How many actual snipers out their

[Guest]

Note to the moderators : I'm sorry I posted this in the wrong section , I juyt figured that it would get more atention here than in the general discussion forum it won't hurt my feelingsa ny if you move it or delete it if you feel its not needed here.

I tend to agree with Chris for the most part about guys running around saying their snipers of former Spercial Forces. Luckly for me their is a specail boat unit stationd very close to here and we get alot of SEALS and SF crews rotated through here ,its cool to meet the real deal and once you meet a few of these guys its painfully obvious who the posers are.
I was the designated "sniper" for the SWAT team I was on call with , not because I'm that good,I was just better at handeling the weapon than the rest of the guys in the team. Our unit is strictly "on call" so I had to tote that big *** case in my unit taking up my trunk space. our team was only made up of 9 people from three differant agencies (two PD and one SO) everybody hads the same equipment but I just got to carry the long gun.

Anyway back to the topic , for those of you who don't know Chuck Taylor's work , just check out a Special Weapons magazine he'll have some sort of artical in their , usualy about some new super tactical rifle and cartirdge that he has put togteher.
The last one I have was about a 257STWthat was suposed to be great out past 100yds with the Barns 115gr Triple Shock bullet. It cracks me up he posted a group in their that was stated to be a 1/4 moa yet the three holes position at 12 o'clock , 9 o'clock and 6 o'clock , their is at least a full bullet width between 12 and 9 and probably two bullet widths between 12 and 6 , that seems a litle out of wack to me but I could be wrong.
I'm not out to slam anybody but it realy gets on my nerves to see some writer who is suposed to be the "Guru" on a subject try to feed the public total BS.

 

[kmassaro]

I was told that the average distance for a police sniper shooting is 30 yards, and the longest is around 80. This was from a lieutenant in a Colorado front range county who has a reputation for telling the truth, even if it hurts.

If that is the case, bullet drop is not a big thing, is it?

 

[4ked Horn]

You are correct. I don't know what the actual average engagement distance is for a police sniper but id do remember that it is comfortably inside of 100 yards.

Given the size of the target for a CNS hit and the possibility of shooting at severe up or downhill angles and the possibility that you may be called upon for a longer than normal shot I think it would be prudent to study bullet drop within the scope of the duty. Knowing how much the bullet rises and falls on its trajectory might mean the difference between an instantly immobilizing hit and a shot that allows the perpetrator to press the trigger.

 

[Scout118]

I'm new to this site and a computer.
I have to agree with huntin1 and and the rest of you.
Mr. Chuck Taylor is a nut!
North of the border, our RCMP and most police dept. use the Fed. gold medal match.
Current slotted swat sniper that loves this site.

 

[Guest]

K2 , I'm I'm not mistaken the FBI recors show that the average range is about 75yds , roughly accross a city street or a small parkinglot.
extreme angles are a problem as are bullet response to hitting a barrier like glass or light wood such as doors.
its amazing what a windshield will do to deflect a bullet
As for ammo , our team uses Blackhills for our rifles (M4's and long gun) our particular rifle liked the 175gr bullet better than the 168gr ,but we diden't try any other other brands , but I believe that most use the Federal GMM

 

[Guest]

The Longest recorded shot by a sniper in the continental U.S. is 345 yards. It was taken by a law enforcement sniper posted outside a prison as "Containment". There was a hostage situation in the prison, and the perp made a break for it in a car. The shot actually hit the post between the windshield and the driver's side window and entered the perp's chest killing him quickly. As far as calibers, I have a video of a Mississippi L.E. agency using two snipers with .270 Winchesters to wound a guy and his girlfriend who took a bus full of people hostage and had a .357 revolver wired to his wrist. He and his girl kneeled down on a bridge and were both shot synchronized in the upper left shoulder. Both of these jokers proceeded to lie side by side and empty their revolvers into eachother...(true love). I think they were supposed to rise from the dead in 3 days. No luck so far.

As far as Chuck goes......Try to remember these guys formed most of their opinions before rifle scopes and night vision took modern form. Try and show a little compassion if not outright respect. If I had a dime for every time Jeff Cooper said something that does not make sense today, I could retire. Truth is, they are talking about a time they remember, and they are old enough for that to be a long time ago, things change rather quickly these days. What is hot today will be cast aside for something better tomorrow. F.B.I. reported the average shot to be 74 yards last I checked. Until recently, designated marksmen would probably be a better term for the L.E. guys. But in today's world, nobody wants to be 74 yards from some joker with a NBC device and a deadman's switch....
as always, things will change.

 

[Karl in Phoenix]

Well stated, S1.

My longest night-time shot was about 800 meters with an M-21 (PVS-2 scope, had to hold above the left shoulder with the bottom of the bottom "dash"). My longest daytime shots with recorded, planned hits was 2.4Km (later map ranged), at an artillery position, scattering the gun crew, though I did not think I hit anyone with deadly consequences. This worked until an airstrike could be called in to destroy the howitzer. You gotta love an auto-loading rifle when firing "ranging" shots.

By the way, one of my military references to what is capable in the field is the interesting work by a Captain C.A. Stevens, entitled "Berdan's United States Sharpshooters in the Army of the Potomic"; I happen to have a first edition of the work.

My $0.02 worth.

Cheers,

 

[Karl in Phoenix]

Oh, by the way, military doctrine (during my enlistment) was to engage at as long a range as posible to ensure the sniper team going home at the end of mission. Let terrain mask the report of the rifle shot. Set up range cards to "ranged" features, and so on.

No big deal.

Cheers,

 

[Meat Eater]

18B/ODA 744/7th SFG ABN/SOTIC/8541-sent for evaluation to help set up B4 Course.Thanks,Tom

 

[Marine sniper]

Graduated 1st. Marine Division Scout Sniper School in July of 1990, taught there from 91-94 after the Gulf war.

 

[justgoto]

I was wondering what ammo snipers used. Thanks for the info!