PGM Hécate II
| Hecate II | |
|---|---|
 The PGM Hecate II | |
| Type | Anti-materiel rifle |
| Place of origin |  France |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1993-present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | Afghanistan |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Gilles Payen |
| Manufacturer | PGM Précision |
| No. built | 250 in the French Army |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | Template:Kg to lb with no sight |
| Length | Template:Mm to in 1,140 mm (44.9 in) with stock removed |
| Barrel length | 700 mm (27.6 in) |
| Cartridge | .50 BMG (12.7x99mm NATO) |
| Action | Bolt-action |
| Muzzle velocity | 825 m/s (2,707 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 1,800 m |
| Maximum firing range | Over 2,000 m |
| Feed system | 7-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Telescopic sights |
The Hecate II is the standard heavy sniper rifle of the French Army, sometimes known as the FR-12,7 (French: Fusil à Répétition de calibre 12,7 mm or "12.7 mm caliber bolt-action rifle").
It is manufactured by PGM Précision of France. This is the largest weapon manufactured by PGM, chambered for the .50 BMG (12.7x99mm NATO) cartridge.
Its design is the same metallic-skeleton as used in other similar rifles in the PGM family, only scaled up. It is equipped with both an adjustable front bipod and a rear monopod for maximum accuracy. The barrel is deeply fluted in order to disperse heat and reduce weight, and is fitted with a high-efficiency muzzle brake which reduces the felt recoil to about the level expected of a 7.62x51mm NATO-chambered rifle. The stock is also adjustable.
It is used as an anti-materiel rifle for demolition shooting at long ranges, harassing fire, counter-sniping and the destruction of unexploded ordnance from a safe distance, with High Explosive Incendiary/Armour Piercing Ammunition (HEIAP).
Standard issue sight is a SCROME LTE J10 F1 10x telescope.
Users
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2009) |
Estonia
France[1]
Latvia[2]
Slovenia
Switzerland - Designated the 12.7 mm Präzisionsgewehr 04 (12.7mm PGw 04) in Swiss service.
United States
See also
- PGM Ultima Ratio
- PGM 338
- FR F2 standard French sniper rifle
Gallery
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Snipers of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (France) deploying a PGM Hecate II and FR F2 in Afghanistan. -
The distinctive muzzle brake on the PGM Hecate II. -
A PGM Hécate II with its standard issue scope in the French military, the Scrome LTE J10 F1.
References
External links
