IWS 2000
Summary
| Country | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Category | Anti materiel sniper rifle |
| Manufacturer | Steyr |
Technical specifications
| IWS 2000 | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | Single shot rounds/min. |
| Caliber | 15.2 mm Steyr APFSDS |
| Magazine | 5 rounds |
| Length | 1800 mm (70.9 in) |
| Weight | 18.0 kg (39.7 lb) |
| Range | 2000 m (6562 ft) |
Description
The Steyr IWS 2000 is an Austrian single-shot bolt-action anti-materiel rifle manufactured by Steyr Mannlicher. The designation IWS stands for Infantry Weapon System. It is chambered in a 15.2×169 mm armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot cartridge, and is noted as the first man-portable rifle to utilize this ammunition type. A key characteristic distinguishing it from other anti-tank rifle designs is its smoothbore barrel.
The weapon’s design incorporates a smoothbore barrel, which facilitates higher projectile velocities and offers a longer barrel service life compared to rifled designs. Due to the lack of gyroscopic stabilization from a rifled barrel, the projectile requires aerodynamic stabilizing fins.
To manage the significant recoil forces of the 15.2 mm Steyr APFSDS round, the IWS 2000 utilizes a 25 cm long recoil mechanism. This mechanism provides a damping effect by allowing force distribution over an extended period. Recoil is further managed by a multi-baffle muzzle brake.
The rifle's construction uses a combination of high-tension plastics and superlight polymers to enhance manageability and reduce weight. The smoothbore barrel is designed for easy detachment and packing. The weapon is a single-shot design, with the APFSDS round inserted from the side.
One proposed variant of the weapon was the AMR 5075, where AMR denotes anti-materiel rifle. This version was intended to fire the same 15.2×169 mm ammunition as the IWS 2000. Unlike the single-shot IWS 2000, the AMR 5075 was designed to feed from a 5-round detachable box magazine; however, this variant did not progress beyond the proposal stage.