Royal Marine snipers with L115A1 rifles. These rifles are similar to the L115A3 Long Range Rifle used by Craig Harrison but outfitted with Schmidt & Bender 3-12x50 PM II telescopic sights.

Reports regarding the longest recorded sniper kills that contain information regarding the shooting distance and the identity of the sniper have been presented to the general public since 1967. Snipers have had a substantial history following the development of long distance weaponry. As weapons, ammunition, and aids to determine ballistic solutions improved, so too did the distance from which a kill could be targeted. In mid-2017 it was reported that an unnamed Canadian special forces operator, based in Iraq, had set a new record of 3,540 m (3,871 yd), beating the record previously held by an Australian sniper (also unnamed) at 2,815 m (3,079 yd).[4] In November 2023, the record was once again broken by 58-year old Ukrainian sniper, Vyacheslav Kovalsky from the Security Service of Ukraine, who shot a Russian soldier from a distance of 3,800 m (4,156 yd) during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[5][6][7][8][9]

Sniper technology

Although optical equipment such as rangefinders and ballistic calculators have largely eliminated manual calculations to determine elevation and windage, the fundamentals of accurate and precise long-range shooting remain essentially the same since the early history of shooting, and the skill and training of the shooter, and the shooter's spotter where applicable, are the primary factors. Accuracy and precision of ammunition and firearms are also still reliant primarily on human factors and attention to detail in the complex process of producing maximum performance.

The modern method of long-distance sniping (shots over 1,100 m or 0.7 mi) requires intense training and practice. A sniper must have the ability to accurately estimate the various factors that influence a bullet's trajectory and point of impact, such as the shooter's distance from the target, wind direction, wind speed, air density, elevation, and even the Coriolis effect. Mistakes in estimation compound over distance and can cause a shot to only injure, or to miss completely.[10] Any given combination of firearm and ammunition will have an associated value, known as the circular error probable (CEP), defined as the radius of a circle whose boundary is expected to contain the impact points of half of the rounds fired.[11]

If the shooter wishes to improve accuracy, increase range, or both, the accuracy of estimates of external factors must improve accordingly. At extreme ranges, highly accurate estimates are required and even with the most accurate estimates, hitting the target becomes subject to uncontrollable factors. For example, a rifle capable of firing a ½ or 0.5 MOA (approximately 0.5 inch center to center of the two holes furthest apart) 5-round group (often referred to as "grouping") at 100 yards will theoretically fire a 12.5 inch group at 2,500 yards (0.5 × 2,500/100 = 12.5). Unless the group is centered perfectly on the target at 100 yards, the 2,500-yard group will be centered 25 times the off-center error at 100 yards. This example ignores all other factors and assumes no-wind shooting conditions, identical muzzle velocities, and identical ballistic performance for each shot.

Carlos Hathcock in 1996
Carlos Hathcock in 1996

USMC Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock's confirmed 2,286 m (2,500 yd) kill in the Vietnam War was primarily due to the enemy soldier stopping his bicycle on the spot Hathcock had fired at while sighting in his Browning M2 heavy machine-gun.

Devices such as laser rangefinders, handheld meteorological measuring equipment, handheld computers, and ballistic-prediction software can contribute to increased accuracy (i.e. reduced CEP), although they rely on proper use and training to realize any advantages. In addition, as instruments of measure, they are subject to accuracy errors and malfunction. Handheld meteorological instruments only measure conditions at the location they are used. Wind direction and speed can vary dramatically along the path of the bullet.

History

The science of long-range sniping came to fruition in the Vietnam War. US Marine Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock held the record from 1967 to 2002 at 2,286 m (2,500 yd).[12] He recorded 93 official kills. After returning to the US, Hathcock helped to establish the Marine Corps Scout Sniper School at Quantico, Virginia.[13]

In addition to his success as a USMC scout-sniper during multiple deployments to Vietnam, Hathcock competed in multiple USMC shooting teams. Hathcock also won the 1966 Wimbledon Cup, which is earned by the winner of the US 1,000-yard high-powered rifle National Championship. Even after being severely burned during an attack on an Amtrac on which he was riding in his efforts to rescue other soldiers, which earned him a Silver Star, and after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Hathcock continued to serve, shoot and instruct. In Vietnam, Hathcock also completed missions involving a "through the scope" shot which killed an enemy sniper specifically hunting him, and a multiple-day solo stalk and kill of an enemy general.[19]

McMillan TAC-50 Sniper weapon
The McMillan TAC-50 rifle Corporal Rob Furlong used.

