Recusant
Hellcat
The M21 occupies an unusual place in American military firearms history. It was neither the first American sniper rifle nor, by modern standards, the most sophisticated.
The M21 Sniper Rifle: The Weapon That Rebuilt the U.S. Army Sniper Program
- Thread starter Recusant
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PieterCoetzee
Professional
I had a M21 in the First Gulf for a Protection Detail. It had a Leatherwood ART scope. It was a good gun and scope; but the scope was designed for snipers without the need to judge range. You adjusted the "power" of the scope until the bad guys body (waist to head) fit the scale. As you adjusted the power the scope rode on external gears that raised or lowered the angle of the scope to adjust for range. It was fast on target but meant that if you zoomed in for details, you had to return to the right setting before firing.
Ultimately switching to a fixed power scope with mildots was a better idea but it meant that the shooter had to do math in his head to determine range
Ultimately switching to a fixed power scope with mildots was a better idea but it meant that the shooter had to do math in his head to determine range