Swedish Modified L96A1 Sniper Rifle and MIL-STD-1913 Rail

The Swedish also adopted a modified version of the AW in 1994 as the PSG-90; the changes to the PM done to produce the PSG-90 included better tempering and coating of the parts for greater reliability in cold weather, a change to a more effective muzzle brake, a slightly longer barrel, more finely adjustable backup iron sights, a MIL-STD-1913 rail as standard, a larger trigger guard, and a better gripping surface on the bolt handle. The standard scope in Swedish use is a Hensoldt 10-42 with an illuminated Mil-Dot reticule. (They also bought a great deal of 7.62mm SLAP ammunition, and then started domestic production of the round, as it is their standard 7.62mm sniping round.) The Australians also bought 166 AWs, but theirs have a folding stock and a MIL-STD-1913 rail as standard equipment.

The AWP L96A1 is a variant of the AW which is primarily characterized by its shorter barrels, which may be had in 24.1-inch or 20.1- inch lengths. This version also uses a bipod which can be adjusted to a very low height to enable its use when firing over low obstacles or parapets. It has no iron sights, no muzzle brake or flash suppressor, and cannot take a silencer. The AWMP (also known as the AWS) is a version of the AWP uses a 20.1-inch special barrel surrounded by an integrated silencer. This version is capable of using full-power and subsonic ammunition. An SWP can easily be converted to an AWMP in about 3 minutes simply by swapping out the barrel assemblies and re-zeroing the scope. The standard scope for both of these versions is a Schmidt & Bender 3-12x.

L96A1 Variant Sniper Rifle

The AWMP AWP L96A1 itself has a further sub-type known as the AW Covert. The Covert is fitted with a shorter barrel that has a highefficiency, high-durability suppressor, and the stock is modified into one that may be folded. The entire weapon may also be dismantled to the point where it fits into a small suitcase; in this state, the longest component is only one-quarter the length of the assembled weapon. If using subsonic ammunition, the Covert produces only 85 decibels of noise; with standard ammunition, 109 decibels of noise are produced. The Covert’s trigger is very sensitive, and may be set for as little as 1 kg of pressure. The Covert is issued with a special suitcase, complete with wheels, a retractable handle, and a lining that defies standard X-Rays and CT scans.

The AWM Super Magnum is essentially an L-96A1 upgraded to accept the higher power cartridges, especially the .338 Lapua. The barrel is slightly longer to take the full potential of the .338, and the range is increased significantly. In addition, the standard sight interface is a MIL-STD-1913 rail, and the recoil pad is more substantial. A folding stock is an optional feature. Barrels are 27 inches in .338 Lapua Magnum, and 26 inches for the other two calibers; both are tipped with a high-efficiency muzzle brake. This rifle’s range can approach the range of the .50 caliber rifles, yet it is only slightly heavier than the standard L-96A1. As of 2006, the only official users of the AWM are the British, Germans and the Dutch, but it is an open secret that there are a lot of unofficial users.

The British and Dutch ordered the .338 Lapua model, while the Germans ordered theirs in .300 Winchester Magnum; the British call theirs the L-115A1, while the Germans call theirs the G-22. The Dutch and Germans started using them in 1997, but the British waited until 1999 to field them. The British are currently using the L-115A3 version of the AWM Super Magnum, which is identical to the L-115A1/AWM Super Magnum except that it has a more adjustable stock and a standard MIL-STD-1913 rail. It was with this rifle that British sniper Craig Harrison set a new record for sniping in late-April 2010 – 2745 meters, and he scored an astonishing three consecutive hits at that range.

The AE is described as an “affordable AW.” It was designed with US law enforcement in mind – to be a good sniper’s weapon without breaking a police department’s budget. It is similar to the AW in form, but is made from less expensive synthetics. Instead of an adjustable cheekpiece is a raised portion of the stock. Instead of a mechanically-adjustable stock, the stock is supplied with spacers. The magazine is 5 rounds instead of ten. The barrel is of the same quality, but is a shorter 23.5 inches, and has no muzzle brake or flash suppressor, and is not designed to take a silencer.

The US Mk 13 is basically an “Americanized” version of the AW, chambered for .300 Winchester Magnum, and with a Lilja 26.5-inch barrel tipped by a muzzle brake which can be replaced by a suppressor. (The suppressor is modified from that of the Knight SR-25.) The Mk 13 uses a Remington 40-X adjustable trigger. The Mk 13 is also adjustable for length of pull and cheekpiece, and has a different rubber recoil pad, along with a side-folding stock. It is beginning to be fielded by the US Navy, will be soon with the US Marines, and being given a hard look by the US Army.

The L-96A1 began replacing older sniper rifles in British use shortly before the Twilight War, and began to
replace the C-3 in Canadian service when the war began. Like the M-24 SWS, the weapon still had not been delivered to many units by the time of the war. The “odd-caliber” models were in sporadic use by several countries throughout the war. The Italians never got their AWs; the British got far less than they wanted. The Australians got some of their folding-stock AWS, but some 100 of the AWs they got were standard fixed-stock versions. Other NATO countries used the AW in small numbers. The Swedes were the only ones to really see large-scale deployment of the AW. The AW Covert was a favorite of assassins working for the
CIA and MI6, as well as equivalent military agencies; some well known victims include the Commander of the Soviet Strategic Central Region Command in 1997 and Carl Hughes’ eldest son in 2001. In addition to the users above, the AWM is a favorite of British, Australian, and New Zealander SAS and SBS units, and is also used by the US Army’s Delta Force, and the Belgians.