Developed in the early 1980s, the M82 series of weapons has been adopted by a number of military forces, where its long range striking power makes it useful for disabling vehicles, detonating enemy ordnance, and sniping at ranges well beyond a conventional rifle. This rifle is listed on page 23 in Norman Chandler's "Death from Afar, Vol. 1" as one of the first 100 Barrett M82A1A sniper rifles delivered to the U.S. Marine Corps during Operation Desert Shield, as part of an unusually rapid crash acquisition program out of the perceived need for a weapon that could reach out across open desert; from initial order to a USMC instructor/armorer team touching down in Saudi Arabia with the first hundred M82A1s was only about 90 days. Individual deployment of the weapons was not documented, but photographs during Desert Storm put the M82A1 in country in Kuwait and Iraq. The currently installed scope rail is a mid-90s military adjustment, noted with a two-piece welded base and a one piece top Picatinny rail, and the barrel is dated "6/98". Today only about 35 of these scarce and collectible rifles are believed to be in private collections, as the rest were given to foreign allies, police departments, museums or the shredder. This impressive weapon has the standard Barrett Manufacturing Inc. markings on the left side of the magazine well, with the addition of "U.S." directly below the patent marking. Fitted with a Barrett chevron muzzle brake, ventilated steel chassis, folding hooded blade front sight, carry handle, scope base, flip up rear peep sight, matching numbered electro-penciled bolt carrier, AR style fire controls and checkered grip, and solid rubber recoil pad. Unertl "USMC 50CAL./5127" scope is mounted on the rail. Provenance: The Scott A. Duff Collection; Property of a Gentleman