothers_2017]

Agreed.

[Failure2Stop]

Told you so: http://bearingarms.com/marine-corps-signals-shifts-army-sniper-rifles-infantry-carbines/ Don't know how reliable the source is.

I put little stock in that. At the end of the day, the Corps can't just run out and buy a rifle.
There should be a program, with a winner, with a contract.
Not saying that they are going to do that, but it would make everything better for everybody.
The problem is that doing it the right way takes time.