Remington makes M24 available to soldiers
Straight from the pages of the Army Times. I think I want to put my name on the list for one of these.
By Lance M. Bacon - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jan 15, 2012 9:28:36 EST
<form id="hidden"> </form> Many soldiers have drooled at the idea of spending a day behind the M24 sniper rifle. Now you have a chance to own one.
Manufacturer Remington made a unique deal with the Army that will make nearly 2,000 M24s available for purchase.
As the Army upgrades 2,500 M24 sniper rifle chassis to XM2010s, replaced parts are normally destroyed. In return for a reduced price on its XM2010, the Army is letting Remington use those operational parts to build a complete M24 system, said Trevor Shaw, Remington spokesman.
This is not a cheap knockoff, mind you. It is the same rifle that snipers have carried for nearly 25 years. Each rifle has 800-yard accuracy and will include:
• A new M700 long-action receiver.
• A new 40X trigger assembly externally adjustable from 2 to 8 pounds of pull.
• A new 24-inch 416R Stainless Barrel with 5R rifling with 1-11.25-inch twist.
• The H-S Precision Kevlar Graphite composite stock with a full-length aluminum bedding block, adjustable length of pull, ambidextrous palm swell on grip, and a beavertail-type fore-end.
• The venerable Leupold-Stevens M3 Ultra fixed scope at 10X with a range-finding mil-dot reticle and bullet drop compensator.
• Matte-black “Rem-Tuff” powder coat external finish.
• Harris short bipod.
• Detachable Redfield Palma Match rear sight with a Redfield Olympic big-bore open front sight.
• Hard carrying case.
The rifle will run you $3,500. That may seem like a big chunk of change, especially when you can buy Remington’s Model 700 XCR Tactical Long Range for $1,500. But the M24 is in a whole different league, and its asking price is about half the original cost, Shaw said.
“The barrel is unique, the rifle is drill-tapped for the open sights. … There is just no other gun like this that we make,” he said. “Just the stock and scope would cost you $2,000. You can build or buy something that will match this capability, but it will cost you $6,000. And it won’t be an M24.”
Remington will take orders beginning in mid-January. Details will be available on the company’s website, Firearms - Shotguns - Rifles - Handguns - Ammunition - Remington Guns - Home of America's Oldest Gunmaker. Current and former U.S. military snipers have first shot. Active-duty service members, National Guardsmen and reservists are next in line, followed by retired military personnel. If rifles remain, federal agents and law enforcement officers can get in on the action.
The gun maker has 250 systems on hand now and expects another 400 in the coming months, Shaw said. The bulk of repatriated parts will come in October. Remington expects to pump out roughly 100 weapons a month through the end of 2013. Delivery time may take up to nine months. The M24s will be built on the same production line as XM2010s and foreign-sold M24s.
