Death Inc

It was silent but deadly.

A British sniper set a world sharpshooting record by taking out two Taliban soldiers in Afghanistan from more than a mile and a half away -- a distance so great, experts say the terrorists wouldn't have even heard the shots.

Craig Harrison killed the two insurgents from an astounding distance of 8,120 feet -- or 1.54 miles -- in Helmand Province last November firing an Accuracy International L11583 long-range rifle.

"The first round hit a machine-gunner in the stomach and killed him outright," said Harrison, a corporal of horse in the British Army's Household Cavalry, the equivalent of a sergeant in the American military.


"The second insurgent grabbed the weapon and turned as my second shot hit him in the side. He went down, too," Harrison told the Sunday Times of London.

The shots -- measured via GPS -- surpassed the previous record held by Canadian Army Cpl. Rob Furlong, who killed an al Qaeda gunman from 7,972 feet in 2002.

Harrison's shots were roughly equal to the distance between the Statue of Liberty and Battery Park.

Experts called Harrison's sharp shooting as perfect as it gets.

"When you are shooting that far, if you miss by a hair, you miss by a mile," said John Plaster, a retired US Army sharp-shooting instructor and author of "The Ultimate Sniper." "That is about as precise as any marksmen on the planet could shoot."

He said Harrison's targets likely never knew what was coming.

"At a distance like that they cannot even see anyone and they would not even hear the muzzle report," Plaster said.

Harrison, who fired the bullets while his colleagues were under fire, said perfect weather helped him nail the perfect shot.

"[There was] no wind, mild weather, clear visibility," he said.

Harrison learned of his record nine days ago, when he returned to England. In the weeks after his record shot, he suffered a minor gunshot wound and broke his arms when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb.

**********
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/sniper_kills_qaeda_from_mi_away_sTm0xFUmJNal3HgWlmEgRL?sms_ss=facebook

Just to put this into perspective here is a photo of me on a ferry departing the terminal next to Battery Park with the Statue of Liberty in the background

(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v282/92/23/723568659/n723568659_572542_344.jpg)
We were even closer to the statue than battery park by that stage as we'd moved into the harbour


Can you imagine picking someone off at that distance?  ???

That is some kick arse shooting...we didn't even have scopes or rifles to engage targets that far when I was in :o

What was your max effective range?

EDIT: also this is apparently the rifle he used http://army.mod.uk/equipment/support-weapons/1459.aspx

AHAHAHA its the AWP from counter strike: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuracy_International_AWP
look under: Arctic Warfare Super Magnum

(They say its an L11583 in the article but from what I can see there is no such thing, so I assume the journalist got the A and 8 mixed up)

That is insane.

He needs to repeat it again to prove its not a fluke.

Max effective range was 800mtrs for the Parker hale, the 1200 meters shot was us fucking around and we used a telescope to zero in..not a decent rifle/hunting/spotting scope...cuz we didn't have decent gear on hand....whoever got the longest head shot won a case of beer...I lost btw

We have a new rifle now..the SR-98 & 95 variants...max effective range 1300 mtrs (and I mean max..bullet drop is extreme apparantely) and then there's the AW50F max range 1500 mtrs ..this is our version of the Barrett..which can hit up to 3 kms...god we suck and the people in charge of buying our gear need to be hung..we buy op shop equipment..cuz its cheaper

he did..he shot 2 guys :)

+1  And what did he feel when he shot them?

Recoil!  ;D

LOL..indeed  fuck thats some long range death dealing, i can't get over it :PDT_Armataz_01_36:

Yeah it boggles the mind, if you look at the picture I posted this guy put a bullet in some guy's gut that was standing at the base of the statue... you can't see people AT ALL with the naked eye at that range

Then he did it again for good measure

i reckon with a lot of stability, precision and a very good scope you'd be able to get the statue of liberty, but a person from even further would be very hard, especially first go.BOOM! headshot :)

Xplode, we need to recruit him :)

Holy shit and I mean holy shit

That is simply impressive! I can't even imagine the skill and patience for that stuff! + 1 to him....Now go recruit the fucker :D

Nah..as Donut said...he was using aimbot for sure and we dont want hackers :D

it was manglurr.

rofl nice dex but yeah that is an unbelievable shot bloody legend i say

ADF is about to start issuing Blaser Tactical 2 and Blaser R 93 LRS 2 in .338 Lapua to non SF units. these assets have been in service with SF since late 2008. some SF users have been using Falcon 5-20x50 Illuminated Rifle Scope as well as a Schmidt & Bender of unknown mark, thats just of the top of my head though. i cant remember to much else though.

legend these shots!!!

put some math and time behind it.

