AMR-2

Notes: Designed to be both an antimateriel and long-range sniper rifle, the AMR-2 is in many ways of conventional design, and in many ways not so much. Designed by China South Industries Group, the AMR-2 was introduced in the early 2000s and is believed to be already in use by specialized Chinese forces. (I wouldn’t be surprised if they were also offering it for export.)

The AMR-2 is a bolt-action, magazine-fed design with an internal design of fairly-conventional type. The stock is skeletonized, but does have an adjustable cheekpiece and a thick recoil pad. The free-floating barrel is close to 33.5 inches long and is tipped by a large double-barrel muzzle brake. The stock can be folded (primarily for transport, though firing is also possible, is not difficult, with the stock folded.) Ahead of the handguards is a rather flimsy-looking bipod adjustable for height and cant; this bipod is mounted above the barrel on a lug projecting from the handguard instead of below the weapon. Construction is largely of lightweight yet strong steel, with some polymer parts such as the pistol grip, handguards, cheekpiece, and recoil pad. Iron sights are not provided, though the receiver is topped by a local modification of a MIL-STD-1913 rail which can take almost as large a range of optics as a standard MIL-STD-1913 rail. (It is actually optimized for Chinese optics, however.)

Twilight 2000 Notes: Prototypes were available in extremely small numbers as early as 1995, but they are extremely rare in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

AMR-2

12.7mm Russian

9.8 kg

5

$9530

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

AMR-2

BA

9

2-3-4

8/10

3

Nil

128

With Bipod

BA

9

2-3-4

8/10

2

Nil

162

China Poly Group M-99 AMR

Notes: Unlike most of the other new Chinese antimateriel rifles, the M-99 was designed specifically for export and is not used by the Chinese military. (It is not known whether future alternate chamberings will be offered, but I’d say it is probable.) Though the M-99 looks very much like the British AS-50, but there are many differences in appearance externally (particularly in the design of the handguards and barrel shroud) and there are significant differences internally. The M-99 was first shown in public in mid-2005, but if anyone has bought them, those parties are unknown. It is known that China does intend the M-99 for military, police, and civilian sales.

The M-99 uses gas semiautomatic operation; construction of the receiver (which is essentially one-piece), barrel shroud, and buttstock are of high-quality aluminum alloy, while the 36.9-inch barrel is free-floating and tipped with a large multi-baffle muzzle brake reminiscent of that of the Barrett series. The gas piston above the barrel is also of steel and covered with a thermal sleeve, and has a chromed interior. The bipod is on a strut extending from the receiver; it folds forward, and is adjustable for height and cant. The butt is also essentially integral with the receiver, with a gripping handle beneath the stock and a folding adjustable monopod and a thick rubber recoil pad. The sight mount is proprietary (and on the right side of the receiver), but will accept a wide variety of eastern and western optics; China Poly Group, the makers of the M-99, normally sell the M-99 with an 8x or 10x scope of Chinese design.

Recently, three variations of the M-99 have been revealed. All are bullpup versions of the M-99. The M-99B is essentially a straight conversion of the M-99 to a bullpup format, and chambered for both 12.7mm Russian and .50 Browning Machinegun. (Oddly enough, a .50 version of the standard M-99 has apparently still not been built.) Feed, however, is generally from drums instead of box magazines, ejection is to the right side, with the ejection port well forward and apparently using some form of chute-type ejection to allow the cases to make their way to the ejection port. The sight mount (still on the right side of the receiver), is fitted with a true MIL-STD-1913 rail. The length of the barrel remains 36.9 inches, with the same muzzle brake.

