Barrett MRAD

Lore & Background

After the United States Special Operations Command announced their desire for a new precision sniper rifle in December 2009, Barrett created the MRAD in accordance with the specifications laid out by SOCOM. The rifle has a folding stock that latches to the bolt handle. A major MRAD feature is a field-changeable barrel/caliber capability: loosening two Torx screws in the receiver allows removal of the barrel from the front of the receiver/handguard. With only a bolt face change, and in some cases a magazine change, caliber may be changed. The factory headspaced bolt face is provided with each barrel, and barrel/caliber change can occur in less than two minutes.

Additional features include a single-button length-of-pull adjustment, adjustable cheek rest height, a polymer bolt guide that acts as a dust cover, a user-reversible AR-15-style safety, an ambidextrous magazine release, and the ability to accept standard M16/AR15-style pistol grips. The trigger module can be removed without tools, providing access to user-adjustable trigger pull weight and over-travel. Early MRADs had a 30 MOA slope full-length Picatinny rail; current MRADs feature a 10 milliradian slope rail. Shorter Picatinny rail blocks may be user-positioned at 3-, 6-, and 9 o'clock. The upper and lower receivers can be separated by pressing a rear latch assembly under the stock while the front detent pin acts as a hinge.

The particular model submitted for USSOCOM's MK21 PSR trial was fitted with a 24.5 in barrel and weighed 14.8 lbs. In 2013, the Remington Modular Sniper Rifle was selected as the winner of the PSR competition. However, in 2018, it was decided that the MK21 did not conform to SOCOM requirements, and the program was re-competed as the MK22 ASR. In 2019, USSOCOM awarded Barrett a US$50 million contract for the ASR, ordering the MRAD with the ability to convert chambering between 7.62×51mm NATO, .300 Norma Magnum, and .338 Norma Magnum. In 2021, the US Army awarded Barrett a US$49.9 million contract for 2,800 Mk 22 PSR rifles, while the Marine Corps planned to order 250. The Mk 22 reached full operational capability in November 2024 in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Reader's Guide

The Barrett MRAD's significance lies in its adoption by multiple branches of the U.S. military and several allied nations, fulfilling the role of a modular precision sniper system. Its field-changeable barrel and caliber capability, a requirement of the PSR solicitation, allows operators to adapt the rifle to mission needs in under two minutes. The MRAD's selection for the Mk 22 ASR and Mk 22 PSR contracts by USSOCOM and the U.S. Army, respectively, marked a major shift in U.S. military sniper equipment, with the Army planning to replace the M107 and M2010 rifles, and the Marine Corps replacing the M40A6 and Mk 13 MOD 7. The rifle's adoption by the Israel Defense Forces, Norwegian Armed Forces, and other users further underscores its international acceptance. The MRAD's design, including its AR-15-style grip compatibility and tool-less trigger module removal, reflects an emphasis on user familiarity and field maintenance. Its accuracy, demonstrated by sub-0.5 MOA groupings with .300 Winchester Magnum ammunition, meets the precision requirements of modern military sniping.

Did You Know?

• The Barrett MRAD was named the 2012 Rifle of the Year by Shooting Illustrated magazine.
• Barrel/caliber change on the MRAD can occur in less than two minutes.
• The Mk 22 PSR is issued with a Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56mm scope, while the Mk 22 ASR uses Nightforce ATACR scopes.
• The MRAD is used by the Arakan Army, a non-state group, as seen in a 2018 parade.