Sunday, 17 May 2009
cutted pic problem
Saturday, 16 May 2009
AMSD OM 50 Nemesis sniper rifle (Switzerland)
OM 50 Nemesis rifle, prototype
image: AMSD, Switzerland
OM 50 Nemesis Mk III rifle (production version) with replacement barrels and silencer (shown next to the rifle)
image: AMSD, Switzerland
| OM 50 Nemesis Mk I | OM 50 Nemesis Mk II | OM 50 Nemesis Mk III | |
| Caliber | .50 BMG (12,7x99) | ||
| Operation: | bolt action, single shot | bolt action, magazine-fed repeater | |
| Overall length | from 1029 mm (with 381mm barrel) to 1562 mm (with 838mm barrel) | buttstock fully extended: from 1029 mm (with 381mm barrel) to 1562 mm (with 838mm barrel) buttstock folded: from 774 mm (with 381mm barrel) to 1232 mm (with 838mm barrel) | |
| Barrel length | 381 to 838 mm (15" to 33"), changeable | ||
| Weight, empty | 10 to 15 kg, depending on installed barrel | ||
| Feed system | single shot | 5-round detachable box magazine | |
The concept, for what later became the "Nemesis" large caliber sniper rifle, was devised in 2001 by two former military, the retired US Marine Corps officer, James Owens and the Swiss Chris Movigliatti. First prototype was tested only 3 months after the design inception. In 2003, first production batch of rifles was made by AMSD, a Swiss company, highly specialized in the design of precision military light armament. The new weapon was officially christened as the OM 50 Nemesis (OM standing for names of the designers, 50 for caliber and Nemesis for the ancient Greek goddess of justice and vengeance).
The prime niche for this new weapon is precision anti-material shooting for military and police applications. The weapon can be configured as well for urban warfare as for long range target operations. A civilian version exists also for long range precision shooting. For this reason, the OM 50 Nemesis rifle features a fully modular design with three basic versions, known as Mk I, MK II and Mk III respectively. Each of these versions can be fitted with a variety of quick-change barrels, of different profiles and lengths, as well as with different add-ons (high efficiency muzzle brakes or detachable silencers / sound moderators). Barrel lengths vary from 381 mm / 15 inches for short range (urban) shooting against hardened targets and up to 838 mm / 33 inches for accurate long-range shooting. Barrel change can be accomplished in the field in less than 2 minutes, using a DIN screwdriver.
All OM 50 Nemesis rifles are built around the same aviation grade aluminum-alloy receiver and (steel) bolt group with a manually operated, rotary bolt. Bolt heads lock directly into the barrel extension with three radial lugs, relieving receiver from most of the stress and providing constant headspace, needing no adjustment. Barrels are free-floated, and are held in the receiver by a set of cross-screws. Trigger is of two-stage type, fully adjustable. The forend is attached to the receiver. Top of receiver is provided with one or more Picatinny type rails which can accept a variety of telescope and other accessories (laser; Night Sight; light). The top rail can be delivered with a 20 MOA to 40 MOA angle.
The OM 50 Nemesis Mk I has a manual feeding block, and features an adjustable fixed buttstock. It can be upgraded to the OM 50 Mk II configuration by taking out the manual feeding block and replacing/adding (1) the 5-round detachable box magazine, (2) the side-folding adjustable buttstock, (3) the folding bipod (attached to forend) and (4) the rear folding monopod (attached to the buttstock). Further upgrade, which includes extended forend with additional Picatinny rails, constitutes the OM 50 Mk III configuration. Depending on the mission, a particular version of the OM 50 Nemesis can be easily converted by the operator to another (up and down), with installation or deinstallation of necessary parts and modules.
Accuracy of the OM 50 rifles in field (real-life) conditions is described as 0,5 MOA at 300 meters and sub 1 MOA at 1000 meters; in testing, while fired by an experienced USMC sniper, OM 50 rifle shot 6x5 cm (about 2 1/2 inch) groups at 1000 yards (911 meters), which accounts for sub 0,25 MOA accuracy. The gun has already been commissioned with various police and military special operation forces.
