U.S.-led forces fielded sniper rifle systems in Afghanistan, including XM110 rifles issued to Task Force Fury snipers at Forward Operating Base Salerno in 2007 and M2010 rifles fielded to Army sniper teams operating in Afghanistan by June 2011.
Role detailsInfantry Weapons
Sniper rifle
Also known as
- High precision rifle
- Sniper weapon system
- Precision rifle
- Scoped precision rifle
Sniper rifles are scoped precision rifles used by trained marksmen for observation, overwatch, and selective long-range fire. The record covers representative combat and supply contexts rather than one national design: U.S. Army fielding in Afghanistan and Iraq, U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, and Philippine government sniper positions during the 2017 Battle of Marawi.
Role in Conflicts
Official U.S. Army, Marine Corps, DVIDS, and archival records document sniper rifles in Iraq with U.S. forces, Iraqi Army trainees, and insurgent gunmen, including a U.S. Barrett .50-caliber sniper engagement near Iskandaryia, Marine M40-series rifles in Al Anbar and Habbaniyah, U.S. MK12 and M-40 observation/pre-operation records, and Iraqi Army Barrett M-107 and Dragunov training.
Role details
Sniper rifles are documented on both sides of the war: CAR recorded recovered SVD designated marksman rifles from Russia-aligned armed formations in Donbas, Jamestown described Russian and Ukrainian sniper roles in the trench war, and the United States listed sniper rifles in a January 2023 security-assistance package for Ukraine.
Role details- Side
- Philippine government forces
Philippine government forces used sniper rifles from military sniper positions during the 2017 Battle of Marawi, while the wider urban fight included persistent sniper and counter-sniper threats in streets, alleys, and building approaches.
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Multiple countries
- Built by
- Various manufacturers
- Type
- Scoped precision rifle
- Service note
- Modern military and police service
- Designer
- Various designers
- Designed
- Varies by model
- Unit cost
- Varies by rifle, optic, night sight, suppressor, and support equipment
- Produced
- Varies by model
- Number built
- Varies by model
Specifications
- Crew
- 1 marksman, often paired with a spotter
- Typical caliber
- 7.62x51 mm NATO, 7.62x54R, .300 Winchester Magnum, .338 Lapua Magnum, or larger anti-materiel cartridges depending on model
- Sight
- Telescopic optic, often with bipod and night or thermal sight accessories
- Effective range
- Roughly 600-1,200 m for many service sniper rifles, with model- and caliber-specific exceptions
- Action
- Bolt-action or semi-automatic, depending on model and role
Variants
Sniper rifle pages often group several precision-rifle roles together, but the operating tradeoffs differ by action type, cartridge, and intended target set.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt-action sniper rifle | Manually operated precision rifle | The M24 example illustrates the common bolt-action pattern: a scoped rifle system with accessories such as optics and bipod, commonly chambered in 7.62x51 mm NATO with larger-caliber variants used to extend reach. Sources: The M24 Sniper Weapon System |
| Semi-automatic sniper rifle | Rapid follow-up precision rifle | The Army's XM110 fielding in Afghanistan highlights the semi-automatic tradeoff: faster re-engagement than older bolt-action rifles while retaining a scoped sniper-system role; the Dragunov SVD sheet documents the older self-loading 7.62x54R branch of this role family. Sources: Snipers in Afghanistan Receive New Weapon, Dragunov SVD Weapons Identification Sheet |
| Anti-materiel sniper rifle | Large-caliber hard-target rifle | U.S. Army testing described .50-caliber sniper rifles as longer-reaching but less precise systems reserved for hard targets at long distance rather than normal personnel targets. Sources: Snipers Test Rifle Capabilities |
Representative Ammunition
Sniper rifle chamberings vary by model and role; this section links only cartridge records supported by the sources already used for the rifle-class discussion.
