Accuracy International Arctic Warfare

History
Original design
The Accuracy International PM (Precision Marksman) rifle was entered into a British competition in the early 1980s as a replacement for the Lee-Enfield derived sniper rifles then in use by the British Army (e.g. L42A1). The Accuracy International rifle was selected over the Parker Hale M85. The British Army adopted the Accuracy International PM in 1982 into service as the L96A1 and outfitted the rifle with Schmidt & Bender 6x42 telescopic sights. In this configuration the rifle is capable of first shot hits with a cold, warm or fouled barrel. Tests with 10.89 g (168 gr) ammunition provided sub 0.5 MOA ten-shot groups at 91 m (100 yd) and the rifle was supplied with a telescopic sight, bipod, five magazines, sling, cleaning kit and tool roll, encased in a fitted transport case.
Design evolution
Some years later, the Swedish military were also on the hunt for a new rifle, and Accuracy International entered an upgraded version of the PM, now known as the AW or Arctic Warfare. This was the start of the Arctic Warfare name, which would become the primary name of the rifle family despite its earlier names.
The rifle now featured special de-icing features allowing it to be used effectively at temperatures as low as 40 C (40.0 F). The stockhole, bolt, magazine release and trigger guard on the AW are large enough to facilitate use with heavy Arctic mittens. This version was accepted into use by the Swedish Army in 1991 as the Prickskyttegevr 90 (Psg 90).
The modifications to the original PM or L96A1 made the British Army decide to order the "improved" AW version too and designated it as the L118A1. The rifles were fitted with Schmidt & Bender 31250 PM II telescopic sights offering the operator more flexibility to shoot at varying ranges, or in situations when a wide field of view is required. This rifle has seen service in recent conflicts such as Operation Granby and Operation Telic.
Rifle system family
It has since spawned an entire family of sniper rifles using the Arctic Warfare name, and has been adopted by a number of other countries, including Australia, Belgium, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Latvia, Malaysia, Norway, The Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Other AI rifles descended from the L96A1 include the AI AE, and the AI AS50 (see variants below).
Most Arctic Warfare rifles are chambered for the 7.62x51 mm NATO cartridge, but it can also be fitted for other cartridges. It is mounted with a muzzle brake to cut down on recoil, jump and flash.
Each country's rifles differ slightly. The Swedish Psg 90 for example, uses a Hensoldt (Zeiss) scope and can also use sabot rounds. In 1998 the German Bundeswehr adopted the first folding-stock Magnum version of the AW chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum (7.62x67 mm) and with optics made by the German company Zeiss as the Scharfschtzengewehr 22 (G22).
The AW's unique complete parts interchange ability and reliability in adverse weather conditions have made it a popular, if expensive, weapon. The rifle offers good accuracy (a capable marksman can expect 0.5 MOA consistent accuracy with appropriate ammunition), and its maximum effective range with a Schmidt & Bender 642 PM II scope is around 800 metres (870 yd).
The Arctic Warfare family's main commercial competitor/equivalent on the high end factory sniper rifle market is the Sako TRG product line, that is capability-wise, generally on par with the Arctic Warfare system but somewhat less expensive.
Design details
G22 of the German Army with an AICS 2.0 stock.
The AW system is almost unique in being a purpose-designed sniper rifle, rather than an accurised version of an existing, general-purpose rifle.
The modular design of the AW system allows for flexibility, serviceability and repairability under field and combat conditions. Major rifle components like the barrel and bolt can be switched between rifles or replaced in the field by their operator with the help of some tools. The chambering can also be switched by the operator as long as the barrels, bolts and feeding mechanism can handle the different cartridges dimensionwise.
Features
Rather than a traditional wooden or polymer rifle stock, the AW is based on an aluminium chassis which extends the entire length of the stock. This chassis system is marketed as the Accuracy International Chassis System (AICS) and can be used for all Accuracy International rifles. All other components, including the receiver, are bolted directly to this chassis. Two hollow polymer "half thumb-hole stock panels", usually green, are in turn bolted to the chassis, creating a remarkably rugged, yet for its sturdiness comparatively light, weapon.
