Accuracy International L115A3
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Barrel
- 686 mm
- Weight, empty
- 6.80 kg
- Introduced
- 2008
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Accuracy International L115A3 is a British bolt-action sniper rifle chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum, adopted as the L115A3 Long Range Rifle under the UK Sniper System Improvement Programme. Based on the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare Magnum (AWM), it features a 686mm fluted stainless-steel barrel, folding stock, adjustable cheek-piece, bipod and rear monopod, a modified muzzle brake that accepts a suppressor, and a Schmidt & Bender 5-25x56 PM II day scope. Firing a heavy 8.59mm projectile at roughly 936 m/s, it is effective well beyond 1,100 metres and is regarded as one of the most accurate long-range military sniper rifles in service.
The L115A3's reputation was cemented in November 2009 when Craig Harrison killed two Taliban insurgents at 2,475 m (2,707 yd) and disabled their machine gun with a third round, exceeding the previous record set by Rob Furlong and standing as the longest confirmed sniper kill until 2017.
In 2009 in Helmand Province, British Army sniper Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison used an L115A3 to record what was at the time the longest confirmed combat sniper kills in history, engaging two Taliban machine-gunners at approximately 2,475 metres.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Accuracy International
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2008
- Variant of
- Military designation
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 686 mm
- Overall length
- 1270 mm
- Weight, empty
- 6.80 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Striker fired
- Trigger
- Two stage
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Detachable single stack box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum alloy
- Barrel
- Stainless steel
- Stock
- Aluminum chassis polymer furniture
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 936 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 6785 J
- Effective range
- 1500 m
- Maximum range
- 2475 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Folding stock
Fluted barrel
Adjustable cheek piece
Adjustable bipod
Rear monopod
Muzzle brake
Suppressor ready
Schmidt bender 5-25x56 pm ii scope
Picatinny rail
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 39 .338 Lapua Magnum sniper rifles | 6.80 kg | 6.53 kg | Heavier than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 37 .338 Lapua Magnum sniper rifles | 1270 mm | 1230 mm | Longer than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 39 .338 Lapua Magnum sniper rifles | 686 mm | 686 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 39 .338 Lapua Magnum sniper rifles | 5 | 5 | Holds fewer rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the Accuracy International L115A3
How much does the Accuracy International L115A3 weigh?
The Accuracy International L115A3 weighs 6.80 kg (14.99 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Accuracy International L115A3?
The Accuracy International L115A3 is chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum.
How many rounds does the Accuracy International L115A3 hold?
The Accuracy International L115A3 holds 5 rounds, fed from a detachable single stack box magazine.
How long is the Accuracy International L115A3?
The Accuracy International L115A3 is 1270 mm (50.0 in) long overall, with a 686 mm (27.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Accuracy International L115A3?
The Accuracy International L115A3 is made by Accuracy International (United Kingdom). It was designed by Accuracy International.
When was the Accuracy International L115A3 introduced?
The Accuracy International L115A3 was introduced in 2008.
How does the Accuracy International L115A3 operate?
The Accuracy International L115A3 uses a bolt action, and its firing mechanism is striker fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- British Armed Forces
- 2008
Provenance
Confidence in this record
85%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/accuracy-international-l115a3' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "accuracy-international-l115a3", "name": "Accuracy International L115A3", "manufacturer": { "id": "accuracy-international", "name": "Accuracy International", "countryCode": "GB", "foundedYear": 1978, "website": "https://www.accuracyinternational.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:34", "version": "866df02489fa366bae9eb49362c9e929d73f7a1c5456d99b5727d9c049063c47" }, "category": { "id": "sniper-rifle", "name": "Sniper Rifle", "description": "Precision rifles optimized for long-range accuracy" }, "country_of_origin": "GB", "year_introduced": 2008, "barrel_length_mm": 686, "weight_empty_g": 6800, "action_type": "bolt_action"}