The Bundeswehr is getting a new sniper rifle: 500 units of the G210 will go to German Special Forces within the next few months. But this gun is not really that new. The rifle named G210 by the German Army is the well-known MR308 from Heckler & Koch, albeit in the latest A6 version, i.e. modernized and modified. Nevertheless, it is a perfect example of the Government use of marksmanship technology. Normally, the debates here run the other way round: military-tested and proven means popular with sport shooters and hunters. However, Heckler & Koch used the experience gained from using the rifle, which has been available since 2009, to create a semi-automatic rifle for military sniper missions with the A6 version (and even the A5 variant).
So what makes this rifle so special? First of all, the designation “short-range sniper rifle” is interesting. Yes, the .308 or 7.62x51mm caliber can certainly do something, but it is also not a .338 and obviously not a .50 BMG caliber. Nevertheless, 500 to 700 meters are always possible with a precise shot, which is probably rather “short range” in military terms. (Yes, the caliber can of course do even more, no question, but not every precision shooter pushes the limits of what is possible - and H&K probably also offers an optional barrel with a shorter twist length for distances beyond 700 m).
Let's continue with possible scenarios: The Bundeswehr has been using special sniper rifles for some time now. Unlike the existing G22 (in caliber 7.62x67mm/.300 Winchester Magnum), however, the G210 is not a bolt-action rifle but a semi-automatic, and unlike the G82 in the enormous .50 BMG caliber, the new HK rifle is smaller, lighter, and therefore easier to handle. If, in an emergency, operators come under pressure and precision is not the priority, the G210 can also be used at an even shorter range, but more dynamically than a bolt-action rifle.
Tech Specs: The semi-automatic gas-operated rifle weighs around four kilograms without a magazine (maximum capacity: 25 cartridges) and, as already mentioned, is based on the reliable MR308. The barrel length is 16.5 inches, and the twist is approx. 12 inches. Heckler & Koch announced that a new “precision cartridge” will also be introduced with the rifle. The decisive new feature of the A6 version is the loading lever located on the left side. The familiar, centrally positioned “T” of the AR platform is no longer on board, and loading is now possible on the left. This enables a smoother loading process when “immobility” and concealed shooting are required.
Other aspects are already familiar from the A5 version, for example the magazine interface, which now also accepts Magpul/DPMS magazines, and this can only be useful for international use. Interesting, but not surprising: the rifle is - and remains militarily - a semi-automatic. Even in armies, there are only a few deployment scenarios for fully automatic fire beyond machine guns, and using such a precision rifle in this way (especially for special operations) makes little sense. This function can therefore simply be ignored. All in all, the Bundeswehr is closing a gap with this rifle that the special forces were apparently keen to fill. Delivery is scheduled for next year, and H&K was proud of the selection of its rifle for Special Operations Units of the Bundeswehr. We are looking forward to the first reports from these teams.