The Accuracy International receiver is bolted with 4 screws and permanently bonded with epoxy material to the aluminium chassis and was designed for ruggedness, simplicity and ease of operation. To this end, the heavy-walled, flat-bottomed, flat-sided receiver is a stressed part, machined in-house by AI from a solid piece of forged carbon steel. AW rifles are offered in two action lengthstandard AW (short) and long SM (magnum). The six bolt lugs, which are arranged in two rows of three lugs each, engage a heat-treated, steel locking ring insert pinned inside the front bridge of the action. The ring can be removed and replaced to refresh headspace control on older actions. The AW system cast steel bolt has a 0.75-inch (19 mm) combined with gas relief holes in a 0.785 in (19.9 mm) bolt body and front action bridge allowing high-pressure gases a channel of escape in the rare event of a cartridge case head failure. Against penetrating water or dirt the bolt has milled slots, which also prevent freezing or the occurrence of other disturbances. Contrary to conventional bolt-action rifles the bolt handle is bent to the rear, which eases the repeating procedure for the operator and reduces the contours of the weapon. The action cocks on opening with a short, 60 degree bolt throw and has a non-rotating (fixed) external extractor and an internal ejector. Firing pin travel is 0.26 in (6.6 mm) to keep lock times to a minimum. Finally, an 11 mm (0.43 in) integral dovetail rail located above the receiver is designed to accommodate a number of different types of optical or electro-optical sights. As an option a MIL-STD-1913 rail (Picatinny rail) can be permanently pinned, bonded and bolted to the action providing a standard interface for many optical systems.
Barrel
The free-floating, heavy, stainless steel barrels (stainless steel barrels resist throat erosion better than normal barrels) for the available cartridge chamberings all have a different length, groove cutting and rifling twist rate optimized for their respective chambering and intended ammunition. For the .243 Winchester chambering barrels the twist rate is 254 mm (1 in 10 in) and for .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm NATO chambering barrel variants the twist rate is 305 mm (1 in 12 in) excepted for the suppressed barrel variant. If the consistent accuracy requirement of an operator is no longer met the barrel can fairly easily be renewed. This is normal practice for active high performance precision rifle operators, who regard barrels as expendable items.
Safety
A three-position, firing pin blocking safety lever on the bolt shroud allows the bolt to be manipulated with the safety on. If the weapon is decocked, the firing pin is tactile at the end of the bolt-action, making it possible to feel if the weapon is ready to fire or not in poor visibility. The safety of the weapon is also positioned at the rear. It carries two coloured markings: white pointafety on, red pointafety off.
Trigger
The two-stage trigger mechanism displays an adjustable trigger pull weight of 1 to 2 kg (2.2 to 4.4 lb). The trigger assembly can be easily removed for cleaning by undoing the two socket head cap screws.
Ammunition feeding
Cartridges are fed through the bottom of the receiver using a detachable, double-column, steel box magazine. Rifles chambered from .300 Winchester Magnum onwards use a single row magazine.
AICS (Accuracy International Chassis System)
US Navy Mk.13 MOD 5 SWS using a AICS 2.0 stock and a Remington 700 based receiver.
The Accuracy International Chassis System (AICS) can be configured for various actions (all Accuracy International and some Remington 700 receivers), triggers, and other items. The AICS version for Remington 700 receivers was introduced in 1999. The basic variant is the AICS 1.0 with a fixed cheek-piece. The AICS 1.5 variant sports a fully adjustable cheekpiece. The AICS 2.0 is a folding stock that reduces the rifles overall length by 210 mm (8.3 in) when folded and adds 0.2 kg (0.44 lb) weight to the rifles total weight. The AICS 2.0 also has a adjustable cheekpiece that adjusts left/right as well as for height to obtain optimum cheek position when using night vision equipment or telescopic sights with large objective lenses. There is also a quick adjust cheekpiece option that has a spring loaded cheekpiece in conjunction with a quick adjust butt plate.
The AICS side "panels" are made from a high-strength polymer and are available in the colours olive drab, dark earth or black.
Sling attachment points are mounted on each side of the rifle, so it can be carried flat against the back and used comfortably by left and right-handed users. A front attachment point is situated below the fore end and can be used to anchor a target style sling or be replaced by an adapter for a Harris bipod.
Accessories
The AW is usually equipped with an integrated bipod and it also has a monopod mounted on the buttstock.
Accuracy International accessories for the Arctic Warfare system include a selection of PM II series telescopic sights made by Schmidt & Bender with laser filters for the military scopes, aluminium one piece telescopic sight mounting sets, MIL-STD-1913 rails (Picatinny rails), lens hoods, various optical and kill flash filters and lens covers for telescopic sights, auxiliary iron sights for emergency use, cleaning kits, muzzle brakes/flash-hiders and silencers (sound suppressors), butt plates and spacers to adjust the rear end of the rifle to the shooter's height and angle for comfort and length of pull, buttspikes, bipod (adapters), handstops, mirage bands, soft and heavy-duty transit cases and various maintenance tools.
Variants
Accuracy International rifles related
AI Arctic Warfare
AI AWP ('Police')
AI AWM ('Magnum')
AI AW50 ('.50 BMG')
AI AS50
Australian AW50F
Swedish Psg 90
There are two main types of AW models. Models offered by AI, and type classified models in service with governments. AW models are related to, but not necessarily exactly synonymous with specific models adopted by countries.
