Posted on 03/07/2008 9:27:50 AM PST by Stoat
It is the latest weapon on the front line against the Taliban - the British Army's most powerful-ever sniper rifle, capable of killing with pinpoint accuracy from more than a mile away.
Yesterday the Army showed off its new Long Range Rifle, which has just entered service with combat units in Afghanistan to replace smaller and less powerful weapons.
The £11million upgrade programme is part of a "renaissance" of the sniper tradition - which during the Cold War was largely relegated to the sidelines - as modern commanders rediscover the huge value of pinpoint fire from sharpshooters.
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The new weapon, the L115A3, fires a heavier bullet to much longer ranges and has a state-of-the-art telescopic sight with twice the magnifying power of the old version.
More than 500 are on order from the British manufacturers, Accuracy International.
Since British forces moved into Helmand Province two years ago to take on the Taliban, demand for snipers has soared and 120 a year are now passing through the specialist training school at Warminster in Wiltshire.
One said: "It's a huge step forward. I'll be using the new rifle in Afghanistan this summer.
"It's a little heavier to carry, but the extra power is worth it. The improved telescopic sight can cut through the heat haze, which was preventing us from spotting targets at longer ranges."
Sniping is proving a hugely-important tactic in Afghanistan, where the difficulty of fighting among maze-like compounds and thick vegetation necessitates attacking the enemy at long range.
The controversy over so-called "collateral damage" from devastating airstrikes killing innocent civilians adds to the advantages of a pinpoint attack.
A senior officer at the Weapons Support School in Warminster said: "With the new rifle we now expect to be able to engage a target at 1,500 metres. With the old version it was about 1,000 metres.
"That makes a massive difference. You can keep the enemy at arm's length with snipers. Or you can have several of them firing simultaneously.
"It is devastating for an enemy's morale if a number of their fighters are suddenly shot at the same instant, and they can't even see where the firing is coming from. They tend to withdraw fast."
Training an infantryman to become a sniper can take up to a year, and only the most talented soldiers are allowed even to start the demanding courses.
First a candidate must master the technical aspects of shooting, learning to judge the strength of the wind extremely accurately using a variety of clues, and to adjust aim accordingly.
Just as importantly a sniper must learn to track his prey, move into position with extreme stealth, camouflage himself perfectly whether in natural cover or a battle-scarred city, and then disappear just as stealthily.
The senior officer said: "There is a long waiting list. Battalions are desperate to send soldiers here for training, and every soldier wants to be a sniper.
"They're held in extremely high regard. This new rifle will make them even more effective."
Did the bullet stop or shed it's jacket on that hit you made?
Believe Green Iguana’s answer.
Ronnie would not like you messing with her. I want one of those 416s - better ballistics than the 50.
An internet gun porn fantasy. A Mk 211 projectile contains less than a gram of explosive. The purpose is to spread fragments inside equipment targets to destroy electronics, cut hoses, kill crew, ignite fuel, etc. But it will not vaporize anyone.
The CheyTac M-200 in conjunction with the CheyTac ABC (advanced ballistic computer and critical input devices; like the Kestrel 4000, hand held weather station, the Leica Vector Laser Range finder, Genuine CheyTac Ammunition and a high quality Nightforce scope can outdistance all other sniper weapon systems 50 caliber and below. This is accomplished through total integration of products into a system not simply a rifle. CheyTac is the first to join these emergent technologies and create a weapon system with true predictive capability on long range targets.
What a laugher to show the sniper shooting offhand.
‘Vaporize’ was my colloquialism, I admit, but the account of the Iraqi forward observer hit by the Raufoss shot was that the detonation separated his head and shoulders from his body.
It blew right through, but I hit some shoulder area bone and that made a mess.
Lovely.
http://www.snipercountry.com/Articles/KillingShot_2430Metres.asp
I never said he had to lug it anywhere.
Carlos was exceptional!
I would love to have this "supergun" in my arsenal!
1500m is impressive, and probably quite adequate for the job. 2200m is mind boggling. Some of the ex-military guys at the gym were talking about that, and they were even blown away by 2200m. THAT, is free long distance!
No offense taken. My track coach used to refer to the 1,440 m run as a “mile” even though we all knew it was a bit less.
For some reason when the other post asked the question, the 1440 number popped into my addled brain and I posted before thinking any further.
Our military should buy domestically, and spend development dolars at home too.
This video is a well-know hoax.
1,609.344
I have a 6 X 24 Bausch & Lomb on a .223 varmint rifle and it’s just fine at high power off of sandbags. Of course you need to crank it down if you’re using it off hand or from a bipod.
But off of bags you can shoot egg sized targets with it at 200 yards and decide what part of the egg you’d like to hit...
1609 and some change.
Is there a doctor in the cave?
OUCH!!
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