| Ammunition | Ammunition type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Common service rifle cartridge | The M24 example is described in its common configuration as a 7.62x51 mm NATO sniper weapon system. Sources: The M24 Sniper Weapon System |
 | Extended-range precision cartridge | The same Air Force background identifies the M24A3 as an alternate configuration associated with .338 Lapua chambering for extended reach. Sources: The M24 Sniper Weapon System |
 | Full-power rimmed rifle cartridge | The Dragunov SVD identification sheet lists 7.62x54R as the original caliber for the SVD sniper-rifle family. |
 | Large-caliber anti-materiel cartridge | The Iraq War source documents a Barrett .50-caliber Sniper Weapon System in combat use, while Nammo lists 12.7x99 mm multipurpose ammunition as suited to anti-material rifles and Barrett M82/M107-class weapons. Sources: Day of the Sniper: Million Dollar Shot Clears Road in Iraq, NAMMO Ammunition Handbook |
Timeline
Sniper rifle Key Events
Whitworth rifle patented
U.S. Air Force background identifies the Whitworth rifle as an early purpose-built precision rifle often treated as a precursor to modern sniper rifles.
Sources: The M24 Sniper Weapon System
XM110 rifles issued in Afghanistan
U.S. Army reporting from Forward Operating Base Salerno described Task Force Fury soldiers as the first combat-zone recipients of the XM110 semi-automatic sniper system.
Sources: Snipers in Afghanistan Receive New Weapon
M2010 reaches Army sniper teams in Afghanistan
The Army fielded M2010 rifles and new-equipment training to Army sniper teams operating in Afghanistan by June 2011, pairing the .300 Winchester Magnum rifle with longer-range mountain overwatch needs.
Sources: Snipers Put Finishing Touches on the Last Sniper Rifle
Chinese sniper rifles delivered to the Philippines
Philippine reporting documented TY-85 sniper rifles and CS/LR4A high-precision rifles in a Chinese weapons delivery to Philippine security forces during the Marawi campaign period.
Sources: PHL receives 3,000 rifles, 3 million rounds of ammo from China
U.S. Ukraine package lists sniper rifles
A U.S. Defense Department security-assistance release listed sniper rifles among the capabilities supplied to Ukraine during the full-scale phase of the Russia-Ukraine War.
Sources: More Than $3 Billion in Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
The 2017 Battle of Marawi: Lessons for Developing Urban CapabilitiesPublisher: Australian Army Research Centre | Note: Supports 2017 Battle of Marawi background context for urban sniping, counter-sniping, enemy sniper threats, and Philippine government force movement under sniper fire. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Snipers Put Finishing Touches on the Last Sniper RiflePublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports 2001 War in Afghanistan direct use: U.S. Army M2010 sniper rifles were fielded to Army sniper teams operating in Afghanistan by June 2011 and used for precision fire, overwatch, and force-protection missions. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Snipers in Afghanistan Receive New WeaponPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports 2001 War in Afghanistan direct fielding and background: Task Force Fury snipers received XM110 semi-automatic sniper systems at Forward Operating Base Salerno in 2007, with semi-automatic operation described as useful for rapid re-engagement. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Day of the Sniper: Million Dollar Shot Clears Road in IraqPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports 2003 Iraq War direct use: a U.S. Army sniper team used a Barrett .50-caliber Sniper Weapon System near Forward Operating Base Iskandaryia during Operation Iraqi Freedom. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Darkhorse Snipers Recover Stolen Marine Sniper RiflePublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports 2003 Iraq War direct use and recovery: Marine scout snipers killed an insurgent sniper near Habbaniyah and recovered a captured Marine M-40A1 sniper rifle during Operation Iraqi Freedom. | Accessed: 2026-07-06SF Sniper Prepares for OperationPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports 2003 Iraq War direct fielding: a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier conducted rehearsal, training, and pre-operation confirmation on an MK12 sniper rifle in Rawah during Operation Iraqi Freedom. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Marine Sniper Observes Cement FactoryPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports 2003 Iraq War direct use: a U.S. Marine scout sniper used an M-40 sniper rifle to observe a cement factory near Bahkit, Iraq, during an observation mission near a suspected IED factory. