S99 Tactical Sniping System

The S99 Tactical Sniping System, formally Long Range Sniper Rifle, Caliber .50, S99, was developed by Paladin Arms and serves as the primary sniping system of the Confederate military.

History
Introduced to the Confederate military in 1993, the S99 was not initially favored by the soldiers using it. The S99 was considered overly large and heavy, making it difficult to carry in the field. However, when the capabilities of the .50 BMG round were shown in the field, allowing an individual soldier to eliminate enemy infantry and vehicles from nearly two kilometers away, general attitudes about the rifle improved drastically. However, other sniping systems are still utilized when long-distance marching or close quarters are required.

Design
The S99 is a recoil-operated, semi-automatic sniper rifle/anti-materiel rifle. When the gun is fired, the barrel initially recoils for a short distance (about 25 mm), being securely locked by the rotating bolt. After the short travel, a post on the bolt engaged in the curved cam track in the receiver turns the bolt to unlock it from the barrel. As soon as the bolt unlocks, the accelerator arm strikes it back, transferring part of the recoil energy of the barrel to the bolt to achieve reliable cycling. Then the barrel is stopped and the bolt continues back, to extract and eject a spent case. On its return stroke, the bolt strips the fresh cartridge from the box magazine and feeds it into the chamber and finally locks itself to the barrel. The striker also is cocked on the return stroke of the bolt. The gun is fed from a large detachable box magazine holding up to 10 rounds.

The receiver is made from two parts (upper and lower), stamped from sheet steel and connected by cross-pins. The heavy barrel is fluted to improve heat dissipation and save weight, and fitted with a large and effective reactive muzzle brake. A removable, adjustable bipod is mounted beneath the barrel.

The S99 is fitted with an optics rail and adjustable rear sights. The rifle is usually equipped with an Oracle 2-12x telescopic scope. Aside from providing image magnification, the Oracle also includes thermal, light-amplification, and movement-prediction software. The movement prediction software functions by calculating distance, movement speed of a target, and environmental conditions, displaying a targeting reticule ahead of the target to provide an adjusted firing point, allowing the sniper to lead the target and calculate trajectories without the aid of a spotter.

The maximum effective range for the S99 is 1800 meters. However, the S99 has produced confirmed kills at up to 6800 meters.