Description
The Barrett MRAD SMR 338 Norma Magnum is the stripped down, single caliber member of the MRAD family. SMR stands for Single Mission Rifle, and that is exactly the trade Barrett made: you give up the quick change barrel and the folding stock of the standard MRAD, and in return you get a slimmer rifle that is roughly two and a half pounds lighter and an inch shorter, with a factory accuracy guarantee of 0.75 MOA.
This is the black Cerakote version with a 26 inch fluted barrel in 338 Norma Magnum, a fixed stock with a vertically adjustable cheek piece, a Magpul MOE grip and a 21.75 inch top rail. It weighs 12.3 pounds and measures 48.5 inches overall. If you already know you are going to shoot one cartridge and shoot it seriously, this is the honest version of the platform.
What the Barrett MRAD SMR 338 Norma Gives Up and What It Gains
The barrel is free floated and fixed. There is no user changeable barrel system here, so the rifle is a 338 Norma Magnum for life. That is the whole premise of the SMR, and it is worth being clear about before you buy: if you want to swap between 6.5 Creedmoor and 300 Norma on one serial number, you want the standard MRAD instead.
What you get in exchange is real. Nearly two and a half pounds come off the rifle and an inch comes off the length, which you feel every time you carry it or set it on a bag. The free float tube and the simpler barrel interface are also part of why Barrett puts a 0.75 MOA guarantee on this gun.
The top rail runs 21.75 inches with 10 MOA of built in cant. That is a different figure from the ELR rifles, which use 10 MIL, and it suits the ranges a 338 Norma is actually used at rather than the two mile work the bigger guns are built for.
Handling, Recoil and Practical Notes
338 Norma Magnum recoils. Twelve and a half pounds of rifle and a suppressor capable muzzle brake take the edge off, but this is not a cartridge most shooters run a hundred rounds of in an afternoon. The brake also makes it loud and unpleasant for anyone standing beside you, which is a real consideration at a public range.
Ammunition is the other honest caveat. 338 Norma is a military and long range match cartridge rather than a sporting goods counter round. Factory loads exist from several makers and brass is available, but expect to order ahead and expect to pay considerably more per round than for 338 Lapua, let alone 308.
The muzzle is threaded under a protector and the brake is suppressor capable. MAG5 Firearms does not sell NFA items, so a suppressor would be a separate purchase requiring ATF approval, a tax stamp and a wait measured in months, and it is not legal in every state.
Barrett MRAD SMR 338 Norma Specifications
- Manufacturer: Barrett Firearms
- Model: MRAD SMR, Single Mission Rifle
- Caliber: 338 Norma Magnum
- Barrel: 26 inch fluted barrel, free floated
- Twist rate: 1:9.4
- Overall length: 48.5 inches
- Weight: 12.3 pounds
- Capacity: 10 round magazine
- Optics rail: 21.75 inches, 10 MOA
- Stock: fixed, vertically adjustable cheek piece
- Grip: Magpul MOE
- Muzzle: suppressor capable brake with thread protector
- Accuracy: 0.75 MOA guarantee
- Finish: black Cerakote
- Part number: 18505
Why it is worth considering
- A 0.75 MOA factory accuracy guarantee on a production rifle
- Roughly two and a half pounds lighter and an inch shorter than a standard MRAD
- A 26 inch fluted barrel and 1:9.4 twist matched to heavy 338 bullets
- 21.75 inch rail with 10 MOA of cant, plus tool free cheek height adjustment
- Ships with a 10 round magazine rather than a five round box
Who it suits
This 338 Norma Magnum rifle suits the shooter who has settled on one cartridge and wants the lightest, simplest version of the MRAD chassis behind it. It is a strong choice for long range match work and for large game at distance. It is the wrong choice if you want to swap calibers, and it is more rifle than most hunters need.
Ammunition, Optics and Transfer Notes for the Barrett MRAD SMR 338 Norma
338 Norma Magnum was developed to push heavy 300 grain class bullets efficiently from a case short enough to feed reliably in a magazine fed rifle, and it has become the standard for long range machine gun and precision work where 338 Lapua runs out of case capacity for the longest projectiles. Factory match loads are made by several manufacturers, and cartridge specifications are published by SAAMI. Plan your ammunition supply before you buy the rifle, not after.
Optics deserve the same care. The 21.75 inch rail with 10 MOA of cant is built for a first focal plane scope with plenty of elevation travel, and a short hunting scope on this rifle wastes what you paid for. Rings tall enough to clear a large objective and a scope level are both worth budgeting for, because at the distances this cartridge is meant for a small cant error becomes a large miss.
If you would rather have the quick change barrel and folding stock, look at the Barrett MRAD in 7mm PRC, and if you want a genuine extreme long range gun the MRADELR in 416 Barrett is the next step up. The rest of our inventory is on the MAG5 Firearms shop page. The Barrett MRAD SMR 338 Norma ships to a licensed dealer of your choosing, where you will complete a 4473 and a NICS check before taking it home.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.