Uses of Snipers

[F-15 Eagle]

Roughly 10% of combat forces are designated marksmen and they are the ones who are using the M110 which is an effective weapon in the sniper/marksman role out to about 100 yards which is how I understand they are being employed currently.

The upgraded M24 is a sniper weapon along with the Barret; the M24 being envisioned as a medium range weapon with the Barret covering long-range engagements. Or at least that is my understanding.

So there actually is a need for both weapons.

I agree and even the Army and USMC agrees. It just a matter of time when they actually upgrade the M24. According to the article their not supposed to send the requirements until 8 months from now.

 

[ColdWarrior]

I agree and even the Army and USMC agrees. It just a matter of time when they actually upgrade the M24. According to the article their not supposed to send the requirements until 8 months from now.

I've seen a few rumblings about it but nothing official at this point. It will be interesting to see which round both branches decide upon.

 

[F-15 Eagle]

I've seen a few rumblings about it but nothing official at this point. It will be interesting to see which round both branches decide upon.

It will be a contest between the .300WM and the .338LM I think. Ether one is good in my opinion so its up to the military to chose sometime in the near future.

 

[Human Bass]

I've seen some trustworthy claims that the HK417 could achieve sub-moa accuracy with a 12.5" barrel at 500 meters.

 

[ColdWarrior]

I've seen some trustworthy claims that the HK417 could achieve sub-moa accuracy with a 12.5" barrel at 500 meters.

The only problem with that is the US Army and USMC aren't likely to switch to a HK design. SOCOM wouldn't have any problem adopting the HK417 if it proved to be a superior weapon, but mainstream Army and Marine procurement would stick with a US manufactured weapon...IMO.

 

[Publicaffairs]

one way is to take out a target

another way may be to restrain someone from figthing by injuring the fellow personel. A dropped soldier prevents just one soldier from fighting. The dropped soldier. A injured soldier prevents serveral fellow soldiers from fighting, trying to rescue him and get him to MASH. Of course with the implicit understanding that the opposing army has the logistic to deal with injured soldiers.

 

[ngatimozart]

another way may be to restrain someone from figthing by injuring the fellow personel. A dropped soldier prevents just one soldier from fighting. The dropped soldier. A injured soldier prevents serveral fellow soldiers from fighting, trying to rescue him and get him to MASH. Of course with the implicit understanding that the opposing army has the logistic to deal with injured soldiers.

That apparently is the philosophy behind modern small arms battlefield use. The 5.56mm calibre round is lighter than the 7.62mm rounds I used. The modern thought is that it takes 10 personnel to remove a wounded combatant from the battlefield hence tying up resources. That probably works fine in a conventional war, but in Afghan Mr Taliban is not a conventional force. When I was in the services, I was taught that when you shot an enemy you made sure he stayed dead. End of story, and that is still how I think. Brutal but simple.

 

[Cadredave]

Markman have guns usually with clips and hits targets during a mission.

a sniper waits days or weeks for one shot then runs away, and has a bolt action rifle

A sniper teams greatest assert is not shooting, but the ability to observe and call in lethal fires onto tgts without giving away there position & snipers dont run away it could take them days to get into a position & the same amount of time getting out, shooting is only one skill out of many in there tool box.

CD

 

[Seraph]

I've seen some trustworthy claims that the HK417 could achieve sub-moa accuracy with a 12.5" barrel at 500 meters.

.308 underperforms out of a 12.5" barrel. i severely doubt these claims.

another way may be to restrain someone from figthing by injuring the fellow personel. A dropped soldier prevents just one soldier from fighting. The dropped soldier. A injured soldier prevents serveral fellow soldiers from fighting, trying to rescue him and get him to MASH.

a common theory, though i personally don't value it very highly. the switch from 7.62 long to 5.56 was the logical result of the evolution of infantry tactics, which dictate high volumes of suppressive fire (see: current statistics for round expenditure vs. killed insurgent in Iraq and Afghanistan. multiple hundreds of thousands of rounds per killed insurgent, IIRC). a single round of 5.56 is roughly half the weight of 7.62 long, allowing the individual soldier to carry a much larger amount of ammunition, in turn increasing combat effectiveness.

A sniper teams greatest assert is not shooting, but the ability to observe and call in lethal fires onto tgts without giving away there position

absolutely. Sniper teams may even be considered Reconnaissance elements in some scenarios, and in turn be assigned to a formation's -2 accordingly.