Anti-materiel rifle

Their value lies in their ability to precisely target and disable enemy assets from long range at relatively low cost.

Some argued that the smaller cartridge travelled faster and could penetrate deeper into the armor, while others believed that the higher caliber rounds would cause greater damage.

During the Cold War, the Barrett M82 rifle was produced by the United States, and was chambered to fire a .50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO) round.

In the modern era, the armor of tanks and other vehicles increased, making it difficult for .50 BMG bullets to penetrate.

As such, modern day anti-materiel rifles are no longer used in an anti-tank capacity, and generally used to penetrate light armor vehicles or for its barrier-blind capabilities against targets behind concrete barricades and buildings; as well as being used to destroy unexploded ordnance.

[1][3] They have seen frequent use in Syria and Iraq as a counter-VBIED weapon system, due to their greater ability to penetrate uparmored VBIED threats that standard rifle calibers used by designated marksmen (typically 7.62×54mmR and 7.62×51mm) are not able to reliably stop.

[3] Despite having been designed to be used against equipment, anti-materiel rifles have also been used for killing soldiers from distances that are beyond the effective range of regular rifle-caliber cartridges.

Anti-materiel rifles can also penetrate most obstacles and building materials, making them viable for engaging targets behind cover that is usually hard enough to stop rifle-caliber cartridges.

[4] The offensive use of anti-materiel rifles is termed hard target interdiction (HTI) by the United States military.

Barrett M82 .50 BMG anti-materiel rifle
New Zealand Division officers of the British Expeditionary Force with a captured German 13.2mm T-Gewehr anti-tank rifle in Second Battle of Bapaume , France, during World War I. This photograph is evidence of how quickly military technology had to evolve during World War I.
Red Army soldiers with a PTRD-41 anti-tank rifle during the Battle of Kursk
U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician firing a McMillan TAC-50 anti-materiel rifle at a shooting range
A Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence soldier with a Steyr HS .50 anti-materiel rifle