Posted on 03/13/2011 4:46:25 PM PDT by bimboeruption
Operating from a remote patrol base in Helmand, two British snipers were responsible for killing 75 Taliban fighters in just 40 days. In one remarkable feat of marksmanship, two insurgents were dispatched with a single bullet.
The arrival at the newly-established Patrol Base Shamal Storrai (Pashto for “North Star”) in late August 2009 of Serjeant Tom Potter and Rifleman Mark Osmond marked the start of an astonishing episode in the history of British Army sniping.
Within 40 days, the two marksmen from 4 Rifles, part of the Welsh Guards Battle group, had achieved 75 confirmed kills with 31 attributed to Potter and 44 to Osmond. Each kill was chalked up as a little stick man on the beam above the firing position in their camouflaged sangar beside the base gate – a stick man with no head denoting a target eliminated with a shot to the skull.
Osmond, 25, was an engaging, fast-talking enthusiast, eager to display his encyclopedic knowledge of every specification and capability of his equipment. He had stubbornly remained a rifleman because he feared that being promoted might lead to his being taken away from sniping, a job he loved and lived for. Potter, 30, was more laid back, projecting a calm professionalism and quiet confidence in the value of what he did.
Potter had notched up seven confirmed kills in Bara in 2007 and 2008 while Osmond’s total was 23. Both were members of the Green Jackets team that won the 2006 British Army Sniper Championships.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Bang List Bump!
Now, that was FAST, Travis.
"Most of the kills were at a range of 1,200 metres using the 7.62 mm L96 sniper rifle."
They two-timed “Trapdoor Man.” :)
I fully support this type of gun control.
AI AE series rifle with Harrisbipod and optional 8 rounds magazine.
Caliber: 7.62mm NATO (.308Win)
Operation: manually operated, bolt action
Barrel: 610 mm
Weight: 6 kg empty, w/o scope
Length: 1120 mm
Feed Mechanism: 5 or 8 rounds detachable box magazine.
The AE rifle is the latest development of the famous Accuracy International (AI)company of Great Britain. The AE is a "value" version of the famous AWand AWP (Arctic Warfare and Arctic Warfare Police) sniper rifles made by AI,since for most police situations the full compliance to the strict militarystandards is not required. For example, police rifles usually are far lessexposed to bad weather and other elements, they rarely are carried in the fieldfor days and weeks without proper maintenance and so on. And most police tacticalsituations rarely require the shooting beyond, say, 500 - 600 meters. So, havingthe said in mind, AI designers developed the AE rifle, which, being similar indesign and quality to elder AI models, is almost two times cheaper to come by,than AW and AWP models. AE available in only one configuration (no othercalibers and/or barrel lengths are offered at this moment). The claimedeffective range for this rifle is 600 meters.
AE rifle is built around the same proprietary AI chassis system, that features afull length aluminum alloy backbone with hollow stock, made from two polymerhalves and bolted onto the backbone. The receiver is made from steel and ismounted to the chassis in the V-shaped slot. The heavy barrel is free floatedfor maximum accuracy. It features same 3 lugs bolt with 60 degrees locking and atwo-stage adjustable trigger. The buttstock is adjustable only for length ofpull by the means of the butt-spacers. There's no open sights, instead theMil-Std rail is mounted at the top of the receiver. As a standard this rifle isequipped with 5 rounds box magazines, 8 rounds magazines are optional.
http://world.guns.ru/sniper/sniper-rifles/brit/ai-ae-e.html
Nice.
Wow, two with one shot. Wonder if there is a daily bag limit?
Excellent work, gentlemen.
Wipe out the Taliban
Would love to buy them a fine ale in British pub along with ham hocks.
Nods. Had to read that aloud to the DH, who is a huge Sharpe’s Rifles fan. Got to love those Green Jackets.
Thank you Lord, for good men like (Harry) Potter and (Donny) Osmand.
May God bless them, every one.
Tatt
Nothing like naming the snipers, why don’t they put their address and phone number on the article so that their enemies can find them easily.
I applaud their work, but I question the logic about a high profile story publishing their names and their actions. Don’t forget that there are more muzzies back home who cn read this stuff.
Those were pseudonyms.
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