Hathcock's record stood until Canadian sniper Arron Perry of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry exceeded it with a shot of 2,310 m (2,530 yd). Perry held the title for only a few days, as another man in his unit, Corporal Rob Furlong, beat Perry's distance with a 2,430 m (2,657 yd) shot in March 2002. Perry and Furlong were part of a six-man sniper team during 2002's Operation Anaconda, part of the War in Afghanistan.[3]

Horizon's Lord
Horizon's Lord rifle.

Corporal Furlong's record was bested by a British soldier, Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison, of the Blues and Royals, Household Cavalry, who recorded two consecutive 2,475 m (2,707 yd) shots (confirmed by GPS) in November 2009, also during the War in Afghanistan, in which he hit two Taliban insurgents consecutively.[20] Harrison killed the two Taliban machine gunners with shots that took the 8.59 mm (0.338 inch) rounds almost five seconds to hit their targets, which were 900 m (980 yd) beyond the L115A3 sniper rifle's recommended range. A third shot took out the insurgents' machine gun. The rifle used was made by Accuracy International.[21]

In June 2017, an unnamed sniper from Canada's Tier 1 special forces unit, Joint Task Force 2, surpassed the 2009 record by over 1,000 m (1,100 yd), with a 3,540 m (3,871 yd) shot in the Iraqi Civil War. As with the previous two Canadian records, a McMillan TAC-50 with .50 BMG ammunition was used.[1][2]

In November 2023, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, an unnamed special agent with the Security Service of Ukraine, surpassed the previous world record by shooting a Russian soldier from a distance of 3,800 meters (2.36 miles). The sniper used a Ukrainian-made, multi-caliber anti-materiel sniper rifle named Volodar Obriyu (Horizon's Lord). The bullet used was a newly developed .50 caliber round named 12.7×114 mm HL, which was made by necking down a 14.5×114 mm case.[5][6][7][8][9]

Confirmed kills 1,250 m (1,370 yd) or greater

This list is not exhaustive, as such data is generally not tracked nor managed under any official procedure. For example, the Canadian Army 2002 sniper team that saw two soldiers (Arron Perry/2,310 m and Rob Furlong/2,430 m) set consecutive new records, also made a number of kills at 1,500 m (1,600 yd) that are not counted here.[22] The list also shows that, in some cases, an armed force command may choose to withhold the name of the sniper for security reasons.

Rank Sniper Date Distance Weapon Ammunition Nationality Military unit Conflict References
1

