By: Friedrich Seiltgen
Copyright © 2024
ABOUT SERO INTERNATIONAL
Conceived and built near the end of communism, this line of rifle’s journey from a shaky start and poor quality would keep its engineers from seeing its success until democracy and a market economy took hold.
Sero International is a Hungarian-based company that designed and built the Gepárd (Cheetah) lineup of anti-material rifles for the Hungarian People’s Army in the ‘80s. They needed an anti-material/sniper weapon that was compact, accurate, and had enough muzzle velocity to take out lightly armored vehicles. Engineer Ferenc Földi (Institute of Military Technology of the Hungarian People’s Army) led the project, which resulted in the creation of the Gepárd rifle line. One of the original rifles was the M1, a single-shot rifle chambered in 12.7 x 108 mm. The design used a manual reload system that was slow to reload and also quite heavy. The latest version is what can be achieved when freedom reigns.
.50 BMG SNIPER RIFLES
The .50 BMG sniper rifle has grown from the early days of mounting an optic to an M2 Browning (Ma Deuce) to the Barrett sniper rifle, McMillan rifle, .50 caliber uppers for AR pattern rifles, and others. As the quest for longer ranges continues, records are continually broken for the longest kill. The current record for a .50 caliber rifle occurred in June 2017, when an unnamed sniper from Canada’s Tier 1 special forces unit, Joint Task Force 2, surpassed the 2009 record by over 1,000 m (1,100 yd) with a 2.2-mile shot in the Iraqi Civil War. As with the previous two Canadian records, a McMillan TAC-50 with .50 BMG ammunition was used.
THE GM6 LYNX
The Lynx is not gas-operated but uses the long recoil operating system created by John Browning for the original A5 Browning shotgun. When firing, the bolt and barrel lock up and recoil approximately six inches to the rear to absorb the energy. This reciprocal operating system, combined with the adjustable muzzle brake, creates a recoil less than that of a 12-gauge shotgun.
THE RECEIVER
The controls are straightforward. The trigger has a cross-bolt safety, and the magazine release is on the left side behind the grip. In place of a magazine well, the magazine fits into the rifle via a dovetail cut into the back of the pistol grip. It is equipped with Picatinny rails at 3, 6 and 9 positions for mounting accessories. The rifle is finished in Cerakote, and multiple color options are available.
THE BOLT & BARREL
The barrel is not fixed in the receiver and will travel to the rear along with the 4-lug bolt via the barrel bushing. The long recoil operating system acts like a howitzer barrel, significantly reducing recoil and allowing rapid follow-up shots. The muzzle brake is threaded on the outside, so the shooter can adjust the port angle to suit their needs. The barrel is 28.74 inches long, threaded at 1:15 threads per inch. Sero International claims a 1 MOA accuracy rate.
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: Semi-Automatic, Bullpup
Caliber: .50 BMG
Magazine Capacity: 5 Rounds, single stack magazine
Sights: 18.5-inch Picatinny rail for optic
Barrel Length: 28.74 Inches
Length with Folded Stock
Overall Length: 43.85 Inches
Overall Length (in transport/retracted mode): 36.5 Inches
Weight: 23.15 Pounds Empty
MSRP: $19,000
URL: www.gm6lynx.com
THE VERDICT
When in storage mode, the GM6 Lynx is a compact, powerful weapon that can be deployed quickly in urban environments. In fire mode, it is shorter than a Barrett .50 caliber rifle. The Lynx ships with two Magazines, a spare barrel spring, a cleaning kit, a monopod, an operator’s manual, and a Pelican transit case.
That’s all for now, folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s Be Careful Out There.”
Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism Counterstrategies, Firearms, and Active Shooter Response. His writing has appeared in RECOIL, Soldier of Fortune, The Counter Terrorist Magazine, Off Grid, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International.
Contact him at [email protected].