The US Army Rangers’ Newest Rifle Has a Range of 1/3rd of a Mile

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• Army Rangers are an elite U.S. military group that uses a diverse range of weapons in their operations.
• Using sniper rifles and handguns, alongside other weapons, allow Rangers to remain versatil in combat situations.
•  The 30 weapons on this list have ranges from 130 ft. to nearly 3 miles, with the newest rifle having a 1/3rd mile range.
• Also: 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever 

Just 0.66% of soldiers who fought on Normandy for D-Day were U.S. Army Rangers. In fact, the Army Rangers were formed and trained over the few years leading up to 1944, taking inspiration from the British Commandos. Though their numbers on D-Day were small in comparison, the Army Rangers have since developed into a powerful and elite U.S. military group. Army Rangers are often deployed in combat situations and specialize in direct-action raids. (The Green Berets are another specialized military force in the U.S. Check out the firepower of the Green Berets.)

Given the U.S. Army Rangers’ wide range of operational needs, it’s no surprise that the Special Forces use a broad arsenal of weaponry. For example, rangers often use specialized rifles such as the McMillan TAC-338 during sniper warfare. This gun is capable of providing long-distance precision fire. The ability to take out high-value targets from afar is a key part of Army Rangers’ strategic advantage. The TAC-338 is the weapon of choice for many snipers as it offers precision for anti-personnel operations in a compact footprint for easier transport.

Anothe primary gun for the Army Rangers is the Fabrique Nationale FN SCAR, a combat assault rifle, that’s chambered for 7.62mm rounds. Its design is focused on modularity and durability in harsh combat environments. The SCAR was chosen by Special Operations Command to replace the Colt M4A1 modular automatic rifle, which had been a long-standing staple of the U.S. Armed Forces. (Here are some of the 35 guns used by Russian Special Forces.)

The weapons used by the Army Rangers fulfill a variety of roles, and as such, these guns range from compact handguns to assault rifles and specialized sniper weapons. This variety of armaments allows for preparedness across various mission types. Here, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the online database Military Factory’s catalog of Army Ranger Weapons to determine the guns used by U.S. Army Rangers Special Forces. Guns that are overly similar to one another and guns that are believed to no longer be in use were removed from this list. We ranked the guns based on when they entered service. Supplemental data on the type of weapon, maximum effective range, and the caliber of ammunition each gun uses also came from Military Factory.

Why We’re Writing About U.S. Army Ranger Weapons

The U.S. Army Rangers are one of the country’s most premier military forces. Because of this, the Army Rangers often use cutting-edge equipment that you might not see in other units. Learning about the Army Rangers’ arsenal provides an overview of modern military technology and tactics that allow the group to remain so successful in missions.

Here are weapons used by the U.S. Army Rangers: 

30. M72 LAW

• Year entered service: 1963
• Type: Anti-tank rocket launcher
• Maximum effective range: 1,640 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 66mm

29. Remington M40

• Year entered service: 1966
• Type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
• Maximum effective range: 3,280 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 7.62x51mm NATO

28. Saco Mk 19

• Year entered service: 1967
• Type: Automatic grenade launcher
• Maximum effective range: 4,500 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 40x53mm

27. Steyr GB

• Year entered service: 1974
• Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Maximum effective range: 147 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 9×19 parabellum

26. Mossberg Model 590

• Year entered service: 1975
• Type: Pump-action shotgun
• Maximum effective range: 130 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 12-gauge

25. FIM-92 Stinger

• Year entered service: 1981
• Type: Air defense missile system
• Maximum effective range: 15,750 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 70mm

24. ST Kinetics Ultimax 100

• Year entered service: 1982
• Type: Light machine gun
• Maximum effective range: 3,280 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 5.56x45mm NATO

23. RAI Model 300 / Model 500

• Year entered service: 1983
• Type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
• Maximum effective range: 4,265 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 12.7x99mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO

22. Fabrique Nationale M249 SAW

• Year entered service: 1984
• Type: Squad support weapon
• Maximum effective range: 2,600 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO

21. Colt M45 MEU

• Year entered service: 1986
• Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: .45 ACP

20. Saco M60E3

• Year entered service: 1986
• Type: Light machine gun
• Maximum effective range: 3,600 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 7.62x51mm NATO

19. M136 Light Anti-Armor Weapon (AT4)

• Year entered service: 1987
• Type: Anti-armor rocket launcher
• Maximum effective range: 985 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 84mm

18. Remington M24 SWS

• Year entered service: 1987
• Type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
• Maximum effective range: 2,624 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 7.62x51mm NATO

17. SIG-Sauer P228

• Year entered service: 1988
• Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 9x19mm parabellum

16. Beretta M9

• Year entered service: 1990
• Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Maximum effective range: 164 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 9x19mm parabellum

15. Colt M16A4

• Year entered service: 1990
• Type: Assault rifle
• Maximum effective range: 1,968 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 5.56x45mm NATO

14. Stoner SR-25

• Year entered service: 1990
• Type: Designated marksman rifle
• Maximum effective range: 2,625 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 7.62x51mm NATO

13. Colt M4

• Year entered service: 1994
• Type: Assault carbine
• Maximum effective range: 1,640 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 5.56x45mm NATO

12. FGM-148 Javelin

• Year entered service: 1996
• Type: Anti-tank guided missile launcher
• Maximum effective range: 8,202 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 127mm

11. Navy Mark 12 Special Purpose Rifle

• Year entered service: 2002
• Type: Designated marksman rifle
• Maximum effective range: 1,800 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 5.56x45mm NATO

10. Fabrique Nationale Mk 48 LWMG

• Year entered service: 2003
• Type: Lightweight machine gun
• Maximum effective range: 2,624 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 7.62x51mm NATO

9. Mk 14 Mod 0 EBR

• Year entered service: 2004
• Type: Designated marksman rifle
• Maximum effective range: 1,500 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 7.62x51mm NATO

8. McMillan TAC-338

• Year entered service: 2005
• Type: Sniper rifle
• Maximum effective range: 5,250 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: .338 Lapua Magnum, .338 Norma Magnum

7. General Dynamics Mk 47 Striker AGL

• Year entered service: 2006
• Type: Automatic grenade launcher
• Maximum effective range: 5,600 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 40x53mm

6. Heckler & Koch HK G28

• Year entered service: 2006
• Type: Designated marksman rifle
• Maximum effective range: 2,000 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 7.62x51mm NATO

5. M32 MGL

• Year entered service: 2006
• Type: Six-shot grenade launcher
• Maximum effective range: 1,315 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 40x46mm grenade

4. M110 SASS

• Year entered service: 2007
• Type: Designated marksman rifle
• Maximum effective range: 2,624 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 7.62x51mm NATO

3. Barrett M107

• Year entered service: 2008
• Type: Anti-personnel sniper rifle
• Maximum effective range: 1,850 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: .50 BMG (12.7x99mm NATO)

2. AirTronic PSRL-1

• Year entered service: 2009
• Type: Anti-personnel shoulder-fired rocket launcher
• Maximum effective range: 2,625 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 40mm Rocket

1. Fabrique Nationale FN SCAR (Mk 16 / Mk 17)

• Year entered service: 2009
• Type: Automatic assault rifle
• Maximum effective range: 1,640 ft.
• Caliber/ammunition: 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO

The post The US Army Rangers’ Newest Rifle Has a Range of 1/3rd of a Mile appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..