I’m not a big fan of verbizing nouns. Why take a perfectly good noun—“prototype”—and turn it into a verb? OK, it helps with headline brevity, a job that with which I’ve been tasked for some time. But “tests” would have worked just as well. So why didn’t I use it? ‘Cause then I wouldn’t have something to bitch about for this blog post, and I don’t have much info to accompany the pic above. “Fifty prototype rifles will be manufactured in the next four months,” hurriyetdailynews.com reports, “with 200 rifles to be completed by 2012.” thefirearmsblog.com reported on the new 7.62 rifle back in March. Specs after the jump. Click here for a CNN report—in Turkish.
Specifications
Caliber: 7.62 mm
Weight: 4.3 kg (without magazine clip)
Effective range: 600 m
Length: 92 cm
Muzzle life: 10,000 rounds
Muzzle velocity: 800 m/sec
Magazine capacity: 20 cartridges
Firing speed: 650 rounds/minute
‘New’ is a pretty bold claim about a rifle with more than a passing resemblance to an AR-10. From the buffer tube to the trigger group to the forward assist and dust cover, this rifle has been done before. More than 50 years before, in fact.
It’s too bad for Turkish soldiers that they can’t just use the AR-10, because this rifle is at least two pounds heavier.
And I’ll pass on any full-auto .308 that isn’t belt-fed and shipped with quick-change barrels. Even the long, heavy FN-FAL was nearly impossible to control in rapid-fire (I know this from experience.)
Wow, 7.62. The turks really hate the Kurds and the PKK.
Haven’t they already use .308/7.62×51 NATO in their HK G3 derivatives?
I like the forward grip/bipod
+1 I took the clanging metal bipod off my RPK and put a forward grip/bipod on the front-using a picatinny rail adapter. It is much handier and doesn’t have the problem of a poorly stowing bipod slapping around.
I thought about doing the same on my Ruger SR 556, but the Crimson Trace green Laser Grip, with a light, was just too perfect.
It’s also a homegrown turkey design. And is in no way a copy of a grip-pod. lol
So it is piston driven/rotating bolt. The piston drive is the only semi-new thing I see, but everyone wants bragging rights for their national rifle. Do we still have that?
I really miss the old M14. Gonna have to get an M1A1 one of these days. Before they put a Hilary lock on it or some such crap.
My assumption (or guess) is that this rifle will be fitted with a good optic and used as a designated marksman weapon.
7.62 x 51 is not an assault rifle caliber. It cannot be tamed for room clearing and full-auto is a sick joke. But put a good scope on this weapon and you have a designated marksman weapon. The borders of Turkey offer some opportunities for stand-off gun battles. I can see why they would want a weapon with more range than the 5.56 but not need a sniper weapon.
The M-14 is now serving that role in the US military. Sniper rifles have upgraded to calibers and ranges that out perform the 7.62. But in the hands of a modestly trained designated marksman, it is a potent weapon. I watched as a SF weapons sergeant trained 9 soldiers in my unit to use the weapon in 2 half-days. At the end of the second half-day, most of the soldiers were hitting plates at 1000m and all of them were hitting silhouettes at that range. We never left the wire without one (2009-2010).
Again, my guess is that the Turks want a rifle that bridges the assault rifle and sniper rifle categories. A 7.62mm magazine fed rifle will fill that role nicely. It is really about national pride that they are doing it in-house. I do like the piston operation and the full rail on top.
Not for an argue sake, but what about modern AR-10 variant, M110 or something like that? Isn’t that playing role of soviet SVD rifle?
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