The U.S. Army fielded M2010 rifles and new-equipment training to Army sniper teams operating in Afghanistan by June 2011, after units requested a longer-range system for ridgeline-to-ridgeline fights against Taliban forces.
Role detailsInfantry Weapons
M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle
Also known as
- M2010 ESR
- M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle (ESR)
- XM2010
- XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle
- M24E1
- M24E1 Enhanced Sniper Rifle
- M24 Reconfigured Sniper Weapon System
The M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle is the U.S. Army's .300 Winchester Magnum rebuild of the M24 Sniper Weapon System, developed to give sniper teams longer reach in Afghanistan's mountainous terrain. Remington converted the long-action M24 into a suppressed, magazine-fed precision rifle with a folding adjustable chassis, extended-range optic, night-sight compatibility, and a 1,200-meter effective range; later imagery from 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve shows the rifle still serving in U.S. patrol overwatch in northeast Syria.
Role in Conflicts
- Role in conflict
- Patrol overwatch and security operations
A U.S. Army sniper with 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment was documented using an M2010 while conducting security operations with Syrian Democratic Forces in northeast Syria on October 24, 2024.
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- United States
- Built by
- Remington Arms
- Type
- Bolt-action sniper rifle
- Service note
- Introduced in 2011, first fielded during the later 2001 War in Afghanistan, and documented again in U.S.-led counter-ISIS security operations in 2024
- Designer
- PEO Soldier
- Designed
- 2010
- Produced
- 2010-2014
- Number built
- 2,520 M2010 ESR systems cited at the April 2014 final-delivery ceremony; 2,558 M2010 rifles completed for the U.S. Army in official portfolio data
- Developed from
- M24 Sniper Weapon System
Specifications
- Caliber
- .300 Winchester Magnum
- Action
- Bolt-action, magazine-fed
- Effective range
- 1,200 meters
- Weight
- 17.5 lb combat ready without suppressor; 18.7 lb with suppressor
- Length
- 46.5 in with buttstock unfolded without suppressor; 52 in extended with suppressor
- Barrel length
- 24 in
- Optic
- Leupold Mark 4 6.5-20x50mm ER/T riflescope with AN/PVS-30 night-sight compatibility
- Feed system
- 5-round detachable box magazine
- Suppressor
- Quick-attach/detach suppressor listed as part of the M2010 system package
- Chassis
- Folding, adjustable stock with rails for optics, night sight, and accessories
Conversion Package
The M2010 answered an urgent Afghanistan requirement by retaining the M24 long-action receiver and rebuilding the rifle around a longer-reaching .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge. The Army source describes the change as a way to out-range the 7.62 mm M24 and M110 systems that sniper teams already had in theater.
| Conversion area | M2010 change | Reader note |
|---|---|---|
| Receiver and chambering | Rechambered M24 long-action receiver for .300 Winchester Magnum | Raised official effective range to 1,200 meters. |
| Stock and rails | Folding adjustable chassis with accessory rails | Allowed a modern optic, night sight, suppressor, and ergonomic adjustments. |
| Fielding driver | Urgent Afghanistan requirement | Designed for ridgeline-to-ridgeline sniper engagements and overwatch in mountainous terrain. |
Variants
The M2010 was an M24 Sniper Weapon System conversion rather than a clean-sheet rifle family: the Army reused the M24 long-action receiver, rechambered it for .300 Winchester Magnum, and rebuilt the weapon around a modern chassis, detachable magazine, suppressor, and updated sighting package.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
 | Parent rifle system | The Army selected long-action M24 receivers as the conversion base for the M2010, replacing the 7.62 mm configuration with a .300 Winchester Magnum system and modern chassis. Sources: Snipers Put Finishing Touches on the Last Sniper Rifle, CPE Ground M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle |
Timeline
M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle Key Events
Afghanistan sniper teams receive the M2010
The Army completed fielding and new-equipment training for Army sniper teams operating in Afghanistan by June 2011, before that year's Taliban summer offensive.
Sources: Snipers Put Finishing Touches on the Last Sniper Rifle
Urgent-release fielding passes 1,400 systems
By September 2012, the Army had fielded more than 1,400 M2010 systems under urgent materiel release.
Sources: Snipers Put Finishing Touches on the Last Sniper Rifle
Type Classification-Standard
The M2010 achieved Type Classification-Standard in July 2013, followed by Full Materiel Release in September 2013.
Sources: Snipers Put Finishing Touches on the Last Sniper Rifle
Final production delivery marked
Army and Remington representatives marked completion of the M2010 production objective at Remington's Ilion, New York plant.
Sources: Snipers Put Finishing Touches on the Last Sniper Rifle
M2010 documented on OIR patrol in Syria
A U.S. Army sniper with 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment was photographed using an M2010 while conducting security operations with Syrian Democratic Forces in northeast Syria.
Sources: Guardlife Volume 44 Number 2
Media
M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle Videos
M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle Images
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
CPE Ground M2010 Enhanced Sniper RiflePublisher: U.S. Army CPE Ground | Note: Supports official M2010 mission, description, caliber, range, weight, length, barrel, optic, suppressor, magazine, and chassis details. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Snipers Put Finishing Touches on the Last Sniper RiflePublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports 2001 War in Afghanistan direct use: the M2010 was fielded by and used by U.S. Army sniper teams operating in Afghanistan for longer-range ridgeline overwatch and precision fire; also supports Remington production background, Army fielding milestones, M24 conversion context, type classification, and final delivery. | Accessed: 2026-06-29The M24 Sniper Weapon SystemPublisher: Minot Air Force Base | Note: Supports M24 lineage background and the M24E1 Enhanced Sniper Rifle designation for the system known as the M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Guardlife Volume 44 Number 2Publisher: New Jersey National Guard | Note: Supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State direct conflict use under Operation Inherent Resolve: Supports 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve direct use: an M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle was used by a U.S. Army sniper with 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment while conducting security operations with Syrian Democratic Forces in northeast Syria on October 24, 2024. | Accessed: 2026-06-29M2010 at Observation Post MangolPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Army image of an M2010-equipped sniper team leader in Kunar province, Afghanistan. | Accessed: 2026-06-29XM2010 Right ViewPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a right-side view of the XM2010/M2010 rifle. | Accessed: 2026-06-29XM2010 November 2010Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a distinct XM2010/M2010 configuration image from November 2010. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Battle Group Poland M2010 TrainingPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a U.S. Army training image showing an M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle in use. | Accessed: 2026-06-29