MSN IST

     Like most such rifles, the IST was designed for use against soft and light armor, aircraft, command and control equipment, etc.  It can also be used against personnel, of course.  The IST is designed to be used by a sniper and a spotter and to be operable in temperatures from -50 to +50 degrees Celsius and up to 97% humidity.  It is a heavy rifle, though not unduly so, and uses the cartridge most common in Azerbaijan and its trading partners.  The barrel is a heavy 1.1-meter barrel tipped with a large, beefy muzzle brake.  Operation is by gas piston.  The normal scope issued with the IST is the POSP 8x42WD scope.  The operating parts are heavy, more akin to 20mm rifle parts than a 12.7mm rifle parts.  Atop the receiver is a MIL-STD-1913 rail, and the stock has a recoil pad, has a raised cheekpiece, is adjustable for LOP, and angle of butt. The butt has a monopod which may be lowered and adjusted, and the bipod is adjustable for cant and height, but is otherwise light yet strong. The 14.5mm IST uses a unique recoil management (rumors have it that it is similar to the AN-94’s BSSP system).When transported, the IST can be broken into two groups for transportation by sniper and spotter.