Special Group "Alpha" sniper Viacheslav Kovalskyi

 November 2023 3,800 m (4,156 yd) Horizon's Lord
(Volodar Obriyu)		 12.7×114mm HL  Ukraine Special Group "Alpha", Security Service of Ukraine Russian invasion of Ukraine [5][6][7][8][9]
2 JTF-2 sniper (name withheld) May 2017 3,540 m (3,871 yd) McMillan TAC-50 .50 BMG (API)  Canada Joint Task Force 2, CANSOFCOM, Canadian Armed Forces Iraqi Civil War [1][2]
32 Cdo Rgmt sniper
(name withheld)		 April 2012 2,815 m (3,079 yd) Barrett M82A1 .50 BMG (12.7mm MP NM140F2 Grade A)  Australia 2nd Commando Regiment, SOCOMD, Australian Defence Force War in Afghanistan [23]
4Ukrainian National Guard sniper
(name withheld)		 November 2022 2,710 m (2,964 yd) XADO Snipex Alligator 14.5×114mm  Ukraine Ukrainian National Guard, Ministry of Internal Affairs Russian invasion of Ukraine [24][25]
5Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison November 2009 2,475 m (2,707 yd) Accuracy International L115A3 .338 Lapua Magnum LockBase B408 bullets  United Kingdom Blues and Royals, Household Cavalry, British Army War in Afghanistan [20]
6Corporal Rob Furlong March 2002 2,430 m (2,657 yd) McMillan TAC-50 .50 BMG  Canada 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Canadian Armed Forces War in Afghanistan [22][3]
7Master Corporal Arron Perry March 2002 2,310 m (2,526 yd) McMillan TAC-50 .50 BMG  Canada 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Canadian Armed Forces War in Afghanistan [22][3]
8Sergeant Brian Kremer October 2004 2,300 m (2,515 yd) Barrett M82A1 .50 BMG (Raufoss NM140 MP)  United States 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, United States Army Iraq War [26][27]
9Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock February 1967 2,286 m (2,500 yd) M2 Browning machine gun .50 BMG[A 1]  United States 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, United States Marine Corps Vietnam War [28][12]
10Special Forces sniper
(name withheld)		 August 2013 2,125 m (2,324 yd) Denel NTW-14.5 14.5×114mm  South Africa South African Special Forces Brigade, Joint Operations Division, SANDF MONUSCO (UN mission to DR Congo) [29][30][31]
11Specialist Nicholas Ranstad January 2008 2,092 m (2,288 yd) Barrett M82A1 .50 BMG  United States 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, United States Army War in Afghanistan [32][33][34][35]
12Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle August 2008 1,920 m (2,100 yd) McMillan TAC-338 .338 Lapua Magnum  United States SEAL Team 3, US Naval Special Warfare Command, United States Navy Iraq War [36][37]
13Corporal Christopher Reynolds August 2009 1,853 m (2,026 yd) Accuracy International L115A3 .338 Lapua Magnum LockBase B408 bullets  United Kingdom The Black Watch (3 SCOT), Royal Regiment of Scotland, British Army War in Afghanistan [38]
14Saudi Army sniper
(name withheld)		 January 2016 1,700 m (1,859 yd) PGW Defence Technology LRT-3 .50 BMG  Saudi Arabia Royal Saudi Land Forces, Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia Yemeni Civil War [39]
15Staff Sergeant Steve Reichert April 2004 1,614 m (1,765 yd) Barrett M82A3 .50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211)  United States 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, United States Marine Corps Iraq War [40]
16Billy Dixon June 1874 1,406 m (1,538 yd) Sharps .50-90 .50-90 Sharps  United States Civilian, buffalo hunter American Indian Wars [41]
17Norwegian Army sniper
(name withheld)		 November 2007 1,380 m (1,509 yd) Barrett M82A1 .50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211)  Norway 2nd Battalion, Norwegian Army War in Afghanistan [42]
18Sergeant First Class Brandon McGuire April 2007 1,310 m (1,433 yd) M107 (M82A1) .50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211)  United States 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, United States Army Iraq War [43]
19Sergeant Major Herbert Sleigh February 1918 1,280 m (1,400 yd) M1903 Springfield .30-06 (7.62×63mm)  United States American Expeditionary Forces, United States Army World War I [44]
20Confederate Army sniper
(name unknown)		 December 1864 1,271 m (1,390 yd) Whitworth Rifle .451 caliber hexagonal bullet[A 2]  United States[A 3] South Carolina Troops, Confederate States Army American Civil War [46]
21Staff Sergeant Jim Gilliland September 2005 1,250 m (1,367 yd) M24 rifle 7.62×51mm NATO  United States 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, United States Army Iraq War [47]
Notes
  1. ↑ Longest confirmed kill using non-match grade ammunition.
  2. ↑ Longest confirmed kill using a muzzle loading firearm.
  3. ↑ Unnamed sniper was fighting for the Confederate States of America, an unrecognized breakaway state.[45]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Fife 2017
  2. 1 2 3 Bunch 2017
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kalvapallé, Rahul (June 24, 2017). "Small but mighty: How Canada's military produces some of the world's best snipers". Global News. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  4. ↑ [1][2][3]
  5. 1 2 3 Evans, Holly (21 Nov 2023). "Ukrainian sniper 'breaks world record after killing soldier nearly 2.5 miles away'". The Independent. Retrieved 22 Nov 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 "Ukrainian sniper destroys record for longest kill". Newseek. 19 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 "SBU sniper claims world record after successful 3.8 km shot". kyivindependent.com. 19 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 "9 seconds to target – Ukrainian sniperopens up about his world record kill shot". Yahoo News. 2023-12-07. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  9. 1 2 3 MacDonald, Alistair (2023-12-04). "Ukrainian Sniper Breaks Cover to Claim World-Record Hit of More Than 2 Miles". WSJ. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  10. ↑ Plaster 1993
