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Subject: Re: off-topic (status of sniping)

Author: Matthew Hull

Date: 13:30:12 08/05/03

Go up one level in this thread


On August 05, 2003 at 16:22:57, Robert Hyatt wrote:

>On August 05, 2003 at 14:19:16, Matthew Hull wrote:
>
>>On August 05, 2003 at 00:05:22, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>
>>>On August 04, 2003 at 22:38:32, Matthew Hull wrote:
>>>
>>>>On August 04, 2003 at 11:20:56, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On August 04, 2003 at 01:11:07, Aaron Gordon wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>On August 03, 2003 at 16:33:41, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>On August 03, 2003 at 15:05:23, Vincent Diepeveen wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>On August 03, 2003 at 00:33:22, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>On August 01, 2003 at 22:53:17, Dave Gomboc wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>On August 01, 2003 at 22:51:00, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>On August 01, 2003 at 19:07:21, Dave Gomboc wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>On July 29, 2003 at 00:31:17, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Distances they shot at in world war 1 and 2 with sniper rifles must have been a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>few hundreds of meters.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>In WW1 my grandfather was a sniper.  He shot at ranges up to 1000 yards.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>In WW2 my father was a sniper.  He shot at ranges up to 1000 yards.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>Today, a neighbor down the street is a sniper.  He shoots at ranges up to 1000
>>>>>>>>>>>>>yards.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>_nobody_ shoots a sniper rifle at ranges of "kilometers" today.  "kilometer"
>>>>>>>>>>>>>perhaps.  With an occasional attempt at up to 2km with a big 50 cal "rifle".
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>I have to disagree here.  I read in the news back at the time that in the war in
>>>>>>>>>>>>Afghanistan a Canadian military sniper got the world record for a sniper
>>>>>>>>>>>>distance kill.  He picked off some al-Qaeda guy from over 2.5 kilometers (over
>>>>>>>>>>>>2700 yards) away.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>Dave
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>What are you disagreeing with.  I said "with an occasional attempt at up to 2km
>>>>>>>>>>>with a 50 cal."
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>You just said that.  :)  It _is_ rare.  And no sniper would say "I can produce
>>>>>>>>>>>a 50% kill rate at 2KM+."
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>I guess I'm disagreeing with "up to 2km". :-)  But then, I don't know what a 50
>>>>>>>>>>cal. is, and it's not a big deal to me.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Dave
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>It's a gun that fires the 50-cal BMG (Browning Machine Gun) round, something
>>>>>>>>>not much smaller than a coke bottle.  Next best long-distance round is the
>>>>>>>>>.338 Lapua round, but it is a _long_ way from the BMG round.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>i'm not sure when you did your tour of duty.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I didn't.  But I _do_ shoot with former military types at our local range.  And
>>>>>>>as I said, my Grandfather was a sniper in WW1.  And my dad in WW2.  And I have
>>>>>>>an active military neighbor that is a marine sniper, right down the street.  It
>>>>>>>was his .50 barrett that I shot and talked about.  And they do _not_ practice
>>>>>>>sniping at "many kilometers."  There are _no_ optics to support that, for
>>>>>>>example.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>But here 10 kilometers from here where the tanks and air mobile regiment is
>>>>>>>>training they used to train with sniper rifles up to a few kilometers.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>To 1000 yards, I'll agree with you.  That is about a Km.  Even to 2Km, I'll
>>>>>>>agree although they _never_ shoot that far in real situations as it is simply
>>>>>>>impossible to guarantee a hit.  MOA accuracy is very tough to produce, that
>>>>>>>means 1" at 100 yards, 10" at 1000 yards.  10" is not a "sure kill" target
>>>>>>>size.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Groups of less than 3" have been achieved at 1000 yards. Look here:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>"Bill Crawford fires a new IBS 1000 yard Light Gun record with a perfect score
>>>>>>of 50 and a new record 5 shot group for this class of 2.766"! Wow! Nice shooting
>>>>>>Bill! Bill used a Lilja .30 caliber 10" twist barrel to set this new record. "
>>>>>>http://www.riflebarrels.com/winners/1000yards.htm
>>>>>>
>>>>>>3" is an easy headshot, and as you may have guessed a bullet to the head =
>>>>>>fatal. So that = sure kill.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Hint:
>>>>>
>>>>>1.  How many times has that been done?
>>>>>
>>>>>2.  What were the conditions (weather)?
>>>>>
>>>>>3.  How many shooters repeat that?
>>>>>
>>>>>As I said, 1000 yards is a "reasonable kill range".
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>We have an M1869/71 Vetterli rifle that my grandfather picked up in WWI from a
>>>>german sniper nest (41 cal. rim-fire).  The adjustable sight has settings 1
>>>>through 10 which indicate hundreds of "paces", 10 being 1000 paces.
>>>>
>>>>Matt
>>>
>>>I have one of those.  Rear peep sight.  Even has two windage "wings" on the
>>>rear sight.  It actually works, although shooting at 1000 yards is a daunting
>>>task.  My grandfather was a WWI vet and brought it back with him.  He gave it
>>>to me when I was about 12 years old.
>>>
>>>Kicks a bit as I recall (I haven't shot it in 30+ years).
>>
>>
>>Absolutely cool.  We have never fired ours.  Did yours have the center-fire
>>conversion done to it?  Ours does not.  My understanding is that you'd have to
>>custom make your own rim-fires otherwise.  Also, ours is a M1869 with the
>>loading gate.  Is yours the same model?
>
>
>I'm not sure about the model.  But yes, it was a center-fire converted
>model.  I'm not sure how the brass was actually made/fire-formed/etc, as
>it was given to me in a sack.  :)


