[Atlas Sneezed]

Get a good bolt action rifle, some good optics and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

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Agreed, except that a semi-auto battle rifle is much more useful that a sniper rifle. An army of snipers (and we all fancy ourselves such) is no more useful than a team of quarterbacks.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Bolts tend to be cheaper to purchase, easier to maintain and they don't carry that whole "EVIL BLACK GUN" stigma that frightens so many would be shooters away from the sport.

Once they get used to the whole breathe, hold, squeeze, grin circuit, they can upgrade to something more advanced.

And I'm no sniper, not by any stretch of the definition. I just know what works for me. Give me my winchester model 70 and a few boxes of 180 grain nosler partitions and I'm a happy camper.

[Travis McGee]

Agreed, except that a semi-auto battle rifle is much more useful that a sniper rifle. An army of snipers (and we all fancy ourselves such) is no more useful than a team of quarterbacks.

Against whom? If you are suggesting a toe to toe running gun battle by a few patriots against government forces...I think that's suicidal. They will use the "big gun," the radio, to call in helicopters and any other supporting arms as required. Look at the current battle in western Iraq between very well armed Islamic fighters and the USMC as an example.

The bolt action rifle which maximizes range and is used for ONE SHOT at least gives a patriot a chance to escape the soon-arriving Quick Reaction Force.

[Mulder]

Agreed, except that a semi-auto battle rifle is much more useful that a sniper rifle

A bolt action is useless for CQB and much slower than a semi-auto for precision follow-up shots.