XM-110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System

The XM110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS) is an anti-personnel and light materiel weapon that fires 7.62mm ammunition out to a maximum effective range of 800 meters. It leverages a rapid fire/rapid reload design, variable day optic sight, and 10- or 20-round magazine. The weapon system exceeds the rate-of-fire and lethality of M24 SWS.

XM110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS)
XM110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS).

Today in WW II: 18 Aug 1944 Submarine USS Rasher [SS-269] sinks the highest tonnage of any WW II submarine patrol to that date, a record exceeded only once.   

XM110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS)

The XM110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS) is a Non-Developmental Item, Commercial-Off-The-Shelf product. That means that the U.S. military shortens the acquisition cycle by reducing or eliminating the research and development phase, utilizing a militarized version of a weapon already on the commercial market. For the XM110, the U.S. Army awarded a contract on 28 September 2005 to Knight's Armament Co. (KAC, Vero Beach, FL) for a variant of their MK11 MOD 0/SR-25 7.62mm sniper rifle.

Task Force Fury sniper during training on the XM110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, 232 April 2007.
Task Force Fury sniper during training on the XM110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, 232 April 2007.

The XM110 SASS is intended to replace the bolt-action M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) with a semi-automatic rifle fed from ten or twenty round magazines of 7.62mm ammunition. The XM110 has a rapid fire, rapid reload design that far exceeds the M24 SWS rate-of-fire and lethality.

Successful testing with U.S. based units during 2006 was followed by release of the XM110 for evaluation by units in combat zones. The first such unit was Task Force Fury, operating in Afghanistan. THe XM110 was provided in April 2007 along with instructors for a three day sniper training program for the new weapon. The XM110 field reports were very positive. When adopted and type standardized, the XM-110 will become the M-110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS).

XM110 Sniper Rifle Characteristics

Combat ready weight 17.3 lbs
Weapon weight with scope, bipod, loaded 20-round magazine 15.3 lbs
Complete system weight within carrying case 70 lbs
Overall length with buttstock fully compressed 40.5 inches
Overall length with suppressor attached, buttstock fully compressed 46.5 inches
Accuracy 1,000m, 1 minute of angle
Recoil 8 ft.-lb.
Reliable Barrel life > 5,000 rounds
Rail Integrated MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny URX modular rail system
Optics Leupold Variable power optic sight, 3.5-10x-40mm

Accessories for the XM110 SASS include a hard transport case, tactical soft case, magazines (10 and 20 rd), cleaning/maintenance equipment, detachable Harris swivel bipod, Leupold Mark 4 12-40x60mm spotting scope, sound suppressor, and manuals.

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