Infantry Weapons

Anti-materiel rifle

Also known as
  • anti-material rifle
  • AMR

Anti-materiel rifles are large-caliber rifles designed to disable vehicles, weapons, sensors, and other materiel from long range. The family traces back to World War I anti-tank rifles and modernized with Barrett's 1982 Model 82A1, the first shoulder-fired semi-automatic .50 BMG rifle. In the 2023 Sudan War, Amnesty International reported Chinese-made rifles used by both sides, including in Darfur.

Anti-materiel rifle, Large-caliber anti-materiel rifle, Infantry Weapons
Image source: Barrett M82A1 image

Role in Conflicts

What Makes It Distinct

Anti-materiel rifles stay man-portable while targeting vehicles, optics, sensors, and other hard targets at long range.

TopicReader note
LineageThe category descends from World War I anti-tank rifles; Barrett's company history places the modern revival in 1982.
Representative modelBarrett M82A1 / M107, Semi-automatic .50 BMG anti-materiel rifle, Infantry WeaponsBarrett M82A1 / M107 is Barrett's best-known shoulder-fired semi-automatic .50 BMG example, and the U.S. Army adopted it as the M107 in 2002.
Target setThe design is meant for materiel rather than armor alone: vehicles, weapons, optics, sensors, and similar hard targets.
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Multiple countries
Type
Large-caliber anti-materiel rifle
Service note
World War I origins; modern revival from 1982
Designer
Various designers
Designed
World War I roots; modern revival began in 1982
Unit cost
Barrett's 2026 retail list prices the family at $9,820-$14,650 depending on variant.
Produced
1982-present
Number built
Not publicly established

Specifications

Typical caliber
Commonly 12.7×99 mm NATO (.50 BMG), 12.7×108 mm, or 14.5×114 mm
Action
Bolt-action or semi-automatic
Effective range
About 1,000-2,000 m for common 12.7 mm and 14.5 mm rifles
Primary role
Disabling vehicles, weapons, sensors, and other hard targets
Crew
Usually one shooter, often paired with a spotter
Variants
  • Bolt-action anti-materiel rifle
  • Semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle
Compatible Ammunition
AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
12.7x99mm NATO / .50 BMG, 12.7 mm heavy machine-gun cartridge, Munitions12.7x99mm NATO / .50 BMGLarge-caliber rifle cartridge

The U.S. Army says the M107 anti-materiel rifle fires .50-caliber ammunition, and Barrett identifies the Model 82A1 as chambered in .50 BMG.

Sources: M107 Semi-Automatic Long Range Sniper Rifle (LRSR), Barrett Model 82A1

Firing Weapons
Firing weaponWeapon typeFiring evidence
12.7x99mm NATO / .50 BMG, 12.7 mm heavy machine-gun cartridge, Munitions12.7x99mm NATO / .50 BMGLarge-caliber rifle cartridge

Nammo describes its 12.7 mm x 99 .50 cal multipurpose ammunition as ideal for anti-material rifles and lists Barrett M82/M107 among qualified systems.

Sources: NAMMO AMMUNITION HANDBOOK

Timeline

Anti-materiel rifle Key Events

  1. World War I anti-tank rifles appear

    The family's lineage begins with anti-tank rifles built to answer the first battlefield tanks.

    Sources: Anti-materiel Rifles (Research Note 7)

  2. Anti-tank rifles fade from regular service

    Small Arms Survey notes that anti-tank rifles largely disappear after World War II.

    Sources: Anti-materiel Rifles (Research Note 7)

  3. Barrett's modern era begins

    Barrett's company history places the Model 82 family's origin in 1982, marking the modern shoulder-fired .50-caliber rifle era.

    Sources: Barrett Company History, Barrett Model 82A1

  4. U.S. Army adopts the M107

    Barrett's company history says the U.S. Army adopted the M82A1 as the M107 in 2002.

    Sources: Barrett Company History, M107 Semi-Automatic Long Range Sniper Rifle (LRSR)

  5. 2023 Sudan War use is documented

    Amnesty International reported Chinese-made anti-materiel rifles used by both sides of the 2023 Sudan War, including in Darfur.

