Anyone heard of this trackingpoint rifle?

[General Geoff]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/05/15/184223110/Mark-Dewey-tk

It's called the TrackingPoint rifle. On a firing range just outside Austin in the city of Liberty Hill, a novice shooter holds one and takes aim at a target 500 yards away. Normally it takes years of practice to hit something at that distance. But this shooter nails it on the first try.

The rifle's scope features a sophisticated . The shooter locks a laser on the target by pushing a small button by the trigger. It's like a video game. But here's where it's different: You pull the trigger but the gun decides when to shoot. It fires only when the weapon has been pointed in exactly the right place, taking into account dozens of variables, including wind, shake and distance to the target.

Aside from a pretty high price tag, I'm wondering how well this technology will survive in field work. If it proves reliable and durable enough, I could see the equipment supplementing skilled snipers, and perhaps completely replacing police sniper training. I am curious how the computer can read the wind from a distance reliably, though.

 

[JShirley]

Derek saw it at SHOT- wasn't especially impressed. Why and how do you see it replacing current sniper/marksman rifles?

John

 

[General Geoff]

Same reason everyone else's job is being replaced by technology...

 

[MtnCreek]

I could see the equipment supplementing skilled snipers, and perhaps completely replacing police sniper training.

Seems like it would not be suitable for a police sniper (hostage or bystander in front of or behind target).

 

[taliv]

if you search, there are several long threads about it here and other forums going back several months.

offhand, i love new technology, and recent reports showed this device had a lot more features than i initially expected, but it's still got a long way to go.

i think the announcement yesterday was that it was actually available for purchase.

 

[desidog]

and perhaps completely replacing police sniper training.

Like the invention of the cordless electric drill replaced carpentry training?

 

[ironworkerwill]

I could see it being used by snipers. I'm not going to say it's practicle.The USAF, at one time, decided to no longer teach "dog fighting" tactics as the current line of fighters could engage it's enemy beyond line of sight. The Air Force changed thier stance shortly after.

 

[HoosierQ]

Probably this will not replace sniper training. However, I can see appliations on moving vehicles, ships, and probably with mounted weapons rather than individual ones.

 

[JShirley]

Yes, to follow-up on Hoosier's comment, I can see this having practical application when there is machinery included that will allow the target to be marked, and all correcting movements done automatically. Until then, it seems like an over-priced technology brought too soon to market.

John

 

[MCMXI]

I am curious how the computer can read the wind from a distance reliably, though.

The scope doesn't read the wind. You have to input wind speed manually, but once you do that, the scope corrects for windage at every distance that you range. With a typical scope, your windage changes as your range to the target changes and you have to account for it by making adjustments with the reticle or with the scope's adjustments. The same is true for elevation.