SR-25

The SR-25 was designed by Eugene Stoner and developed by Knight's Armament as a precision 7.62 mm rifle combining AR-10 and AR-15 design experience. Knight's states that it was first fielded experimentally in the early 1990s and quickly refined into the Mk 11 Mod 0 for USSOCOM adoption. The rifle is historically important because it helped normalize semi-automatic precision rifles for sniper and designated-marksman roles that had previously been dominated by bolt-action systems.

The SR-25 is a gas-operated, semi-automatic 7.62x51 mm NATO precision rifle with detachable box magazines, free-floated barrel assemblies, optical sight integration, and strong parts-family continuity with Stoner-pattern rifles. Compared with bolt-action sniper rifles, it trades some mechanical simplicity for rapid follow-up shots and familiar AR controls. Later SR-25 and M110 configurations vary by barrel length, rail system, suppressor interface, and mission package.

Operationally, the SR-25 family served special-operations, sniper, and designated-marksman needs where a shooter needed precision beyond ordinary rifles but more rate of fire than a bolt gun. Its influence extends through the Mk 11 Mod 0 and M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System line. The page should classify it as a precision rifle family, not a generic assault rifle, and explain its role as a bridge between sniper and squad marksman weapons.