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IWI Introduces Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
Israel Weapons Industries continues to make plenty of waves in the tactical world. Its most recent, a new bolt-action sniper rifle, is a marked break from the company's previous precision platforms.
In some respects Israel Weapons Industries achieved the impossible this past year – they got the shooting world talking about bullpups.
The IWI's Tavor struck the right cord with a certain segment of shooters, offering them the ballistic performance of a full-sized 5.56, but in a compact package. But the innovative weapons system tailored for urban combat appears to be just the first wave the company is ready to make.
A recent announcement by IWI has the potential to set long-range shooters' hearts aflutter, with the company ready to offer the market what looks to be a top-end precision rifle system. The DAN .338 bolt-action sniper rifle is to be the first of a family of IWI firearms designed to tackle the most daunting distances.
The rifle has been under development since 2010, and it was designed in conjunction with the Israel Defense Forces. It was introduced to the public at Eurosatory 2014 Exhibition in Paris. And it comes with a number of features that make it not only accurate, but also practical.
On the practical side of things, the rifle is compact and lightweight. The firearm is chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum and boasts an aluminum alloy chassis, featuring an adjustable, folding stock. These features have the rifle tipping the scales at 15.2 pounds unloaded and 40.5-inch to 50-inch overall length.
Concerning accuracy, IWI picked one of the most popular calibers for long-distance work. The .338 Lapua has seen plenty of action in Afghanistan, setting a number of sniper records along the way.
IWI has outfitted the rifle with a heavily-fluted 31-inch free-floating barrel with a 10:1 twist rate, a combination the company said will yield sub MOA accuracy out of the box. The barrel is designed to be quickly switched out, has a built-in muzzle break and has the option of being threaded to fit a suppressor.
The DAN .338 has a lot of tactical appeal, away from the ability to deliver rounds on target again and again.
The rifle is extremely adaptable to the shooter, boasting an adjustable length of pull and cheek rest. It comes outfitted with Mil-Spec 1913 Picatinny rails on the top and bottom – optional side rails – of the receiver making the addition of accessories a snap. And it comes with a 10-round magazine.
The gun is marked break from IWI's previous sniper rifles, which were all smaller calibers and also semi-automatics. IWI has not announced when the DAT .338 will be available on the consumer market or what the rifle's MSRP will be.
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