Special thanks to Christian R. Vermeulen (Switzerland) for information
GM-94 grenade launcher (Russia)
GM-94 grenade launcher in ready position
GM-94 launcher with barrel opened forward for reloading, and shoulder stock folded
Caliber: 43mm
Type: multi-shot, manually reloading, cartridge firing
Overall length: 810 mm (540mm with shoulder stock folded)
Weight: 4.8 kg unloaded
Effective range: up to 300 m
Magazine capacity: 3 rounds
GM-94 grenade launcher is a relatively recent development of famous Rusian KBP design bureau, located in the city of Tula. It is intended mostly for various Spetsnaz elements of Russian army, FSB (Federal Security service) and MVD (Internal Affairs Ministry). GM-94 is a weapon for urban warfare - its main goal is to provide troops with short and very short range weapon firing high explosive and non-lethal (tear gas) shells. It uses proprietary 43mm ammunition, available in several loadings, with non-fragmenting HE (FAE / thermobaric) warhead, les-lethal (tear gas canister or rubber slug), and several others. The key feature of HE warhead is that it is made mostly of plastic, and its primary kill effect is achieved by the blast (high temperature and high pressure). Kill radius is said to be about 3 meters, while safe standoff (minimal range of fire) range is only few meters more. Therefore, such ammunition can be safely used during room-to-room searches from very short range, without the danger of hitting the operator or his teammates with occasional fragments.
GM-94 is manually operated, magazine fed weapon. Tubular magazine holds three rounds and is located above the barrel. Magazine loading gate is located at the top of the receiver. The sliding, rifled barrel is located below the receiver. Breech of the weapon is stationary, and for reloading barrel is moved forward (to eject spent case), then moved rearward to load fresh round from magazine above. Barrel is enclosed into polymer heatshield / handguard. GM-94 is fitted with double-action trigger and manual safety. Sights are of open type, with flip-up rear. Shoulder stock is made from steel tube and is fitted with rubber buttpad. For more compact transportation and storage shoulder stock can be folded up and forward. In emergency situations GM-94 can be fired with shoulder stock folded, from off-hand position. Alternatively, GM-94 can be supplied with fixed, skeleton type buttstock made of plastic.
43mm VGM-93 grenade weights about 250 gram and contains up to 160 gram of thermobaric explosive mixture. Muzzle velocity is about 85 m/s. With direct hit, it can destroy armor plates up to 8mm (~1/3 of an inch) thick.
AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher (Russia / USSR)
AGS-17 grenade launcher on 6T8 tripod
AGS-17 grenade launcher, close-up view
Close-up view on the receiver of AGS-17. Clearly visible are dual grips, optical sights, ballistic table (printed on the receiver top cover) and charging handle (hanging on the short steel cable from the rear of the receiver).
Caliber: 30x29B
Type: blowback operated, belt fed automatic grenade launcher
Overall length: 840 mm
Weight: 18 kg gun plus 12 kg tripod 6T8
Effective range: up to 800 m point targets; 1700 m maximum range
Rate of fire: 350-400 rounds per minute
Development of the AGS-17 (Avtomatischeskyi Granatmyot Stankovyi - Automatic Grenade launcher, Mounted) has been started USSR during in 1967 by the OKB-16 design bureau (now it is famous KBP - Instrument Design Bureau, located in the city of Tula). Most probably, its development was inspired by the Soviet-Chinese border clashes of late 1960s, as well as initial experience with several US automatic grenade launchers, learned from North Vietnamese troops who often were on receiving end of these formidable weapons. It was through that the automatic grenade launcher is one of the most effective infantry support weapons against typical Chinese "human wave" attacks. This lightweight weapon was to provide infantry with close to medium range fire support against enemy personnel and unarmored targets like trucks and other such equipment. First prototypes of new weapon entered trials in 1969, and mass production commenced in 1971. At the same timeframe, the special heliborne version AG-17 was developed for installation on Mi-24 Hind gunship helicopters. Never used against Chinese, AGS-17 was widely used by Soviet troops in Afghanistan as a ground support weapon or as a vehicle weapon on improvised mounts installed on armored personnel carriers and trucks. It is still in use with Russian army as a direct fire support weapon for infantry troops; it is also installed in several vehicle mounts and turrets along with machine guns, guided rocket launchers and sighting equipment. A special airborne version AG-17A was installed in door mounts of several Mi-8 Hip combat transport helicopters, and on gun pods used on late model Mi-24 Hind gunships; this weapon had thick aluminium jacket on the barrel and used a special mount and electric remotely controlled trigger.
AGS-17 may look inferior ballistically to its major rival, American Mk.19 mod.3 grenade launcher, as it has somewhat lighter grenade with smaller muzzle velocity and slightly shorter range; the selection of available ammunition is also much less versatile as the only mass-made 30mm rounds for AGS-17 are VOG-17 and improved VOG-30, fragmentation antipersonnel grenades with lethal damage / kill zone radius of about 7-9 meters. However, in ready to fire position AGS-17 is almost two times lighter than Mk.19 mod.3 and thus can be easily moved and maneuvered across the battlefield by the crew of two men.
AGS-17 is manufactured in Russia by the Molot Engineering Plant JSC, as well as in China by state factories and in Serbia (former Yugoslavia).
