Tennessee Aims At Barrett M82 As Offical State Rifle

February 24, 2016

It looks increasingly likely that Tennessee will become the seventh state to adopt an official state firearm. Well, technically, it will be an official rifle.

Last year the state House, voting 74-9, passed a resolution making the Barrett Model M82/M107 Tennessee’s official state rifle. Rep. Micah Van Huss, R-Jonesborough, sponsored the legislation. An ex-marine, he carried the weapon while on tour in Iraq.

Last week the measure was approved unanimously in the Senate State and Local Government Committee. It is currently on the Senate’s “consent calendar”- measures to be passed without discussion. Barring an unlikely objection from a senator, its passage is a near certainty.

The rifle, developed by Ronnie Barrett, founder and owner of Barret Firearms in Murfreesboro, is basically a sniper rifle. It fires .50 calibur bullets designed for the Browning M2 machine gun.[gap height=”20″]

Weight	M82A1: 29.7 lb (13.5 kg) (20-inch barrel) 30.9 lb (14.0 kg) (29-inch barrel)
Length	M82A1: 48 in (120 cm) (20-inch barrel.) 57 in (140 cm) (29-inch barrel)
Barrel length	M82A1: 20 in (51 cm) 29 in (74 cm)
Cartridge	50 BMG .416 Barrett
Action	Recoil-operated, rotating bolt
Muzzle velocity	853 m/s (2,799 ft/s)
Effective firing range	1,800 m (1,969 yd)
Feed system	10-round detachable boxmagazine
Sights	Fixed front, adjustable rear sight;

Other official Tennessee items:
[one_half]Ampibian- Tennessee Cave Salamander
Beverage- Milk
Bird- Mockingbird
Game Bird- Bobwhite Quail
Butterfly- Zebra Swallowtail
Fish- Smallmouth Bass
Commercial Fish-Channel Catfish
Flower- Iris
Wildflower- Passtionflower and Coneflower
Fossil- Pterotrigonia
Fruit- Tomato (Eh, so it is a fruit after all.)
[/one_half][one_half_last]
Gem- River Pearl
Horse- Walking Horse
Insect- Fireflies and Ladybugs
Agricultural Insect- Honey Bee
Mineral- Agate
Reptile- Eastern Box Turtle
Rock- Limestone
Tartan- Scottish Textile
Tree- Tulip Poplar and Eastern Red Cedar
Wild Animal- Racoon[/one_half_last]