I found this link on making center-fire ammo for the M1869/71 if you or yours
ever want to.  Apparently, it works quite well if you have the right equipment.

http://www.militaryrifles.com/Switzerland/VetConversion/VetterliShooting.html

Also, the other link below will help you identify your particular model.

Regards,
Matt


>
>
>
>>
>>It is a somewhat interesting story how German troops came to possess and use
>>these by-then-obsolete Swiss weapons.
>>
>>Matt
>>
>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>http://www.militaryrifles.com/Switzerland/SwissVet.htm
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Anything beyond that is
>>>>>not.  To understand just look at the trajectory.  The bullet will follow an
>>>>>arc that peaks about 5 _feet_ above the final point of impact.  The flight
>>>>>time is ridiculous as well, giving mother nature (and the shooter's eyes
>>>>>in judging wind and dealing with mirage) plenty of time to shift the point
>>>>>of impact by _feet_.
>>>>>
>>>>>Note that the test you are talking about is _not_ done by a sniper.  Those
>>>>>guys get to fire test rounds to see what wind and mirage are doing.  _then_
>>>>>they fire for effect.  A sniper gets to fire one round.
>>>>>
>>>>>_BIG_ difference.
>>>>>
>>>>>I've done bench-rest shooting myself.  And yes, you can do some amazing things.
>>>>>But _not_ on the first round you fire.  And if that is the _only_ round you
>>>>>fire, look out.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>in cold war, assuming sovjet invasion, assumed killing ranges of 2 kilometers
>>>>>>>>here from snipers.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>One shot out of 5-10, maybe.  Snipers want "sure kills".  And beyond 1000
>>>>>>>yards, there is no "sure kill" unless you drop a bomb with a bit larger kill
>>>>>>>radius than a single projectile from a rifle/machine-gun.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Note that in world war II, they fought bigtime around here. the bullets didn't
>>>>>>>>even get that far back then from snipers. This with exception of course from the
>>>>>>>>heavy machine guns which already in WW1 could spread bullets to a kilometer or 2
>>>>>>>>when put on a hill. For WWII and actual fightings taking place here see for
>>>>>>>>example 'operation market garden' which happened not too far from here and the
>>>>>>>>movies belonging to it like: "a bridge too far". Majority of victims fell here
>>>>>>>>however when the germans conquered netherlands. I'm 5 kilometers away from
>>>>>>>>'Grebbeberg'. The only hill in Netherlands close to the Rhine river...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>That's all well and good.  .50's have been around forever.  And they have a
>>>>>>>staggering range.  But not for single-shot look-through-a-scope sniper
>>>>>>>operations.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>My uncle who just died a few months ago, fought heavy at the Grebbeberg and his
>>>>>>>>troops killed germans back there from  distances up to a few inches. They used
>>>>>>>>rifles made in 1895 for that with fixed bajonets, because accurate fire with
>>>>>>>>rifles from those days wasn't very well possible. The german SS, but also the
>>>>>>>>regular german army forces, who drove dutch civilians and prisoners in front of
>>>>>>>>them when trying to conquer the Grebbeberg, only managed to conquer a few of the
>>>>>>>>many kilometer deep positions because the defending forces had to shoot their
>>>>>>>>own people first, before being able to shoot at the germans, which in that way
>>>>>>>>they could get closer to the positions.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I don't need to mention that every so many meters there was machine guns in the
>>>>>>>>'grebbeberg'
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>The distances at which was fought in those first days of the second world war