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Tall Afar Barrett M-107 TrainingPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports 2003 Iraq War direct training context: a U.S. Army soldier instructed an Iraqi Army soldier on a Barrett M-107 sniper rifle during joint weapons training in Tall Afar, Iraq. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Iraqi Army Dragunov Patrol TrainingPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports 2003 Iraq War direct training context: Iraqi Army snipers carried Dragunov sniper rifles during patrol training with U.S. soldiers at the 15th Iraqi Army compound in Kirkuk. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Dragunov SVD Weapons Identification SheetPublisher: Small Arms Survey | Note: Supports SVD background and specifications, including sniper-rifle type, 7.62x54R original caliber, self-loading gas operation, optical sighting, ten-round magazine, and variant distinctions. | Accessed: 2026-07-01NAMMO Ammunition HandbookPublisher: Nammo | Note: Supports 12.7x99 mm .50-caliber ammunition context for anti-material rifles and Barrett M82/M107-class weapons. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Snipers Test Rifle CapabilitiesPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports specifications and background for range-class distinctions among M24, MK13-style long-range rifles, and .50-caliber sniper rifles used against hard targets. | Accessed: 2026-07-01More Than $3 Billion in Additional Security Assistance for UkrainePublisher: U.S. Department of Defense | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct supply context: a January 2023 U.S. security-assistance package for Ukraine included sniper rifles among listed capabilities. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Weapons of the War in UkrainePublisher: Conflict Armament Research | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct recovered-materiel context: CAR documented eight 7.62 x 54 mm R SVD designated marksman rifles recovered from armed formations operating in parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. | Accessed: 2026-07-02The Role of Snipers in the Donbas Trench WarPublisher: Jamestown Foundation | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct use context: describes Russian and Ukrainian sniper activity in the Donbas trench war, including precision fire, reconnaissance, counter-sniper teams, and SVD use by both sides. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Duterte fires sniper rifle at Maute terroristsPublisher: Philippine Daily Inquirer | Note: Supports 2017 Battle of Marawi direct use: a sniper rifle was fired by Philippine government forces from a military sniper's nest during the battle. | Accessed: 2026-06-21PHL receives 3,000 rifles, 3 million rounds of ammo from ChinaPublisher: GMA News Online | Note: Supports 2017 Battle of Marawi supply context: Chinese TY-85 7.62 mm sniper rifles, CS/LR4A high precision rifles, and related ammunition were delivered to Philippine security forces during the 2017 Battle of Marawi period. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Marawi clearing operations yield high-powered weaponsPublisher: Philippine News Agency | Note: Supports 2017 Battle of Marawi recovery context: a sniper rifle believed used by IS-aligned militants was recovered by Philippine government forces from the former main battle area after combat operations ended. | Accessed: 2026-06-21The M24 Sniper Weapon SystemPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports general sniper-rifle background and representative specifications for a modern 7.62 mm scoped military sniper weapon system. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Sniper rifle.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the primary sniper-rifle image; the file page identifies a U.S. Army public-domain photograph of an M14-based scoped rifle in use. | Accessed: 2026-06-21CS-LR4 Sniper Rifle @ PA 122nd Anniversary Caravan.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a CS-LR4 sniper rifle displayed by the Philippine Army; the file page lists own-work authorship and CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing. | Accessed: 2026-06-21CS-LR4 Sniper Rifle @ PA 121st Anniversary Exhibit.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a Norinco NSG-1 / CS-LR4 sniper rifle donated to the Philippine armed forces; the file page lists own-work authorship and CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Type-85 Sniper Rifle @ PA 122nd Anniversary Caravan.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a Type 85 sniper rifle displayed by the Philippine Army; the file page lists own-work authorship and CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing. | Accessed: 2026-06-21