Infantry Weapons

M24 sniper rifle

Also known as
  • M24 SWS
  • M24 Sniper Weapon System
  • M-24 sniper rifle
  • Remington M24
  • Rifle, Caliber 7.62mm, Sniper Weapon System, M24

The M24 sniper rifle is the U.S. Army's Remington Model 700-based Sniper Weapon System, a 7.62x51mm NATO bolt-action rifle package built around a long-action receiver, day optic, bipod, and support accessories. Official imagery and reporting place M24 rifles in Iraq War security and sniper-training roles, while Afghan National Army records show the system supporting coalition-backed overwatch and marksmanship training in Helmand province.

M24 sniper rifle, Bolt-action sniper rifle, Infantry Weapons
Image source: PEO M24 SWS Image

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
Bolt-action sniper rifle
Service note
Adopted by the U.S. Army in 1988 and documented in Iraq War base security, Afghanistan partner-force training, and later M2010 conversion programs
Designer
Remington Arms
Designed
1980s; approved by the U.S. Army in 1988
Unit cost
Varies by contract and accessory package
Produced
1988-mid 2010s
Number built
Not listed in the cited sources for the original M24 production run
Developed from
Remington Model 700
Developed into
M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle

Specifications

Caliber
7.62x51mm NATO in the common M24 configuration
Action
Bolt-action Remington 700 long-action receiver
Barrel length
24 in / 610 mm
Effective range
800 m officially documented for the 7.62mm NATO version
Feed system
5-round internal magazine
Weight
About 16 lb with attachments; about 15 lb scoped and loaded in one evaluated configuration
Optic
Leupold fixed-power day optic in the original rifle package
Variants

The M24 family starts with the 7.62x51mm NATO Army Sniper Weapon System and then branches into range-extension and modernization paths that used the long-action receiver for larger cartridges or a full M2010 conversion.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
M24A2.300 Winchester Magnum-capable variation

Air Force background describes the M24A2 as an alternate M24 configuration that can be chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum to extend effective range beyond the common 7.62 NATO rifle.

Sources: The M24 Sniper Weapon System

M24A3.338 Lapua Magnum-capable variation

Air Force background identifies the M24A3 as a further range-extension variant associated with .338 Lapua chambering.

Sources: The M24 Sniper Weapon System

M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, Bolt-action sniper rifle, Infantry WeaponsM2010 Enhanced Sniper RifleM24E1 / XM2010 conversion

The Army's XM2010 program rebuilt the M24 sniper rifle system around .300 Winchester Magnum, a suppressor, detachable magazine, modular rail system, improved stock, and a 1,200-meter range.

Sources: Sniper Rifle Improvements to See Testing This Spring, Upgrade Kits for M4 Come in 2011

Ammunition Fired

The common M24 configuration is documented as a 7.62x51mm NATO rifle; later conversion paths used the long-action receiver for larger cartridges.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, NATO-standard rifle and machine-gun cartridge, Munitions7.62x51mm NATO cartridgeRifle cartridge

Minot Air Force Base and American Rifleman both identify the standard M24 Sniper Weapon System as chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO, with a five-round internal magazine in the original rifle package.

Sources: The M24 Sniper Weapon System, The Remington M24 Sniper Weapon System

Why the long action mattered

The Army retained a long-action Remington 700 receiver even for the 7.62mm rifle, which later allowed .300 Winchester Magnum conversion work that led into the XM2010/M2010 program.

Sources: The Remington M24 Sniper Weapon System, Sniper Rifle Improvements to See Testing This Spring, Upgrade Kits for M4 Come in 2011

M24 To M2010 Conversion Path

Army sources describe the M2010 as a reconfigured M24 rather than a clean-sheet replacement: Remington received the 2010 M24 Reconfigured Sniper Weapon System contract, and CPE Ground describes the M2010 as a fully upgraded M24 rechambered for .300 Winchester Magnum.

Catalog link

M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle is the existing related record for the M24E1/XM2010 conversion.

Source labels: Army Awards Contract for Upgraded Sniper Weapon System; CPE Ground M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle; Snipers Put Finishing Touches on the Last Sniper Rifle.

Conversion focus

The conversion changed the chambering to .300 Winchester Magnum and added a chassis, detachable magazine, rail-mounted sighting package, night-sight integration, and suppressor.

