XADO Snipex “Rhino Hunter”

XADO Snipex M75 “Rhino Hunter”XADO Snipex M75 Large Caliber Sniper / Anti-materiel Rifle, chambered for 12.7x108mm ammunition

 


XADO Snipex “Rhino Hunter” long range rifle, chambered for .50BMG ammunition

 

 

Caliber

12.7x99mm / .50BMG or 12.7x108mm

Action

Single shot

Overall length

1220 mm

Barrel length

750 mm

Weight, empty, w/o scope

16 kg

Magazine capacity

XADO Snipex “Rhino Hunter” and M75 Large Caliber Sniper / Anti-materiel rifles were designed and produced by the Ukrainian company XADO Chemical group, previously known only for chemical products.

Both rifles are based on the same unique single shot, self-ejecting action, patented in Ukraine, and differ primarily in the type of ammunition used. The concept of “automatic ejection” for a single shot weapon was probably inspired by the WW2-era Degtyarov PTRD anti-tank rifle.

The XADO Snipex “Rhino Hunter” rifle is chambered for .50BMG / 12.7×99 mm ammunition and is advertised as a long range sporting / hunting weapon. It is offered for sale to civilians as a hunting weapon.

The XADO Snipex M75 sniper rifle is chambered for the 12.7×108 cartridge, an old Soviet warhorse which is still in use by the Ukrainian army. It is advertised as a “long range precision weapon”. However, taking into account that this gun has a moving barrel and Ukraine has no domestic production of the target / sniper grade 12.7×108 ammunition, this weapon is really a medium-range anti-material rifle rather than a dedicated long range sniper weapon.

The XADO Snipex rifles are single shot, automatically ejecting rifles of an indigenous design. To fire the gun for the first time, the operator has to manually pull back the bolt handle, load a single round by hand into the chamber, manually close the bolt and then pull the trigger.

Once the gun is fired, the barrel recoils back for about 25mm (1 inch) against its buffer spring, to reduce peak felt recoil. The bolt group is opened automatically and the spent case ejected by the bolt thanks to a separate inertia-type action, similar in concept to the one used in Benelli inertia-operated shotguns.

After ejection is completed, the bolt remains in the open position and the operator can manually load the next round into the chamber and then close the bolt by hand. Barrel locking is achieved by a rotating bolt head with three rows of radial lugs that engage the barrel when locked. Both versions are equipped with a folding bipod and a massive muzzle brake.

No iron sights are provided; the Snipex “Rhino Hunter” rifle is provided with a permanent Picatinny rail attached to the receiver. The Snipex M75 rifle has a Picatinny rail adjustable for elevation between 0 and 70 mils in 10-mil steps.