Firearms / Sniper rifles / PGM Hecate II
PGM Hecate II
General Facts
- TYPE
Anti-materiel rifle - ORIGIN
France - NICKNAMES
12.7 mm Präzisionsgewehr 04 / PGw 04 (Swiss military designation)
Fusil à Répétition de calibre 12.7 / FR-12.7 (French military designation) - DESIGNED
Early 1990's - DESIGNER
Gilles Payen - PGM Précision - PRODUCTION
Early 1990's - present - PRODUCERS France - PGM Précision
- QUANTITY
Well over 250 - UNIT COST
GBP 10.500 in 2010 - CHARACTERISTICS
Good accuracy
Long range
Very heavy
Expensive
Introduction
The Hecate II is an anti-materiel rifle of French origin. The design is based on the Ultima Ratio series of sniper rifles. It was developed by PGM Précision in the early 1990's at the request of the French military.
Design
The Hecate II has the same layout as the Ultima Ratio series of sniper rifle, but the design has been heavily modified to make it suitable for the 12.7x99mm caliber. The Hecate II is a bolt action rifle with a free floating barrel and removable wooden stock. The heavy barrel with smooth surface is fitted with a massive muzzle brake. A bipod is fitted as standard. It is possible to mount a silencer instead of the muzzle brake.
Firepower
The Hecate II fires the 12.7x99mm round from a 7 round detachable box magazine. Due to its heavy barrel the Hecate II is capable of good accuracy with proper ammunition. The maximum effective range is 1.800 meters. In French service the Hecate II is often employed with high explosive incendiary or armor piercing incendiary ammunition. It is possible to mount a suppressor to reduce firing signature.
Users
The Hecate II is the standard anti-materiel rifle in French service and has been adopted by several foreign users, including Switzerland.
Hecate II
The Hecate II is a bolt action anti-material rifle chambered for 12.7x99mm rounds. There are no variants of the Hecate II although over time the production models slightly changed. Early models had a M60 bipod, which later changed to a fully adjustable bipod. The latest models feature a longer top accessory rail and two smaller rails at the sides. The SCROME J10 scope is the standard optic associated with the Hecate II.
The Hecate II can be fitted with a silencer instead of the muzzle brake. The suppressor is produced by Ops Inc and is massive in size and weighs about 2.5 kg. The silencer reduces, or even eliminates, the flash signature upon firing. The sound is reduced as well, but not to the same extent as suprressed weapons of smaller caliber.
- Specifications:
- Hecate II
- Hecate II (with suppressor)
| Type | Anti-materiel rifle |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 12.7x99mm NATO |
| Magazine | 7 round detachable box |
| Operation | Bolt action, 3 lugs |
| Fire selector | 0-1 |
| Rate of fire | Bolt action |
| Barrel length | 700 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 8 grooves, 381 mm twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 825 m/s |
| Stock | Fixed detachable stock |
| Length | 1.384 mm / 1.140 m |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 13.8 kg empty without scope, 16.33 kg |
| Sights | SCROME LTE J10 F1 10x scope |
| Remarks | Fixed foldable bipod |
| Type | Anti-materiel rifle |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 12.7x99mm NATO |
| Magazine | 7 round detachable box |
| Operation | Bolt action, 3 lugs |
| Fire selector | 0-1 |
| Rate of fire | Bolt action |
| Barrel length | 700 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 8 grooves, 381 mm twist |
| Muzzle velocity | ? |
| Stock | Fixed detachable stock |
| Length | ? |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 17.24 kg with silencer and without scope |
| Sights | SCROME LTE J10 F1 10x scope |
| Remarks | Fixed foldable bipod |
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