The McMillan TAC-50 is a long-range anti-materiel rifle. The TAC-50 is based on previous designs from McMillan, which first appeared during the late 1980s. From May 2017 until November 2023, it held the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill. McMillan produces several .50 caliber rifles, based on the same proprietary action, for military, law enforcement and civilian use. It is produced in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States by McMillan Firearms. The TAC-50 is a military and law enforcement weapon, which, designated as the C15, has been the standard long-range sniper weapon (LRSW) of the Canadian Army since 2000. Rifles of the TAC-50 family are guaranteed to provide 0.5 minute of angle (MOA) groups with match-grade ammunition under ideal conditions.

Design details

The McMillan TAC-50 is a manually operated, rotary bolt-action rifle. The large bolt has dual front locking lugs, and its body has spiral flutes to reduce weight. The heavy match-grade barrel, made by Lilja barrels, is also fluted to dissipate heat quickly and reduce overall weight, and fitted with an effective muzzle brake to reduce recoil. The rifle is fed from detachable box magazines, holding 5 rounds each. The stock is made from fiberglass, and is designed to be used from a bipod only. The buttstock is adjustable for length of pull with rubber spacers, and can be removed for compact storage. The rifle has no open sights; it can be used with a variety of telescopic or night sights. In Canadian service, the standard telescopic sight was the McMillan endorsed Leupold Mark 4 16x40mm LR/T M1 Riflescope optical sight that has since been replaced by the Schmidt & Bender 5-25×56 PMII telescopic sight. McMillan also endorses the Nightforce NXS 8-32x56 Mil-dot telescopic sight for the TAC-50.

Variants

TAC-50A1

The TAC-50A1 variant was introduced in 2012. The TAC-50 A1 has a new take-down fiberglass stock with a forend that is 5 in longer than the TAC-50 stock. This moves the balance point for the bipod forward. The stock includes an integral cheekpiece and a monopod on the buttstock with an option for vertical adjustment. The stock incorporates a smaller pistol grip to fit a wider range of hand shapes, with and without gloves. The magazine release lever was repositioned ahead of the trigger bow to make the system easier to operate with gloved hands. For the A1 variant a new lighter bipod with legs that adjust vertically, as well as forward and rearward, to fine-tune the rifle for elevation was also developed.

TAC-50A1-R2

The TAC-50A1-R2 variant was introduced in 2012 alongside the TAC-50A1 variant. The A1-R2 variant is effectively a TAC-50A1 rifle system with a hydraulic recoil mitigation system (a proprietary hydraulic piston in the buttstock) added to reduce the considerable amount of free recoil generated by the .50 BMG chambering, and hence increase user comfort.

TAC-50C

The TAC-50C is an update to the TAC-50A1. The TAC-50C features the new folding Cadex Dual Strike chassis system. It includes an adjustable cheekpiece with vertical adjustment and an adjustable length of pull. The stock incorporates a smaller pistol grip to fit a wider range of hand shapes, with and without gloves. Three Picatinny rail sections allow for customization of accessories.

World record

An unnamed Canadian Joint Task Force 2 sniper made the longest recorded sniper kill with this weapon in Iraq, hitting an ISIS fighter at a range of 3540 meters in the 30-day period leading up to 22 June 2017. The previous record of 2475 meters was set by British sniper Craig Harrison in 2009 in Afghanistan, using a .338 Lapua Magnum chambered L115A3 Long Range Rifle sniper rifle. Two of the top five longest recorded sniper kills were made with the McMillan TAC-50 rifle, both by Canadian soldiers.

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