Posted on 09/05/2022 5:30:56 AM PDT by whyilovetexas111
The World’s Best Sniper Rifles Of All Time There are a lot of factors that go into producing a truly dedicated sniper rifle, and those have evolved over time.
Back in World War II, the combatants used either current or obsolescent infantry rifles that were outfitted with scopes.
As time wore on, the world’s armies began developing and producing dedicated sniper rifles, and the weapons improved by leaps and bounds over their grandfather’s weapons.
But the rifle is only a part of being an effective sniper or dedicated marksman. The training and experience that goes into training today’s snipers worldwide is really what separates the wheat from the chaff.
(Excerpt) Read more at 19fortyfive.com ...
Hmmm. Should I click on the blog?
The greatest sniper in history, Simo Häyhä, “The White Death,” used an iron-sight Mosin-Nagant to kill 100s of Russians in Finland’s Winter War.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4
My only point being that stalking skills are always going to be FAR more important than which exotic rifle - scope - caliber - projectile combination is 0.1% better at long range than the other.
Another new factor on the scene is that modern precision production techniques mean that basic off-the-shelf “budget” rifles like the Ruger American can shoot sub-MOA out of the box.
A friend has a Ruger in 6.5 Creedmoor and it puts shots in 10” at 800 yards (steel) all day, and he’s just an old duffer, no military trained sniper.
So for most folks, your money is better spent on fieldcraft and stalking than spending way more $$ getting another 1/10th MOA out of an exotic rig made by elves from pure unobtanium.
Unless that’s your game, precision long range shooting, but for actual snipers, it’s far more about fieldcraft than this or that rig.
Sure, 19fortyfive is legit.
Will wait for Lon Horiuchi’s opinion.
One of the most concise and informative posts on this topic ever. This post should find a home in one of your books.
Regards...
I have the family connection with a Civil War (CW) sniper rifle, the Whitworth 45 calibre percussion (UK import). My G.Grandfather, Pvt Charles T Ingram, was a CSA sniper who fought in many of the battles in the western campaign areas. The gun survived the war because the CSA snipers were not directly delegated to any single unit, so he never surrendered. The snipers ‘floated’ on the battlefields, and looked for good targets, men on horseback, fancy plumes or men visibly giving orders.
Thus at the end, as units of the CSA surrendered, Pvt Ingram would just keep moving back towards Missouri where he had enlisted. Because of the disruptions of the CW on the Confederate States, he actually ended his trek in Texas. This rifle now is on prominent display at the 45th Infantry Museum in Oklahoma City with a plaque saying “The Rifle that never Surrendered”! It is there because my Dad was a proud member of the 45th from 1938 to 1951, WW2 through Korea!
Lol...elves - so silly. Currently the sniper rifle factory only employees pixies.
Thanks. I posted it as a comment after the article as well, with the additional mention that USMC snipers in Vietnam did very well with pretty basic Remington 700s in .308 and also some 30-06, with commercial Redfield scopes.
Fieldcraft is way more important than getting another 1% at 10X the cost out of a rifle.
Gay pixies at that.
“They couldn’t hit an elephant at this range…”
Fascinating! Is there a book about him? Have you read this one? Super highly recommended:
Bushwhacker: Autobiography of Samuel S. Hildebrand
Missourian Hildebrand led raids from “sanctuary” in Arkansas back into his home state, but he also operated as a sniper when opportunities arose. (From my memory) he carried a custom one-off rifle he called “Old Death,” and made many 200 yard plus shots, often against Union mounted cavalry before disappearing into the woods. This was at a time when anything over 200 yards against a moving target was considered pretty exceptional shooting. His rifle was also, (from my memory) a hand-crafted example of the Missouri-German gunsmiths of that place and era.
Not making excuses for his excesses, but Missouri during the CW was absolutely a “dirty war,” with many excesses on both sides. That said, I strongly recommend the book. It’s a treatise on fighting a “dirty” guerrilla civil war with timeless lessons.
Remember HS Precision using Horiuchi in adds for their stocks? Ya, that actually happened, and they are clearly still in business.
I totally support that train of thought. Few sniper shots are long range. Setting up for the shot and getting out of there is far more complex than the shot itself.
1. Marine snipers in Vietnam did use Remington 700s - after they ran out of Winchester Model 70s in .30-06 topped with the Unertl 8X scope. I escorted a sniper for a while, covering him with my M14 in his hide position. That guy never missed. Always neck shots and when that rifle barked, somebody died.
2. The French PGM is the original precision long-range rifle and unparalleled for long distance shooting. SEALs have them.
3. No mention of the Cheytac M200/M300 rifles - must have failed to make the "facilitation payment" to the author of the article.
4. No mention of the Russian SVD. Not gilt-edge accuracy but frikkin' deadly and the most common sniper rifle in use in the world.
5. No mention of the M91/30 Moisin-Nagant with the PU or PE telescope. Damn things did hellish work on us back in the day.
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True sniper rifles are far too heavy for the average Joe.
A 1 inch bull barrel at 24 inches is just plain heavy.
I shoot a Winchester Model 70 Feather Weight (22in) in 30.06 at .5 MOA out of the box. No tweaks or adjustments. And a basic 3x9 Leupold scope.
With my eyes I’m limited to 600 yards.
You can’t tell which direction the shot came from after 4-500yds.
Every patriot has an obligation to posterity to be able to hit a volleyball 9 of 10 times at 500 yards. Basic shooting 101.
Any article like that one is basically click-bait, and just a starting point for discussion, which continues here.
Not much different than, “What’s better, 9mm or .45” ad nauseum.
I just wanted to make the point that stalking and fieldcraft should be the emphasis over getting another 1/10 MOA at 10X the cost.
Great; now I want a Barrett MRAD. Dear Santa...
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