The Type 06 (also known as the M-06) is chambered only for 12.7mm Russian, and appears to be issued only to Chinese troops for certain special tasks. It is essentially similar to the M-99B, but uses an astounding 41.23-inch barrel, tipped with a different muzzle brake than that used by the M-99 and M-99B.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The M-99, M-99B, and Type 06 do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

M-99

12.7mm Russian

12.3 kg

5

$10834

M-99B-1

12.7mm Russian

12 kg

5 Drum

$10824

M-99B-2

.50 Browning Machinegun

11.68 kg

5 Drum

$10255

Type 06

12.7mm Russian

12.09 kg

5 Drum

$10968

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

M-99

SA

9

2-3-4

10

3

Nil

144

With Bipod

SA

9

2-3-4

10

1

Nil

187

M-99B-1

SA

9

2-3-4

8

3

Nil

129

With Bipod

SA

9

2-3-4

8

1

Nil

168

M-99B-2

SA

9

2-3-4

8

3

Nil

138

With Bipod

SA

9

2-3-4

8

1

Nil

180

Type 06

SA

10

2-2-3

9

3

Nil

153

With Bipod

SA

10

2-2-3

9

2

Nil

198

JS Antimateriel Rifle

Notes: Originally meant to be a competitor to the AMR-2 above, the JS AMR turned out so well that reportedly the PLA is also using it in a limited role, much like the AMR-2, and rumors say they may soon be shopping it around for export. Unlike the AMR-2, however, the JS AMR’s development was funded entirely by the Jian She Group, completely a private venture. The JS AMR therefore has some innovative features. It was first shown to the Chinese military in 2004, and fielding began in 2005.

Though the JS AMR appears similar to the Maadi-Griffin series of antimateriel rifles, it is in fact an entirely independent design. The JS AMR is a bolt-action design with the action enclosed within a tubular receiver. The bolt and the barrel are attached to and reciprocate with a hydraulic buffer that acts as a recoil reducer. The skeletonized stock is also of tubular steel, with a lightly-padded buttplate. Below the buttstock is a folding monopod for long hides. Above the receiver is a short, modified version of a MIL-STD-1913 rail, typically used with a compact 12x scope. There is also a folding carrying handle atop the barrel shroud at the point of balance of the rifle. The nearly 33.5-inch barrel is free-floating and match-quality, and designed specifically for use with tungsten-cored AP ammunition developed specifically for this rifle by Jian She. Jian She has also developed an APDS round for the JS AMR, able to be used with a muzzle brake. The barrel is tipped by a large, round, double-baffle muzzle brake. Feed is from a 3-round box magazine mounted on the left side of the receiver above the pistol grip. The folding bipod is at the front of the barrel shroud and is reminiscent of Harris-type light bipods. It is adjustable for height and cant.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The JS AMR does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

JS AMR

12.7mm Russian

12.8 kg

3

$8425

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

JS AMR

BA

9

2-3-4

9

2

Nil

128

With Bipod

BA

9

2-3-4

9

1

Nil

162

W-03 AMR

Notes: This antimaterial/long-range sniping rifle entered service with PLA special operation units in limited numbers in 2005. The developer of the W-03 is unknown as of yet, but rumors say it may have been NORINCO.

The W-03 uses a bullpup design to make it more compact, yet give it a decent-length barrel. The stock and pistol grip are made from high-quality, weatherproofed wood, while the metalwork is largely of various grades of steel. The free-floating barrel comes in two lengths, 29 inches and close to 39.5 inches; both are tipped with a large multi-baffle muzzle brake. The optics mount is on the left side of the receiver and curves over the top of the receiver; it can take a wide variety of optics (though it is proprietary in nature). No iron sights are provided. Under the butt is a folding monopod, while the front of the handguard has a forward-folding bipod mounted, adjustable for height and cant. The magazine fits entirely inside the buttstock.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The W-03 does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

W-03 (29" Barrel)

12.7mm Russian

11 kg

5

$8216

W-03 (39.44" Barrel)

12.7mm Russian

12 kg

5

$8546

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

W-03 (29")

BA

9

2-3-4

7

3

Nil

91

With Bipod

BA

9

2-3-4

7

1

Nil

118

W-03 (39.44")

BA

9

2-3-4

9

3

Nil

146

With Bipod

BA

9

2-3-4

9

1

Nil

190