Longest recorded sniper kills
Encyclopedia
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
have been presented to the general public since 1967. Snipers in modern warfare have had a long history since the development of long distance weaponry. As weapons, ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
, and aids to determine ballistic solutions improved, so too did the distance a kill could be targeted from. The modern methodology of long-distance sniping (over 1.25 kilometre (0.776715920812258 mi) shots) requires intense training and practice. A sniper must have the ability to accurately estimate the various factors that influence a bullet
Bullet
A bullet is a projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or air gun. Bullets do not normally contain explosives, but damage the intended target by impact and penetration...
's trajectory and point of impact
External ballistics
External ballistics is the part of the science of ballistics that deals with the behaviour of a non-powered projectile in flight. External ballistics is frequently associated with firearms, and deals with the behaviour of the bullet after it exits the barrel and before it hits the target.-Forces...
, such as range to the target, wind direction, wind velocity, air density and elevation of the sniper and target. Mistakes in estimation compound over distance and can cause a shot to only injure, or to miss completely. Devices such as laser rangefinders, handheld meteorological measuring equipment, handheld computers, and ballistic-prediction software can contribute to increased accuracy.
History
The science of long-range sniping came to fruition in the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Carlos Hathcock
Carlos Hathcock
Carlos Hathcock was a United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant sniper with a service record of 93 confirmed kills. Hathcock's record and the extraordinary details of the missions he undertook made him a legend in the Marine Corps...
held the record from 1967 to 2002 at 2286 m (2,500 yd). He recorded 93 official kills before an injury halted his service on the front lines. After returning to the U.S., Hathcock helped to establish a school for training Marine snipers, the Marine Corps Scout Sniper
Scout Sniper
Scout Sniper is a secondary MOS designator of U.S. Marine Corps infantrymen and reconnaissance Marines that have successfully graduated from a USMC Scout Sniper School. Scout Snipers provide close reconnaissance and surveillance to the infantry battalion...
School, at the Marine base at Quantico, Virginia
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico, sometimes abbreviated MCB Quantico, is a major United States Marine Corps training base located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly in southern Prince William County, northern Stafford County, and southeastern Fauquier County...
. It took over thirty years for Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Master Corporal Arron Perry
Arron Perry
Arron Perry is a former Master Corporal in the Canadian Forces who supposedly in March 2002 briefly held the record for the longest recorded sniper kill in combat at a range of...
of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is one of the three regular force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army. The regiment is composed of four battalions including a primary reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers...
to beat Hathcock's record. Perry held the title for only a few days as another man in his unit (Corporal Rob Furlong
Rob Furlong
Rob Furlong , is a former corporal of the Canadian Forces, who held the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in combat, at 2,430 metres...
) bested Perry's distance with a 2430 m (2,657 yd) shot in March 2002. Furlong took the shot while supporting American soldiers during Operation Anaconda
Operation Anaconda
Operation Anaconda took place in early March 2002 in which the United States military and CIA Paramilitary Officers, working with allied Afghan military forces, and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization and non NATO forces attempted to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in the Shahi-Kot...
in the beginning years of the latest War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
. The current record is held by United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's Corporal of Horse (CoH) Craig Harrison
Craig Harrison (sniper)
Craig Harrison is a Corporal of Horse of the Household Cavalry of the British armed forces, and holds the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in combat, at a range of...
, who in November of 2009 recorded a 2475 m (2,707 yd) shot in the War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
.
