What on earth are they?

P

Pond James Pond

New member
Here is a BBC report on a Canadian woman who signed up with the all-female Kurdish YPJ in Syria. It features an interview with her explaining her motives and experiences set to a montage of stills and video footage.

In the video there is one still of her kneeling down with a uber-long rifle resting on her shoulder. It must be 5ft long and I imagine anti-material rather than anti-personnel.

What is it?!

In another she has adopted a kneeling shooting pose with a scope rifle to her shoulder. This looks to be a precision rifle.

Again; what is it?

Thanks for satisfying my curiosity!!
 
It appears that both are anti material, but I would believe the one with her aiming could potentially be for human targets as well. Just look at the bore of that thing.

After searching wikipedia, it would appear that the long rifle is actually an anti-tank rifle. Almost all of the currently, and recently past, used rifles in service around the world considered "anti-material" are not that long. However upon further research, "anti-tank" guns (shoulder-fired rifles) match that much more similarly. Technically, they are both "anti-material", but the modern anti material rifles in use by most countries today are shorter. But that is my research and not gained experience, so take it for what it's worth.

As far as the aimed rifle, it matches closely with the Canadian "McMillan Tac 50", though again, this is just comparing via the internet, so someone with direct experience should chime in.
 
I dunno but I am pretty sure "it shoots through schools" :). Sorry for the obscure ref.

Looks like some kind of 12.7mmish anti material type thing.
 
Between WWI and WWII there were "anti-tank" rifles, some were 20mm, used by various countries . Tanks of those times were more 'thin skinned ' ! There are people shooting them today ,especially the Finnish one. I' think there are you-tube videos showing them.
 
"...rather than anti-personnel..." Not likely. The Kurds didn't sign any treaties and don't much care what hits their enemies anyway.
An old guy came in the shop one day and was staring at the German PzB-39 anti-tank we had. Told me he had been Indian Army in the late 30's and how they had sniped with a .55 calibre Boys anti-tank rifle(that thing she has looks like one too. Her's is probably a 14.7 Russian or maybe a 12.5 Russian.) from mountain to mountain.
 
"...rather than anti-personnel..." Not likely. The Kurds didn't sign any treaties and don't much care what hits their enemies anyway.
Click to expand...

I was thinking more in terms of initial design rather than end use. Even if they use it as a pool cue it is still and anti-material rifle...
 
I was thinking more in terms of initial design rather than end use. Even if they use it as a pool cue it is still and anti-material rifle...
Click to expand...
Exactly.
A dump truck is still a dump truck even if you drive it to the grocery store.
 
The second rifle, scoped, where she is kneeling down, is a Sako TRG.

The square gap in front of the forend is very distinctive to the TRG series.

Jimro
 
The initial design was for hurting light armour and other vehicles. A dump truck would be an 'other' vehicle despite the way their driven here. You won't stop one with a single shot rifle anyway. You will discourage the driver though. snicker.
 
The Shaher was based on the Steyr HS-50 most likely, as the Shaher didn't appear on the scene until after Steyr sold a bunch of HS-50s to Iran. It could have been independent development, but I think that is the least likely explanation.

Those big bore single shots are "anti-material" but also gained use as "anti-IED" rifles. The 14.5mm Russian produces over 22,000 ft/lbs of muzzle energy and tosses a bullet almost a third heavier than a 50 BMG. For comparison a standard ball load for the 50 BMG comes in at 13,000 ft/lbs.

But, if you want to stop a dump truck, rather than using a sniper rifle a Dshka heavy machine gun or RPG-7 is probably a better choice given the options readily available to the Kurds.

Jimro
 
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