Tag Archives: marine XM3 rifle

Looking for an Iraq-used DARPA XM3?

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Just listed on CMP’s auction site, an Iron Brigade Armory DARPA XM3 sniper rifle with scope, was issued to Marine units in Iraq, where it logged 127 rounds. 

Deets:

Serial Number: S6544479
Receiver: Remington 700 Short Action
Caliber: .308
Bolt: Large Ball, Last 4 of SN on the bolt handle
Scope: Nightforce NXS 3.5-15×50, SN: Q04935 noticeably clear and crisp
Rings: Nightforce
Receiver mount: Iron Brigade Armory, Last 4 of SN stamped on the bottom
Markings & Other information:

Iron Brigade Armory assembled DARPA XM3 Sniper Rifle system in STORMCASE iM3200 case.

• The entire rifle is painted camouflage.

• Barrel is clean and well maintained. The last 4 of SN are stamped on the left side.

• USMC Weapon Record Book (part 2) which indicates 127 rounds fired in Iraq with an estimated 700 total rounds fired. The record book has a mistake in the listed SN leaving out one of the 4s.

• Rifle case also includes:
• J. Dewey cleaning rod
• serialized tool case w/ basic hand tools and a torque wrench.

This rifle has not been test-fired or worked in any way by CMP personnel and is in As-received condition. It is sold AS IS with no warranty expressed or implied.

The auction runs 12 days, starting 17 February, and, like all CMP rifle sales, goes to help support the program’s youth marksmanship training missions.

Endangered Marine XM-3s being preserved via CMP

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In 2004, the Marine snipers deployed in the sandbox needed a rifle that was shorter and lighter as well as quieter, than their standard M40s.

This led a small group of sniper wonks including Steve Reichert (then SNCOIC of the 2nd Marine Division’s Pre-Sniper course) and others to hammer out what was known as the DARPA XM-3 rifle, using an 18.5″ Hart 416R Stainless Steel (Mil-Gauged) barrel that was suppressor ready.

That's a full length rifle

That’s a fully asssembled sniper rifle…

What was so special about them?

From Steve Reichert:

-The receivers were clip slotted to accept the reverse-engineered titianium picatinny rail (IBA Design) to fit firmly.
-The receivers’ internal threads were opened up to 1.070” to allow a perfectly true alignment with the bolt face and chamber/bore dimension. The chamber was cut to accept M118LR ammo.
-The titanium recoil lug was built with the 1.070” diameter opening for the larger-barrel threads and surface ground true.
-The stainless steel magazine box was hand fitted and welded to eliminate movement when assembled.
-The stocks were custom made for the project.
-The barreled actions were bedded in titanium Devcon and Marine Tex to allow for decades of hard use without losing torque or consistency.
-Nightforce made a full 1 MOA elevation adjustment on their NXS 3.5-15X50’s to allow for faster dope changes at distance. These scopes had 1/4 MOA windage.

While successful and a hit with the Devils who got to use them, the 56 or so XM3’s were all pulled from service by 2014.

Thankfully, some have made thier way to the CMP and, as surplus bolt-action rifles, can be sold to the public.

They just auctioned off XM-3 rifle, serial number S6534025 with a factory green stock finish, built at Iron Brigade Armory by D. Briggs, USMC (Ret), 2112.

The rifle included the scope, sniper data book with some firing information; PVS22 Night Vision Device and other goodies.

xm-3-rifle-serial-number-s6534025-has-a-factory-green-stock-finish-and-shows-signs-of-use-but-was-well-maintained-and-cared-for-was-built-at-iba-by-d-briggs-usmc-ret-2112 pvs-22

Talk about functional history…