Confirmed kills 1250 m (1,367 yd) or greater
| Sniper | Date | Distance | Weapon | Ammunition | Nationality | Military Unit | Conflict | |References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2475 m (2,707 yd) | L115A3 Long Range Rifle Accuracy International AWM The AWM is a sniper rifle manufactured by Accuracy International. It is also known as the AWSM , which typically denotes the .338 Lapua Magnum version.-The Arctic Warfare Magnum system:... |
.338 Lapua Magnum LockBase B408 bullets | Household Cavalry Household Cavalry The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's... |
War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan (2001–present) The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom... |
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| 2430 m (2,657 yd) | McMillan Tac-50 McMillan Tac-50 The McMillan Tac-50 sniper rifle is produced in Phoenix, Arizona in the United States by the McMillan Brothers Rifle Company. This long-range anti-materiel/anti-personnel weapon is based on previous designs from the same company, which first appeared during the late 1980s... |
Hornady A-MAX .50 (.50 BMG) Hornady Hornady Manufacturing Company is an American manufacturer of ammunition and handloading components, based in Grand Island, Nebraska.The company was founded by Joyce Hornady in 1949 and is currently run by his son Steve Hornady who took over after his father's death in a plane crash in 1981.Hornady... |
 Canada |
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is one of the three regular force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army. The regiment is composed of four battalions including a primary reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers... |
War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan (2001–present) The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom... |
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| 2310 m (2,526 yd) | McMillan Tac-50 McMillan Tac-50 The McMillan Tac-50 sniper rifle is produced in Phoenix, Arizona in the United States by the McMillan Brothers Rifle Company. This long-range anti-materiel/anti-personnel weapon is based on previous designs from the same company, which first appeared during the late 1980s... |
Hornady A-MAX .50 (.50 BMG) Hornady Hornady Manufacturing Company is an American manufacturer of ammunition and handloading components, based in Grand Island, Nebraska.The company was founded by Joyce Hornady in 1949 and is currently run by his son Steve Hornady who took over after his father's death in a plane crash in 1981.Hornady... |
Canada |
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is one of the three regular force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army. The regiment is composed of four battalions including a primary reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers... |
War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan (2001–present) The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom... |
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| 2300 m (2,515 yd) | Barrett M82A1 | Raufoss NM140 MP Raufoss Mk 211 The Raufoss Mk 211 is a .50 caliber multipurpose anti-matériel projectile produced by Nammo , under the model name NM140 MP. It is commonly referred to as simply multipurpose or Raufoss. The "Mk 211" name comes from the nomenclature "Mk 211 Mod 0" used by the U.S... (12.7 mm multi-purpose ammunition) |
 United States |
2nd Ranger Battalion | Iraq War | |||
| 2090 m (2,286 yd) | M2 Browning machine gun | .50 BMG .50 BMG The .50 Browning Machine Gun or 12.7×99mm NATO is a cartridge developed for the Browning .50 caliber machine gun in the late 1910s. Entering service officially in 1921, the round is based on a greatly scaled-up .30-06 cartridge... |
United States |
United States Marine Corps United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States... |
Vietnam War Vietnam War The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of... |
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| 1853 m (2,026 yd) | Accuracy International L115A3 Accuracy International AWM The AWM is a sniper rifle manufactured by Accuracy International. It is also known as the AWSM , which typically denotes the .338 Lapua Magnum version.-The Arctic Warfare Magnum system:... |
.338 Lapua Magnum LockBase B408 bullets | 3 Scots – The Black Watch Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II.... |
War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan (2001–present) The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom... |
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| 1380 m (1,509 yd) | Barrett M82A1 | Raufoss NM140 MP Raufoss Mk 211 The Raufoss Mk 211 is a .50 caliber multipurpose anti-matériel projectile produced by Nammo , under the model name NM140 MP. It is commonly referred to as simply multipurpose or Raufoss. The "Mk 211" name comes from the nomenclature "Mk 211 Mod 0" used by the U.S... (12.7 mm multi-purpose ammunition) |
 Norway |
Norwegian Army 2nd Battalion Norwegian Army 2nd Battalion 2nd Battalion is an infantry unit of the Norwegian Army, based at camp Skjold in Troms county in Northern Norway. It serves in the mechanized infantry role as part of Brigade Nord; the battalion is one of three that Norwegian battalions performing this role, along with being Telemark Battalion and... |
War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan (2001–present) The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom... |
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| 1250 m (1,367 yd) | M24 rifle | 7.62x51mm NATO | United States |
2nd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division Sniper Shadow Team | Iraq War – Ramadi |
See also
- History of sniping
- Francis PegahmagabowFrancis PegahmagabowFrancis Pegahmagabow MM & Two Bars, was the First Nations soldier most highly decorated for bravery in Canadian military history and the most effective sniper of World War I. Three times awarded the Military Medal and seriously wounded, he was an expert marksman and scout, credited with killing...
—Canadian sniper who had 378 confirmed kills, the highest in World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. - Simo HäyhäSimo HäyhäSimo Häyhä , nicknamed "White Death" by the Red Army, was a Finnish sniper. Using a modified Mosin–Nagant in the Winter War, he has the highest recorded number of confirmed sniper kills - 505 - in any major war....
—Using a standard iron-sightedIron sightIron sights are a system of shaped alignment markers used as a sighting device to assist in the aiming of a device such as a firearm, crossbow, or telescope, and exclude the use of optics as in telescopic sights or reflector sights...
, bolt action rifle in the Winter WarWinter WarThe Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
, he has the highest recorded number (542) of confirmed kills in any major war. - SSGStaff SergeantStaff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
Adelbert F. WaldronAdelbert WaldronStaff Sergeant Adelbert F. Waldron, or Adelbert F. Waldron III, was a United States Army sniper serving during the Vietnam War . Although little known, Waldron holds the record for confirmed kills by any American sniper in history at 109. Carlos Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills, Eric R...
—American sniper who currently holds the record for the highest number of confirmed kills for American snipers in Vietnam, 109. - Vasily Zaytsev-Soviet sniper who had 225 kills during the Battle of StalingradBattle of StalingradThe Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
.