The RAI Model 300, known as the Haskins Rifle, brought a new level of precision and reach to the Army Rangers since its introduction to service in the early 1980s. The rifle was built for flexibility and mission adaptability as it can be chambered in .50 BMG, as well as the standard NATO 7.62x51mm. These high-caliber rounds (.50 BMG) Haskins gave Ranger marksmen the ability to strike targets at distances where most infantry rifles lost their effectiveness. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is not just looking at the Haskins rifle but the entire high-caliber toolkit of the Army Rangers.
To determine the highest-caliber guns used by the US Army Rangers, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed guns cataloged by Military Factory, an online database of military vehicles, aircraft, and arms. Out of this catalog of guns, we removed similar guns and guns that are believed to no longer be in use. We ranked the guns according to caliber. We included supplemental data on the type of weapon, maximum effective range, and the year entered service. Note that we have excluded RPGs, grenade launchers, rocket launchers, and shotguns from this list.
It’s worth pointing out that this ranking is based on each weapon’s highest caliber round as a simple and consistent metric, even though some weapons might be able to fire smaller calibers. This method uses bullet diameter as the proxy for caliber because its easier to compute and explain, but it is not a full measure of the cartridge performance (muzzle energy, case capacity, sectional density, and bullet construction).
Also because this list ranks weapons on bullet diameter, some readers might be surprised to see some pistols ranking higher than some rifles or machine guns. This sounds counterintuitive because diameter doesn’t entirely capture the things that make a rifle a long-range precision tool like muzzle velocity, ballistic coefficient, sectional density and energy. All of these matter far more for range, penetration and stopping power. In short, pistols can carry larger-diameter bullets optimized for short-range blunt or stopping effect, while many sniper cartridges use smaller-diameter, heavier, higher-velocity bullets engineered to retain velocity and accuracy at distance.
Here is a look at the highest-caliber guns used by the US Army Rangers:
Why Are We Covering This?
Understanding the weapons and small arms used by today’s militaries gives some insight into a nation’s combat capabilities, or even tactical doctrines. These guns are not just instruments of warfare, but they actually reflect the technological innovation and defense budgets for a given military over the time. By exploring which rifles, sidearms, machine guns, and support weapons are fielded by various armed forces, we can better understand how nations prepare for conflict, defend their interests, and ultimately shape their battlefield effectiveness.
31. Colt M16A2
- Weapon type: Assault rifle
- Year entered service: 1983
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Colt Defense
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 30-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Gas-operated; semi-automatic; select-fire
- Maximum effective range: 1,969 ft.
30. Colt M16A4
- Weapon type: Automatic assault rifle
- Year entered service: 1990
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Colt Manufacturing
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 5.56×45 NATO, 30-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Gas-operated, semi-automatic, select fire
- Maximum effective range: 1,968 ft.
29. Colt M4
- Weapon type: Assault carbine
- Year entered service: 1994
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Colt Manufacturing / Remington Arms
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 20- or 30-round detachable box
- Firing action: Gas-operated; semi/full-automatic; locking bolt
- Maximum effective range: 1,640 ft.
28. Colt M4A1 SOPMOD
- Weapon type: Carbine rifle with special forces modification kit
- Year entered service: 1993
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Colt Firearms / Knights Armament
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 30-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Gas-operated; rotating bolt
- Maximum effective range: 1,968 ft.
27. Fabrique Nationale Mk 46 LWMG
- Weapon type: Light weight machine gun
- Year entered service: 2003
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, Disintegrating Belt Feed
- Firing action: Gas-operated; open bolt; full-automatic
- Maximum effective range: 2,625 ft.
26. ST Kinetics Ultimax 100
- Weapon type: Light machine gun
- Year entered service: 1982
- Country of origin: Singapore
- Manufacturer: Chartered Industries of Singapore
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 20- or 30-round box magazine or 100-round drum
- Firing action: Gas-operated; rotating bolt
- Maximum effective range: 3,280 ft.
25. Navy Mark 12 Special Purpose Rifle (Mk 12 SPR)
- Weapon type: Sniper rifle / designated marksman rifle
- Year entered service: 2002
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Colt Firearms
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 20- or 30-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt
- Maximum effective range: 1,800 ft.
24. Fabrique Nationale FN SCAR (Mk 16 / Mk 17)
- Weapon type: Automatic assault rifle
- Year entered service: 2009
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO, 20-(mk 17) or 30-round (mk 16) box magazine
- Firing action: Gas-operated; rotating bolt
- Maximum effective range: 1,640 ft.
23. Fabrique Nationale M240
- Weapon type: General purpose machine gun
- Year entered service: 1977
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: FN Manufacturing
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x51mm NATO, Disintegrating metal link feed of various counts
- Firing action: Gas-operated; open-bolt; belt-fed; full-automatic
- Maximum effective range: 5,905 ft.
22. Fabrique Nationale M249 SAW / LMG
- Weapon type: Light machine gun
- Year entered service: 1984
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: FN Manufacturing
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO, 30-round detachable box; 200-round metal link belt
- Firing action: Gas-operated; open bolt
- Maximum effective range: 2,600 ft.
21. Fabrique Nationale Mk 48 LWMG
- Weapon type: Light weight machine gun
- Year entered service: 2003
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x51mm NATO, Disintegrating belt
- Firing action: Gas-operated; open bolt; belt-fed
- Maximum effective range: 2,624 ft.