PM (Precision Marksman)
The rifle from which the Arctic Warfare family was developed. In this original form it entered service in the UK in the mid 1980s with the designation L96A1 (chambered for 7.6251 mm NATO).
AW (Arctic Warfare)
The basic 'improved' version of the L96A1 (still chambered for 7.6251 mm NATO). The name stems from special features designed to enable operation in extreme cold climates.
Adopted as the following:
L118A1: version in British military service
Psg 90: version in Swedish military service. Psg is short for Prickskyttegevr ("Sniper Rifle").
SR-98: version in Australian military and Police service (with a folding stock).
According to the Accuracy International AW brochure the AW is available in 7.62x51mm NATO and .243 Winchester chamberings, though on special request other chamberings that will function in the AW bolt action can be fitted.
AWF (Arctic Warfare Folding)
AW model with side-folding polymer stock.
AWP (Arctic Warfare Police)
The AWP was a version intended for use by law enforcement as opposed to military, with AWP standing for Arctic Warfare Police. The most notable features were that the distinctive frame was black coloured, not a light green colour. It also has a shorter 24 in (610 mm) barrel in comparison to AW model. The AWP is normally chambered for 7.62 mm NATO/.308 Winchester or .243 Winchester ammunition though it could be chambered for other cartridges. The AWP should not be confused with Accuracy International AW AE which also has a black finish, but is a cheaper non-military version of the AW series.
AWS (Arctic Warfare Suppressed)
The AWS is specifically designed for use with subsonic ammunition which, depending on the target, gives an effective maximum range of around 300 metres (330 yd). Its noise levels are similar to those that are generated by .22 LR match ammunition. The weapon is fitted with a special .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm NATO special 406 mm (16 in) long barrel which has a twist rate of 229 mm (1 in 9 in) and an integral suppressor. The AWS barrel/suppressor combination has a total length of 711 mm (28 in), which keeps the weapon's overall length within normal limits. The user can remove the barrel/suppressor combination and replace it with a standard AW or AWP barrel in about three minutes. As with all such systems, the sight will need re-zeroing after a barrel change.
AWC (Arctic Warfare Covert)
The Covert system is essentially an AWS with a folding stock with a 305 mm (12 in) long barrel/suppressor combination with a 203 mm (1 in 8 in) twist rate. It is supplied in a small suitcase which houses the rifle with the stock folded and the barrel/suppressor combination detached. The polymer suitcase is lined with closed-cell foam featuring cut-outs for the stock/action/optics/bipod combination, the bolt, the suppressor, a magazine and a box of ammunition. While the Covert system's compacted size is considerably smaller than that of any conventional system, its special barrel and integral suppressor keep the weapon's overall length within normal limits when deployed.
It is notably used by the USSOCOM 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force) and British 22 SAS.
AWM (Arctic Warfare Magnum)
The (AWM) (Magnum) is chambered for longer, more powerful magnum cartridges specifically .300 Winchester Magnum. It has been adopted by several armies:
G22 (Gewehr 22 or Scharfschtzengewehr 22) by German Army, it features a folding stock and is chambered for the .300 Winchester Magnum round (designated 7.62x67 mm).
AWSM (Arctic Warfare Super Magnum)
Royal Marines snipers displaying their L115A1 rifles.
The Accuracy International AWSM is an AWM variant chambered for long, high-powered super magnum cartridges like the .338 Lapua Magnum round. It has been adopted by several armies:
L115A1 and its 'improved' version L115A3; UK designations of AWSM chambered for .338 Lapua Magnum.
AW50 (Arctic Warfare .50 calibre)
The AW50 was introduced in 2000 and is an AW rifle re-engineered and chambered for .50 BMG (12.7x99 mm NATO).
G24 (Gewehr 24 or Scharfschtzengewehr 24): German Army designation of the AW50.
AW50F (Arctic Warfare .50 calibre Folding Stock)
The AW50F is a variant of the AW50 adopted by the Australian military. It differs from the standard AW50 in that it is fitted with a folding stock (hence the F) and Madco barrel.
AS50 (Arctic Semi-automatic .50 calibre)
The Accuracy International AS50 was developed in 2007 and is a semi-automatic .50 BMG rifle jointly developed by AI and NSWC-Crane (Naval Surface Warfare Center) primarily for US Navy SEALs.
AE/AE MkII (Accuracy Enforcement)
The Accuracy International AE was introduced in 2001 as a cheaper, somewhat simplified less sturdy version of the L96/AW series intended for law enforcement. It is not to be confused with the more expensive AWP or AW models intended for military use. The AE bolt-action differs from the larger more angular AW design. The round AE receiver is lighter compared to the AW models. The action of the AE is also not permanently bonded with epoxy material to the aluminium chassis and hence can be removed. Unlike the AW models, the AE can not be ordered in a left-handed configuration. The AE is fitted in 7.6251 mm NATO calibre and its barrel is 610 mm (24 in) long. In 2009 the AE was updated and is since marketed as the AW MkII. The AE MkII rifle system uses AICS 5 and 10 round magazines has a removable trigger group, a screw adjustable cheekpiece. As options a 508 mm (20.0 in) barrel with muzzle brake or tactical suppressor mounting facilities and a folding chassis are available.
