Desert Tech HTI
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Barrel
- 737 mm
- Weight, empty
- 9.98 kg
- Introduced
- 2012
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Desert Tech HTI (Hard Target Interdiction) is a bullpup bolt-action anti-materiel rifle designed to engage hard targets and personnel at extreme ranges. Using the same bullpup design philosophy as the SRS, the HTI delivers .50 BMG performance in a package significantly shorter and lighter than conventional anti-materiel rifles like the Barrett M82. The multi-caliber system supports .50 BMG, .408 CheyTac, and .375 CheyTac through quick-change barrel conversions, giving operators flexibility to choose between maximum energy delivery and optimized long-range ballistic performance.
The Desert Tech HTI challenged the dominance of the Barrett M82 by proving that a .50 BMG rifle could be made dramatically shorter and lighter through bullpup engineering. At roughly two-thirds the weight and three-quarters the length of a Barrett, the HTI redefined what was possible in a man-portable anti-materiel rifle and became the weapon of choice for operators who needed .50-caliber capability in confined spaces or on long patrols where every kilogram matters.
The HTI's bullpup layout achieves an overall length of 1,143mm with a 29-inch barrel, compared to 1,448mm for the Barrett M82A1 with a similar barrel length. At 9.98 kg empty, the HTI is approximately 5 kg lighter than the Barrett M82A1. The .375 CheyTac conversion was co-developed with Desert Tech and offers superior ballistic coefficient to .50 BMG with significantly less recoil. The hydraulic recoil buffer substantially reduces felt recoil. The HTI-C carbine variant features a shorter barrel for more compact dimensions.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Desert Tech
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2012
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 737 mm
- Overall length
- 1143 mm
- Weight, empty
- 9.98 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 10.60 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Striker fired
- Trigger
- Two stage
- Trigger pull
- 18.0 N
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum alloy
- Barrel
- Chrome molybdenum steel
- Stock
- Polymer bullpup chassis
- Finish
- Flat dark earth
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 853 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 18000 J
- Effective range
- 2000 m
- Maximum range
- 6800 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.
Bullpup configuration
Free floating barrel
Quick change barrel
Multi caliber conversion
Suppressor ready
Full length picatinny rail
Muzzle brake
Hydraulic recoil buffer- Compact overall length
- Anti materiel capable
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 | 9.98 kg | 12.43 kg | Among the lightest tenth |
| Overall lengthAmong 31 12.7x99mm NATO sniper rifles | 1143 mm | 1384 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 31 12.7x99mm NATO sniper rifles | 737 mm | 737 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 31 12.7x99mm NATO sniper rifles | 5 | 5 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the Desert Tech HTI
How much does the Desert Tech HTI weigh?
The Desert Tech HTI weighs 9.98 kg (22.00 lb) empty and 10.60 kg (23.37 lb) loaded. It is the 1st lightest of 31 12.7x99mm NATO sniper rifles in the catalogue.
What caliber is the Desert Tech HTI?
The Desert Tech HTI is chambered in .50 BMG, .375 CheyTac, and .408 CheyTac.
How many rounds does the Desert Tech HTI hold?
The Desert Tech HTI holds 5 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Desert Tech HTI?
The Desert Tech HTI is 1143 mm (45.0 in) long overall, with a 737 mm (29.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Desert Tech HTI?
The Desert Tech HTI is made by Desert Tech (United States). It was designed by Nick Young.
When was the Desert Tech HTI introduced?
The Desert Tech HTI was introduced in 2012.
How does the Desert Tech HTI operate?
The Desert Tech HTI 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
- U.S. Special Operations (various units)
- United States
- Various Middle Eastern Military Forces
- United States
Provenance
Confidence in this record
78%
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/desert-tech-hti' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "desert-tech-hti", "name": "Desert Tech HTI", "manufacturer": { "id": "desert-tech", "name": "Desert Tech", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 2007, "website": "https://www.deserttech.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "updatedAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "version": "dc44519af9814e839b3ba8ee4edc5de5ae211ae9c34cc65c9af57c91e0a8e3bd" }, "category": { "id": "sniper-rifle", "name": "Sniper Rifle", "description": "Precision rifles optimized for long-range accuracy" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2012, "barrel_length_mm": 737, "weight_empty_g": 9980, "action_type": "bolt_action"}