India is the second largest army in the world and it has a wide range of weapons and equipment and it is also diverse. According to its need of operational demand, it has a great variety of weapons. Indian army has a great collection of both indigenous and imported weapons.

This article will give you information about Sniper Rifles  which are used by the Indian army.

WHAT IS SNIPER RIFLE?

The Sniper rifle is a highly accurate, long-range rifle. Requirements include high accuracy, reliability and mobility, concealment, and optics, for anti-material and surveillance used by forces.

DRAGUNOV SVD:-

The Dragunov SVD (SVD stands for “Snayperskaya Vintovka dragunova”) is a Gas -operated, rotating bolt designated by marksman rifle (DMR) or sniper rifle designed by Yevgeny Dragunov in 1963 and manufactured by Kalashnikov concern.




SPECIFICATIONS:-

Mass: 4.11 kg (9.06 lb)

Length: 1,255 mm (48.2 in)

Barrel Length: 620 mm

Cartridge: 7.62×54 mmR

Action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt

Rate of Fire: Semi-automatic

Muzzle Velocity: 830 m/s 

Effective Firing Range: 800 mm

Feed System: 10-round detachable box magazine 

Sights: PSO-1 telescopic sight 1PN51/1PN58 night vision sights 

 

 

IMI GALIL:-

IMI Galil is a family of Israeli-made Gas-operated, rotating bolt, fully-automatic rifles designed by Yisrael Galil and Yakov Lior in the late 1960s, and manufactured by Israel Military Industries (IMI). 

The Galil sniper used by the Indian Army is a derivative of the Automatic Rifle Machine-gun (ARM) configuration. The first Galil sniper was developed in 1983. It is a semi-automatic sniper rifle that comes with 7.62×51mm NATO ammunition for constant accuracy.

The Punj Lloyd Raksha Systems makes these snipers for Indian Armed Forces under license. IMI Galil is the standard-issue sniper rifle for Special Forces.



SPECIFICATIONS:-

Mass: 6.4 Kg

Length: Sniper: 1,112 mm (43.8) stock extended; 845 mm (33.3) stock folded

Barrel Length: 508 mm

Cartridge: 7.62x51mm

Action: Rotating Bolt, Gas-operated

Rate of Fire:650 rounds per minute

Muzzle Velocity: 815 m/s

Effective Firing Range: 300-500m sight adjustments

Feed System: 25-round proprietary box magazine

Sights: Flip-up tritium night sights, Flip-up rear aperture ( protective ears)

 

HECKLER AND KOCH PSG1 :-

The Heckler and Koch PSG1 is a semi-automatic sniper rifle designed and manufactured by the German company Heckler and Koch. The PSG1 is produced by Heckler and Koch itself and SEDENA (licensed). It was designed in 1968. The PSG1 Sniper rifle comes in 3 variants: PSG1A1, MSG90, and MSG90A1.





SPECIFICATIONS:-

Mass: 7.2 Kg (15.87 lb)

Length: 1,230 mm (48.4in)

Barrel Length: 650 mm (25.6)                  

Cartridge:7.62x51mm NATO

Action: Roller-delayed blowback

Muzzle Velocity: 868m/s (2,848 ft/s)

Effective Firing Range: 1,000 m (1094 yd)

Feed System: 5, 10, or 20-round with detachable box magazine

Sights: Hensoldt ZF 6×42 PSG1 telescopic sigh

 

The PSG1A1 is being used by the National Security Guard, MARCOS, Indian Army, Greyhounds, and OCTOPUS(Special police force of Andhra Pradesh). The PSG1 was introduced in India by R&AW special forces in the 1980s. It played a critical role in the OP-BLACK THUNDER in 1988, the Kargil war in 1999, and the Mumbai terror siege in 2008.

 

SAKO TRG 42:-

The SAKO TRG is a bolt-action sniper rifle line designed and manufactured by Finnish firearms manufacturer SAKO. It is the successor to the SAKO TR-6 target rifle, and thus the letter G within the rifle's name is meant to represent the number 7. The first variant of SAKO TRG-21/TRG-41 was designed in 1989 and the second variant of SAKO TRG-22/TRG-42 was designed IN 1999. The TRG-22 and TRG-42 rifles were again upgraded by Sako Ltd. in 2018, with a new stock design.