880-915 metres per second muzzle velocity (weather, humidity etc)
6734joules muzzle energy (or 4967 ft/lb)
1500 yards travel time 2.63 seconds....

so to hits his targets it works out to something like
Bullet Drop of : about 130 metres (where not talkin 2 pixels there lads)
Bullet Flight Time : 6.241 seconds (think about it next time u snipe
                                                   someone in a game if it took u that
                                                   long to get the kill)
Velocity at target : 234 metres per second (OUCH, that hurt !!!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.338_Lapua_Magnum
http://ballistics.ntinnovations.com/Ballistics.aspx?ID=2930

You'd also have to account for the earth's curvature at that range wouldn't you?

And 130m bullet drop.... bloody hell you'd be aiming up at the sky, you wouldn't even see the target in your scope

Nah..target would be in scope..smack bang in the guts of the cross hair.

What happens is he'd have used his spotting scope to mark target, ranged it, wind gauge....that data then  applies onto the scope..i.e. 4 clicks right and 20 clicks up, these cross hair adjustments calibrate the crosshair onto the target using the data, so in sniping your target is ALWAYS in the centre of your cross hair..unlike in games....but because he was shooting sooo long he may have ran out of "up" clicks though and had to aim a little higher on the cross hair.

What probably DID happen is this though - he would of shot the first guy...readjusted..fired a 2nd round at him to finish him off.  Between pulling the trigger and the 6.5 seconds flight time the 2nd guy has jumped on the same MG...in the same flight path of the round and got knocked too :D

Oh right, see I only ever fired shotguns and .22's so I wouldn't know how a scope works :P

Earths Curvature and sniping explained -

Earths curvature does take effect at that range and its one of the first things a crew does when arriving in country is figure out the earths rotation..does it rotate W to E etc...then if this guy fired at them from their East...in that 6 seconds of bullet flight the target will actually move slightly down and towards them...and the projectile arc will have changed slightly..greater drop at the end due to fighting /going against the earths rotaion.

If he fired from the W to E the projectile drop would be slightly less, because the round is spinning WITH the earth...now here's where it gets fun - if it rotates W - E and he's firing from N-S...the round will go wide and to the right unless he adjusts!!!

Why? here's the easiest way to explain it..you know those spinning playground things?  well when it was spinning and you tried to walk into the centre..you got pulled one way right?  THATS what happens with the projectile.

we're talking minimal effects though, maybe 1 to 1 1/2 inches at 2400 meters , but add this into the entire process and not knowing could cause issues.

Here's what a typical shot feels like - Earths curvature = known...the wind effect and wind reading along the ENTIRE path of the round..not just where he shot from...any gullys?  Gullys have colder air at the bottom, warmer air above them..creating a slight thermal which will fractionally spike the round upwards..gotta read that in the ground...watching the target..ignoring distractions...fucking flies...breathing...IN, OUT, IN , OUT, IN , OUT and hold for 3 seconds..trigger control...squeezing the grip and trigger in..slow and steady...triggers lightning, not long now and BOOM..theyre fucked.

Do all that right and you can get yourself a DINK ..putting a round thru their glasses at 1 km..fuck 1 part of it though..misread wind, trigger control wasn't perfect..breathed wrong causing a shake...you'll miss by feet

Its a fucking mathmatical and physical art form and its why I love it..nothing greater than putting a round thru the same hole at 500 mtrs

Well someone said he'd be staring at the sky...nope and firing a .22...you might as well said youd fired a NERF gun unscoped :P

Check out this sniper  from WW2 - 800 unconfirmed kills - 505 confirmed - check out his jaw..OUCH  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4

And this guy from Vietnam with 93 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Hathcock

Bloody hell that WW2 guy with 500 confirmed kills was using iron sights o_O

I have heard of that WW2 guy, From memory he spent most of those 100 days by himself

I might look into a shooting range near me. I've always wanted to try long range rifle shooting. I think the challenge would be fun. My reflexes are too crap for clay traps or anything I think, and that laser tag IPSS or whatever that fast pistol shooting thing is looks shit.

There's one in brisbane here with 1000yard range..gonna join that one and do competitive shooting...needs a new rifle for it tho :D

shit, I have to say you really thought about this one chal, quite frankly i believe this was one of those ONCE in a lifetime things that happen like you wouldn't believe. but I think this is the REAL point of the story





























he killed 2 people and is called a legend :) .