Users (7.6251 mm NATO or smaller chamberings)
This section needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009)
Australia: SR98 designation
Bangladesh: Bangladesh's standard issue sniper rifle
Belgium
Croatia
Czech Republic: Purchased a number of AWF rifles.
Georgia
Hong Kong: Used by the Special Duties Unit-Hong Kong Police
India
Indonesia: AW and AWP
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Malta
Macedonia
Malaysia
Norway
Netherlands: Korps Commandotroepen (few AW and AWC 7.6251mm NATO chambered arms available)
New Zealand: NZ Army, NZSAS, Armed Offender Squad, Special Tactics Group
Philippines: Used by the Philippine National Police SWAT teams and Special Action Force
Portugal
Russia
Republic of Korea
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Spain
Thailand
Sweden: L96A1 AW or Psg 90 designation
Turkey
Ukraine: Used by special unit of Security Service of Ukraine named "Alpha"
United Kingdom: L96A1 entered service with the British Armed Forces in 1985.
United States: SFOD (Delta), US Navy SEALs
See also
Sniper rifle
Accuracy International AWM, the Arctic Warfare Magnum, variant in larger calibre.
Bolt Action
References
Schmidt & Bender PM II
Zeiss: Telescopic sights for hand-held weapons
Pegler, Martin. Out of Nowhere: A History of the military sniper. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. pp. 314316. ISBN 978-1841768540.
Accuracy International AW Youtube presentation
Accuracy International accessories list
Accuracy International rifle accessories brochure
Accuracy International Precision Rifles for the 21st Century
The AWP at Modern Firearms
The AWP at Sporting Services
Sound Tech AI AWS
An AE for Accuracy by Steve Adelmann
http://www.army.cz/assets/files/9334/zbrane_definit.pdf
"Accuracy - Special Forces - Wapens" (in Dutch). Netherlands Legermuseum: Collectie Informatie Centrum. http://www.collectie.legermuseum.nl/strategion/strategion/i007422.html. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
"Accuracy, antipersoneel snipergeweer 7.62 mm" (in Dutch). Netherlands Ministry of Defence. http://www.defensie.nl/onderwerpen/materieel/bewapening/(hand-)vuurwapens/accuracy_antipersoneel_snipergeweer. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
Miller, David (2001). The Illustrated Directory of 20th Century Guns. Salamander Books Ltd. ISBN 1-84065-245-4.
Accuracy International AW Brochure 2005
External links
Accuracy International company website
AE rifle system Mk II brochure
AW rifle system brochure
AW50 anti matriel rifle brochure
Accuracy International Chassis Systempgrade for Remington 700 Rifles brochure
Accuracy International accessories brochure
http://www.sportingservices.co.uk/accuracy.asp
Information about Accuracy International and their product line
Accuracy International AW (Arctic Warfare) sniper rifle (British designation: L96A1) (Archived 2009-10-24)
Modern Firearms
About AWM
Accuracy International AW Youtube presentation
v d e
Current UK individual weapons and cartridges
Pistols
L9A1 L106A1 L117A2
Assault rifles
carbines
Designated marksman rifles
L85A2 IW L86A2 LSW L22A2 L129A1 L119A1 HK 417
Sniper rifles
L96A1, L118A1 L115A1, L115A3 L82A1 L121A1 Arctic Warfare Covert
Submachine guns
L80A1 (MP5K), L90A1 (MP5K A1) L91A1 (MP5 A2/A3), L92A1 (MP5 SD2/SD3)
Shotguns
L74A1 L128A1
Machine guns
L108A1, L110A1 L7A2 L2A1 (M2HB), L111A1 (M2HB-QCB)
Grenade
less-lethal launchers
L17A1/A2 L67A1 L134A1
Rockets
LASM LAW 80 M3 Carl Gustav L2A1 (ILAW) L142A1 (AT4CS HP)
Guided missiles
MILAN FGM-148 Javelin Starstreak SAM (shoulder launched or 3-shot mutiple launcher)
Mortars
L9A1 M6-640 L16A2
Modern cartridges used
5.56x45mm NATO 7.62x51mm NATO 12.7x99mm NATO .338 Lapua 9x19mm Parabellum 12 gauge
Categories: 7.62 mm firearms | Bolt-action rifles | Infantry weapons of Australia in active service | Military in the Arctic | Sniper riflesHidden categories: Articles needing additional references from December 2009 | All articles needing additional references

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