The Army today awarded a contract valued at up to $28.2m for Remington to upgrade up to 3600 fielded M24 sniper rifles from 7.62mm NATO to .300 Winchester Magnum. PM Soldier Weapons began the competition back in January, 2010, and has made other changes beyond the upgrade to .300 WinMag as outlined below (from Remington’s press release) to come up with the new M24E1 Sniper Weapon System:
- A completely new chassis (stock) assembly, which maximizes the amount of physical adjustments for the sniper to provide a true customized fit. The chassis has a folding buttstock that radically shortens the system for easier transport and greater concealment during movement and accommodates the mounting of accessories via removable Mil Std 1913 Picatinny Rails.
- An improved 6.5-20×50 variable power Leupold rifle-scope with an enhanced reticle within the first focal plane and a .300 Winchester Magnum bullet-drop compensator (BDC)
- A quick-attach/detach Advanced Armament Corp. suppressor with muzzle brake
- A 5-round detachable box magazine
- Advanced corrosion resistant coatings throughout the system
Photo courtesy: Remington