How accurate can a bullet from a sniper rifle be?

Sounds fascinating. I can think of several uses.
 
Yes, .50 cal sniper bullets have been at a very advanced stage for a very long time now. They are in effect now mini grenades that can explode above the target, making sniper-standard accuracy much less important, and are also able to penetrate obstructions before exploding.

Mind you, accuracy has always been very high. When my dad was a sniper he had to qualify and re-qualify by hitting a 2' diameter target, from a concealed position, 18x out of 20, at 1000 yards in any weather conditions. Oh, and did I mention that this was with open sights too?
 
Not surprised. .50 cal rounds have been way ahead of their game for a while now like said above. Loads of different .50 rounds for different purposes.

OldCarlos said:
Garry, did he have VR? :D
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No, just no... IS :D

Garry Edwards said:
Yes, .50 cal sniper bullets have been at a very advanced stage for a very long time now. They are in effect now mini grenades that can explode above the target, making sniper-standard accuracy much less important, and are also able to penetrate obstructions before exploding.

Mind you, accuracy has always been very high. When my dad was a sniper he had to qualify and re-qualify by hitting a 2' diameter target, from a concealed position, 18x out of 20, at 1000 yards in any weather conditions. Oh, and did I mention that this was with open sights too?
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I can't call myself a sniper but I do long range shooting for a hobby/practice and own various rifles. A good friend of my folks kept taking me out shooting as a kid and taught me everything I know till this day, now he's my boss and the head keeper on the estate where I work. I can imagine how hard that would have been for your dad, some people struggle wat that range with a scope...I did when I first started shooting. Now though I'll quite happily pick off targets at 2000yards. Even at 1000 yards there's so many variables to overcome to get the round exactly where you want it. I must take the scope of my .338 and give it a shot:D...bad pun, har har har
 
CaveDweller said:
Not surprised. .50 cal rounds have been way ahead of their game for a while now like said above. Loads of different .50 rounds for different purposes.


No, just no... IS :D




I can't call myself a sniper but I do long range shooting for a hobby/practice and own various rifles. A good friend of my folks kept taking me out shooting as a kid and taught me everything I know till this day, now he's my boss and the head keeper on the estate where I work. I can imagine how hard that would have been for your dad, some people struggle wat that range with a scope...I did when I first started shooting. Now though I'll quite happily pick off targets at 2000yards. Even at 1000 yards there's so many variables to overcome to get the round exactly where you want it. I must take the scope of my .338 and give it a shot:D...bad pun, har har har
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Well, that's what it was. They were in fact issued with scopes, but back then they were just 3 x 15 and he wouldn't use them - said that they were more dangerous to him than to the target:)
I too do a lot of rifle shooting, but I never got within a million miles of his standard.
 
Interestingly enough I've used the 'old' 50 cal more than once.

in 88 I did the snipers cadre, & it was fun, but using the 50 cal in special weapons mode in a team of 3 was just as good. Furthest I fired was just close to a mile (1600m), over a hill, couldn't see the target but that was dealt with by observers giving us instructions.

The target was a small building & we put nearly 200 rounds in it... the carnage causing by 200 rounds of 50 cal has to be seen to be believed...

but it was fun...

Might have a picture somewhere of a night play we had using the SA80's - 14,000 rounds, 1 in 2 tracer, 8 of us fired the lot in just under an hour - I was using the LSW with 40 x mags....
oh when you dont have to pay for your ammo - lol
 
Some interesting information here on the previous longest sniper "kill" and the latest record.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Furlong

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Harrison_(sniper)

I find the latest account incredible, and I wonder if he had sighted up and fired at the second target before the bullet had hit the first one?

They also reckon that someone in the 19th century may have managed a "kill" at 1538 yards with a Sharps buffalo rifle.

http://www.curiosityaroused.com/world/5-longest-sniper-shots-ever-recorded/
 
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andy700 said:
Some interesting information here on the previous longest sniper "kill" and the latest record.

They also reckon that someone in the 19th century may have managed a "kill" at 1538 yards with a Sharps buffalo rifle.

http://www.curiosityaroused.com/world/5-longest-sniper-shots-ever-recorded/
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Yeah, but I think Dixon aimed at a group of the enemy, rather than a particular individual. That would be a somewhat easier shot, and I think he said luck played a big role too. Mike Venturino ran some tests with Sharps rifles and black powder cartridges a few years ago and worked out the ranges and trajectories. I can't find the report at the moment, but a 1600 yard shot would have been well within their capabilities.

