Barrett Model 98
Barrett Firearms Manufacturing · Sniper Rifle · Prototype · 1998
Also known as: Barrett M98, M98
Overview
The Barrett Model 98 was a semi-automatic precision rifle chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum, unveiled by Barrett Firearms at the 1998 SHOT Show. Conceived as a lighter, longer-range companion to the company's .50 BMG anti-materiel rifles, it never advanced beyond prototype and small-scale form and did not enter full production. The Model 98 designation and its .338 Lapua chambering were later carried over into the completely redesigned bolt-action Barrett Model 98B (98 Bravo), introduced in 2008.
Specifications
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
Calibers
- .338 Lapua Magnum · primary — also known as 8.6x70mm, 8.58x71mm, .338 LM
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Features: Detachable Box Magazine, Picatinny Optics Rail
Production
Production years: 1998
Unveiled at the 1998 SHOT Show but never entered full production; effectively a prototype/limited pre-production design later reworked into the bolt-action Model 98B.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Ronnie Barrett
Notes
Distinct from the later bolt-action Barrett Model 98B (98 Bravo) of 2008. The original Model 98 was a semi-automatic design shown at the 1998 SHOT Show that never reached full production; detailed physical specifications for the prototype are not well documented.
Background
Barrett showed the semi-automatic Model 98 at the 1998 SHOT Show as its first serious move into the .338 Lapua Magnum precision class, but the design never went into full production. Barrett revived the name a decade later for the ground-up bolt-action Model 98B.