A company called TrackingPoint, that previously made the world’s first Precision Guided Firearm (PGF) system, has announced it is working on a new “Super Gun” capable of consistently hitting a target at over 3,100 yards, or farther than the longest confirmed long-range small arms shot of all time. The Super Gun would build upon the company’s existing technology, currently available in its Precision Guided Firearms, to create the world’s most advanced PGF weapon.
But you can’t have one. TrackingPoint’s Super Gun initiative would not result in a commercially-available rifle, although the company is having an internal discussion about how to apply the technology once it has been proven. The company has released various blueprints and sketches on its Labs blog that indicate how the PGF optics could be applied to a McMillan .50 caliber rifle.
PGFs are not just long rifles. The setup often includes a heads-up screen, guided trigger system, and can even be set up for wireless operation, functioning over wi-fi. Some can interface with smartphones and tablets.
“As an applied technology company at the forefront of the firearms industry, we at TrackingPoint need to consistently push ourselves to innovate above and beyond even our own expectations,” said Jason Schauble, TrackingPoint Chief Executive Officer. “Our ‘Super Gun’ project will push the boundaries of perception in the firearms and shooting communities. In the process we hope to find inspiration for a whole new generation of tech applications.”
The current record for a confirmed long-distance hit is held by a British soldier who shot 2,707 yards in November, 2009 during the war in Afghanistan. Unconfirmed claims have been made for a shot of 3,079 yards in October, 2012 by an Australian soldier using a .50 caliber rifle. The shot, if officially confirmed, will be the standard to which TrackingPoint holds its Super Gun capabilities.
