The Taliban Terminator: Brit Sniper gets 39

The Sun (UK) ^ | 4th August 2006 | VIRGINIA WHEELER

[Shooter 2.5]

Theoretically speaking, you could take a rifle that's parallel to the ground and an object of any weight at the same height. As soon as the rifle was fired, the weight would then be dropped. The bullet and the weight would hit the ground at the same time.

[Shooter 2.5]

It doesn't matter if you shoot at an upward angle or a downward angle. The bullet will hit lower than if it was held horizonally.

[NonLinear]

if he's sited in at 600 (which he should be) he'd only have 144 inches of drop (12 feet) at 900 yards. he'd have to be shooting up a mountain to shoot 35 feet high.

If he is sighted in at 600 yards, the barrel is tilted to shoot at a slightly upwards angle, and the scope is centered above the target to correct for the additional drop.

If he is sighted in for 900 yards, he has simply built in the anticipated 30+ ft drop into his trajectory, i.e. he has compensated for the same drop in advance rather than in situ. So his scope would be centered, although the barrel is raked at a somewhat higher angle.

So he is "shooting 35 ft high" in any case, but is only "aiming 35 ft high" if he was sighted in for a much closer range.

[Atomic Vomit]

Here's a worthy organization that supports US (and I believe some UK) snipers and helps them get the super- specialized gear they need.
It's run by a bunch of current and former snipers, so they spend donated money very wisely. They don't draw any salaries either.
Cpt. AV and I got a thrill out of thinking about our money going for the scope some jihadi got nailed with.
http://americansnipers.org/
Mrs AV

[donmeaker]

quite possible, and if true, a heck of a shot.


1 inch at 100 meters is about a minute of angle.

high and low are pretty easy. the windage is tough, because the wind gusts in a way that is not completely predictable before the trigger is pulled.

Of course statistically, we get no information on his misses.

Now me: I would have had a mortar round on him in a few seconds. Nothing that can be done with a .30 caliber sniper round can't be done better with a 120mm mortar.

[donmeaker]

Don't worry. The difference between a yard and a meter when it comes to judging distance is not important.

Generally newspaper accounts take the reported number of meters, and multiply by 3 to get feet four us on this side of the pond.


_"The aircraft missed the control tower by 3 feet."

[donmeaker]

Better would be tight communications to the mortar platoons.

If you think your enemy is impressed by a .50 caliber round, think what a GUIDED 120mm Mortar will do for them.

[monkapotamus]

[donmeaker]

Most infantry units already have mortars.

Rather than give away the sniper location, it would be better to call in a Mortar.

There are exceptions, but Mortars are responsive, long range, and lethal. (7000 meter range).

[donmeaker]

I understand a Union officer said "At this range they couldn't hit an elephant!" just before catching a round in his head.

Anyone can get long range hits. Some just have to shoot more.

[gafusa]

The Army is also adding a mortar section to each company. Each new new infantry company is supposed to have infantry platoons, a mortar section, a medvac team, an sniper team, mobile guns, and a fire support team to help the mortars target.

[dangerdoc]

I left the military 12 years ago. They did a heck of a job with the 308. I don't see anything magic about the round though, they used a bolt action. With a bolt action, you could choose about any caliber you want without the issues of developing a semiauto action for an extralong cartridge.

[donmeaker]

Back in the Carter Administration we got M-1D Garands for our snipers. They used .30/06 rounds. That gave them about 100 ft per second higher velocity than the 7.62X51 rounds we used in the M-60 machineguns. Course each M113 track has a M-2 .50BMG machinegun and "DRAGON antitank missles (replaced the 90mm recoilless)

Oh, and each company had 81mm smoothbore mortars and a section of TOW Missiles

Battalion had 4.2 inch rifled mortars (107mm),
and a platoon of TOW missiles to supplement the Redeye platoon which provided our primary air defense.

Tough with an infantry squad back then. You had to keep your men in 7.62mmX51 NATO, .50BMG, 5.56X45 as well as LAW, Dragon, and 40mm grenades...

[Nosler]

You need a bigger barn? Better chance of a score if you stand INSIDE?

[Nosler]

Yep, we'll all need a licence soon to pass wind in a public place.

[Nosler]

That's Sniping......most civies would not comprehend the capacities of well trained and properly equipped Snipers Teams, whatever nationality they may be.

[Nosler]

You need some self control.

[MAD-AS-HELL]

Yuo don't say?

[Nosler]

My ballistics program shows & assuming: 150 grn x FMJBT @ 2900fps and zeroed at 100yds drops 278" (23.16 feet)@ 900yds. Terminal energy is 503ft/Lbs (ex 2800ft/Lbs at muzzle). As for windage.... to drift 56 feet at 900 suggests wind speeds at 68mph!! Maybe a little 'Press Licence' exists here, but not impossible.
Whatever, these are shots which skilled Sniper Teams are capable.