Timeline

M24 sniper rifle Key Events

  1. U.S. Army approves the M24

    After a mid-1980s sniper-rifle competition and testing effort, the Army approved Remington's rifle in 1988 as the M24 Sniper Weapon System.

    Sources: The Remington M24 Sniper Weapon System

  2. M24 noted in Iraq sniper-school deployment

    DVIDS reporting from Taji described an Arkansas National Guard soldier serving in a sniper role with the M24 during a combat-zone sniper-school rotation in Iraq.

    Sources: Classroom to Combat Arkansas Soldiers Attend School in Iraq

  3. Army prepares improved M24 testing

    Army reporting said industry candidates for an improved M24 were expected to enter testing in spring 2010, with the service seeking external magazines, updated optics, accessory rails, and .300 Winchester Magnum use.

    Sources: Sniper Rifle Improvements to See Testing This Spring

  4. XM2010 conversion moves toward fielding

    The Army described the XM2010 as an M24 improvement built by Remington with a suppressor, fluted free-floating barrel, modular rail system, magazine feed, adjustable stock, and 1,200-meter range.

    Sources: Upgrade Kits for M4 Come in 2011

  5. Afghan soldiers train on acquired M24 rifles

    A Marine scout-sniper team in Helmand province trained Afghan National Army soldiers whose kandak had acquired M24 rifles but needed instruction before using them for overwatch and squad support.

    Sources: Afghans Learn Marksmanship from Scout Snipers

Media

M24 sniper rifle Videos

M24 sniper rifle Images

M24 sniper rifle, Bolt-action sniper rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 1
Source: PEO M24 SWS Image
M24 sniper rifle, Bolt-action sniper rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 2
Source: Afghan National Army M24 Live-Fire Image
M24 sniper rifle, Bolt-action sniper rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 3
Source: 1st Battalion 24th Infantry M24 in Mosul
Related Weapon Systems
M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, Bolt-action sniper rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsM2010 Enhanced Sniper RifleBolt-action sniper rifleThe 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.
M4/M4A1 carbine, Carbine, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsM4/M4A1 carbineCarbineThe M4/M4A1 carbine is a U.S.-origin 5.56mm service-rifle family built around a shorter M16 lineage, a collapsible stock, and modular accessory mounting. Conflict-specific evidence documents M4-family use by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, coalition and Iraqi partner forces during anti-ISIS operations, Philippine Marines at Marawi, Israeli wartime replenishment, and Ukrainian special-operations transition from Soviet-pattern rifles during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.
.308-caliber precision rifle, Bolt-action or semi-automatic precision rifle class, Infantry WeaponsInfantry Weapons.308-caliber precision rifleBolt-action or semi-automatic precision rifle class.308-caliber precision rifles are scoped small arms chambered in .308 Winchester, 7.62x51mm NATO, or closely related .30-caliber service cartridges, depending on the model and markings. The class spans law-enforcement, military, sporting, and long-range precision roles. In the 2022 Haitian Gang Conflict entry, the sourcing supports illicit trafficking of .308 rifles into Haiti and gang-linked demand for higher-powered rifles, but it does not identify a specific model or prove a documented firing incident.
PGW Timberwolf, .338 Lapua Magnum bolt-action sniper rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsPGW Timberwolf.338 Lapua Magnum bolt-action sniper rifleThe PGW Timberwolf, known in Canadian service as the C14 Medium Range Sniper Weapon System, is a Canadian .338 Lapua Magnum bolt-action rifle built for long-range precision fire. Canada ordered the 8.6 mm system from PGW in 2005 to replace the C3A1, and later announced C21 replacement rifles in 2022. The Yemen conflict record centers on imagery-based reporting of Timberwolf rifles with Houthi-aligned forces and Yemeni government or proxy forces.
M16 rifle, Assault rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsM16 rifleAssault rifleThe M16 is a U.S.-origin 5.56x45mm assault-rifle family that evolved from 1955 Vietnam War service into the M16A1, M16A2 and M16A4 lineage. Current Army and FN references describe the M16A4 as a gas-operated, shoulder-fired, 20-inch-barrel rifle with rail and optics compatibility, while conflict-specific sources document continued use from Marawi and Afghanistan to Israeli wartime response teams, Iraqi partner-force training and Colombian FARC dissident seizures.
M76 sniper rifle, Semi-automatic designated marksman/sniper rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsM76 sniper rifleSemi-automatic designated marksman/sniper rifleThe M76 is a Zastava-built Yugoslav semi-automatic marksman rifle originally chambered for 7.92x57 mm Mauser and built around an enlarged Kalashnikov-pattern action. Its catalog significance is twofold: it was a Yugoslav People's Army precision rifle with distinctive 8 mm ammunition and optic arrangements, and it later appears in Lake Chad Basin reporting as a Serbian-origin sniper rifle associated with Boko Haram factions.

