Credit
Evers · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source ↗ · Modified
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At a glance
Colt 9mm SMGlarger figure on 0 of 2
Measured figures
stock extended
Single sourcestock retracted
Single sourceConfiguration
| Specification | Colt 9mm SMG | M21 Sniper Weapon System |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Submachine gun[source] | Designated marksman rifle Sniper rifle[source] |
| Place of origin | United States[source] | United States[source] |
| In service | 1982–present[source] | 1968–present[source] |
| Used by | See Users[source] |
M21 Sniper Weapon Systemlarger figure on 2 of 2
Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.
730 mm (28.9 in ) ( stock extended) 650 mm (25.6 in) (stock retracted)[source]
Length
Single source1118 mm (44 in)[source]
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
See Users[source]
| Wars | Invasion of Panama Miami drug war[source] | Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Cambodian Civil War 1982 Lebanon War Lebanese Civil War Salvadoran Civil War Iraq War War in Afghanistan[source] |
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| Produced | 1982–present[source] | — |
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| Cartridge | 9×19mm Parabellum[source] | 7.62×51mm NATO[source] |
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| Action | blowback , closed bolt[source] | Gas-operated , rotating bolt[source] |
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| Rate of fire | 700-1000 round/min[source] | — |
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| Feed system | 20- and 32-round detachable box magazine 100-round Beta C-Mag[source] | 5-, 10-, or 20-round detachable box magazine[source] |
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| Manufacturer | Colt's Manufacturing Company[source] | Rock Island Arsenal Springfield Armory Smith Enterprise, Inc.[source] |
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| Designer | — | Marines Weapons Command Combat Development Command Limited Warfare Agency[source] |
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| Designed | — | 1968[source] |
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| Variants | — | M25[source] |
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| Sights | — | Front: National Match front blade. Rear: Match-grade hooded aperture with one-half minute adjustments for both windage and elevation 26 + 3 ⁄ 4 in sight radius.[source] |
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| Former operator · Panama | — | Panama[source] |
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| Source measurement | — | The M21 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) in the US Army is a national match grade M14 rifle , selected for accuracy, and renamed the M21 rifle. The M21 uses a commercially procured 3–9× variable power telescopic sight, modified for use with the sniper rifle. It is chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge .[source]M21 Sniper Weapon System · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage In standard military use, the M21 uses a 20-round box magazine as the other members of the M14 family and weighs 11 pounds (5.27 kg ) without the scope. The U.S. military never officially authorized or purchased magazines in any other capacity, although 5- and 10-round magazines are available.[source]M21 Sniper Weapon System · Overview; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage |
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| Country of origin | — | United States[source]Inventory Origin column; table 8, row 23, cell 3; revision 1377789308; retrieved 2026-10-01 |
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| Reported operators |
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