Posted on 08/04/2006 12:15:58 PM PDT by Brit_Guy
A BRITISH sniper waging war on the Taliban is so deadly he has earned a chilling nickname — The Man Who Never Misses.
The unerring Army sharpshooter has killed 39 rebel fighters single-handedly.
His marksmanship is so lethal that rumours have spread like wildfire through insurgents’ camps, causing panic and confusion.
The sniper — who The Sun is not naming to prevent him becoming a target himself — is a member of elite 3 Para.
Described by sources as “the best shot in the Army” he is responsible for over five per cent of the 700 insurgents killed by Paras since British forces returned to Afghanistan.
He is based in the wild Helmand province, where our troops launched a massive assault on the Taliban this week.
A source said yesterday: “This sniper is truly something else — a silent assassin.
“In the deadly terrain of southern Afghanistan, where guerilla warfare rules, he has been invaluable. The rumours are sweeping enemy camps that he is the man who never misses.”
The sniper’s actual toll is probably higher than 39 but the Taliban’s tendency to reclaim bodies makes deaths difficult to confirm.
His lethal L96A1 rifle has a range of 1,000 yards and is fitted with electronic sights and laser range-finders.
He works with a partner called a spotter, who locates the target and helps judge wind speed and distance so the bullet travels accurately.
Each day the pair risk their lives away from fellow Paras, taking up covert positions and often lying hidden for as long as ten hours at a time. Once the shot has been fired they need nerves of steel to stay concealed while Taliban rebels wielding rocket-propelled grenades and machine-guns desperately try to hunt them down.
The Ministry of Defence would not discuss the crackshot for security reasons.
But he is regarded as one of the most successful British snipers since World War Two.
Earlier this year it was revealed that the Army is creating an elite force of almost 700 snipers, with all 38 infantry battalions required to have an 18-man platoon of sharpshooters by 2008. It will be the first time formal sniper platoons will have existed since the end of the First World War in 1918.
The decision follows the success of British and US sniper teams who have killed dozens of terrorists on recent operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In 2003 Royal Marines sniper Corporal Matt Hughes killed an Iraqi gunman from 900 yards with a “wonder shot” in which he aimed 56ft to the left and 35ft high to allow for wind.
The bullet’s trajectory was calculated by his spotter after he studied the movement of dust in the breeze. And Irish Guards Sergeant Eddie Waring lay on a roof for hours to take out three Iraqis who were laying mines in Basra.
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.
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
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.
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."
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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...
You need a bigger barn? Better chance of a score if you stand INSIDE?
Yep, we'll all need a licence soon to pass wind in a public place.
That's Sniping......most civies would not comprehend the capacities of well trained and properly equipped Snipers Teams, whatever nationality they may be.
You need some self control.
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.
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