The Austrian Armed Forces have received a new 8.6 mm medium sniper rifle. It complements the range of precision small arms of the Austrian army. The new rifle has a larger caliber and a more powerful sight than the famous SSG 69 sniper rifle. Since 2020, the 8.6 mm rifle has been supplied to the troops.
In 1969, the Austrian company Steyr Mannlicher developed the SSG 69 sniper rifle, which then entered service with the Austrian Ground forces as a sniper weapon. For half a century since the introduction of SSG 69 in weapons technology, as well as optics, numerous developments have appeared that provide greater accuracy. So, the steel sight is "thinner" (crosshair, etc.), and the magnification coefficient of the optics is higher than that of SSG 69. The weapon has become modular and is adjusted to the shooter with the help of an adjustable butt and other components.
Another aspect that is increasingly coming to the fore is the firing range. The new 8.6 mm medium sniper rifle Steyr 08A2 (mSSG), also designated Steyr MSSG M1 for civilian use, increases the firing range in comparison with SSG 69 from 800 m to 1200 m (plus 50 percent).
Medium Sniper Rifle mSSG
Medium Sniper Rifle: caliber
At the international level, there is a transition from the previously used 7.62 x 51 mm NATO ammunition (.308) to 8.6x70 mm Lapua (.338). The Lapua Magnum 8.6 x 70 mm caliber is characterized by minimal deviation and braking from wind and air resistance. Ammunition of this caliber is characterized by very precise manufacturing, which at large distances allows you to achieve a smaller scattering circle. Candidates for snipers, when shooting from the new mSSG 08A2, already during the admission tests, in order to gain admission to training, achieve a maximum scattering circle diameter of three centimeters per 100 m.
Comparison of 7.62 and 8.6 mm calibers
Currently, the 8.6 x 70 mm Lapua Magnum caliber is actively used by operational units around the world for "long distances" (more than 1000 m). In addition, there is a large selection of types of ammunition of this caliber used internationally: armor-piercing, glass-piercing or full-shell cartridges. Having a choice of ammunition allows the sniper to act more successfully in various scenarios.
Development and procurement
The mSSG Steyr 08A2 sniper rifle was purchased for the Austrian Army based on the results of a two-stage international competition. At the first stage, eleven manufacturers showed interest. At the second stage, there are four applicants, of which two are from Austria and two from the European Union. The competition was won by the Austrian company Steyr Arms (formerly Steyr Mannlicher).
At the same time, not only the rifle is of Austrian origin, but also the sight – which is an important component of the sniper system – manufactured by KAHLES K624i. Like the rifle, it is one of the most powerful sights on the international market. According to publications, it currently offers the only system in the world with the ability to install optics on the left side without using the right hand of the shooter.
The selection of components such as weapons, sight or muzzle brake are in close coordination with the snipers of the Special Forces Command (Jagdkommando) of the Austrian Armed Forces. As a result, it is believed that this system is a product that best meets the desires of snipers and offers high field suitability. In total, 120 sets of this weapon system worth about 1.6 million euros will be purchased for the Austrian Armed Forces. The entire trench is planned to be transferred to sniper units and groups of infantry battalions and the Command of the SpN. Weapon systems come with an extensive set of accessories.
Weapon system
The mSSG Steyr 08A2 product is a modern sniper rifle, adaptable by changing the overall length, adjusting the stroke and trigger forces, its position in the longitudinal direction and changing the position of the handle in accordance with the needs of the shooter. The total length of the weapon with the butt extended is 133 cm, with the muzzle brake installed – 145 cm. If the butt is folded to the right, for example, for transportation, the total length is reduced to 108 cm.
TTX Sniper rifle
The mSSG Steyr 08A2 medium sniper rifle of 8.6 mm caliber is a multi-shot rifle with a longitudinally sliding bolt. The length of the barrel is 69 cm, or 27 inches with a constant right-hand rifling of the barrel to stabilize the bullet and for high-precision target destruction up to at least 1,200 m. The initial velocity of the bullet reaches 889 m/s. Maximum installed range of the shot: 5,700 m. Ammunition is supplied from a metal magazine with a capacity of 10 rounds. The weight of the mSSG with a ZF624i sight and a loaded magazine is about 9.25 kg. The weight is optimal to ensure stable and accurate shooting.
