Barrett M98B
Encyclopedia
The Barrett Model 98B is a bolt-action
sniper rifle
chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6×70mm or 8.58×70mm) manufactured by Barrett Firearms Manufacturing. The M98B was officially announced in October of 2008, and became available for sale in early 2009, with an MSRP
of $
4,495.00.
The M98B achieves sub-MOA
shot groupings of 0.73 inches (18.5 mm) at 100 yards (91.4 m), 1.3 inches (33 mm) at 200 yards (182.9 m), and 4.05 inches (102.9 mm) at 800 yards (731.5 m).
was unveiled at the 1998 SHOT Show
, but never went into full production. In recent years, Ronnie Barrett's son, Chris, revived the company's interest in the .338 rifle.
Many of the M98B's features are inspired by Stoner's AR-15/M16
; the hinged aluminum upper and lower receivers, ergonomic pistol grip and thumb operated safety are all borrowed from Stoner's design. The upper receiver also features a full length (18.125 inches (460.4 mm)) 1913 style Picatinny rail
for mounting optics, lasers, etc., and two additional accessory rails are mounted forward of the main rail on each side of the upper.
The M98B also features a fluted medium-heavy 27 inches (685.8 mm) barrel made of 4150 MIL-B-11595 steel. The barrel is rifled in a six groove, 1:10" right hand twist pattern, and features a two-port muzzle brake
threaded on and indexed by a jam nut. The bolt rides in a new "bolt guide" design, consisting of two tubular glass-filled polymer guides which have been infused with Teflon
. These guides allow the bolt to travel better, as well as reducing the need for lubrication, and helping to seal the ejection and bolt handle ports from dirt. The bolt head is made of case-hardened 8620 steel, features nine lugs (three sets of three), and is attached to the bolt body with a crosspin. This separate bolt head design allows for simple caliber changes, as well as future pre-headspaced barrel and bolt-head sets.
The lower receiver is forged from 7075 aluminum, can mount any type of AR-15/M-16 pistol grip, and features an ambidextrous magazine latch just forward of the integral trigger guard. Also featured within the lower receiver is the rifle's trigger assembly. The trigger assembly can be removed from the receiver as a single unit, and features adjustment screws for weight (2 to 4 lbs.) and overtravel, as well as a reversible AR-15/M-16 style thumb safety.
The skeletonized buttstock is also integral to the lower receiver, and features a thick Sorbothane
buttpad with spacers for pull adjustment, a polymer cheekpiece with 0.75 inches (19.1 mm) of variable comb height, and an adjustable monopod. The rifle also comes from the factory with a Harris brand S-BR bipod attached to the fore-end.
The M98B was featured both on the cover, and in an article, of the April 2009 issue of American Rifleman
magazine.
Bolt-action
Bolt action is a type of firearm action in which the weapon's bolt is operated manually by the opening and closing of the breech with a small handle, most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the weapon...
sniper rifle
Sniper rifle
In military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a precision-rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than other small arms. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military...
chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6×70mm or 8.58×70mm) manufactured by Barrett Firearms Manufacturing. The M98B was officially announced in October of 2008, and became available for sale in early 2009, with an MSRP
Suggested retail price
The manufacturer's suggested retail price , list price or recommended retail price of a product is the price which the manufacturer recommends that the retailer sell the product. The intention was to help to standardise prices among locations...
of $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
4,495.00.
The M98B achieves sub-MOA
Minute of Angle
Minute of angle is the measurement of a ballistic round's deviation from its initial heading due to gravity and/or the effect of air resistance on velocity. Informally known as a "Bullet's Trajectory" or "the rainbow effect". Long range weapons must account for this effect because a fired round...
shot groupings of 0.73 inches (18.5 mm) at 100 yards (91.4 m), 1.3 inches (33 mm) at 200 yards (182.9 m), and 4.05 inches (102.9 mm) at 800 yards (731.5 m).
Overview
Barrett engineers began designing the M98B in 1997, with a goal of developing a precision tactical .338 Lapua rifle not based on any sporting rifles. The initial semi-auto design, the Model 98Barrett M98
The Barrett M98 is a gas-operated, semi-automatic sniper rifle, chambered in .416 Barrett, and manufactured by Barrett Firearms Company. It was originally introduced at the 1998 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, but was never placed into production due to the introduction of the M99.- Overview :The...
was unveiled at the 1998 SHOT Show
SHOT Show
The ' is an annual tradeshow for the shooting, hunting, and firearms industry. It is the biggest event of this type in the world together with IWA & OutdoorClassics , also taking place annually. "SHOT", besides being a general reference to shooting, is an acronym for "Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor...
