Meet the new Omen. This semi-automatic weapons platform can hit a target out to 1,400 meters. The military-only version shoots 3 shot groups in an area the size of a dime, civilian-versions under a quarter at 100 yards. Stretching nearly four feet in length, it holds 14 rounds.
This description might sound like the latest big bore .50-cal on the market, but this is the new NEMO Omen .300 Winchester Magnum semi-automatic sniper platform. This revolutionary rifle weighs less than 11 pounds unloaded. Comparatively, the average AR-15/M-4, chambered for 5.56 NATO, weighs in at under 7 pounds while a comparable AR-10, chambered for the 7.62 NATO cartridge, weighs in at just under 10 pounds.
The platform, announced at last year’s annual NRA meeting in Houston, extends the range a sniper can operate within a combat zone. While most AR-15’s cannot reliably extend beyond 600 meters and AR-10s beyond 1,000 meters; the OMEN is capable of reaching out to 1,400 meters, nearly a mile, and can rapidly engage multiple targets without requiring the operation of a bolt. This system fills a gap between 7.62 NATO semi-automatic sniper systems and the Barrett M107 .50 BMG, which is capable of engagements exceeding 2,000 meters. The Barrett weighs more than two OMENs combined.
The development of the rifle is considered a major stepping stone in the AR rifle market. Historically, previous AR platforms have restricted the size of cartridge to those with a length shorter or equal to the 7.62 NATO cartridge. However, NEMO engineers expanded the receiver size to accept the massive cartridge while maintaining a lightweight profile. Despite the massive cartridge and light weight, weapon recoil is little more than its AR-10 counterpart thanks to a proprietary recoil reduction system built into the weapon’s bolt.
If this weapons platform catches on, expect to see our snipers carrying this into combat soon. If so, I don’t foresee them complaining. For those civilians who want one, though, it can be yours for just under $6,000. If that price seems a little steep, compare that to NEMO’s latest offering: a titanium chassis AR-10, weighing just over 8 pounds, sells for a mere $100,000.