M16/AR-15 based sniper weapon system

The M16/AR-15 based sniper weapon system is ideal for company level snipers and for squad designated marksmen. The sniper or DM is able to field a highly accurate sniper rifle that fires the same caliber ammunition as of the rest of his squad carries. A company level sniper or SDM must also be able to operate with his unit and fill a standard infantry role as a squad member. A traditional bolt-action sniper weapon is not ideal for clearing buildings and other close-in work that is common on today’s battlefields. I quickly found that the 20″ bull barreled M16, while heavier than an M4, is short and light enough that the shooter can dial the scope down to 2.5 power for CQB type work and yet quickly be ready to engage long distance targets. I fired several CQB courses prior to deploying to compare the match upper to the M4 upper. The heavy barrel stabilized the rifle and I could fire slightly faster and more accurately than I could with the short M4 upper. Controls are familiar to anyone who has trained with the M16 family of weapons. Because the rifle looks similar to rifles carried by the other infantrymen, the sniper is not as likely to stand out as a target.
The M16 based sniper rifle is also ideal as a spotter’s weapon. The spotter then has the defensive firepower of light semi-auto, with long-range capabilities to match his training should the need arise. The rifle can also be used as a backup for the sniper’s rifle should it become disabled for any reason.