30 Weapons That See Everyday Use by The US Army Rangers

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By Chris Lange Published
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30 Weapons That See Everyday Use by The US Army Rangers

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U.S. Army Rangers specialize in special operations raids, forcible entry operations and special reconnaissance. Their motto “Rangers lead the way” was established during World War II’s Invasion of Normandy and that responsibility holds up to this day. Army Rangers have been part of major military operations, including Grenada, Afghanistan, and Iraq.  (Find out how the Army Rangers train. Here are the U.S. military special forces with the most brutal training.)

Rangers must execute high stakes mission with both precision and fire power, so their arsenal must be tailored to suit their operational needs. Their primary assault rifle is the Fabrique Nationale FN SCAR, whose design is focused on modularity and durability in harsh combat environments. The SCAR was chosen by Special Operations Command to replace the Colt M4A1 modular automatic rifle, which had been a long-standing staple of the U.S. Armed Forces. (Here are some of the 35 guns used by Russian Special Forces.)

24/7 Wall St. reviewed the online database Military Factory’s catalog of Army Ranger Weapons to determine the guns used by U.S. Army Rangers Special Forces. Guns that are similar to each other and guns that are believed to no longer be in use by the SEALs were removed from this list. We ranked the guns according to when they entered service. Supplemental data on the type of weapon, maximum effective range, and the caliber of ammunition each gun uses also came from Military Factory.

Here are 30 weapons that see everyday use by the US Army Rangers:

30. M72 LAW

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The M72 LAW is a 66mm Anti-tank rocket launcher. It has a maximum range of 1,640 feet and entered service in 1963.

29. Remington M40

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The Remington M40 is a 7.62x51mm NATO bolt-action sniper rifle. It has a maximum range of 3,280 feet and entered service in 1966.

28. Saco Mk 19

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The Saco Mk 19 is a 40x53mm automatic grenade launcher. It has a maximum range of 4,500 feet and entered service in 1967.

27. Steyr GB

The Steyr GB is a 9×19 parabellum semi-automatic pistol. It has a maximum range of 147 feet and entered service in 1974.

26. Mossberg Model 590

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The Mossberg Model 590 is a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. It has a maximum range of 130 feet and entered service in 1975.

25. FIM-92 Stinger

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The FIM-92 Stinger is a 70mm air defense missile system. It has a maximum range of 15,750 feet and entered service in 1981.

24. ST Kinetics Ultimax 100

The ST Kinetics Ultimax 100 is a 5.56x45mm NATO light machine gun. It has a maximum range of 3,280 feet and entered service in 1982.

23. RAI Model 300 / Model 500

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The RAI Model 300 / Model 500 is a 12.7x99mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO bolt-action sniper rifle. It has a maximum range of 4,265 feet and entered service in 1983.

22. Fabrique Nationale M249 SAW

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The Fabrique Nationale M249 SAW is a 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO squad support weapon. It has a maximum range of 2,600 feet and entered service in 1984.

21. Colt M45 MEU

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The Colt M45 MEU is a .45 ACP semi-automatic pistol. It has a maximum range of 165 feet and entered service in 1986.

20. Saco M60E3

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The Saco M60E3 is a 7.62x51mm NATO light machine gun. It has a maximum range of 3,600 feet and entered service in 1986.

19. M136 Light Anti-Armor Weapon (AT4)

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The M136 Light Anti-Armor Weapon (AT4) is an 84mm anti-armor rocket launcher. It has a maximum range of 985 feet and entered service in <1987.

18. Remington M24 SWS

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The Remington M24 SWS is a 7.62x51mm NATO bolt-action sniper rifle It has a maximum range of 2,624 feet and entered service in 1987.

17. SIG-Sauer P228

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The SIG-Sauer P228 is a 9x19mm parabellum semi-automatic pistol. It has a maximum range of 165 feet and entered service in 1988.

16. Beretta M9

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The Beretta M9 is a 9x19mm parabellum semi-automatic pistol. It has a maximum range of 164 feet and entered service in 1990.

15. Colt M16A4

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The Colt M16A4 is a 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifle. It has a maximum range of 1,968 feet and entered service in 1990.

14. Stoner SR-25

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The Stoner SR-25 is a 7.62x51mm NATO designated marksman rifle. It has a maximum range of 2,625 feet and entered service in 1990.

13. Colt M4

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The Colt M4 is a 5.56x45mm NATO assault carbine. It has a maximum range of 1,640 feet and entered service in 1994.

12. FGM-148 Javelin

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The FGM-148 Javelin is a 127mm anti-tank guided missile launcher. It has a maximum range of 8,202 feet and entered service in 1996.

11. Navy Mark 12 Special Purpose Rifle

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The Navy Mark 12 Special Purpose Rifle is a 5.56x45mm NATO designated marksman rifle. It has a maximum range of 1,800 feet and entered service in 2002.

10. Fabrique Nationale Mk 48 LWMG

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The Fabrique Nationale Mk 48 LWMG is a 7.62x51mm NATO lightweight machine gun. It has a maximum range of 2,624 feet and entered service in 2003.

9. Mk 14 Mod 0 EBR

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The Mk 14 Mod 0 EBR is a 7.62x51mm NATO designated marksman rifle. It has a maximum range of 1,500 feet and entered service in 2004.

8. McMillan TAC-338

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The McMillan TAC-338 is a .338 Lapua Magnum, .338 Norma Magnum Sniper rifle. It has a maximum range of 5,250 feet and entered service in 2005.

7. General Dynamics Mk 47 Striker AGL

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The General Dynamics Mk 47 Striker AGL is a 40x53mm automatic grenade launcher. It has a maximum range of 5,600 feet and entered service in 2006.

6. Heckler & Koch HK G28

The Heckler & Koch HK G28 is a 7.62x51mm NATO designated marksman rifle. It has a maximum range of 2,000 feet and entered service in 2006.

5. M32 MGL

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The M32 MGL is a six-shot grenade(40x46mm grenade) launcher. It has a maximum range of 1,315 feet and entered service in 2006.

4. M110 SASS

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The M110 SASS is a 7.62x51mm NATO designated marksman rifle. It has a maximum range of 2,624 feet and entered service in 2007.

3. Barrett M107

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The Barrett M107 is a .50 BMG (12.7x99mm NATO) anti-personnel sniper rifle. It has a maximum range of 1,850 feet and entered service in 2008.

2. AirTronic PSRL-1

The AirTronic PSRL-1 is a anti-personnel shoulder-fired rocket launcher capable of firing a 40mm rocket. It has a maximum range of 2,625 feet and entered service in 2009.

1. Fabrique Nationale FN SCAR (Mk 16 / Mk 17)

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The Fabrique Nationale FN SCAR (Mk 16 / Mk 17) is a 5.56x45mm NATO/7.62x51mm NATO automatic assault rifle. It has a maximum range of 1,640 feet and entered service in 2009.

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About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

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