>>>>>>>>are in big contrast with nowadays.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>No idea what you are talking about.  Wars aren't fought by snipers today,
>>>>>>>either.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Not that the germans never conquered it.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Only by threatening to bomb the cities they forced a surrender of Netherlands.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>When they would develop bullets for sniper rifles which can penetrate tank
>>>>>>>>armour, then a few snipers would in 2003 be able to keep that Grebbeberg out of
>>>>>>>>hands of the enemy.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>There is _no_ sniper round that will penetrate a tank.  a 50 will barely
>>>>>>>pockmark a modern tank using depleted uranium armor plating that is the
>>>>>>>equivalent of over a _meter_ of steel.  _no_ shoulder-fired weapon will
>>>>>>>touch that.  Very few projectiles will touch that.  Moving up to rockets
>>>>>>>or bombs is the best hope.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>If fired from the rear of the tank some of the 20mm sniper rifle (and barret .50
>>>>>>caliber rifles) have been able to take down tanks using API ammo. Also, I have
>>>>>>some tungsten cored 7.62x54R ammo. I personally have put it through 2" of steel
>>>>>>(with a Mosin-Nagant M44) and it does it with ease and is reported to be able to
>>>>>>go through 3" of titanium. I don't have tons of money to blow on titanium so I
>>>>>>won't be able to test that first hand.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>About tank armor thickness. There is no tank today with 1 meter (or more) of
>>>>>>armor. It would be much too heavy. They've got a rating system however called,
>>>>>>"Rolled Homogeneous Armor Equivalent" or RHAe. It is between 500mm and 1,300mm
>>>>>>depending on projectile. This is not actual thickness, only the equivalent. Look
>>>>>>up information on the Abrams "Burlington" armor.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>You can read more about this at: http://www.fprado.com/armorsite/abrams.htm
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Also, if you want to see a tank disappear.. check this out :)
>>>>>>http://www.strategypage.com/gallery/images/JavelinLiveFireVsT72.mpg
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>In 1940 it took thousands of deaths, despite having machine guns and hundreds of
>>>>>>>>fixed bunker positions which no airplane bomb could take out in 1940.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Most tend to forget simply the advances in hardware not to mention computing
>>>>>>>>power and software nowadays.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Back in the old days it wasn't the same as it is today.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>The accurate range of the german hand held machine gun in world war II was for
>>>>>>>>example 150 meters. After that it was firing too inaccurate. Note that the
>>>>>>>>majority of the german soldiers just like the dutch soldiers, came by foot there
>>>>>>>>and carried their own rifle which could fire 1 bullet at a time. Not 5 in a row
>>>>>>>>or something.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>It is the end of world war II where things were changed really a lot.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>But that was of course after several tens of millions of deaths.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Hardware guys learn quickly then.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Yes, but there are _physical_ limits to firing a projectile.  MOA is very
>>>>>>>good accuracy.  at 2000 yards that is 20".  Not including wind, mirage, and
>>>>>>>the shooter/target movement.  20" is not a sure kill zone.  In fact, that
>>>>>>>will result in many complete misses at a human target.



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