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At a glance
M21 Sniper Weapon System
Measured figures
Length
Single source1118 mm (44 in)[source]
SAR 21 Light Weight Carbine
Single sourceConfiguration
| Specification | M21 Sniper Weapon System | SAR 21 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Designated marksman rifle Sniper rifle[source] | Bullpup assault rifle[source] |
| Place of origin | United States[source] | Singapore[source] |
| In service | 1968–present[source] | 1999–present[source] |
| Used by | See Users[source] |
SAR 21larger figure on 0 of 2
Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.
SAR 21 MMS
Single sourceSAR 21, SAR 21 40 GL/M203, SAR 21 P-Rail
Single source805 mm (31.7 in) (SAR 21, SAR 21 40 GL/M203, SAR 21 P-Rail) 680 mm (26.8 in) (SAR 21 MMS) 640 mm (25.2 in) (SAR 21 Light Weight Carbine)[source]
Mass
Single source5.27 kg (11.6 lb)[source]
GL/M203 SAR 21
Single sourceP-Rail
Single sourceSAR 21 Light Weight Carbine
Single sourceSAR 21 MMS
Single sourceSAR 21 SAR 21
Single source• SAR 21: 4 kg (8.82 lb) • SAR 21 GL/M203: 5.3 kg (12 lb) • SAR 21 P-Rail: 3.6 kg (7.9 lb) • SAR 21 MMS: 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) • SAR 21 Light Weight Carbine 3 kg (6.6 lb)[source]
Effective; Effective firing range
Single sourceEffective; with 3–9× scope
Single sourceMaximum; Maximum firing range
Single source460 m (500 yd) 900 m (980 yd) (with 3–9× scope)[source]
3,725 m (4,074 yd)[source]
Effective; M193
Single sourceEffective; SS109
Single source460 m (M193) 800 m (SS109)
Rate of fire
Single source450–650 rounds/min[source]
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
See Users[source] |
| Wars | 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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| Designer | Marines Weapons Command Combat Development Command Limited Warfare Agency[source] | Tuck Wah Chee and Felix Tsai of Chartered Industries of Singapore / ST Kinetics[source] |
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| Designed | 1968[source] | 1996[source] |
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| Manufacturer | Rock Island Arsenal Springfield Armory Smith Enterprise, Inc.[source] | • CIS: 1999–2000 • ST Kinetics : 2000–present[source] |
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| Variants | M25[source] | See variants[source] |
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| Cartridge | 7.62×51mm NATO[source] | 5.56×45mm NATO[source] |
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| Action | Gas-operated , rotating bolt[source] | Gas-operated , rotating bolt[source] |
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| Feed system | 5-, 10-, or 20-round detachable box magazine[source] | 30-round detachable plastic box magazine Export models: STANAG magazines[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] | 1.5x or 3x optical sight; back-up iron sights[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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| Produced | — | 1999–present[source] |
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| Barrels | — | Single barrel 1:12" and 1:7" twist options[source] |
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| Reported operators |
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