Sources

The M24 Sniper Weapon SystemPublisher: Minot Air Force Base | Note: Supports M24 background and specifications, including Remington 700 lineage, 7.62x51mm NATO chambering, 24-inch barrel, approximate weight, 800-meter effective range, and M2010 conversion context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01The Remington M24 Sniper Weapon SystemPublisher: American Rifleman | Note: Supports Remington Arms manufacturer background, U.S. Army adoption history, M24 package details, magazine capacity, barrel construction, stock features, and optic context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Afghan National Army Soldier Fires M24 at Camp ShorabakPublisher: PICRYL / Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: Supports 2001 War in Afghanistan direct use: an M24 sniper rifle was fired by an Afghan National Army soldier during November 2017 sniper training at Camp Shorabak to support intelligence gathering and long-range firing capability for future combat missions in Helmand province. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Afghans Learn Marksmanship from Scout SnipersPublisher: 1st Marine Division | Note: Supports 2001 War in Afghanistan direct use: Afghan National Army soldiers in Helmand province trained with newly acquired M24 rifles for squad overwatch, observation, and long-range engagement under Marine scout-sniper instruction. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Classroom to Combat Arkansas Soldiers Attend School in IraqPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports 2003 Iraq War direct use: a deployed Arkansas National Guard soldier at Taji was described as serving in a sniper role with the M24 during a combat-zone sniper-school deployment. | Accessed: 2026-07-011st Battalion 24th Infantry M24 in MosulPublisher: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Department of Defense | Note: Supports 2003 Iraq War direct use and image provenance: a U.S. Army 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment sniper was photographed with a 7.62 mm M24 sniper rifle while scanning for enemy activity from a Mosul police station after insurgent attacks during Operation Iraqi Freedom. | Accessed: 2026-07-01532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron M24 at BaladPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports 2003 Iraq War direct use: a 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron airman was documented behind an M24 sniper rifle in a Joint Base Balad entry-control tower after a report of possible small-arms fire. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Iraq Turning a Blind EyePublisher: Amnesty International | Note: Supports 2013 War in Iraq direct fielding: Amnesty International and ARES identified isolated sightings of U.S.-manufactured M24 sniper rifles among weapons deployed by PMU militias during the anti-Islamic State conflict in Iraq. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Sniper Rifle Improvements to See Testing This SpringPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports M24 improvement-program context, including the 7.62mm rifle's approximate 800-meter range, long-action design margin for .300 Winchester Magnum, external-magazine and optic goals, and spring 2010 testing plan. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Upgrade Kits for M4 Come in 2011Publisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports XM2010/M2010 conversion context: Remington received the production contract for an improved M24 sniper rifle system with suppressor, fluted free-floating barrel, modular rail, magazine feed, adjustable stock, and 1,200-meter range. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Army Awards Contract for Upgraded Sniper Weapon SystemPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports the September 2010 Remington contract for the M24 Reconfigured Sniper Weapon System/XM2010, .300 Winchester Magnum chambering, and upgraded magazine, chassis, rail, optic, night sight, and suppressor features. | Accessed: 2026-07-01CPE Ground M2010 Enhanced Sniper RiflePublisher: U.S. Army CPE Ground | Note: Supports official M2010 description as a fully upgraded M24 Sniper Weapon System rechambered to .300 Winchester Magnum, including range, chassis, suppressor, optic, night sight, and specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Snipers Put Finishing Touches on the Last Sniper RiflePublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports the M2010 conversion path from M24 long-action receivers, Afghanistan-driven fielding need, June 2011 Afghanistan training completion for M2010 sniper teams, and April 2014 final production-objective ceremony. | Accessed: 2026-07-01PEO M24 SWS ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Army PEO Soldier image of an M24 Sniper Weapon System. | Accessed: 2026-07-01M24 SWS ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Army image of the M24 Sniper Weapon System. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Afghan National Army M24 Live-Fire ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Marine Corps image showing an Afghan National Army soldier sighting an M24 rifle during a live-fire range in Afghanistan. | Accessed: 2026-07-01