    Sources: New weapons fuelling the Sudan conflict

Media

Anti-materiel rifle Images

Anti-materiel rifle, Large-caliber anti-materiel rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 1
Source: Dutch Barrett M82A1 image
Anti-materiel rifle, Large-caliber anti-materiel rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 2
Source: M107-M82A1 Long Range Rifle image
Anti-materiel rifle, Large-caliber anti-materiel rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 3
Source: Robar RC-50 image
Related Weapon Systems
Barrett M82A1 / M107, Semi-automatic .50 BMG anti-materiel rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsBarrett M82A1 / M107Semi-automatic .50 BMG anti-materiel rifleThe Barrett M82A1, adopted by the U.S. Army as the M107 and later developed into the lighter M107A1, is a recoil-operated semi-automatic .50 BMG anti-materiel rifle for long-range fire against equipment, light materiel, and protected positions. Its conflict record in this catalog is strongest where sources directly identify .50-caliber Barrett or M82A1 rifles: Maute-held sniper positions in Marawi, Houthi-aligned use in Yemen, and 400 Mawozo-linked gang arsenals in Haiti.
AK-47/AKM rifle family, Selective-fire assault rifle family, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsAK-47/AKM rifle familySelective-fire assault rifle familyAK-47/AKM-family rifles are Kalashnikov-pattern small arms derived from the Soviet AK-47 and 1959 AKM modernization, usually chambered in 7.62 x 39 mm. In the post-2015 catalog they appear with FARC dissidents in Colombia, gangs in Haiti, PKK fighters, GNA scouts in Libya, insurgents in Mali, Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria, militants in Sinai, RSF units in Sudan, Hamas fighters in Gaza, Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, Boko Haram-linked militants in the Lake Chad basin, and Houthi-linked supply chains in Yemen.
Hunting rifle, Civilian shoulder-fired rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsHunting rifleCivilian shoulder-fired rifleHunting rifles are civilian shoulder-fired rifles that enter conflict records as a weapon class rather than a standardized military model. The catalog evidence ties them to community security and militia use: UNIDIR documents craft-produced hunting rifles among CJTF/Yan Gora and Hunters/Charmers in northeast Nigeria, while Conflict Armament Research identifies hunting rifles among anti-balaka militia weapons in the Central African Republic.

Sources

Anti-materiel Rifles (Research Note 7)Publisher: Small Arms Survey | Note: Supports anti-materiel rifle background, World War I origins, broad modern production spread, and the typical 1,000-2,000 m effective range of 12.7 mm and 14.5 mm rifles. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Barrett Model 82A1Publisher: Barrett Firearms | Note: Supports Barrett's original high-performance 50-caliber rifle and the first shoulder-fired semi-automatic .50 BMG rifle description. | Accessed: 2026-06-26Barrett Company HistoryPublisher: Barrett Firearms | Note: Supports the 1982 origin of the Model 82 legacy, the 1989 Swedish Army order, the 1990 Desert Storm use, and the 2002 U.S. Army adoption of the M107. | Accessed: 2026-06-26M107 Semi-Automatic Long Range Sniper Rifle (LRSR)Publisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports representative anti-materiel rifle background and specifications: the M107 fires .50-caliber ammunition, is designed for precise fire on materiel and personnel targets, and is capable of reaching 2,000 meters. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Barrett 2026 Price ListPublisher: Barrett Firearms | Note: Supports representative retail pricing for the Model 82A1 ($9,820) and M107A1 ($14,650) on Barrett's 2026 price list. | Accessed: 2026-06-26NAMMO AMMUNITION HANDBOOKPublisher: Nammo | Note: Supports .50 cal 12.7x99 mm multipurpose ammunition being ideal for anti-material rifles and listing Barrett M82/M107 among qualified systems. | Accessed: 2026-06-28New weapons fuelling the Sudan conflictPublisher: Amnesty International | Note: Supports 2023 Sudan War direct conflict-use: anti-materiel rifles manufactured in China were used by both sides of the 2023 Sudan War, including in Darfur. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Barrett M82A1 imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the primary anti-materiel rifle image; the file is marked public domain as a U.S. military or Department of Defense work. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Dutch Barrett M82A1 imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the gallery Barrett M82A1 image; the file is marked CC0 with Wikimedia VRT permission. | Accessed: 2026-06-21M107-M82A1 Long Range Rifle imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the gallery M107/M82A1 rifle image; the file is marked public domain as a U.S. Air Force work. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Robar RC-50 imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the gallery Robar RC-50 anti-material rifle image; the file is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-06-21