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 either. Engineers and designers of all countries of 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.
The history of the creation of the cartridge
In the context of numerous armed conflicts in the XXI century, snipers play one of the most important roles. They are in assault, reconnaissance and defense groups. Naturally, they need ammo for their weapons. In 2001, American designers John Taylor and William Wardman developed a special ammunition for a sniper rifle. It is called caliber 408 Cheytac\.338lm\.300wm. Its full name is 408 Cheyenne Tactical.
408 is considered to be on par with the best ammunition such as.338 Lapua Magnum and.50 BMG. This cartridge was created in order to improve performanceUnited States snipers. The specifications for the cartridge indicate that 408 caliber is capable of hitting a target located at a distance of 3500 meters. However, in practice, a distance of 3,000 meters has been established. To reach the 3500 meter target, certain weather conditions are required, and the target must also be much larger. Caliber 408 in mm is 10.3x77. The cartridge is produced by the American company CheyTac Associates. The same company launches the product on the global market.
Purposes for creating a patron
When fired, the pressure in the bore can approach 440 MPa. The bullet is capable of reaching speeds of 900-1000 meters per second. The caliber 408 Cheytac is slightly ahead of the 338 Lapua Magnum in terms of speed and range. Initially, this cartridge was created exclusively as part of the 21st century sniper weapon project. The goal of the project was to create the best sniper rifle ammunition in the world. The 408 caliber is entirely made of copper alloy, it also has no core inside. This design method allowed the developers to improve the external ballistics of the cartridge.
Initially caliber 408 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 by professional hunters. This is due to the fact that specifically the caliber 408 in mm 10, 3x77 has a high lethality and is capable of hitting large and dangerous animals, such as a bear.
Practical application
In combatconditions, the 408 Cheytac has practically no rivals. The thing is that this caliber has a very high accuracy of fire. As a result, a cartridge fired from the muzzle 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 the target.
The lethality 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 on the same level (one of the highest) with the 50 Browning machine gun cartridge. But unlike a machine gun, a rifle is much more convenient and compact.
Features when using
The scheme for creating 408 Cheytac, of course, did not appear out of thin air. It was created on the basis of the 505 Gibbs hunting cartridge. Only 408 caliber has been 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 deteriorating. All this is due to the high recoil and loud sound when firing. If it was possible to put up with the return, then a loud sound could easily give out the position of a soldier, which, undoubtedly, could be very dangerous for him. Developers 408 Cheyenne Tactical, JohnTaylor and William Wardman found a solution to this problem as well. Now the recoil when shooting does not threaten the shooter in any way. She and the sound of the 408 are approaching their minimum.
The price of this product is also low. It does not exceed two hundred dollars for a box of cartridges. Considering that these cartridges allow the weapon to hit almost any ground target, the price is really low.
Despite its many advantages, the caliber 408 has several drawbacks: the lack of tracer, armor-piercing and incendiary cartridges. However, it's really just a matter of time.
Which weapon suits the cartridge
It is worth emphasizing that this cartridge is not suitable for every rifle, there are only a few of them. Famous rifles such as the CheyTac M200, E. D. M. 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, we can officially declare that this type of ammunition was the beginning of a real revolution in terms of organizing hostilities.
