M24 SWS

About the M24 SWS

The M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) is a bolt-action sniper rifle adopted by the United States Army in 1988 as a replacement for the semi-automatic M21. Based on the Remington Model 700 long action, the M24 is chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO and features a 610mm (24-inch) free-floating heavy barrel made from 416R stainless steel with 5R rifling. The long action receiver was a deliberate design choice requested by the special operations community, allowing the rifle to be reconfigured for larger cartridges such as the .300 Winchester Magnum. The M24 SWS includes the Leupold Mark 4 M3A 10x40mm fixed-power scope, Harris bipod, and a Kevlar-reinforced HS Precision stock with a full aluminum bedding block. The system proved highly effective in Iraq and Afghanistan, with confirmed kills made beyond 1,100 meters despite an official effective range of 800 meters. The M24 served as the US Army's primary sniper rifle for over two decades before being supplemented and eventually replaced by the M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle in .300 Winchester Magnum.

The M24 SWS was born from a 1985 US Army solicitation for a modern bolt-action sniper rifle to replace the aging M21 semi-automatic system. Remington won the competition with a militarized version of their iconic Model 700, incorporating a long action receiver at SOCOM's request to allow future recalibering without replacing the entire weapon. The M24 and M118LR ammunition combination proved devastatingly effective in Iraq and Afghanistan, with skilled snipers routinely exceeding the system's stated 800-meter effective range.

M24 SWS specifications

The M24 SWS was specifically designed with a long action receiver chambered for a short action cartridge (7.62 NATO), allowing for future recalibering to .300 Winchester Magnum without requiring a new receiver. The A2 variant introduced a detachable 5-round magazine, adjustable Picatinny rails, and an improved HS Precision PST-026 stock. The M24A3 variant was chambered for the .338 Lapua Magnum with a detachable box magazine. The single-stage trigger is externally adjustable from 15.6N to 22.2N (3.5 to 5 pounds). The rifle's accuracy requirement was 1.30 inches average mean radius at 200 yards. Many law enforcement agencies across the United States also adopted the M24 for SWAT and tactical operations.