CheyTac Intervention

The CheyTac Intervention is an American-made heavy sniper rifle designed by CheyTac LLC. for long range soft target interdiction (i.e., anti-personnel/sniper). The CheyTac Intervention rifle is fed using a detachable single stack magazine, which holds 5 or 7 rounds. It fires .408 CheyTac or .375 CheyTac ammunition. CheyTac papers state that the entire system is capable of delivering sub-MOA accuracy at ranges of up to 2500 yards (2286 m), one of the longest ranges of all modern-day sniper rifles.

By: Nutty Basterd Posted: September 26, 2008

CheyTac Intervention M-200 Long Range Rifle System (LRRS)
The CheyTac Intervention M-200 rifle is part of CheyTac's 'Long Range Rifle System' (LRRS), which includes CheyTac tactical ballistic computer (commercial PDA with CheyTac ballistic software), Kestrel 4000 Pocket Weather Tracker (wind/temperature/humidity/atmospheric pressure sensors) and Vector IV laser rangefinder linked to the PDA, Nightforce NXS NXS 5.5-22x56 telescopic sight and a muzzle brake and suppressor.

LRRS support equipment

Muzzle brake and suppressor
The .408 Chey Tac's light recoil is attributed to the McArthur PGRS-1 muzzle brake that was designed by gunsmith and firearm Inventor, Bruce McArthur owner of The Flint & Frizzen Gun Shop in Clarkston, Michigan. McArthur designed it to strip gases from the projectile before it leaves the muzzle brake.It is considered by many in the firearms industry to be the most efficient muzzle brake currently produced.

The CheyTac muzzle brake suppressor (MBS), manufactured by OPS INC, is a stainless steel suppressor. The all stainless steel construction with no replaceable parts guarantees a suppressor life that equals or exceeds the life of the rifle. When totally filled with water, the suppressor can be drained in 6 seconds that allows use when emerging from water. If the operator chooses to switch to the muzzle brake, a repeatable 6 MOA zero change for elevation is required.

Day and night optical sight systems
There are two different day optical sights available. The primary sight is the Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x56 variable magnification telescopic sight with a 56 mm objective. The alternate sight is the US Optics SN-9. The night vision system chosen is the AN/PVS-14 GEN III Pinnacle monocular. The PVS-14 is attached to the day optic using the Monoloc device. The Monoloc is in use by several SOCOM units as well as the PVS-14. An AN/PEQ-2 infrared laser is used for system support with the night vision sight under conditions where there is insufficient ambient light or the IR laser is needed for further target illumination. The device is attached to a titanium strut.

Meteorological and environmental sensor package
The KESTREL 4000 meteorological and environmental sensor package is used to measure the wind, air temperature, and air pressure. It also collects relative humidity, wind chill, and dew point. All of these points of data are fed directly into the tactical computer so that no manual input is necessary.

Laser rangefinder
A Vector IV mil spec laser rangefinder is used to establish ranging data. High end laser rangefinders that can very accurately measure distances over 2,000 m (2,200 yd) are prohibitively expensive for most civilian long-range shooters.

Advanced Ballistic Computer (ABC) System software package
The CheyTac, LLC Advanced Ballistic Computer (ABC) System software package was developed to enhance the long range predictive capabilities of a sniper’s handheld computer. Its predictive capabilities are based on actual bullet flight data derived from test sessions on the high speed Weibel 1000e Doppler Radar at the US Army Proving Grounds, Yuma Arizona. Engineers created algorithms that utilize both known mathematical ballistic models as well as test specific, tabular data in unison. The software package is programmed with all current US sniping cartridges from 5.56 mm to .50 BMG caliber along with numerous other long range rounds.

The system provides the operator with a simple elevation and windage solution through complete integration of external environment, operator, and gun system specifications, enabling small arms weapons operators to produce highly accurate long-range trajectories to any number of specified targets at extreme ranges.

The software package operates on variety of consumer, hardened and mil-spec R-PDAs running the Windows Mobile 2003 operating system, using input from the Kestrel handheld weather station and Vector IV laser rangefinder binoculars.

When rounds are used for which actual Doppler Radar established bullet flight data was not available for the engineers to incorporate in the software package, the ABC System has to rely on mathematical ballistic models like all other ballistic prediction computer programs, impairing the long range predictive capabilities of the software package.

Data tables
Data tables in print are provided in the event the tactical ballistic computer fails or the batteries for the device fail. Without computer support the effectiveness of long-range snipers will be severely reduced, since they rely heavily on computer support to obtain correct ballistic solutions.

Capabilities

Records.
The CheyTac M-200 holds the world record for best group at a distance, landing 3 bullets within 16-5/8 inches (42.2 cm) at 2321 yards (2122 m) near Arco in Idaho.

On The TV show Future Weapons episode "Massive Attack" the host Richard Machowicz, a former United States Navy SEAL sniper, made 3 out of 6 shots hit a human sized sheet of metal at a distance of 2,530 yd (2,313 m) at Arco Pass in Idaho.

Accuracy
CheyTac LLC asserts in its Information Paper of 13 November 2006 that "the CheyTac LRRS is a solid anti-personnel system to 2000 yards (1829 m). The primary intent of the .408 is as an extreme range anti-personnel system. Groups of 7 - 9 inches (17.8 - 22.9 cm) at 1000 yards (914 m), 10 inch (25.4 cm) at 1500 yards (1372 m) and 15 inch (38.1) cm at 2000 yards (1829 m) have been consistently obtained.

Groups of 19 inch (48.3 cm) at 2100 yards (1920 m) and 29 inch (73.7 cm) at 2400 yards (2195 m) have also been obtained. All groups that are up to 3000 yards (2743 m) are less than 1 Minute of Angle for vertical dispersion.

Versions
The CheyTac Intervention comes in several variants:

M-200 (30 in (762 mm)) barrel length)
M-200 Carbine
M-310 (Single Shot and Repeater sub variants all with 29 in (737 mm) barrel length)
M-325 (Single Shot, Repeater and Tactical sub variants all with 28 in (711 mm) barrel length)
The main capability differences between the different versions are governed by barrel length which determines to obtainable muzzle velocity. Higher muzzle velocity will extend the effective range of a rifle, everything else being equal. Also, the M-200 and the M-200 Carbine comes with a detachable box magazine and a telescopic stock, whilst the other variants are built on a glass-fiber fixed McMillan stock.

• Login or register to post comments