I also seem to remember reading about a ridiculously long shot with a revolver - possibly a percussion muzzle loader - at some point during one of the C19th US conflicts, but I can't lay my hands on that either.

Of course, these shots still beg the question of who measured the distances, and how?
 
Up to now, luck has always played a part.
A sniper can calculate distance, wind strength and direction and trajectory (which will be affected by height above sea level) but when it takes a few seconds for the bullet to travel the distance, wind can change and a target can move, which is where luck takes over.

But, firing these new .5 cal projectiles with fins, that are in effect guided misiles, must be different and presumably they will rule luck out of the equasion.

Not that I'm ever likely to find out, I don't think I can find a 'good reason' for a .5 on my ticket, and I'd have to give up photography and get a proper job anyway - last time I looked, the cost of an 'ordinary' .5 cal was £7.50, which is why I never fire anything larger than .308:)
 
andy700 said:
I find the latest account incredible, and I wonder if he had sighted up and fired at the second target before the bullet had hit the first one?
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If you mean Craig Harrisons shots I remember seeing a reconstruction on tv, as I remember he got the first gunner after the nine setting up shots then the second gunner as he took over firing the PK. Then hit the PK itself so all shot were basically on the same target.
 
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Garry Edwards said:
Up to now, luck has always played a part.
A sniper can calculate distance, wind strength and direction and trajectory (which will be affected by height above sea level) but when it takes a few seconds for the bullet to travel the distance, wind can change and a target can move, which is where luck takes over.

But, firing these new .5 cal projectiles with fins, that are in effect guided misiles, must be different and presumably they will rule luck out of the equasion.
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Of course, you could just use the "Ma Deuce". That's a .50 cal that takes a lot of the luck/chance element out of it! :D
 
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Garry Edwards said:
Not that I'm ever likely to find out, I don't think I can find a 'good reason' for a .5 on my ticket, and I'd have to give up photography and get a proper job anyway - last time I looked, the cost of an 'ordinary' .5 cal was £7.50, which is why I never fire anything larger than .308:)
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Theres a range not far away from you that is cleared for .50. Just don't ask for .50 for pest control. :)
 
yorkshirechap said:
Theres a range not far away from you that is cleared for .50. Just don't ask for .50 for pest control. :)
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Really? Do you know what it's called? I'd like to have a go at that.
 
Garry Edwards said:
Really? Do you know what it's called? I'd like to have a go at that.
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Yes but I'm not sure you can just turn up. In fact I'm sure you can't. But I can point you in the right direction for membership enquiries. Quite a serious bunch up there.

I'll PM you the name as it's probably not a great idea to post these things on an open forum.
 
yorkshirechap said:
Yes but I'm not sure you can just turn up. In fact I'm sure you can't. But I can point you in the right direction for membership enquiries. Quite a serious bunch up there.

I'll PM you the name as it's probably not a great idea to post these things on an open forum.
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Many thanks. I have a full open, including centerfire, so they'll probably let me have a go by arrangement.
 
But, firing these new .5 cal projectiles with fins, that are in effect guided misiles, must be different and presumably they will rule luck out of the equasion.
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At last we can debate your area of expertise!
Are these not a bigger caliber 'granade' type rounds that you see every so often being pumped out of a machine gun type affair in Afghanistan?
 
Bernie174 said:
At last we can debate your area of expertise!
Are these not a bigger caliber 'granade' type rounds that you see every so often being pumped out of a machine gun type affair in Afghanistan?
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:)
But sadly not, my expertise is in photographic lighting/physics. I do know a bit about shooting and ballistics, but extreme range shooting with extra large calibre specialist ammo is outside my experience.
My understanding though is that they do use a grenade-type round. They also use very advanced electronics to help get it on target. What seems to be new though is that the projectile is fitted with fins that can be adjusted (presumably via the computer system) to make sure that it doesn't deviate due to weather, wind or air pressure.
The rounds used in heavy machine guns such as the Browning M2HB will just be the 'normal' mix of armour piercing, sabot, tracer, incendiary etc. I don't know for sure but I have read somewhere that the grenade type is only used in these specialist sniper rifles. Not unreasonably though, verified info is thin on the ground.
 
Perhaps you're thinking of the XM-25 Punisher developed by the USA from the OICW prototype series. It's not a snipers weapon though. It's basically a "smart" 25mm grenade launcher for engaging a target in defilade, such as behind a wall or other structure. Not in general service yet though.

Bernie you might be thinking of the 40mm launchers, which are current in service and have been for years.
 
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