In the modern world, all states are trying to take the best places in the international arena in all areas of activity. The army did not stand aside. Engineers and designers from all over the world are trying every day to develop the best weapons, ammunition and equipment so that their state is safe and citizens can sleep peacefully.
Cartridge History
In the face of numerous armed conflicts in the 21st century, snipers play one of the most important roles. They are in the assault, reconnaissance and defense groups. Naturally, they need ammunition for their weapons. In 2001, American designers John Taylor and William Wardman developed a special ammunition for a sniper rifle. It is called the caliber 408 Cheytac \ .338lm \ .300wm. Its full name is 408 Cheyenne Tactical.
It is believed that the 408 caliber is on a par with the best ammunition, such as .338 Lapua Magnum and .50 BMG. This cartridge was created to improve the performance of snipers in the United States of America. The characteristic for the cartridge indicates that the 408 caliber is capable of hitting a target located at a distance of 3500 meters. However, in practice, a distance of 3,000 meters was established. To achieve the goal of 3,500 meters, certain weather conditions are required, and the goal must be much larger. The caliber 408 in mm is 10.3x77. The cartridge is manufactured by the American company CheyTac Associates. The same company launches the product on the world market.
Cartridge Objectives
When fired, the pressure in the barrel can approach the mark of 440 MPa. The bullet is capable of reaching speeds of 900-1000 meters per second. Caliber 408 Cheytac is slightly ahead of 338 Lapua Magnum in speed and range. Initially, this cartridge was created exclusively as part of the 21st century sniper weapon project. The aim of the project was to create the best ammunition for a sniper rifle around the world. 408 caliber is completely made of copper alloy, it also does not have a core inside. This design method allowed developers to improve the external ballistics of the cartridge.
Initially, the 408 caliber was developed exclusively for the United States, but later countries such as Germany and Russia began to produce it. Also, the cartridge is used not only by army snipers, but also professional hunters. This is due to the fact that specifically caliber 408 in mm 10.3x77 has a high slaughter rate and is capable of hitting large and dangerous animals, such as a bear.
Practical use
In combat conditions, the 408 Cheytac has virtually no rivals. The thing is that this caliber has a very high accuracy of fire. As a result, a cartridge fired from the barrel of a rifle hits exactly the target.
Also a distinctive feature of the cartridge is the fact that, having covered a distance of 2000 meters, the bullet practically does not lose speed. It also contributes to a better hit on target.
The slaughter of the cartridge will make everyone think. The bullet is capable of piercing through any body armor, concrete structures, as well as almost all obstacles. The designers claim that the bullet is capable of firing at some armored vehicles and piercing its armor.
It should be added that the striking power of the cartridge is almost at the same level (one of the highest) with the machine gun cartridge 50 Browning. But unlike a machine gun, a rifle is much more convenient and compact.
Features when using
The scheme for creating the 408 Cheytac, naturally, did not come from the air. It was created on the basis of the hunting cartridge 505 Gibbs. Only 408 caliber is significantly improved. The cartridge was also created in order to protect the shooter from injury. A person whose profession is a sniper often has injuries to the neck and spine.
It is also worth noting that his hearing may be impaired. All this is associated with high returns and loud sound when shooting. If it was possible to reconcile with return, then a loud sound could easily betray the soldier’s location, which, of course, can be very dangerous for him. The developers of 408 Cheyenne Tactical, John Taylor and William Wardman, found a solution to this problem. Now recoil when shooting does not threaten the shooter. She, as well as the sound of 408 caliber, are approaching the minimum indicators.
The price of this product is also low. It does not exceed two hundred dollars per box of cartridges. Given that, thanks to these cartridges, a weapon is capable of hitting almost any ground target, the price is really low.
Despite the numerous advantages, the caliber 408 has several disadvantages: the absence of tracer, armor-piercing and incendiary cartridges. However, in reality it is only a matter of time.
What weapon is the cartridge suitable for?
It is worth emphasizing that this cartridge is not suitable for every rifle, there are only a few. The bullet can be used by such famous rifles as CheyTac M200, EDM Arms XM04, PGWDTI Timberwolf, Lawton Machine LLC., Grande Armeria Camuna precision rifles, RND Manufacturing, Inc., THOR XM408 Vigilance Rifles VR1. As well as Russian-made weapons - the Lobaev sniper rifle, SVLK-14.
Now we can safely say that this cartridge has no analogues. Knowing these factors, one can officially declare that this type of ammunition was the beginning of a real revolution in terms of the organization of hostilities.