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But still, survival thinking doesn’t really lend itself to 1000 yard sniping. It’s a kind of fantasy fun, but not a useful skill in anything except a mad max world. High skill levels with a Glock and an AR or AK are what is needed.
Other than that, not drawing attention to yourself is where it’s at.

But still, survival thinking doesn’t really lend itself to 1000 yard sniping.

That's a bit far alright, but don't you think if you could learn to hit something out to a thousand yards, anything closer would be that much easier?

But still, survival thinking doesn’t really lend itself to 1000 yard sniping. It’s a kind of fantasy fun, but not a useful skill in anything except a mad max world.

It all depends on the opposition. If it is a government-funded army, complete with tanks and airplanes, then yes, you stay low. The soldiers are most likely not hunting you specifically anyway; their task is to control the territory - key roads, key cities, key heights.

However if you are against a gang with handguns and a few shotguns, a mere .22LR rifle will devastate their ranks, and the sniper will not even be in danger.

One obvious advantage of sniper approach in the second case is that you, alone or with few friends, cannot afford close combat when fifty thugs rush you, all shooting their handguns from 20 yards away. Some of them will fail to miss you; and their proximity will result in high angular motion as they run (meaning that you will have hard time hitting them.) A sniper would be dispatching enemies from a safe distance, one by one, and if that distance is sufficient then not even one of that crowd will have time to reach the protected area.

I don’t think this country is quite to the point of Nazi Germany where the army hauls citizens away one by one.

Not yet, but maybe.

What I think is most likely to occur first is that we will have a financial collapse that will be so devastating that the army will be tied up with Watts like riots in every major city. The millions of people who now believe that it is the duty of someone else to feed and clothe them will go absolutely nuts.

The real danger to freepers will be roving bands that go to the suburbs or country side, in small groups maybe 6 or so, to rob those who have food or any other possession that can be bartered.

So as you said, close encounter weapons will be required.