History and info about the Barret Fifty Caliber Rifle.: M82 to M107

The XM107 was originally intended to be a bolt-action sniper rifle, and it was selected by the U.S. Army in a competition between such weapons. However, the decision was made that the U.S. Army did not, in fact, require such a weapon. The rifle originally selected under the trials to be the XM107 was the Barrett M95.
Then the Army decided on the Barrett M82, a semi-automatic rifle. In summer 2002, the M82 finally emerged from its Army trial phase and was approved for "full materiel release", meaning it was officially adopted as the Long Range Sniper Rifle, Caliber .50, M107. The M107 uses a Leupold 4.5–14×50 Mark 4 scope.

The Barrett M107 is a .50 caliber, shoulder fired, semi-automatic sniper rifle. Like its predecessors the rifle is said to have manageable recoil for a weapon of its size owing to the barrel assembly that itself absorbs force, moving inward toward the receiver against large springs with every shot. Additionally the weapon's weight and large muzzle brake also assist in recoil reduction. Various changes were made to the original M82A1 to create the M107, with new features such as a lengthened accessory rail, rear grip, and monopod socket. Barrett has recently been tasked with developing a lightweight version of the M107 under the "Anti-Materiel Sniper Rifle Congressional Program", and has already come up with a scheme to build important component parts such as the receiver frame and muzzle brake out of lighter weight materials.
The Barrett M107, like previous members of the M82 line, is also referred to as the Barrett "Light Fifty." The designation has in many instances supplanted earlier ones, with the M107 being voted one of 2005's Top 10 Military Inventions by the U.S. Army.^[4]
A commercial development of the "new" M107, the M107CQ is specifically designed where the firepower of a .50 caliber rifle is required, but the bulk of the M82/M107 series prevents the weapon from being used. The M107CQ is 9" shorter in overall length (all in the barrel) and 5 pounds lighter than the M107. According to the manufacturer, the M107CQ is suitable for use in helicopters, force protection watercraft, tactical scout land vehicles, and as an urban soldier's combat multiplier for close quarter battles.^[5]

In October 2010, Barrett unofficially reported production of the M107 had ceased; and in January 2011 the company announced its successor, the M107A1 was available for commercial release. Significant enhancements include a reduction in weight of 4 pounds, a new cylindrical titanium muzzle brake and titanium barrel key/recoil buffer system which allows the weapon to operate with a Barrett-designed suppressor, and other functional modifications that increase durability and operator utility.

^Stats:

M82A1

Caliber: .50 BMG (12.7×99mm) and .416 Barrett (10.6×83mm)^[21]
Operation: short recoil, semi-automatic
Overall length: 57 inches (145 cm) w/ 29 inch (73.7 cm) barrel or 48 inches (122 cm) w/ 20 inch (50.8 cm) barrel
Barrel length: 508 millimetres (20.0 in) or 737 mm (29.0 in)
Feed device: 10-round detachable box magazine
Sights: Flip up, optics vary by user preference
Weight: 30.9 lb (14.0 kg) w/ 29 inch (73.7 cm) barrel or 29.7 lb (13.5 kg) w/ 20 inch (50.8 cm) barrel
Muzzle velocity with 660 grain, 42.8 g projectile: 853 m/s (2,800 ft/s) with 400 grain, 26.0 g solid brass projectile: 990 m/s (3,200 ft/s)
Effective range: 1,800 m (5,900 ft)
Maximum Range: 6,812 m (7,450 yd)^[22]
Expected accuracy: Sub-MOA with match ammo
Unit replacement cost: $8,900 US