Posted on 11/30/2004 3:35:05 PM PST by InfantryMarine
USMC Sniper stops insurgents from 950 yards
http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/m...58?opendocument
FALLUJAH, Iraq (Nov. 27, 2004) -- A U.S. Marine sniper waited patiently inside a one-story house deep within the city. Lying in the prone position for several hours, he scanned the area through his scope before he finally found the three insurgents responsible for two previous mortar attacks.
Sgt. Memo M. Sandoval, a platoon sergeant with Scout Sniper Platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, needed to positively identify the insurgents before he could take his shot.
Sandoval, 26, saw that one of the men was about to place a mortar in a mortar tube. He knew he had to make a well-aimed shot before the insurgent gunner launched the deadly round. Sandoval cleared his thoughts and slowed his breathing as he gently squeezed the trigger of his M-40A3 sniper rifle. The 7.62 mm round covered the 950 yards in a flash, slamming into the chest of the first insurgent.
"The battalion (executive officer) ordered me to 'make the mortars stop,'" said Sandoval, a native of El Paso, Texas. "I took it personally and went out specifically to stop the insurgents." With two more insurgents still alive and ready to continue the mortar attack, Sandoval composed himself for the next shot at the assistant gunner. The last two shots took out the driver of the vehicle that carried the weapon.
"When I finally spotted them along a tree line, I realized how far they were but it was surprising how easy it was," said Sandoval.
Those four shots were the longest in Sandoval has taken since he became a scout sniper.
"It was very impressive of Sandoval to shoot from so far away and be on target with all four shots," said 1st Lt. Samuel Rosales, a platoon commander with Scout Sniper Platoon, H&S Co., 3/5.
"When you are being mortared you never know where they will land, to be able to stop them from shooting anymore felt good," said Sandoval.
He joined the Marine Corps straight out of high school in 1997 and has been with 3/5 since April. His leadership ability has reflected on the Marines around him and allowed Sandoval to accomplish his mission.
"(Sandoval) is filling a staff noncommissioned officer's billet, He is a great Marine to work with," said Rosales, 32, a native of San Clemente, Calif.
After recently reenlisting for four more years, Sandoval, who has been in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since September, hopes to represent the United States in the Olympics in competition shooting.
Sandoval says a fellow Marine, Staff Sgt. Jared M. Casanova, with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, helped him improve his skills with the rifle, which has become a valuable commodity in Iraq.
"We have always been in competitions against each other, one day he would win and the next day I would win," said Sandoval. "Out here in Iraq it is a two way rifle range, with insurgents shooting at you. You have to make well aimed shots."
I know what you mean. I can barely drive one that far myself.
Sounds like at least a consistent 0.5 to 1.0 MOA (minute of angle) grouping to me. Excellent!
Yeah I bet Carlos and all the scout snipers upstairs were with this devil dog! :)
The bullet probably drops about 30 ft from the line-of-site of the barrel at that range.
Marine bump.
Oh, to be young again! And to spend one's days gut-shooting ragheads! My life is wasted in comparison. These guys are so lucky. In other wars men might have had to worry with the occasional twinge of conscience. "That poor sod was probably just a conscripted ground pounder like me. Probably just dreamed of going home to his girlfriend or wife and kids." But none of that with the fanatic muslim. He hates you, your world, women in general and exterminating him is better than killing cockroaches.
Lucky sods!
let me guess you were or are an artillery bubba? :)
LOL! ........If I can hit 250 on 4 holes , I throw a party...
I can get buck fever and entirely miss a deer at 300 yards. So I am certainly impressed.
I WANT SOME LESSONS FROM THIS GUY
Done with a Ruger Number 1 rifle chambered for .25 auto. :-)
Seriously, what an accomplishment. I wouldn't want to EVER be anywhere near the sights of this sniper or any other sniper in the armed forces.
I was , M109A3, 155 mm Howitzer self propelled! If I could see what I was shooting at I was too colse!
"Everybody dead. I like that!"
Lo Wang, from the game.
Yup!
LOL! Nice Response! :)
It all depends on how long the bullet was in the air. If he had a 3,000 fps muzzle velocity, the round would get there in a little over a second. Remember, the bullet will slow down as it travels the 2850 ft(950 yards).
Try about 14 feet.
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/grav.html
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