  11. ↑ "Circular Error Probable (CEP)," Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Technical Paper 6, Ver 2, July 1987, p. 1
  12. 1 2 Henderson 2003, p. 181
  13. ↑ Henderson 2003, p. 283
  14. ↑ Dougherty, Martin J (2012). Sniper: SAS and Elite Forces Guide: Sniping skills from the world's elite forces. Amber Books Ltd. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-909160-38-5. Upon reaching the target area he discovered that his shot had gone through the scope of the sniper's rifle
  15. ↑ Sasser, Charles W.; Roberts, Craig (July 1, 2004). Crosshairs on the Kill Zone: American Combat Snipers, Vietnam through Operation Iraqi Freedom. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 76. ISBN 978-1-4165-0362-0. Hathcock's bullet had gone through the cobra sniper's scope and entered his eye
  16. ↑ Riegert, Keith; Kaplan, Samuel (June 25, 2013). The MANual: Trivia. Testosterone. Tales of Badassery. Raw Meat. Fine Whiskey. Cold Truth. Ulysses Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-61243-183-3. Unfortunately for the guy behind the scope, Hathcock's shot was clean and true—perfectly passing through the glass scope
  17. ↑ Sasser, Charles W.; Roberts, Craig (April 1, 1990). "Their Mission: One Shot One Kill". One Shot One Kill. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-4391-3712-3. Both lenses of the enemy's sniper scope, front and back, were shattered. It was obvious what happened. My bullet smashed through his scope and into his right eye.
  18. ↑ "Carlos Hathcock: Famous Marine Corps Sniper". military.com. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  19. ↑ [14][15][16][17][18]
  20. 1 2 Smith 2010
  21. ↑ Tovey, Alan (2 February 2015). "The company behind the rifle used by the world's deadliest sniper". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  22. 1 2 3 Friscolanti, Michael (15 May 2006). "We were abandoned". Maclean's. Archived from the original on 19 September 2007. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  23. ↑ Wahler & Linwood 2014, p. 192
  24. ↑ "Ukrainian sniper takes out Russian soldier 1.68 miles away nearly breaking world record". The Mirror. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  25. ↑ "Ukraine claims that a Ukrainian sniper made the second-longest combat kill ever". jpost.com. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  26. ↑ Sheridan, Michael (May 3, 2010). "British sniper Craig Harrison (The Silent Assassin) breaks record, kills target from 1.5 miles away". Daily News. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015. Sgt. Brian Kremer of the United States Army held the record in 2004 with a shot in Iraq that struck its target from about 7,545 feet (2,300 m; 2,515 yd).
  27. ↑ "Report: Canadian sniper shattered world record for the longest confirmed kill in history". ktvb.com. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2022. U.S. Sergeant Bryan Kremer has the longest confirmed sniper kill shot by a U.S. soldier, the Globe and Mail reported. He killed an Iraqi insurgent from 2,300 metres (7,546 ft; 2,515 yd) in 2004.
  28. ↑ "This legendary Marine sniper made the Corps' longest known kill shot more than 50 years ago with a machine gun". businessinsider.com. 17 March 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  29. ↑ Gibson 2013
  30. ↑ Helfrich 2013
  31. ↑ Hofstatter, Stephan; Oatway, James (22 August 2014). "South Africa at war in the DRC – The inside story". Sunday Times. South Africa. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  32. ↑ "Gun Charges Dropped Against Sniper Who Once Held Record in Afghanistan". nbcwashington.com. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  33. ↑ "8 Longest Sniper Shots in History". gunsandammo.com. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  34. ↑ Nye, Logan (23 February 2016). "The 7 longest range sniper kills in history". businessimsider.com. Retrieved 11 October 2022 – via We Are The Mighty.
  35. ↑ "SERGEANT RANSTAD HONORED BY TN STATE LEGISLATURE, VISITS BARRETT". barrett.net. 16 May 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  36. ↑ Sanchez, Raf (2 January 2012). "'The Devil of Rahmadi' named America's deadliest sniper". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on January 4, 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  37. ↑ "Chris Kyle, America's deadliest sniper, offered no regrets". cnn.com. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  38. ↑ Jennings 2011
  39. ↑ هاني صفيّان يخبر (May 7, 2016). وراء خطوط العاصفة (in Arabic). Al Arabiya. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15 – via YouTube.
  40. ↑ D'Alessio 2005
  41. ↑ Souter 2012, p. 40
  42. ↑ Johnsen 2008
  43. ↑ Cannon 2010
  44. ↑ Evening Public Ledger 1918, p. 4
  45. ↑ "Preventing Diplomatic Recognition of the Confederacy, 1861–65". US Department of State. Archived from the original on August 28, 2013.
  46. ↑ Charleston Courier 1864
  47. ↑ Harnden 2006
  48. ↑ being a gamer Brownlie 2003, p. 63
  49. ↑ Westwood 2005, p. 212
  50. ↑ Haskew, Michael E. (2005). The Sniper at War: From the American Revolutionary War to the Present Day. Macmillan Publishers. p. 74. ISBN 0312336519.
  51. ↑ "Герой Советского Союза Зайцев Василий Григорьевич :: Герои страны". Warheroes.ru. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
  52. ↑ Fredriksen 2010, p. 306

Bibliography

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