20. Heckler & Koch HK G28
- Weapon type: Designated marksman rifle
- Year entered service: 2006
- Country of origin: Germany
- Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x51mm NATO, 10- or 20-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Gas-operated; semi-automatic
- Maximum effective range: 2,000 ft.
19. Johnson LMG
- Weapon type: Squad support weapon
- Year entered service: 1941
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Cranston Arms Company
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 30-06 Springfield, 25-round detachable box
- Firing action: Short recoil operated, single-shot, full-automatic
- Maximum effective range: 2,300 ft.
18. M110 SASS
- Weapon type: Designated marksman rifle
- Year entered service: 2007
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Knight’s Armament
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x51mm NATO, 10- or 20-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt
- Maximum effective range: 2,624 ft.
17. Mk 14 Mod 0 EBR
- Weapon type: Designated marksman rifle
- Year entered service: 2004
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Smith Enterprises
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x51mm NATO, 20-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt, semi-automatic
- Maximum effective range: 1,500 ft.
16. Remington M40
- Weapon type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
- Year entered service: 1966
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Remington Arms
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x51mm NATO, .308 Winchester, 5-round integral box magazine, 5-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Bolt-action, rotating bolt
- Maximum effective range: 3,280 ft.
15. Saco M60
- Weapon type: General purpose machine gun
- Year entered service: 1957
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Saco Defense
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x51mm NATO, Disintegrating link belt of various counts
- Firing action: Gas-operated open bolt
- Maximum effective range: 3,280 ft.
14. Saco M60E3
- Weapon type: Light machine gun
- Year entered service: 1986
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Saco Defense
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x51mm NATO, 100-round disintegrating link belt
- Firing action: Air-cooled, gas-operated, disintegrating metallic link-belt
- Maximum effective range: 3,600 ft.
13. Stoner SR-25
- Weapon type: Designated marksman rifle
- Year entered service: 1990
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Knights Armament
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x51mm NATO, 10- or 20-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Gas-operated; rotating bolt; semi-automatic
- Maximum effective range: 2,625 ft.
12. McMillan TAC-338
- Weapon type: Sniper rifle
- Year entered service: 2005
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: McMillan Tactical Products
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: .338 Lapua Magnum, .338 Norma Magnum, 5-round magazine
- Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt action
- Maximum effective range: 5,250 ft.
11. Remington M24 SWS
- Weapon type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
- Year entered service: 1987
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Remington Arms
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x51mm NATO; .338 Lapua Magnum, 5-round internal magazine / 5- or 10-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Manually-operated bolt-action
- Maximum effective range: 2,624 ft.
10. Beretta M9
- Weapon type: Semi-automatic pistol
- Year entered service: 1990
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Beretta
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 9x19mm Parabellum, 15-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Semi-automatic, single / double-action pistol
- Maximum effective range: 164 ft.
9. Glock 19
- Weapon type: Semi-automatic service pistol
- Year entered service: 1988
- Country of origin: Austria
- Manufacturer: Glock
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 9×19 parabellum, 15-round detachable box
- Firing action: Short-recoil / double-action
- Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
8. SIG-Sauer P226
- Weapon type: Semi-automatic handgun
- Year entered service: 1984
- Country of origin: Switzerland
- Manufacturer: SIG-Sauer
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 9×19 parabellum, 12-, 13-, 15-, 17-, 18-, or 20-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Semi-automatic; short-recoil; double-action
- Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
7. SIG-Sauer P228
- Weapon type: Semi-automatic service pistol
- Year entered service: 1988
- Country of origin: Switzerland
- Manufacturer: SIG-Sauer
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 9×19 parabellum, 13-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Semi-automatic; recoil-operated
- Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
6. Steyr GB
- Weapon type: Semi-automatic pistol
- Year entered service: 1974
- Country of origin: Austria
- Manufacturer: Steyr-Daimler-Puch
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 9×19 parabellum, 18-round box
- Firing action: Delayed-blowback
- Maximum effective range: 147 ft.
5. Colt M1911
- Weapon type: Semi-automatic service pistol
- Year entered service: 1911
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Colt Firearms
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: .45 ACP, 7-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Single-action; short recoil-operated
- Maximum effective range: 82 ft.
4. Colt M45 MEU (SOC)
- Weapon type: Special forces semi-automatic service pistol
- Year entered service: 1986
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Colt Manufacturing
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: .45 ACP, 7-round box magazine
- Firing action: Semi-automatic; recoil-operated
- Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
3. Barrett M107
- Weapon type: Anti-materiel / anti-personnel sniper rifle
- Year entered service: 2008
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Barrett Firearms Company
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: .50 BMG (12.7x99mm NATO), 10-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Recoil operated, rotating bolt, semi-automatic
- Maximum effective range: 1,850 ft.
2. Browning M2
- Weapon type: Heavy machine gun
- Year entered service: 1921
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Saco Defense Industries
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: .50 BMG, 12.7x99mm NATO, 110-round metallic link belt
- Firing action: automatic short recoil-operated, air-cooled
- Maximum effective range: 6,560 ft.
1. RAI Model 300 / Model 500 (Haskins Rifle)
- Weapon type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
- Year entered service: 1983
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Jerry Haskins / Research Armament
- Caliber of ammunition and feed: 12.7x99mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO, 8.58x71mm, 4- or 5-round detachable box magazine
- Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
- Maximum effective range: 4,265 ft.
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