Socom Gear CheyTac
M-200 Intervention
I popped the last catch on the large (and
extremely heavy) Socom Gear padded hard
rifle case and lifted the lid, and what a sight
to behold. As anyone who knows me will
tell you, what I know about sniping can be
written on the back of a postage stamp with
a crayon – but I do know well-made kit when
I see it!
When you think of Socom Gear most will
think of top-end pistols, usually 1911 based,
and while Socom Gear does a range of
M4-based gas rifles too a bolt-action, gaspowered sniper rifle is a little bit out of the
norm, let alone an 8mm one as well!
Overview
First impressions are good: this thing looks
the dog’s danglies! If you turn up on site with
one of these you are going to be your team’s
best friend – and on the other team’s most
wanted list! Only when you go to pick it up
do you realise how close to the real CheyTac
this thing is, weighing in at 9kg (31lb in old
money). Not surprising – when you know
that Socom Gear built this using the original
blueprints. Due to its accuracy to the real
deal CheyTac was more than happy to fully
license this M-200 Intervention. The official
blurb says it’s the only 1:1 scale Cheytac
M-200 Intervention on the market. Even the
.408 PGRS-1 muzzle brake is an authentic
reproduction!
The rifle is full-metal construction, bar
a couple of small bits and pieces. Flipping
the adjustable bipod down and setting this
beasty on the floor, the only thing I needed
to do was to screw the cocking lever knob
onto the bolt itself. Also in the hard case is
the HUGE magazine, a pack of five imitation
.408cal brass cartridges and a small pack of
0.35g 8mm BBs. Again like the real thing, the
way the stock is designed on this means that
accidental racking of the bolt is impossible.
Extending the stock out is easy: push a
button on the side of the rifle and pull the
stock until it clicks into its extended position.
Apparently the rifle is 20mm longer than the
real thing with stock extended. Outrageous!
In the back of the stock is a monopod that
can be deployed to aid stability, and means
that you are not shouldering the weapon
for long periods. There is a standard Weaver
rail running along the top of the receiver for
mounting optics. The safety switch selector
is on the right-hand-side of the receiver, just
forward of the bolt above the pistol grip. Safe
can only be selected when the rifle is cocked.
070
March 2012
“Richard Machowicz (a former
US Navy Seal) hit a humansized target at a distance of
2,530yd (2,313m) with three
out of six shots”
I am sure that some will criticise the rifle
for not coming with a scope. Yes it’s an
expensive bit of kit and normally I would be
one to make such a comment. However,
I was told that the reasoning behind this
was not to force a particular scope onto the
owner. This lets the owner use whatever
scope they want to put on it. I hate to say it,
but to do this thing justice you will need a
sizable budget set aside for a decent optic.