Ranges on Fort Benning aren’t long enough for Army’s new sniper rifle

[rangerrebew]

Ranges on Fort Benning aren’t long enough for Army’s new sniper rifle
With the MK22 Precision Sniper Rifle, soldiers are expected to hit targets up to 1,500 meters away — 500 meters farther than they could with the previous rifle.
Patty Nieberg

Published Jun 12, 2025 5:00 PM EDT
 
 
The Army is updating its sniper training range at Fort Benning, Georgia to accommodate its newest sniper rifle, which can accurately hit targets nearly a mile away.

The MK22 Precision Sniper Rifle is a multi-caliber bolt-action sniper rifle that was designed to replace the Army’s M2010, M110 and M107 rifles, according to the Army’s Program Executive Office Soldier, which is in charge of new weapon development.
 

The Army’s current generation of sniper rifles have “an effective range” of nearly 1,000 meters, but the new MK22 can reach targets between 1,500 to 1,800 meters away, said Shane Duncanson, Fort Benning range planner, in an Army release. As a result, he said, the sniper rifle “requires a whole different range design.”

Will Brugge, a spokesperson for Fort Benning, said that the range upgrades will allow soldiers to use the MK22 to the fullest extent, which helps them train specific sniper skills like calculating ballistics, estimating distances and actually hitting targets.

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/fort-benning-sniper-range-new-rifle/

[rangerrebew]

Does it have a special calculator on it to factor in climate change and political headwinds?

[GtHawk]

Does it have a special calculator on it to factor in climate change and political headwinds?

Yes, the scope they use.

[roamer_1]

Hey. This ain't no small thing. Try and find someplace to accurately sight 400+ yards. It ain't happening. 600-800 yards? very few and far between. It is always the biggest problem for sighting in, and practicing with, big iron.

Even here.

Then you find a new buddy who has a ravine you can shoot across that has the right dimensions, and a flat lay of a few hundred yards beyond, and a backstop at 1000 yards or so... And for a few years, it's nirvana. There's covered decks to keep the sun and the snow off, there's a fire pit for chili and hot dogs... Hell there's even a  beer fridge, all right there.

Then your buddy finds out his ol lady is sleeping with someone else, and since you're around all the time for the gun range, suddenly he's suspicious of YOU - Even though he ought to know better, just on principles, but more than that, there's damn little time you've ever spent out there, that he ain't been right there with you the whole time.

Sure there was that one time, when he came in late, and you was up on the porch, and his wife brought out little smokies and crackers and sweet tea, and his wife was sitting there yacking with ya - The point being that you NEVER went inside with her, and it was only two glasses of sweet tea long, and how the hell were you supposed to know he wound up late?

And there was that other time when he was out of town and his cows got out, and you worked for two days to get em all back and fix the damn fence. For nothing. Hey, it's what you do for buddies. And yeah,his wife was gracious to you in thanks for bringing the cows home and all that time fixing fence...   Yes, she brought you out lunch, and fixed you a big dinner on the porch - Grilled porterhouse and beer. And you was so damn stuffed you damn near fell asleep right there on the porch - BUT YOU DIDN'T - You went on home.

He can tick off a few times like that on one hand - Times like that are gonna happen. Doesn't matter even, that he's got a damn record - He can go look at all his game cam footage and know damn well it couldn't have been you.

But, the whole damn thing goes to hell in a handbasket. You ain't welcome anymore, and things go cold as hell. Not that it matters, since the divorce happened and they had to sell the place to reach a settlement. It got sold off to a developer, and now there's houses all over that land.

It ain't your fault - None of it, damn it. But there you are anyway... back to not having anywhere to sight in your long guns AGAIN. It happens every time. 

[bigheadfred]

Hey. This ain't no small thing. Try and find someplace to accurately sight 400+ yards. It ain't happening. 600-800 yards? very few and far between. It is always the biggest problem for sighting in, and practicing with, big iron.

Even here.

Then you find a new buddy who has a ravine you can shoot across that has the right dimensions, and a flat lay of a few hundred yards beyond, and a backstop at 1000 yards or so... And for a few years, it's nirvana. There's covered decks to keep the sun and the snow off, there's a fire pit for chili and hot dogs... Hell there's even a  beer fridge, all right there.

