Barrett M82A1
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Barrel
- 737 mm
- Weight, empty
- 14.80 kg
- Introduced
- 1982
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Barrett M82A1, also known as the 'Light Fifty', is a recoil-operated, semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle developed by Barrett Firearms Manufacturing. Designed by Ronnie Barrett in 1982, it was engineered as the first shoulder-fired semi-automatic .50 BMG rifle. The M82A1 fires the powerful 12.7x99mm NATO (.50 BMG) cartridge and features a distinctive recoil management system with a large muzzle brake to mitigate the massive recoil forces. Adopted by the U.S. military in 1990 during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm as the Special Applications Scoped Rifle (SASR), it was later standardized by the U.S. Army in 2002 as the M107. The weapon is primarily used for engaging material targets at extreme distances, including light armored vehicles, radar installations, communications equipment, parked aircraft, and explosive ordnance disposal. With an effective range of 1,800 meters and a maximum range of 4,000 meters, the M82A1 has been adopted by military and law enforcement forces in over 50 countries worldwide.
Ronnie Barrett designed the M82 in his garage with no formal engineering training, creating the world's first shoulder-fired semi-automatic .50 BMG rifle. The US military initially showed no interest until Sweden became the first military customer in 1989, after which the USMC rushed to adopt it for Operation Desert Shield.
The M82A1 features a 29-inch fluted barrel with 8 grooves and a 1:15 inch right-hand twist. It includes a lightweight quick-detach bipod, flip-up iron sights, and a 23-inch Picatinny rail with 27 MOA cant and carrying handle. The rifle is available in multiple finishes including manganese phosphate, tungsten grey Cerakote, and flat dark earth Cerakote. The standard M82A1 weighs 32.7 pounds (14.8 kg) with the 29-inch barrel, while a 20-inch barrel variant weighs 31.4 pounds (14.3 kg). The M107A1 variant incorporates lightweight aluminum and titanium components, reducing weight to approximately 27.4 pounds (12.4 kg). Accuracy is typically within 3 MOA and can achieve sub-1 MOA with match ammunition. The M82A2 bullpup variant was discontinued, though the XM500 serves as its spiritual successor.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Barrett Firearms Manufacturing
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1982
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 737 mm
- Overall length
- 1448 mm
- Weight, empty
- 14.80 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 15.20 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Short recoil
- Firing mechanism
- Rotating bolt
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 10
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Steel
- Finish
- Manganese phosphate
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 853 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 18000 J
- Effective range
- 1800 m
- Maximum range
- 4000 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.
Chrome lined barrel
Chrome lined chamber
Fluted barrel
Muzzle brake
Bipod
Carrying handle
Picatinny rail
Adjustable iron sights
Free floating barrel
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 31 12.7x99mm NATO sniper rifles | 14.80 kg | 12.43 kg | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 31 12.7x99mm NATO sniper rifles | 1448 mm | 1384 mm | Longer than about 70% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 31 12.7x99mm NATO sniper rifles | 737 mm | 737 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 31 12.7x99mm NATO sniper rifles | 10 | 5 | Among the largest capacities |
Answers
Questions about the Barrett M82A1
How much does the Barrett M82A1 weigh?
The Barrett M82A1 weighs 14.80 kg (32.63 lb) empty and 15.20 kg (33.51 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Barrett M82A1?
The Barrett M82A1 is chambered in .50 BMG.
How many rounds does the Barrett M82A1 hold?
The Barrett M82A1 holds 10 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Barrett M82A1?
The Barrett M82A1 is 1448 mm (57.0 in) long overall, with a 737 mm (29.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Barrett M82A1?
The Barrett M82A1 is made by Barrett Firearms Manufacturing (United States). It was designed by Ronnie Barrett.
When was the Barrett M82A1 introduced?
The Barrett M82A1 was introduced in 1982.
How does the Barrett M82A1 operate?
The Barrett M82A1 uses a short recoil action, and its firing mechanism is rotating bolt.
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
- United States Marine Corps
- 1990
- United States Army
- 2002
- United States Air Force
- 1990
- Swedish Armed Forces
- 1989
- British Armed Forces
- United Kingdom
- German Armed Forces
- Germany
- Israel Defense Forces
- Israel
- Australian Defence Force
- Australia
- Canadian Armed Forces
- Canada
- French Armed Forces
- France
Provenance
Stockists
Where to buy
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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/barrett-m82a1' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "barrett-m82a1", "name": "Barrett M82A1", "manufacturer": { "id": "barrett", "name": "Barrett Firearms Manufacturing", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1982, "website": "https://barrett.net", "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 03:43:40", "version": "6dd30c0015037f53665cb9aaa33c196e737b2ac602c54d29b8a58f0d0eb3434d" }, "category": { "id": "sniper-rifle", "name": "Sniper Rifle", "description": "Precision rifles optimized for long-range accuracy" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 1982, "barrel_length_mm": 737, "weight_empty_g": 14800, "action_type": "short_recoil"}