I've played the long range game for 8-10 years now. It is not uncommon to see guys (pure civilians, like me) with a $4000 custom rifle at the outings. Add a quality daytime scope of $1500-4000, add a nighttime scope for? (My only night scope is a T-3 from the early 1950's they weren't any good beyond 150-200 yards; That's when mounted on a Bazooka for hunting tanks!)

I think the contract price is about par for the quality they are suppose to get. The first problem, do the delivered guns meet specs? The second problem, How often will the barrels be replaced and with what and by who (whom)? My 338 Lapua barrel is almost wiped out at about 650-700 rounds, my 308 is still very good at 2400-2500 rounds. The 300 Win Mag mod 2 ammo is a +P verity with a 210 grain bullet, that is a lot of wear on each shot. The payoff is this has considerably less recoil than the 338 Lapua! The payoff comes in a sustained engagement when the rifleman is still capable after 5 or more hours of recoil! Also, if the Mod. 2 ammo is $1.50 a round (in quantity), it is about 25% the price of good 338 ammo, and reports say the 300 Mod 2 is a reliable kill round to 1800 yards (over 1 mile). My 338 is a 1/4 MOA gun at 800 yards (and probably much further!) My 308 is 1/10 MOA gun at 200 and proven out 1100 yards, but that is a long way short of a mile! The key to all this isn't only good equipment, it requires practice! In the range of 20 to 40 rounds a minimum of twice a month. That costs time, ammo, and wear to the guns. The second 2 equal money, repeated long term money! Can and will the Army, Navy and USMC continue to field well equipped, well trained, and well practiced snipers? That is the question!

By the way, if you think this system is expensive, check out the prices on what the British and Canadians are using! They field fewer snipers in numbers as well as percentages! (As usual the French don't count! They have been setting records for One Shot Kills. But they aren't in Combat, aren't at people, and took 7 days to do!)

This is just my 2 cents worth.

Ivan