Gepard M1

Summary

Country	🇭🇺 Hungary
Category	Anti materiel sniper rifle
Manufacturer	Institut de Technologie Militaire Hongroise

Technical specifications

Gepard M1
Fire Rate	Single shot rounds/min.
Caliber	.50 BMG or 12.7 x 107 mm MDZ-3
Magazine	10 rounds
Length	1570 mm (61.8 in)
Weight	17.5 kg (38.6 lb)
Range	2000 m (6562 ft)

Description

The Gepárd anti-materiel rifles are a family of Hungarian weapons developed to destroy unarmored and lightly armored targets. The project originated in 1987 when the Hungarian People's Army sought a compact, mobile weapon for damaging light armor. Ferenc Földi of the Institute of Military Technology of the Hungarian People's Army led the effort that resulted in the creation of the Gepárds.

The M1 was the initial Gepárd rifle to enter service. It utilized the 12.7×108mm cartridge and featured a long barrel intended for accuracy and a skeleton stock to reduce mass. However, the M1 had a complicated manual reloading procedure: after firing a single shot, the operator had to rotate, pull back, remove the grip assembly, and insert a new cartridge, impacting the rate of fire. Early difficulties included high recoil, which was subsequently mitigated by incorporating a barrel that recoiled rearward after firing, drawing inspiration from artillery design. Specialized, high-strength telescopic gunsights are required for use with these rifles.

Several variants followed the M1. The M1A1 added a carrier/lafette backpack and a longer barrel, increasing its combat weight to 21 kg. The semi-automatic M2 featured a shorter barrel and reduced weight, leading to the even shorter paratrooper M2A2 variant that could potentially be fired from the hip due to its recoil mechanism; a fiber optic scope system was considered for hip-fired use in VIP protection. The M3, chambered in the larger 14.5×114mm cartridge, offered increased destructive capability, accuracy, and range, becoming the most prevalent variant. Later models, the M4 and M5, built upon the M2 design using stronger materials for improved reliability and presenting a more rectangular, typically blackened steel finish compared to the earlier olive-green versions. The M4 is semi-automatic, while the M5 is a bolt-action rifle weighing 13 kilograms. These later versions replaced the 10-round drum magazine of the M2 and M3 with a straight 5-round box magazine and feature field replaceable barrels allowing the use of either Russian or NATO 12.7 mm ammunition. The family concluded with the M6, known as the GM6 Lynx, which uses 12.7×108mm and .50 BMG rounds, with stronger parts, lighter weight, shorter length, and an improved scope.

Production began during Hungary's transition period in the early 1990s, with early examples assembled at Vízgépészeti Vállalat. Current production and development are primarily at Báthory-Épszolg Kft, while the GM6 is manufactured by Sero International Kft. The design influenced the Szép 7.62×51mm sniper rifle.

Originally conceived as a precision sniper weapon for police and special forces prioritizing the "one shot, one kill" principle due to its extreme accuracy capabilities, the single-shot M1 was deemed not primarily intended for broader military field application. However, the Hungarian army purchased 25 M1 rifles for use in the field for materiel destruction purposes, but did not acquire subsequent variants. Due to the substantial weight of the M1, sharpshooters were instructed to abandon the weapon if a rapid retreat was necessary, saving only the grip assembly to render the rifle inoperable. The M3 is primarily designated as an anti-materiel rifle; while powerful, the accuracy of its 14.5mm round decreases notably beyond 1,000 m, making it effective for disabling targets like hovering helicopters, APCs, or mobile radar stations. The M2A2's shorter length and hip-fire potential made it suitable for airborne forces and special forces.

Users of the Gepárd family include:

• Hungary

• India, where Indian special forces utilize the GM6 Lynx

• Mali, where the People's Movement for the Liberation of Azawad reportedly used M2s.