Size Matters: The Snipex Alligator Is Ukraine’s Anti-Everything Rifle
A Ukranian soldier stands with a pair of Alligator guns.
Adopted by Ukrainian forces in 2020, the Snipex Alligator is a Ukrainian anti-materiel rifle capable of destroying fortified positions, vehicles, aircraft, and probably dinosaurs.
This 6-1/2-foot, 55-pound behemoth was not designed to be used as an anti-personnel rifle, but it would most likely anti-the-ever-living-fuck out of any personnel it hit. Even Superman.
Speaking of the round, the 14.5x114mm cartridge fired by the Alligator is a veritable beast. Initially designed as an anti-tank round for World War II-era Soviet weapons, it can accommodate a 59- to 66-gram projectile capable of traveling at nearly 3,300 feet per second. And it makes more common big boy rounds like the .50 and 12.7 look unimpressive by comparison. In other words, if you’re a .50-cal, the 14.5 is the guy your girlfriend tells you not to worry about.
The Alligator can accommodate various sight devices and features a floating barrel for increased accuracy, a purpose-built muzzle brake to reduce the immense recoil, a cushioned shoulder pad that probably doesn't help, and a five-round detachable box mag. This anti-everything rifle boasts the ability to accurately reach out and touch targets at distances of up to 2,000 meters (that’s almost 22 football fields, for all my fellow Americans who don’t know shit about the metric system) and can pierce 10mm (the socket wrench you always lose) armor plating from about a mile out.
Alongside the formidable Alligator, the Ukrainian army also adopted its slightly smaller little brother, the T-Rex, which is essentially the same rifle, just in the type of single-shot bullpup configuration that Europeans love so much. It is unclear at this time how many T-Rexes and Alligators are in service in the Ukraine military, but personally, we think one of each would be enough, all things considered. Both rifles have seen use on the battlefield since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and considering the sheer power and terrifying capabilities of these weapon systems, we can see why the Russians have been getting their asses kicked.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to clarify the description of the 14.5x114mm cartridge.
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Eric Miller is a former Army Combat Medic from Parkersburg, West Virginia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and has worked with homeless populations and veteran services throughout the state. He is an avid outdoorsman and has recently become interested in woodworking.
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