Barrett Fieldcraft LA

The History of Barrett

Barrett Firearms Manufacturing was established in 1982 by Ronnie G. Barrett with the initial aim to produce semi-automatic rifles using the .50 BMG cartridge. By the same year, Ronnie Barrett introduced the M82 rifle, and the model saw improvements throughout the decade, leading up to the enhanced M82A1 version by 1986.

The company witnessed a surge in popularity when, in 1989, it secured major sales of the M82 to Sweden. This led the U.S. military to adopt the rifle, which also saw service in the Gulf War. The following years saw Barrett securing contracts with various nations for their sniper rifles. The M82 was not the only rifle in the company's lineup; it also introduced bolt-action rifles with lighter and more affordable designs, such as the M95, M99, and M99-1. The M82's effectiveness became notably recognized mostly during the 1990s when it was employed by the IRA in Northern Ireland.

The US military later embraced updated models, namely the M82A3 and M107, primarily for anti-material roles. Barrett expanded and started producing the 6.8 mm Remington SPC REC7 upper receiver for the AR-15 rifle. However, in response to California's ban on .50 BMG rifles, Barrett halted sales to the state's law enforcement agencies. Another important product launch came in 2009 with the introduction of the M98B, a bolt-action rifle chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum. In 2016, they introduced a new line of lightweight hunting rifles, the Fieldcraft.

The US Army awarded the business a $50 million contract in 2021 for the Precision Sniper Rifle program. In 2023, Barrett was acquired by Australian defense contractor NIOA with Bryan James taking over the function of the company’s president. Nowadays, Barrett offers a range of firearms, accessories such as scope mounts and suppressors, along with other licensed products on their website.

Barrett Fieldcraft LA Rifle Review

In 2016, Barret company introduced the Barrett Fieldcraft bolt action rifle in two action lengths. This page refers to the long action (LA) version of the two. If you are looking for scope mounts for your Fieldcraft in short action (SA), you can find them here.

For decades, they have primarily focused on the production of long-range tactical rifles and Fieldcraft was one of their first rifles to target the hunting audience. Using military and aerospace-standard materials, it was engineered for a rigid yet extremely lightweight build.

The rifles were supplied without iron sights and came equipped with 533 mm (21-inch) stainless steel barrels. The bolt is also machined from a single piece of stainless steel and features two large locking lugs that lock up with the front end of the action’s housing. Above the right lug is an extractor in the Sako type, and the bolt head has a spring plunger ejector. Adding to its weight is also the carbon fiber stock with a right-handed cheekpiece.

On the upper side of the receiver, there are four drilled and tapped holes that can be used for scope mounting purposes. An adjustable single-stage Timney trigger is factory pre-set at a pull weight of approximately 1020 g (2.2 lbs). The bolt handle is somewhat small and has a lift of 60°. A blind magazine system with no visible floorplate allows for top-loading and a capacity of four rounds which significantly reduces the overall weight. Despite the parts being reduced in size, the rifle maintains optimal strength because of the stainless-steel construction. Safety is provided in the form of a thumb-operated lever located on the right rear side of the receiver, just behind the bolt handle. It is set in two positions: “S” (safe) and “F” (fire). When positioned rearward to "S", the bolt operates freely, whereas when pushed forward to "F", the rifle is ready to fire. All Fieldcraft models are equipped with sling swivels and a Pachmayr rubber recoil pad at the end of the stock.

Figure 1: Barrett Fieldcraft, chambered for .25-06 Rem. (Source: https://adelbridge.com/product/barrett-fieldcraft-25-06rem/)

Barrett Fieldcraft LA Calibers

The rifle can be chambered for the following calibers:

• 6.5x55 SWE

• .25-06 Rem.

• .270 Win.

• .30-06 Spr.

The receivers of the Barrett Fieldcraft LA rifle come with four drilled and tapped holes which can be used for scope mounting purposes. There are two holes on the front and two on the rear mounting surface.

Figure 2: The receiver of Barrett Fieldcraft, chambered for .30-06 Spr. (Source: https://www.getzone.com/barrett-fieldcraft/)

Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Barrett Fieldcraft LA

Rifles That Have One-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Barrett Fieldcraft LA 

For one-piece mounts to fit on a rifle, mounting surfaces on these rifles must match in every dimension.

Rifles That Have Two-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Barrett Fieldcraft LA

To meet interchangeability conditions, two-piece mounts must match in all dimensions except the B distance. B distance can vary because two-piece mounts can be installed and adjusted closer or further apart.

Currently, we cannot find any rifles that would match the exact dimensions of the Barrett Fieldcraft LA mounting surface thus we are unable to provide you with a list of interchangeable scope mounts. Should you happen to own this rifle and would be willing to share with us more information regarding interchangeability, we kindly ask you to contact us at [email protected]

Thank you for your help!

Best Scope Mounts for Barrett Fieldcraft

Picatinny rails for Barrett Fieldcraft LA

If you are considering adding a Picatinny rail onto your Fieldcraft’s receiver, we recommend this BlackCountry aluminum Picatinny that is made by the American company Leupold and comes with a 10-year warranty.

Click here for Leupold Picatinny rail

Help Us Build Our Riflescope Mounts Database

If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the scope mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.

Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: [email protected]