Rifles Bespoke Gun Raptor in Special Operations: new weapons of Russian snipers
Raptor rifle chambered in .338 LM. In the background is an ammo box.
Snipers of the Russian army take an active part in the Special Operation for the Defense of Donbass. They fight the enemy with the help of various types of rifle systems produced by domestic enterprises. For example, this year, high-precision Raptor rifles from the domestic brand Bespoke Gun appeared at the front for the first time. They have already managed to show their best side and helped to accumulate the necessary operating experience.
Promising complex
In 2014, a group of enthusiasts founded the Moscow armory company." In the early years of its existence, the IOC was engaged in research in the field of precision weapons and worked with third-party products. In 2019, the company took up the development and production of its own shooting systems and brought them to the market under the Bespoke Gun brand (“Weapons on order”).
The Bespoke Gun product catalog now contains several models of rifles in different calibers and with different design features. In addition, bolt groups designed for long-range and high-precision shooting are being created and produced.
In February 2023, the IOC for the first time showed its new development - the Raptor high-precision shooting system. This project was carried out using the accumulated experience and developments in the field of design and production. In addition, the development company actively consulted with snipers from various structures and divisions. Their experience and wishes also influenced the appearance and characteristics of the new rifle. For example, a significant contribution to the formation and development of the appearance of the rifle was made by specialists from the Russian University of Special Forces (Gudermes).
Raptor rifles. ready to ship to customers
In May, they showed a modified version of the rifle called the Raptor Tactical. In parallel, the new weapon passed the necessary tests. So, in early June, the IOC showed a test of the bolt group for resistance to water and dust. The details coped with this challenge and continued to perform their functions.
Weapons at the front
As the name implies, the Raptor Tactical rifle was created for real combat use by snipers of our armed forces. After conducting the necessary tests, the IOC set up the production of such weapons and began to send them to the combat units of the Russian army.
For the first time, the presence of "Raptors" in the zone of the Special Operation became known in early June. The RT news agency showed a report on the combat work of a group of snipers from the 155th Marine Brigade of the Pacific fleetliberating the Donetsk People's Republic. The commander of the unit with the call sign "Ardent" demonstrated a recently received weapon - a personalized Raptor rifle with a dedicatory engraving.
Snipers of the 155th brigade are busy tracking down and destroying command personnel, sappers, snipers, etc. enemy manpower. At the same time, the new weapon allows firing at distances of more than 1 km, which increases the efficiency of combat work and reduces some of the risks.
"Raptor" chambered for 6.5 PRC in a case
Shortly after the report on RT, the IOC announced the transfer of a new batch of rifles to the Sparta unit. A few days later, the snipers of the 155th brigade and their weapons of domestic production again became the heroes of a television report - now they were shown by the Rossiya 1 channel.
The Raptor Tactical sniper rifle gets good reviews. It confirms the calculated characteristics and in capable hands is an accurate and long-range weapon. Obviously, the production of such rifle complexes will continue, and their number in the troops will increase. Together with other modern developments, rifles from Bespoke Gun will improve the capabilities of our snipers.
Technical features
"Raptor" and "Raptor-Tactical" are repeating sniper rifles with high accuracy, adapted to front-line conditions. With the necessary fire characteristics, they are characterized by high strength and resistance to various influences. In addition, the weapon is equipped with the necessary devices and accessories, incl. and taking into account the wishes of a particular shooter. The main modification of rifles uses the .338 LM cartridge (8,6x70 mm). A variant for 6.5 PRC ammunition is also presented.
The Raptor rifle is built according to the traditional layout for such products. The basis of the design is a tubular receiver and a large length of a posted barrel. The receiver assembly is mounted on an aluminum stock with the necessary fasteners, grooves and holes. A fore-end is mounted on the bed in front, used to install a bipod.
Sniper "Yary" and his Raptor .338
The weapon is equipped with a rifled barrel with a length of 26 to 28 inches (660-711 mm), at the request of the customer. The rifling has a pitch of 9 to 10 inches (228-254 mm). The barrel is threaded for mounting a muzzle brake or silent firing device. On the side surface of the barrel, valleys are made that improve cooling and positively affect the accuracy of the fire. The barrel chamber can be made in three versions, optimized for different ammunition.
Used a traditional sliding bolt for manual reloading. Locking is carried out by turning the three lugs. The locking assembly is made with high precision, which simplifies and speeds up reloading. In addition, its durability has been increased for more intensive use with different ammunition.
The Raptor uses five-round detachable box magazines. The dimensions of the window for the ejection of cartridge cases allow you to feed ammunition manually one at a time. The rifle can use different types of .338 LM or 6.5 PRC cartridges. In particular, the development company offers its own ammunition, optimized for long-range and accurate shooting.
The effective fire range of the rifle reaches 2 km. This requires appropriate sighting devices. Raptor Tactical can be equipped with different types of optical sights - at the choice of the shooter. The sight is mounted on a standard receiver rail. The IOC company declares the possibility of obtaining "extreme accuracy" of fire, but does not name specific parameters.
For the convenience of the sniper, there are straps on the forearm - for mounting bipods or other devices. The butt is made folding, and is also adjustable in length and has a movable cheek. At the bottom of the stock there is an Arca-Swiss rail for mounting the rifle on a tripod.
Positive effects
The Raptor Tactical sniper rifle as a whole is a modern high-precision weapon with high fire performance. Products of this type have been used in the Special Operations area for several months now and help snipers solve their problems, as well as earn positive reviews and build their reputation.
The appearance of such a rifle - as well as other samples under the brand name Bespoke Gun - should be considered a positive development, and for several reasons at once. First of all, we are talking about the high tactical and technical characteristics of weapons. In this regard, the Raptor Tactical can be compared with other models in service with our snipers and enemy formations. In some cases, superiority in characteristics and capabilities is achieved.
It is also necessary to pay attention to the emergence in the industry of a new enterprise capable of developing and producing high-precision small arms. Several organizations are already active in this sector, and the arrival of any new entrant is of great importance. It contributes to the further development of the direction and healthy competition with positive results. Now the Special Operation uses high-precision systems of several types from different manufacturers, which has a good effect on the capabilities of snipers and allows us to draw conclusions for the further development of the direction.
It should be noted that the Raptor Tactical project demonstrates not only the general capabilities of the Moscow Arms Company, but also its ability to create military weapons that have special requirements. If the new rifle complex continues to show high reliability, the project may develop - modifications of such a rifle or completely new samples will appear.
However, Bespoke Gun rifles have a drawback that is typical for any high-precision weapon - they are very expensive. Depending on the design, configuration, etc., the price of one complex can reach several hundred thousand rubles. As a result, one should not expect that the Raptor Tactical or other rifles of this kind will become massive and come close in number to the well-deserved SVD.
At the same time, various possibilities are being sought for arming snipers and entire units. IOC products, along with products from other domestic companies, are gradually filling their niche and giving army snipers the necessary capabilities.
Real results
The Russian army is armed with small arms of various classes and types, and with its help a variety of fire missions are being solved right now. In some niches, such as high-precision sniper systems, there may be several different samples at once with similar characteristics and capabilities.
Not so long ago, new weapons from the Moscow Arms Company got into the sniper units. Now Raptor rifles are gaining distribution and are operated in parallel with the products of Lobaev Arms or Orsis. Despite all the differences, these products help snipers perform fire missions and inflict damage on the enemy, bringing victory closer.
Information