The sniper rifle in the beginning

I had a look but my meidiocre knowlege of rifles didn't allow me to answer your question I'm afraid. No doubt somebody out there will know and reply eventually. However, of the rifles I know I wouldn't say that it is particularly impressive size-wise. Mose high-powered sniper rifles are pretty big. You want to see something really awesome?

Type "Barrett" into google. They have a number of different bad ass rifles they make (M99, M107 etc.), the most famous being the .50 caliber M82A1 sniper rifle. If you like awesome firepower, you'll like what they have on show.


Go to the loo, 'cause all the *beep*'s coming out your mouth instead of your a-hole...

KEEP IN MIND, that the rifle is "DEVASTATING" simply because thats what the script called for.

It punches through the armor plates in the vests because THATS what the script calls for.

The effect the rifle has on the bad guys doesnt mean that in "real life" that same rifle will have a greater/less effect. ITS SPECIAL EFFECTS. No bullet was fired, no vest was punctured, nobody was killed with "DEVASTATING" firepower.

ITS A MOVIE. As in NOT REAL.

Its a movie. They could take a blue plastic squirt gun (remember those?) and make it "devastating" enough to launch nukes out of.

The rifle itself could be anything. Could be a real rifle in production for civilian hunting/target shooting or it could be a military grade "sniper" rifle.

You yourself can take a regular .22, single shot, squirrel popper and using the right "bolt-on" accessories make it LOOK like its a real BAD-ASS, super sniper, high power, tank armor punching, long range killing, weapon of accurate killing efficiency. Doesnt mean it is, the caliber is still that of a .22 squirrel popper.

The sniper rifle in the start of the film is comprised of the CHOATE Machine & Tool, Inc. "Ultimate Sniper/Target Stock" Designed & Endorsed by Major John Plaster, now this is available to fit the Remington 700 Long & Short action, Savage Long & Short and Winchester model 70 Long & Short, although I am sure is could be machined to fit others. Now I believe the biggest variety of calibres is that of the Winchester 70 which was available from as little as .22 hornet up to the .458 Winchester Magnum, but from what I see in the film due to the size of the bolt and knowledge of current cartridge sized used in law enforcement, I would guess it is most likely be either a 7.62x51mm (.308 Winchester) or .300 Winchester Short Magnum. As for the scope I am unsure so would not like to speculate.

Now as to its ability to penetrate body armour, due to the level of equipment the bank robbers had and the fact that it was penetrated by a rifle round I am going to assume they had Type IIIA which is designed for "High Velocity 9 mm & .44 Magnum" This armour protects against 9 mm Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets, with nominal masses of 8.0 g (124 gr) at a reference velocity of 436 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) and .44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP) bullets, with nominal masses of 15.6 g (240 gr) at a reference velocity of 436 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) Now Type III and Type IV are designed for Rifle and Armour Piercing Rifle protection but as a through and through hit was shown I would guess it wasn’t. The Type IV can take nominal masses of 10.8 g (166 gr) at a reference velocity of 878 m/s (2880 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) so still possible.

Ballistic Performance for the .308 Winchester
Bullet Weight - Velocity - Energy
150 gr (9.7 g) Nosler tip 2,820 ft/s (860 m/s) 2,648 ft•lbf (3,590 J)
165 gr (10.7 g) BTSP 2,700 ft/s (820 m/s) 2,671 ft•lbf (3,621 J)
168 gr (10.9 g) BTHP 2,650 ft/s (810 m/s) 2,619 ft•lbf (3,551 J)
175 gr (11.3 g) BTHP 2,600 ft/s (790 m/s) 2,627 ft•lbf (3,562 J)
180 gr (12 g) Nosler partition 2,740 ft/s (840 m/s) 3,000 ft•lbf (4,100 J)

And the .300 Winchester Short Magnum
Bullet Weight - Velocity - Energy
150 gr (9.7 g) SP 3,313 ft/s (1,010 m/s) 3,657 ft•lbf (4,958 J)
165 gr (10.7 g) HP 3,223 ft/s (982 m/s) 3,807 ft•lbf (5,162 J)
180 gr (12 g) HP 3,095 ft/s (943 m/s) 3,830 ft•lbf (5,190 J)
200 gr (13 g) SP 2,822 ft/s (860 m/s) 3,538 ft•lbf (4,797 J)

So with Type III Body armour, yes very plausible and with type IV still possible.

hope this answers your questions.