I didn't think about it...completed Basic Recon and sniper course when I was in the Army..this is experience baby..oh yeah!!!

And be fucked if I could do what he did oohhh nooo :(

I have been a member of the local small bore club (indoor .22 long arm rifle)

I own a .22 anschultz long arm rifle for competiton, it ways in @ 9.5 Lbs (4.3K) not light, designed for prone.

20mtrs iron sight personal best 96 out of 100 with out handicap
(http://www.lilydale-rifle.org.au/images/target.jpg)
an example of a twenty mtr target Not Mine

50mtrs iron sight personal best 186 out of 200 with out handicap
(http://www.lilydale-rifle.org.au/images/50_metre_target.JPG)
an example of a twenty mtr target Not Mine

I know it is only a twenty mtrs but the difficulties in hitting these targets prone with iron sights is not a mean feat and have only seen 3 perfect 100's ever shot, in the traralgon club history over thirty years only something like 12 have been shot during competition.

if your guys are interested it is a great starting point.

yeah..he's right...but its a .22 cap gun..basic principles are the same, trigger control, breathing, sight alignment etc...whats 1 cm out at 20 meters is 5 cm out at 100 and 50cm at 1000 ....if you can shoot at 1000mtrs and have a 10 round grouping 10 cm wide...thats a 10 round 1 cm grouping at 20 meters and theres your perfect score.

Its really is a 50/50 call ...start at .22 cal short ranges for basics or a bit further out....I recommend starting at a 300 meter range with a big bore rifle and scope, at the same time you can get good on a small calibre like Bohica said

Fuck that! i definitely call hacks! Must be Manglurr from a previous life.  :P


 In all seriousness though. Truly remarkable. Iron sights WOW  :PDT_Armataz_01_13: Like Chal said science, maths & physics  ;D  + 1 from me!  

personally i disbelieve that maths heavily works with science, so all round just science that did it. also mind fuckingly good accuracy.


good shots btw bohica.

err,
science explains the world.
math explains science...

A long shot like this is 50% Maths and 50% on the actual act of shooting.

example you have to calculate wind speed and direction i.e. 20 knots W -SE, distance, velocity, projectile drop, curvature, twist rate of the projectile and calculate all these things to hit the target..its maths.


examples -

Wind Drift  = 12 x (88 x s / 60) x sin (a) x (t - (3 x r)/v)

Sighting  T = (D-I) + ((R-S) x ((D+H)/S))

Impact = ((Bullet wgt/225218) x Velocity)²/2

Projectile Drop = 193 x (time of flight)²

Now add all these equations together into a practical application and work out how many clicks right & up on your scope you need and it looks like Maths to me :D

However these days the spotting scope will work out distance and wind direction and speed and give you those figures..you still have to place them into the larger equation though and work it out from there.

(http://images.encyclopediadramatica.com/images/2/2f/Science%21.jpg)

great explanation...you should be a uni techer. anyway i can see what chal means, but there's a differance between numbers and real things, thats the differance for me. and I can remember in a report i got from school a while back, i failed math yet got a B in science.

donut knows the differance :)

No one is arguing that it is all about maths.
But you cant just look through the scope at a person 2.4kms away and hit them without using math to calculate wind speed, bullet drop etc.

As for your grade, i assume "a while back" would be year 10? If thats the case, year 10 science only needs basic algebra. Once you start looking at astrophysics, nuclear physics, etc you cant get by without knowing some pretty heavy maths

nah, year 9 it was, but I know you have to think about it, but the differance with me is in science there are real things that work together and all sorts of shit, maths is just numbers and crap, personally i don't care for astrophysics, nucleur i don't quite know.

I care about nucleur

I care and hope chal never thinks about it as a way to take out his exchange

I think you misunderstand me

Science and mathematics go hand and hand in with each other... numbers can be used for a lot of different things

But why are we talking about this in a topic about some dude shooting other dudes halfway across the country

+1 for realising the obvious like me :D

Maths (the subject) is theoretical.
Physics (and other sciences) are applied mathematics.

i like it when they go bang!

LOL

I thinks Karnage had NFI what he was explaining......  ;D   + 1 from me for being a complete NUBLET  ???

this but unironically

i didn't know i was explaining something, i stated what i thought, don't think i explained anything.

What was with your inane little diatribe on science versus maths? that's what I was poking fun at when I posted that "science" picture. Don't want to sound offensive but what you were saying really doesn't make much sense

I think the stuff that chal was explaining is fascinating... its science and maths working in tandem, to achieve a practical result.... it shows just how much thought goes into each bullet by a professional marksman... whereas to the average joe like myself, I feel awesome if I manage to point the gun in the right direction to put a hole in a tin can.