SPECIFICATIONS:-

Mass: 5.4 kg (11.9 lb) empty (TRG-22 fold. Stock 660 mm barrel); 5.58 kg (12.8 lb) empty (TRG-42 fold. Stock 690 mm barrel)

Length: 1,000 mm (39.7 in) (TRG-22 510 mm barrel); 1,020 mm (40.6 in) (TRG 42 folded stock 510 mm barrel); 1,200mm (47.2 in) (TRG-42)

Barrel Length: 1,000 mm (39.37in) (TRG-22 fold. Stock 510 mm barrel); 1,020 mm (40.16in) (TRG-42 fold. Stock 510 mm barrel)

Cartridge: .260 Remington (TRG-22) 6.5mm Creedmor (TRG-22 A1); .338 Lapua Magnum (TRG-42)

Action: Bolt-Action

Muzzle Velocity: -930 m/s (TRG-42)

Effective Firing Range: 800 m (TRG-22 .308 Winchester); 1,100 m (TRG-42.300 Winchester Magnum); 1,500 m (TRG-42 .338 Lapua Magnum)

Feed System: 5-round detachable box magazine (.338 Lapua Magnum) 7-round Detachable box magazine (0.308 Winchester)

Sights: Aperture rear; day or night optics Zeiss or Schmidt & Bender PM II telescopic sight (In General)

 

 BERETTA SCORPIO TGT:-

The Beretta Scorpio TGT is an Italy-made sniper rifle that uses a .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6×70 mm or 8.58×70 mm) rimless, bottlenecked, centerfire rifle cartridge. This is used by the troops of the Northern Command of the Indian Army along with the Line Of  Control with Pakistan.



 SPECIFICATIONS:

Mass:6.94 Kg (15.32 lbs)

Length: 1249.68 mm (42.2 inches)

Barrel Length:660.4 mm (26 inches)

Cartridge:.338 Lapua Magnum (8.6×70 mm or 8.58×70 mm)

Effective Firing Range: 1500-1800 meters

Feed System: 5 and 8 rounds option

 

MAUSER SP66 :-

The Mauser SP66 is a German-origin rotating bolt manual sniper rifle designed and produced by the German company Mauser. The Mauser SP66 is based on the Mauser’s Model 66 bolt-action rifle.



SPECIFICATIONS:-

Mass: 6.12 kg(-13.5lb)

Length: 1120 mm

Barrel Length: 730 mm

Cartridge: 7.62x21mm NATO

Action: Bolt Action

Muzzle Velocity: 685.8 m/s (2250 ft/s)

Effective Firing Range: 800-1000 m sight adjustments

Feed System an internal 3-round magazine

Sights: Zeiss Diavari ZA 1.25-6z scope

 

SIG SAURER SSG 3000 :-

The SIG SAURER SSG300 is a bolt-action, magazine-fed rifle chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO. It was developed in Germany. The SSG 3000 was developed by SIG Sauer GmbH and is well renowned for its high quality. The production of SSG 3000 sniper rifles began in 1992 and is continuing.

SSG 3000  Sniper is used for long-range sniping by the NSG commandos.



SPECIFICATIONS:-

Mass: 5.44 kg (11.99 lb)

Length: 1,180 mm (46.5 in)

Barrel Length: 600 mm (23.36)

Cartridge: 7.62×51 mm NATO

Action: Bolt-Action

Muzzle Velocity: 800 m/s (2,625 ft/s) – 830 m/s (2,723 ft/s)

Effective Firing Range: 900 m (984 yds)

Feed System: 5-round detachable internal magazine

Sights: Zeiss Victory Diavari 3-12×56 telephonic

So It’s all about the Sniper rifles of the Indian army. However, there are various other sniper rifles operated by the Indian army but they are Anti-material rifles, thus not included in these sniper rifles.