Written by Samantha Franco and Clare Fitzgerald
The Snipex Alligator is a powerful anti-materiel rifle (AMR) developed by XADO-Holding, Ltd., and it’s currently used only by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Designed for long-range precision, the Alligator is especially effective against enemy equipment, vehicles, and fortified positions. Its performance during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War has made it a standout weapon on the battlefield.
Thanks to its proven effectiveness in combat, there’s growing speculation that other militaries may take interest in the Alligator as they look to upgrade their long-range firepower capabilities.
‘Enormous’ doesn’t even begin to describe the Snipex Alligator
The Snipex Alligator is a bolt-action, magazine-fed rifle that’s hard to miss because of its truly impressive size. Measuring a massive 79 inches in total length, the majority of that comes from its enormous 47-inch barrel. For comparison, most hunting rifles have barrels around 22 inches, making the Alligator’s barrel more than twice as long.
It’s not just long—it’s heavy too. Weighing in at 25 kilograms (about 55 pounds), this rifle is no lightweight. To make it more practical in combat situations, it includes several user-friendly features. These include a foldable, four-position bipod and a rear support for stability during firing. It also has a centrally located carrying handle to help transport the rifle, and the design even allows for rebalancing the weight when a suppressor is added.
Massive ammunition for an equally massive rifle
The Snipex Alligator is a massive rifle, so it makes sense that its ammunition is just as large. It uses a traditional rifle setup and can hold up to five 14.5 x 114 mm cartridges at a time, with each one weighing approximately 2.2 ounces.
These cartridges were originally designed as anti-tank rounds for the Soviet-made KPV heavy machine gun. Each round carries a projectile weighing between 59 and 66 grams and can reach speeds of up to 3,300 feet per second when fired.
According to reports, the Snipex Alligator is built to target enemy soldiers, lightly armored vehicles, and storage areas for ammunition and fuel. The manufacturer claims it can pierce up to 10 mm of steel armor at distances between 2,000 and 7,000 meters. However, it has not yet been extensively tested in combat to confirm these capabilities.
Issues with recoil
One of the biggest challenges of using the 14.5 x 114 mm cartridge is the significant recoil it generates. While the Snipex Alligator includes design features to help manage this force, they don’t completely eliminate the powerful kickback.
The rifle’s large size and weight help absorb much of the recoil, preventing it from transferring directly to the shooter and keeping the weapon relatively steady after each shot. Additionally, it is equipped with a recoil-isolating buttstock, a padded shoulder stock, and a four- or five-baffle muzzle brake. These features work together to reduce the impact of the recoil, making the rifle easier to handle during extended use.
Use of the Snipex Alligator in the Russo-Ukrainian War
As aforementioned, the Snipex Alligator has seen use throughout the Russo-Ukrainian War, joining its smaller counterpart, the Snipex T-Rex. While the exact number currently in service is unknown, it’s presumed that the majority of Ukrainian Special Forces units and other frontline divisions have it in their arsenal.
There have been two incidents of note that possibly show the strength of the Snipex Alligator. The first was a possible hit by a Ukrainian sniper on a Russian soldier who was 1.68 miles away, making it the second-longest distance sniper kill in military history. The second was the taking down of five Russian soldiers in as many minutes by a single sniper. Two of those hit in the incident were struck by the same bullet.
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While these two instances have yet to be independently verified, they possibly prove the power and ability of the Snipex Alligator, if it’s determined the weapon was the one to achieve the legendary hits. As of publishing, the Ukrainian military has yet to release details as to the exact rifle(s) used to secure the kills.