But if you want to have a philosophical debate about science versus math go make your own thread for it... this one is for talking about how awesome snipers are.


Anyway enough of that... might go watch "Enemy at the gate" again

im not denying that can happen, it happens quite a bit, but maybe i should just shut up by now.

Karnage,

Don't be a even bigger nub trying to justify that you are indeed an idiot and you can quote as many post's as you like. Now i will have to - 1 you for being a retard!

Nuff said...you are making my point all by your self LMFAO! 

Play Nice...or you won't get dessert

What if ya dun likes dessert ?

Inconceivable! Everybody loves dessert.

im sorry mr chalice :(

Amazing and that picture really puts it in to perspective. Props to him

That single word always reminds me of a certain movie..

You keep on saying that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Donut, it is my opinion that you are the coolest guy in this clan!!
(But because I'm impartial, that's excluding everybody else.)  :D

I've been saying that for ages, nice to see someone finally agreeing with me :)

Since Bohica bumped this on the shoutbox.......reminded me of a guy from the Napoleonic Wars, Thomas Plunket,  who effectively won a battle by sniping the enemy general an a major from "200 -to 600m", different age clearly.
Check out how they used to fire them, the seated position is the one he used, and is now known as the Plunket position.

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/2_95th_riflemen_in_various_fighting_stances.JPG)

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

First thought on seeing that pic was 'they're wearing the green jackets of the 95th rifles', checked the wiki link and... yep :) lol
Been watching/reading too much Sharpe

I've actually heard about that sitting position before, I wouldn't be surprised if Cornwell mentioned it in one of his books at some point

lol, he sure did Donut, that was how I learned about it, via the Sharpe books

The still do comp shooting using the sitting position and reversed Prone, but I think its only the WW2 guys that do it.
Got a mate who shoots regularly at 1000yard range and he recons the old dudes with iron sites out shoot most of the young blokes with scopes. I dont know how they dont break bones with the old 303's they use.

There is a sitting position (second most accurate firing position)

(http://www.hunter-ed.com/images/graphics_oep/rifle_firing_sitting_position_oep.jpg)

Then theres the Plunkett (one of the worst)

Got taught to shoot like that, only a quick demonstration of how you can shoot and 3 shots trying it, generally your back is propped up against a wall or as in that photo the kneeling guy could have put his front knee in his back to support it.

But BS aside, 200-600m with those rifles and that stance and the fact he repeated it is amazing ???

Here's a great article on all time great snipers including Plunkett http://www.southwestshooting.com/Demo-Articles/color-chooser.html

check out number 1 - 705 confirmed kills :O  and number 5 with 309 confirmed kills is a girl  8)

Killers will always rise to the top in war. I was reading some thing saying that only a small % of grunts were shooting when the saw the enemy. and even small % of bullets hit any one.
I have a quote to back up my statement after Donuts roasting of me earlier.
This in regards to Vietnam when 95% of soldiers were shooting in the bad guys general direction
"In fact it usually took around fifty-two thousand bullets to score one kill in regular infantry units!" sorry no proper referencing though came from this page http://www.military-sf.com/Killing.htm, also in a book called WAR or some such

Its true, usually you just "supress" the enemy.  Aussie diggers are known to be "crack" shots because we generally supress with the MG and take more calculated shots, unless we are providing covering fire etc of course :)

Good lad

LOL

all well and good lads. Private bill "DAD" larkin C coy 2nd btn AIF was considered a very prolific killer of ww1 estimates put his tally at over several hundred enemy dead. he was a rifleman not a sniper, he was considered one of the best "bombers" in second battalion when German soldiers began firing at him from a deep dug out he lept aside calmly extracted another mills bomb from his bag heaved it down the hole exclaiming "Oh you would! would you! well, take this!" down went the grenade with a muffled roar, he then cleared the dug out with "pistol and dagger" he was quoted as saying "i gave them every opportunity to surrender" he also killed two snipers in no mans-land with a lewis gun, he was a gallipoli veteran and survived the war.

mind you billy sing was a scary fucker.

I'll just bring up Simo Häyhä again.

the guy used a modified Mosin-Nagant as a sniper and only used an iron sight, the russians we're so fucking scared of him they carpet bombed placed they THOUGHT he was.

more on him here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_Hayha

despite being a killer, he was one motherfucker. (he could be called the Finnish Finish :) )

go look up billy sing. he was a hard man.