IDF Sniper Rifles

تنسيق-الكليات-لعام سكس نيك كس

Some thoughts from IDF Snipers in their own words:

“Two days after I finished my five-week sniper’s course I was sent on my first mission. The whole night before hand I felt unbelievably tense. I lay on my bed and couldn’t stop thinking about all the responsibility on my shoulders."


“The first time I fired my sniper’s rifle was on a mission which started out as a simple mission into Gaza during the night. I was lying out in a field when I saw two suspicious figures in the dark. I felt unbelievable stress. I was lying in a bunch of thorns and rocks but couldn’t feel a thing. I was completely focused on the two images and because of the pressure I forgot everything I had been taught. However, I received the order to shoot, I shot and one of the figures dropped to the ground and ceased to move...When we returned to the base I couldn’t get to sleep the whole night. I began to think about the man I killed and his life, but then I understood that if he had remained alive he would have hurt one of us. At this point I decided to never think about the fact that I had killed a man, but the opposite: that I had saved the lives of my countrymen."


“With time you begin to become accustomed to these missions and then you are able to relax. When I take up a position in an area we’ve taken control of, I find a corner and disengage from everything around me. I sit and wait patiently, sweating like crazy in the summer and suffering the cold in the winter, but I wait in silence. Sometimes we wait for hours, my personal record is eighteen hours straight. I just sat and waited my eyes scanning the territory in front of me."

Sniper Badge
Worn by IDF Certified Snipers

Since the War of Independence in 1948, the IDF has used several sniper rifles:

The Mauser Kar-98k, The M14, and The M24 are the most popular general issue IDF sniper rifles.

My own training was on the Mauser Kar-98k and on the Remington 700 / M24.

Mauser Kar-98k

The Israeli version of the Mauser Kar-98k rifles differ from the original German version in that they have had all of the Nazi markings and emblems removed and replaced with Israeli Defence Force and Hebrew markings as part of an effort to ideologically "purify" the rifles from their former use as an infantry weapon of the armed forces of Nazi Germany. The Mauser Kar-98k rifles produced by Fabrique Nationale post-World War 2 have Israeli Defence Force markings on the rifle as well as the emblem of the Israeli Defence Force on the top of the rifle's receiver. The FN-made Kar-98k rifles with the IDF markings and emblem on the rifle were produced and sold to Israel after Israel established itself as an independent nation in 1948.





Here are a few photos of an original Israeli I.D.F. K98 Mauser front sight adjustment tool.








Here is a photo of an original Israeli made K98 bayonet,





During the late 1950's, the Israeli Defense Force converted the caliber of their Mauser Kar-98k rifles from the original German 7.92mm rifle bullet to 7.62mm NATO after the IDF adopted the FN FAL rifle in 1958. The Israeli Mauser Kar-98k rifles that were converted have "7.62" engraved on the rifle receiver and burned into the heel of the rifle stock for identification and to separate the re-chambered Kar-98ks from the original 7.92mm Kar-98ks that were still in service.

The Kar-98k rifle was used by the reserve branches of the IDF well into the 1960's and 1970's and saw action in the hands of Israeli Army reservists during the 1967 Six Day War and the 1973 War.


The Kar-98k were the standard IDF long range infantry style sniping rifle up until the late 1970's when they were replace in this role by the newly arrived M14 SWS. The Kar-98k is still in use today by the Auxiliary Police Sniper Unit.

M14 Sniper Weapon System

The M14 SWS arrived in during the Yom Kippur War in 1973. The weapon underwent heavy modification in Israeli Military Industries (IMI) and since the late 1970's was the standard Israeli long range infantry style sniping SWS in the IDF, replacing the Mauser K98 sniper rifle.

M14 Rifle

M14 Rifle and M14A1 Rifles

The M-14 rifle is a 7.62 mm magazine-fed, gas operated shoulder weapon, designed primarily for semi-automatic fire. The M-14 originally had a M2 bipod for use as a squad automatic weapon.

M14 Length: 44.14 inches (112.12 centimeters)
M14 Weapon DataLength of Barrel: 22 inches (55.88 centimeters)
M14 Weight:
Empty magazine: 8.7 pounds (3.95 kilograms)
Full magazine and sling: 11.0 pounds (5.0 kilograms)
Bore diameter: 7.62mm
Maximum effective range: 500 yards
M14 Muzzle velocity: 2,800 feet (853 meters) per second
M14 Cyclic rate of fire: 750 rounds per minute
Magazine capacity: 20 rounds

M24 SWS

The M24 SWS entered service in the IDF in 1997, replacing the Israeli modified M14 SWS in the role of the standard long range infantry style sniping SWS.

There are several other Sniper Rifles that have been used or are currently in use in the IDF including:

T.C.I. M89-SR

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Caliber	7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Win)
Operation	Semi-Auto (M-14 action)
Length	33.5" (85 cm)
Length w/suppressor	40.6" (103 cm)
Weight	9.9 lbs (4.5kg) std configuration
Barrel Length	22" (56 cm)
Stock	Composite
Magazine Capacity	5, 10, or 20 round detachable box magazine
Designed Effective Range	1000 meters

The M89-SR is designed as a dual purpose weapon. Designed for both urban anti-terrorist operations as well as a battlefield sniper rifle. The factory guarantees 1 MOA and offers a full range of accessories and sales service.

Produced by Technical Equipment International (TEI) Ltd company, located in Tel Aviv, Israel. The M89-SR is intended for both urban warfare and support of mechanized troops in the field - everywhere where the compact size of this bullpup rifle, as well as its rapid-fire capability is a plus. M89-SR is based on the earlier Israeli design, the M36 bullpup sniper rifle, which was developed back in 1980s. The M89-SR is based on the modified American M14 / M1A rifle action, fitted into bullpup stock, and equipped with proprietary scope mount, muzzle brake and a detachable bipod. M89-SR rifle can be fitted with proprietary quick-detachable silencer for low noise work.

Barrett 82A1

The Barrett main Use in the IDF is for Hard (light armored) Target Interdiction (HTI) shooting, and not for extreme range sniping. The Barrett is basically Used as a very accurate heavy fire support, to take out Armored Caring Vehicles (acv), jeeps, cars, shoot through walls, etc.

M82A1 rifle, early version

M82A1 rifle, current version

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