Then your buddy finds out his ol lady is sleeping with someone else, and since you're around all the time for the gun range, suddenly he's suspicious of YOU - Even though he ought to know better, just on principles, but more than that, there's damn little time you've ever spent out there, that he ain't been right there with you the whole time.

Sure there was that one time, when he came in late, and you was up on the porch, and his wife brought out little smokies and crackers and sweet tea, and his wife was sitting there yacking with ya - The point being that you NEVER went inside with her, and it was only two glasses of sweet tea long, and how the hell were you supposed to know he wound up late?

And there was that other time when he was out of town and his cows got out, and you worked for two days to get em all back and fix the damn fence. For nothing. Hey, it's what you do for buddies. And yeah,his wife was gracious to you in thanks for bringing the cows home and all that time fixing fence...   Yes, she brought you out lunch, and fixed you a big dinner on the porch - Grilled porterhouse and beer. And you was so damn stuffed you damn near fell asleep right there on the porch - BUT YOU DIDN'T - You went on home.

He can tick off a few times like that on one hand - Times like that are gonna happen. Doesn't matter even, that he's got a damn record - He can go look at all his game cam footage and know damn well it couldn't have been you.

But, the whole damn thing goes to hell in a handbasket. You ain't welcome anymore, and things go cold as hell. Not that it matters, since the divorce happened and they had to sell the place to reach a settlement. It got sold off to a developer, and now there's houses all over that land.

It ain't your fault - None of it, damn it. But there you are anyway... back to not having anywhere to sight in your long guns AGAIN. It happens every time. 

This is one of the strangest things I have read in a long time. Are you off your meds? 

[Smokin Joe]

Hey. This ain't no small thing. Try and find someplace to accurately sight 400+ yards. It ain't happening. 600-800 yards? very few and far between. It is always the biggest problem for sighting in, and practicing with, big iron.

Even here.

Then you find a new buddy who has a ravine you can shoot across that has the right dimensions, and a flat lay of a few hundred yards beyond, and a backstop at 1000 yards or so... And for a few years, it's nirvana. There's covered decks to keep the sun and the snow off, there's a fire pit for chili and hot dogs... Hell there's even a  beer fridge, all right there.

Then your buddy finds out his ol lady is sleeping with someone else, and since you're around all the time for the gun range, suddenly he's suspicious of YOU - Even though he ought to know better, just on principles, but more than that, there's damn little time you've ever spent out there, that he ain't been right there with you the whole time.

Sure there was that one time, when he came in late, and you was up on the porch, and his wife brought out little smokies and crackers and sweet tea, and his wife was sitting there yacking with ya - The point being that you NEVER went inside with her, and it was only two glasses of sweet tea long, and how the hell were you supposed to know he wound up late?

And there was that other time when he was out of town and his cows got out, and you worked for two days to get em all back and fix the damn fence. For nothing. Hey, it's what you do for buddies. And yeah,his wife was gracious to you in thanks for bringing the cows home and all that time fixing fence...   Yes, she brought you out lunch, and fixed you a big dinner on the porch - Grilled porterhouse and beer. And you was so damn stuffed you damn near fell asleep right there on the porch - BUT YOU DIDN'T - You went on home.

He can tick off a few times like that on one hand - Times like that are gonna happen. Doesn't matter even, that he's got a damn record - He can go look at all his game cam footage and know damn well it couldn't have been you.

But, the whole damn thing goes to hell in a handbasket. You ain't welcome anymore, and things go cold as hell. Not that it matters, since the divorce happened and they had to sell the place to reach a settlement. It got sold off to a developer, and now there's houses all over that land.

It ain't your fault - None of it, damn it. But there you are anyway... back to not having anywhere to sight in your long guns AGAIN. It happens every time. 

Funny how some misbehaviour throws a wide shadow of suspicion. Someone he likely knew was betraying him, and all get blamed. (But it takes two to tangle). It sucks to deal with that penumbra even when you are blameless and make every effort to be beyond suspicion. Even worse for your friend.

[roamer_1]

Funny how some misbehaviour throws a wide shadow of suspicion. Someone he likely knew was betraying him, and all get blamed. (But it takes two to tangle). It sucks to deal with that penumbra even when you are blameless and make every effort to be beyond suspicion. Even worse for your friend.

Yeah, all that... But the loss of the gun range was nearly insurmountable. *SIGH*