Bor rifle

Infobox Weapon
name=Bor


caption=The Bor sniper rifle
origin=flag|Poland
type=Sniper rifle
is_ranged=yes
is_bladed=
is_explosive=
is_artillery=
is_vehicle=
service=
used_by=
wars=
designer=Aleksander Leżucha
design_date=2005
manufacturer=OBR SM Tarnów
production_date=2006-
number=
variants=Alex-338
weight=kg to lb|6.1|sp=us|abbr=on|precision=2|wiki=yes
length=mm to in|1038|abbr=on|precision=1|wiki=yes
part_length=convert|660|mm|abbr=on|1 convert|560|mm|abbr=on|1
crew=
cartridge=7.62x51mm NATO
caliber=
action=Bolt-action
rate=
velocity=convert|870|m/s|0|lk=on|sp=us|abbr=on
range=800 m
max_range=
feed=10-round detachable box magazine
sights=day or night optics

The Bor is a new Polish bolt-action sniper rifle. The weapon received the code name Alex during development, after the name of the lead designer Aleksander Leżucha, creator of the 12.7 mm Tor anti-materiel rifle. After the development phase, the rifle was named Bor.

Development

After 1999, when Poland became a member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization, there was a need for new firearms for the Polish Armed Forces compatible with NATO standards. Starting in the early 2000s, at the Science and Development Centre of Mechanical Equipment ("Ośrodek Badawczo Rozwojowy Sprzętu Mechanicznego" - OBR SM) in Tarnów, engineer Aleksander Leżucha started his work on new standard sniper rifle. The work on the Alex had financial backing of the Polish Science Research and Information Technology Ministry in a joint venture construction with the manufacturer OBR SM Tarnów. It is intended that this sniper rifle will ultimately replace all precision rifles of this caliber in Polish service.

In the summer of 2005, testing of the new rifle began. The Bor was first unveiled at the 12th International Defense Industry Exhibition MSPO in September 2005 in Kielce. The weapon then went into production in 2006.

In the spring of 2007 the 7.62 mm Bor had passed all the tests required to be introduced into Polish inventories. The Polish Armed Forces wanted to acquire 36 systems in 2007. [ [http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=117414 Report on Polish small arms: new and modernized - 7.62 mm sniper rifle Bor] ]

Design details

The Bor is a bullpup-configuration bolt-action magazine-fed sniper rifle. The overall construction provides optimum accuracy through the use of a fluted (minimum weight/strength) free-floating barrel and a bullpup design layout, which allows a full barrel length of convert|680|mm|abbr=on|1 in a short overall length of convert|1038|mm|abbr=on|1. The muzzle is fitted with a double-baffle muzzle brake, which is claimed to reduce recoil by up to 30%. The "in-line" design of the barrel-receiver group also directs recoil rearwards in a straight line, minimizing muzzle flip. A sturdy adjustable bipod is fitted to the front of the fore-end. The rifle features a fully adjustable buttstock and cheek riser. A folding/adjustable monopod located behind the magazine on the inside of the buttstock can be used to support the rifle in firing position during extended periods of deployment. No iron or emergency sights are provided; a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail is mounted above the centerline of the barrel, over the receiver area for mounting various optical sights. The standard telescopic sight is a Leupold 4.5-14x50, with sight grid mil-dot reticle, parallax correction and an adjustment range of 100 MOA.

Variants

Around 2007, OBR Tarnów has begun development of a .338 Lapua Magnum chambered model under the Alex-338 development designation. [ [http://www.altair.com.pl/start-1323 Nowy karabin Alex-338 (Polish)] ] [ [http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=137272 Alex-338 - the new Polish sniper rifle] ] Early 2008 the Centre for Research and Development Equipment Mechanics Tarnow completed the design work and in June 2008 the first prototype was assembled.The model is slated to be publicly presented at the International Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce, Poland in September 2008. The bigger brother of the Bor is externally slightly different from its predecessor. The lower assembly has a different shape. The Alex-338 weighs 6.5 kg without aiming optics and 7.3 kg with the standard Leupold telescopic sight mounted. It uses the same 5-round detachable box magazines as the Finnish Sako TRG-42 sniper rifle.

Like the 7.62 mm Bor the Alex-338 shares some characteristics with the French PGM Précision PGM 338 rifles. The eventual introduction of weapons chambered for the .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6x70mm) cartridge will be a novelty in the Polish army.

References

External links

* [http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=117538 Alex sniper rifle question and images]
* [http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=117414 Report on Polish small arms: new and modernized - 7.62 mm sniper rifle Bor]
* [http://www.obr.tarnow.pl/en/bronstrzelecka_en.html OBR SM]