, but never went into full production. In recent years, Ronnie Barrett's son, Chris, revived the company's interest in the .338 rifle.
Many of the M98B's features are inspired by Stoner's AR-15/M16
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
; the hinged aluminum upper and lower receivers, ergonomic pistol grip and thumb operated safety are all borrowed from Stoner's design. The upper receiver also features a full length (18.125 inches (460.4 mm)) 1913 style Picatinny rail
Picatinny rail
The Picatinny rail or MIL-STD-1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail or a "Tactical Rail" is a bracket used on some firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform. A similar system is the Weaver rail mount.-Description:...
for mounting optics, lasers, etc., and two additional accessory rails are mounted forward of the main rail on each side of the upper.
The M98B also features a fluted medium-heavy 27 inches (685.8 mm) barrel made of 4150 MIL-B-11595 steel. The barrel is rifled in a six groove, 1:10" right hand twist pattern, and features a two-port muzzle brake
Muzzle brake
Muzzle brakes and recoil compensators are devices that are fitted to the muzzle of a firearm or cannon to redirect propellant gases with the effect of countering both recoil of the gun and unwanted rising of the barrel during rapid fire...
threaded on and indexed by a jam nut. The bolt rides in a new "bolt guide" design, consisting of two tubular glass-filled polymer guides which have been infused with Teflon
Polytetrafluoroethylene
Polytetrafluoroethylene is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene that finds numerous applications. PTFE is most well known by the DuPont brand name Teflon....
. These guides allow the bolt to travel better, as well as reducing the need for lubrication, and helping to seal the ejection and bolt handle ports from dirt. The bolt head is made of case-hardened 8620 steel, features nine lugs (three sets of three), and is attached to the bolt body with a crosspin. This separate bolt head design allows for simple caliber changes, as well as future pre-headspaced barrel and bolt-head sets.
The lower receiver is forged from 7075 aluminum, can mount any type of AR-15/M-16 pistol grip, and features an ambidextrous magazine latch just forward of the integral trigger guard. Also featured within the lower receiver is the rifle's trigger assembly. The trigger assembly can be removed from the receiver as a single unit, and features adjustment screws for weight (2 to 4 lbs.) and overtravel, as well as a reversible AR-15/M-16 style thumb safety.
The skeletonized buttstock is also integral to the lower receiver, and features a thick Sorbothane
Sorbothane
Sorbothane is the brand name of a synthetic viscoelastic urethane polymer used as a shock absorber and vibration damper. It is manufactured by Sorbothane, Inc., based in Kent, Ohio.Sorbothane was invented and patented in 1982 by Dr. Maurice Hiles...
buttpad with spacers for pull adjustment, a polymer cheekpiece with 0.75 inches (19.1 mm) of variable comb height, and an adjustable monopod. The rifle also comes from the factory with a Harris brand S-BR bipod attached to the fore-end.
The M98B was featured both on the cover, and in an article, of the April 2009 issue of American Rifleman
American Rifleman
American Rifleman is a United States-based monthly shooting and firearms interest publication, owned by the National Rifle Association...
magazine.
MRAD
Barrett's offering for USSOCOM Precision Sniper Rifle Contract, the MRAD is derived from the M98B; changes include cutting back the fixed stock and integrating a folding adjustable stock, a Desert Tan finish color, a front loading quick change barrel for caliber change although at this point the only offered barrel and caliber is a 24.5-inch fluted barrel with a 1 turn in 10 right hand twist chambered for .338 Lapua Magnum.Safety recall
On September 9, 2009, Barrett released a recall notice regarding the M98B. They determined that if the rifle is dropped or subjected to a significant impact, it could accidentally discharge. A modification to the lower receiver is required to ensure user safety.See also
- Accuracy International AWMAccuracy International AWMThe AWM is a sniper rifle manufactured by Accuracy International. It is also known as the AWSM , which typically denotes the .338 Lapua Magnum version.-The Arctic Warfare Magnum system:...
- C14 Timberwolf
- Sako TRGSako TRGSako TRG-22/42 sniper rifles were developed by the Finnish firearm manufacturer SAKO of Riihimäki. The TRG-22 is designed to fire standard .308 Winchester ammunition, while the TRG-42 is designed to fire more powerful .300 Winchester Magnum and .338 Lapua Magnum ammunition and therefore has a...
External links
- Barrett product page on the M98B
- Barrett M98B operator's manual
- Poole, Eric, Barrett M98B .338 Lapua mag, Special Weapons for Military & Police
- Video Statistics and Shooting of the M98B from AmericanRifleman.org