Fort Benning completed a major upgrade to its Burroughs Range on June 10, 2025, expanding the sniper training facility to support the Army’s latest long-range rifle systems.
The project, described in an Army statement, was part of a joint effort with the Georgia Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve and marks the start of a seven-year range modernization plan.
Originally completed in 1976, Burroughs Range was designed for heavy sniper training with armored targets and a moving target rail system located 800 meters from the firing line. The system, once effective for weapons with maximum ranges of 600 to 1,000 meters, had become obsolete with the fielding of the MK22 Precision Sniper Rifle, which can accurately hit targets up to 1,800 meters away.
“The requirements for changes to the training ranges came from new weapons systems being introduced,” said John Nolt, acting director of the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security at Fort Benning.
The MK22, a multi-caliber bolt-action sniper rifle, replaces the M2010, M110, and M107 systems. It accommodates 7.62mm, .300 Norma Magnum, and .338 Norma Magnum rounds, allowing for mission-specific flexibility.
US SOCOM New Sniper Rifle MK22 pic.twitter.com/BE2zA49Gt7
— Jaeger (@JaegerZ999) July 1, 2023
The engineering work was completed with support from the Georgia Army National Guard’s 177th Engineer Support Company, 878th Engineer Battalion out of Augusta, and the Army Reserve’s 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion from Birmingham. The Reserve unit is a tenant at Fort Benning.
“This type of training allows us to meet directly on the job site with our active duty and Reserve counterparts… taking the best ideas and methods from both groups and adding it to our toolboxes to be better in the future,” said Warrant Officer James Jarrett, a construction officer with the 177th Engineer Support Company.
The use of Reserve and Guard personnel generated an estimated cost savings of $400,000, according to Fort Benning. Sgt. Gregori Sangregorio of the 718th Engineer Company added, “Training missions like this give us the opportunity to see what it takes to thoroughly and seamlessly support each other in the field.”
The upgrade aims to enable snipers to fully employ the MK22’s long-range capabilities. “Firing at targets with the weapon system’s maximum effective range requires snipers to be absolutely precise with their ballistic calculations to accommodate for atmospheric conditions… It also requires snipers to be absolute with their range estimation skills,” said Fort Benning spokesperson Will Brugge.
Although the MK22 has been fielded to special operations units since 2021, its distribution to conventional units is ongoing. Some soldiers have not yet received the .300NM and .338NM ammunition developed specifically for the rifle. Sig Sauer, the manufacturer, confirmed that all rounds ordered under a $157 million contract signed in 2022 have been delivered.
The Marine Corps has also adopted the MK22 and by late 2024 had issued it across infantry, reconnaissance units, and training schools. The rifle’s introduction is part of broader marksmanship modernization efforts across services.
