Gepard M2

History

As the successor to the single-shot, bolt-action Cheetah M1 in 1990, Hungarian engineers returned to the project to produce the "Cheetah M2" in semi-automatic magazine-fed form. While retaining the original punch, the M2 brings some improvements to the line, with a shorter barrel, lighter overall weight and a more convenient design.

The M2 is also designed around a long recoil system where the barrel slides into the barrel sheath and receiver during firing. Bolts that were manually managed in the M1 are now subject to recoil to create a semi-automatic firing system.

With this development, the single-shot M1 is now the 5- or 10-round magazine-loaded M2. The magazine is mounted (rather awkwardly) on the left side of the gun near the pistol grip, which is only suitable for right-handed shooters. Like the M1, the M2 has a collapsible bipod assembly that attaches to the barrel sheath. With no iron sights installed, optics are a must for long-range shooting.

Many of the M2's design lines are reminiscent of the earlier M1, with a tubular, handcrafted look. The M2 is primarily used for Soviet 12.7x107mm cartridges, but can also be converted to American 12.7x99mm cartridges.

The similar Cheetah M2A2 is a shorter variant than the M2, designed to equip paratroopers with a compact, heavy rifle system. The M3 (14.5x114mm chamber), M4 (semi-automatic, 5-round magazine), M5 (bolt) and eventually the M6 ??model continue in this lineage.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes