These marksmen, wielding sniper rifles, had an immediate and drastic impact on the typical battlefield. It was during World War I and II that the word ‘sniper’ began to be used commonly, whereas previously those who were armed with sniper rifles were referred to as sharpshooters, or marksmen. During World War I the accuracy of the sniper rifle was so greatly improved that it “allied to the high velocity of the bullets.” By the end of World War II snipers were reported to provide “reasonable accuracy” over 600 m (656 yd) with anything over this range being unpredictable. German gunsmiths figured out that for optimal accuracy the scope should be fit into place above the barrel. In Germany these trained snipers were given rifles with telescopic sights, which illuminated at night in order to improve their accuracy. However, it was not until World War I that sniper rifles began to be used more regularly in battle and certain soldiers given specialized training to use such a rifle. ĭuring the 1870s the perfection of breech loading magazine rifles led to sniper rifles having “effective accurate” ranges of up to a mile away from its target. The telescopic sight, or scope, was originally fixed and could not be adjusted, which therefore limited its range. These telescopic sights allowed a marksman to more accurately observe and target objects at a greater distance than ever before. The key addition, which made this rifle into a sniper rifle, was the telescopic sight placed on the gun. Confederate soldiers utilized it during the American Civil War in order to pick off Union soldiers from up to 2,000 ft (610 m), a little less than a half a mile. The Whitworth rifle reportedly appeared as a British innovation during the late 18th or early 19th century.
The sniper rifle was an adaptation to a typical rifle involving the addition of a long-range scope. The Dragunov SVD semi-automatic sniper rifle/ designated marksman rifle was introduced in 1963 by the Soviet Union. Vietnam War era sniper rifles, US Army XM21 (top) and USMC M40 (bottom). File:Sniper Rifle Mosin 1891 30.jpgĭuring World War II, the (7.62×54mmR) Mosin-Nagant rifle mounted with a telescopic sight was commonly used as a sniper rifle by Russian snipers. Some of these rifles were fitted with a scope on top of the barrel, thus creating what we would consider to be the first actual sniper rifle. The Whitworth was a British rifle used greatly during the American Civil War. The rifle itself could be based on a standard rifle (at first, a bolt-action rifle) however, when fitted with a telescopic sight, it becomes a sniper rifle. Advances in technology, specifically that of telescopic sights and more accurate manufacturing, allowed armies to equip specially trained soldiers with rifles that enable them to deliver precise shots over greater distances than regular infantry weapons. The military role of a sniper (a term derived from the snipe, a bird which was difficult to hunt and shoot) dates back to the turn of the 18th century, but the true sniper rifle is a much more recent development. The term is often used in the media to describe any type of accurized firearm fitted with a telescopic sight that is employed against human targets, although "sniping rifle" or "sniper's rifle" is the technically correct term for such a rifle. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military centerfire cartridge.
In military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a precision- rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than other small arms.
BEST SILENT SNIPER RIFLES US ARMY DETAILS SERIES
The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare series of sniper rifles is standard issue in the armies of many countries, including those of Britain and Germany (picture shows a rifle of the German Army).īor – the 7.62×51 mm Polish bolt-action sniper rifle. The 7.62×51mm M40, United States Marine Corps standard-issue sniper rifle.
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