thumb|The [[Barrett M82 .50 BMG is an example of an anti-materiel sniper rifle]]

An anti-materiel rifle (AMR) is a rifle designed for use against military equipment, structures, and other hardware (materiel) targets. Most of the modern anti-materiel rifles are a variant of the sniper rifle. Anti-materiel rifles are chambered in significantly larger calibers than conventional rifles and are employed to eliminate equipment such as engines and unarmored or lightly armored targets. Although not originally designed for use against human targets, the bullet mass and velocity of anti-materiel rifles gives them exceptional long-range capability even when compared with designated sniper rifles. Anti-materiel rifles are made in both bolt-action and semi-automatic designs.

The anti-materiel rifle originated in the anti-tank rifle, which itself originated during World War I. While modern tanks and most other armored vehicles are too well protected to be affected by anti-materiel rifles, the guns are still effective for attacking unarmored or lightly armored vehicles.

An unusual silenced rifle, the Swiss G150 Präzisionsgewehr using a 10.4x33mmR carbine cartridge was issued to the P-26 stay-behind organization as a low-level anti material weapon to sabotage potential Soviet occupiers equipment up to 200m such as radio antennas, radar installations etc.

The M82 rifle first saw action in the early 1990s, during the Gulf War. The U.S. Marine Corps initially purchased around 125 M82 rifles; orders from the Army and Air Force followed. These weapons were used with rounds such as armor piercing incendiary rounds (API) which were effective against such targets as buildings, trucks, and parked aircraft. They have seen frequent use in Syria and Iraq as a counter-VBIED weapon system, due to their greater ability to penetrate uparmored VBIED threats that standard rifle calibers used by designated marksmen (typically 7.62×54mmR and 7.62×51mm) are not able to reliably stop. The offensive use of anti-materiel rifles is termed hard target interdiction (HTI) by the United States military.

See also

  • Designated marksman rifle
  • List of anti-materiel rifles
  • List of firearms
  • High-explosive incendiary/armor-piercing ammunition
  • Anti-tank gun
  • Longest recorded sniper kills

References

  • 20mm AMR – New Use for Unused Ammo, SOF Weapons SectionCrane Division, Naval Surface Warfare CenterSmall Arms Weapons Systems Division, USSOCOM Comparative Testing Office