M25 sniper weapon system

{{Refimprove|date=February 2013}}

{{Infobox weapon

|name= M25 sniper weapon system

| image= M25 rifle 1.jpg

| image_size = 300

|caption= The M25

|origin=United States

|type= Sniper rifle/designated marksman rifle

|is_ranged= yes

|service= 1991 (possibly earlier) – present

|used_by= United States

|wars= Gulf War

|designer= 10th Special Forces Group

|design_date= Late 1980s

|manufacturer=Springfield Armory (commercial version)

|unit_cost=

|production_date=

|number=

|variants=

|weight= {{convert|4.9|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

|length= {{convert|1125|mm|in|abbr=on}}

|part_length= {{convert|560|mm|in|abbr=on}}

|width=

|height=

|diameter=

|crew=

|cartridge= 7.62×51mm NATO (.308 Winchester)

|caliber=

|action= Rotating bolt, Gas operated, Air cooled

|rate= semi-automatic

|velocity=850 m/s (2800 ft/s){{Cite web|url=https://weaponsystems.net/system/295-Springfield+M21|title = Springfield M21}}

|range=

|max_range= {{convert|900|m|yd|abbr=on}}

|feed= 5, 10, or 20 round detachable box magazine

|sights= Bausch & Lomb Tactical 10×40

}}

The M25 sniper weapon system is a joint venture precision rifle built for the U.S. Army Special Forces and later adopted by the U.S. Navy SEALs. It was originally developed by the 10th Special Forces Group, based at Fort Devens, Mass., to fulfill a requirement for a sniper rifle based on a match grade M14 that satisfied the requirements of the Army Special Forces.

SOCOM called the rifle the "light sniper rifle", and it is also known as the "sniper security system" and "product improved M21".[http://www.snipercentral.com/m25.htm "U.S. Army & U.S. Navy M25 & XM25 Sniper Weapon System"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061212054847/http://www.snipercentral.com/m25.htm |date=2006-12-12 }}, snipercentral.com The commercial version has been named "White Feather" in honor of Carlos Hathcock, the U.S. Marine Corps sniper who became famous during the Vietnam War. (The enemy called him "White Feather" because he wore a white feather on his hat to taunt enemy troops hoping to collect a large bounty for his death or capture offered by the enemy.)

The M25 is not a replacement rifle for the M24 sniper weapon system; it was designed to fill a specific need for accurate fire beyond the range of a standard-issue carbine and has been used from the Persian Gulf War onwards as the designated marksman's rifle (DMR). As the DMR, the M25 gives either the sniper's spotter or a squad-level marksman a long-range rifle that can be fired at a faster rate than a sniper's bolt-action rifle.