The IWI Dan is an Israeli bolt-action sniper rifle manufactured by Israel Weapons Industries (IWI). It is named after the ancient city of Dan. The rifle is chambered for the powerful .338 Lapua Magnum cartridge and its main purpose is long-range sniping, and limited anti-material applications as well.[1] The IWI DAN has sub-MOA accuracy at range of 1200 meters.
| Dan | |
|---|---|
 IWI Dan at IDEX 2023 | |
| Type | Sniper rifle |
| Place of origin |  Israel |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Nehemia Sirkis |
| Manufacturer | Israel Weapon Industries |
| Unit cost | $9,000 |
| Produced | 2014–present |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 5.9 kg (13.01 lb) 7.3 kg (16 lb) folding stock version |
| Length | 1,280 mm (50.4 in) 1,030 mm (40.6 in) stock folded |
| Barrel length | 737 mm (29.0 in) |
| Cartridge | .338 Lapua Magnum |
| Action | Bolt-action |
| Muzzle velocity | 881 m/s (2,890 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 1200 m |
| Feed system | 10-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | day or night optical sights back-up iron sights |
The rifle was designed by Dr. Nehemia Sirkis with cooperation of the Israel Defense Forces special forces and is manufactured by Israel Weapons Industries and marketed worldwide.[2]
It was developed to compete with other 0.338-inch caliber sniper rifles such as the "Barak" used by the IDF, the McMillan TAC-338 (used by IDF elite units and the Navy SEALs), the British AWM, and the PGM 338.[3]
The IWI Dan was unveiled at the 2014 Eurosatory convention.[4][5][6]
Design and Features
editThe rifle is a bolt-action sniper rifle chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum caliber, designed for long-range sniping beyond 800 meters. Its design emphasizes ergonomics and user comfort, with adjustable components such as the buttstock. It features Picatinny rails for mounting various optical sights and tactical accessories. The rifle can also be equipped with sound suppressors. Its chassis is relatively lightweight, enhancing usability.[6][7]
The rifle uses .338 Lapua Magnum ammunition, a high-power sniper rifle cartridge effective at ranges of 1,200 to 1,500 m (1,300 to 1,600 yd). This ammunition is designed for anti-personnel purposes and is capable of penetrating body armor (vests) with lethal precision. It is also effective against unarmored vehicles.[2]
The Manufacturer IWI guarantees sub-MOA accuracy, with estimates suggesting up to 0.3 MOA.[2]
External Links
edit- Official website
- Details about the rifle at Modern Firearms
- Announcement about the DAN rifle on Defense Update
- Launch announcement of the DAN rifle on Israel Homeland Security, 11 June 2014
- Assaf Golan (25 June 2020). "Security website: The world's best sniper rifle – Made in Israel?". Israel Hayom.
- Meet IWI's New Bolt Action Sniper Rifle on IsraelDefense
- IWI Unveils DAN .338 Bolt Action Sniper Rifle on Tactical Life
- IWI Dan 338 thread on Fresh forum
References
edit- ^ "New Israeli Sniper Rifle". i-hls.com. Jun 11, 2014.
- ^ a b c Tamir Eshel (Jun 11, 2014). "DAN .338, a new Israeli sniper rifle from IWI". defense-update.com.
- ^ "Defense website: The best sniper rifle in the world - made in Israel?". www.israelhayom.co.il. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
- ^ "Israel Weapon Industries IWI unveils its new DAN .338 Bolt Action Sniper Rifle at Eurosatory 2014 01". armyrecognition.com. July 1, 2014.
- ^ "IWI Unveils DAN .338 Bolt Action Sniper Rifle". tactical-life.com. June 11, 2014.
- ^ a b Staff, Tactical Life (2014-06-11). "IWI Unveils DAN .338 Bolt Action Sniper Rifle". Athlon Outdoors. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
- ^ "IWI DAN 338". Modern Firearms. 2016-05-31. Retrieved 2024-11-23.