Receiver plate with Picatinny rail and Key Mod system
The mSSG Steyr 08A2 sniper rifle has a long receiver plate, which is equipped with a Picatinny rail on the upper surface and a Key Mod mounting system on the side surface. These mounting options allow you to install various accessories, such as a night vision device, a thermal imager or a laser designator.
Another accessory that is mounted on the butt is a ground stop, which allows the shooter to place the weapon on the ground and direct it to the target. This is useful if the sniper has to wait a long time for the target or if the weapon needs to be held with an emphasis on the shoulder. As a result, the rifle always remains stable, which greatly facilitates its targeting. However, this does not replace the standard pillows (sandbags or pellets) that snipers use. In addition to the Picatini rail and the Key Mod system, bipods or a tripod can be attached.
The emphasis in the ground on the butt
The mSSG protection is installed in two ways: by the safety lever and the safety wheel. The fuse offers three positions: "unlocked", "charged", "on guard". To reduce the signatures of the shot, a muzzle damper-a flame extinguisher is used. It can fasten to the muzzle brake and removes the thermal effect with a thermal cover.
Table 1
Tactical and technical characteristics of the mSSG Steyr 08A2 sniper rifle
Parameter Characteristic Caliber 8.6x70 mm (.338 Lapua Magnum) Weight with snar.shop and optician.by sight about 9.25 kg Length with flame extinguisher 140 – 145 cm Length with folded butt 108 cm Barrel length 69 cm
Technical characteristics of the optical sight
The KAHLES K624i optical sight, called the ÖF ZF624i in the Austrian Armed Forces, has a continuously variable magnification range from 6 to 24 times. The magnification is designed for a distance of more than 1000 m. The pronounced sharpness of the image with neutral color rendering gives the sniper the necessary look for an accurate shot. The image itself does not lose focus at maximum magnification (24x). The field of view of the sight at a sixfold magnification at a distance of 100 m is 6.8 m and decreases to 1.7 m per 100 m with an increase in magnification to 24x (from 68 to 17 lines).
KAHLES K624i Optical Sight
For use in the Austrian Armed Forces, the ZF624i has a grid (designation MSR/Ki) consisting of a crosshair and sighting marks, distance estimation marks and measurement angle. The grid is located at the first level of the image and thus "grows" with changes in magnification. This is important when estimating the distance, because the distance between the marks remains always the same, and the sniper should not pay attention to what magnification he has just chosen.
The system of sighting marks
Distance detection tags allow the shooter to measure the range to the target in the range from 400 m to 1,300 m. The measurement angle consists of two lines arranged at right angles. Their stroke is more subtle than that of distance estimation stamps, which provides a more accurate measurement of the distance to the target. The grid is highlighted in red. The brightness of the backlight is adjusted by the shooter according to his needs and lighting conditions.
The ZF624i optical sight is adjusted metrically (0.1 MRAD - milliradian). This allows the shooter to change the aiming point by introducing the necessary corrections. Corrections at a distance of 100 m correspond to one centimeter for one click down / up or left/right. The maximum adjustment at a range of 100 m is 2.5 m in height (250 clicks), and 1.1 m in direction (110 clicks). The location of the adjusting clutch is optimized so that the settings are made quickly, and the sniper could not remove the shooting hand from the weapon. It is usually located on the right side, as is the parallax detuning.
Image transmission by adjusted sight
On the ZF624i, the parallax detuning was moved to the top, and the adjustment clutch to the left side, which leads to more ergonomic work with optics. Thus, in the ZF624i, parallax detuning is integrated into the height adjustment coupling. It is made in a gear design. The parallax tuning range starts from 50 m and continues indefinitely. With parallax compensation, if the detuning is correct, a sharp image is transmitted at any distance and the sight avoids possible target errors similar to the "slate" view.
Several filters are attached to the optics (ultraviolet, orange, yellow, cellular, etc.). Additionally, as an auxiliary tool, the Aimpoint Micro T1 tactical collimator sight can be installed on the optical sight.
Based on the materials of the resource truppendienst.com
