In the field of ground weapons, and together with other novelties that we will soon talk about, an important acquisition has been decided. They have contracted with the firm Victrix Armaments,which is part of the Beretta Defense group, the purchase of several hundred new high-precision rifles that will coexist with the current Sako TRG42 and, in the medium term, could replace them.
Some units, such as paratroopers, Alpini or the Lagunari, already have the first examples of these rifles, although months ago they were also incorporated by some Special Operations units that include the Incursori Operational Group (GOI) of the Militare Navy. The current process contemplates taking these weapons to conventional units so that those who handle them – the so-called sniper – can influence their training with them.
The one selected is the Scorpio model from Victrix Armaments. It is a bolt-action rifle very well designed and elaborated, because in its concretion the real needs of those who will use them and the difficult conditions in which they will usually deploy them have been taken into account.
The Army has opted for the variant adapted to a caliber now especially in vogue, the .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6x70mm) that, due to the specific power of the 250 or 300 grais projectiles it fires, is capable of neutralizing human targets at distances of about two kilometers, or even further.
It is a model that incorporates a new modular chassis that in its front part includes anchors to place complements and that in the upper one has a Picatinny rail of 20 MOA (Minute Of Angle) in which to fix daytime optical viewers and the complementary night or thermal ones. Its pistol grip, where the shooter’s hand is secured while waiting to open fire, is especially vertical to make it more comfortable, and the stock, which is plegable to reduce the overall size, has adjustable rear cheeks and corner and a small monopod that helps stabilize the set.
The option that the Italians receive has a 26″ barrel with a stria pitch of 1/10, although it is not ruled out that they may also reach some more compact model with a 22″ barrel. Without the scope or cartridges in its magazines that can accommodate seven rounds of ammunition, it weighs over 6.7 kilograms.
It is quite compact with the stock folded to facilitate its transport in all kinds of conditions and scenarios, includes an effective front mouth brakeor where asonic suppressor can also be coupled, and the specimens of the first batch stand out for their brown Tone Flat Brown now so in vogue; it has been pointed out that they arrive with Steiner visors of 5-25x56mm, although the evolution in daytime optics may soon mean that another model from the same German manufacturer, also from the Beretta group, may soon be chosen.