Confirmed 1st round kill

[Emouse]

British Sniper Who Made the Longest Kill in Afghanistan

The sniper was so far away that the Taliban commander didn’t even realise he was being shot at when he first round missed him. The second one went into his chest:

Cpl Chris Reynolds, 25, camped on a roof for three days as he waited for perfect conditions to take the shot.

He calculated the range, wind and trajectory before pulling the trigger – and the bullet flew 1,853 metres before hitting its target.

It is the furthest distance any fatal bullet has ever been fired in Afghanistan.

The warlord, known as Mula, was thought to be responsible for co-ordinating several attacks against British and US troops.

Cpl Reynolds, of 3 Scots, The Black Watch, has already claimed 32 rebel fighters.

His latest kill came last week during a firefight in the town of Babaji in Helmand Province. Yesterday he told how the Taliban chief slumped into the arms of a stunned colleague after being hit.

 

[Apache]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Emouse</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
<span style="font-weight: bold">
It is the furthest distance any fatal bullet has ever been fired in Afghanistan.</span>

</div></div>

Didn't a Canadian already beat Hathcock's record with a Tac .50 during Operation Anaconda a few years back?

I think his name was Furlong or something

 

[Hink]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

Rob Furlong Youtube

Longest shot with a .50 -- 2430 meters.

---------------------------------

Perhaps the 1853 is the longest 30 cal shot.

 

[Advokaten]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

If he missed with the first shot,

how could it be a confirmed 1st round hit?

Did the bullet bounce up and strike the taliban?

Really, even I being a swede has some issues with logic here.

Still in all good shooting and good work to keep the world free from extremist.

/Chris

 

[bohem]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

The longest kill was the Canadian sniper who made the hit at 2430m with a 50, this latest 1800+m shot, while still QUITE impressive is:

1) Not a 1st round kill
2) Shot was fired via 338 LM from IIRC an AI rifle

Maybe it's a record for a non-50 based rifle.

 

[Dogtown]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

Impressive, but the way this is written feels very Zaitsev mythical.

 

[Noel Carlson]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

Chris,

As one Swedish guy to another, thanks for the post. I have been laughing for the last three minutes.

Best,
Noel

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

important thing is that there is one less to shoot back.

 

[clmayfield]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

Where is the love in this room for an incredible shot for the good guys?

Sure, I would prefer it be an American, but great job and great work!

 

[kombayotch]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

One thing that many seem to miss about the Furlong shot is that he was shooting unknown ammo. The Canadian teams ran out of the AMAX loads they brought with them and basically pulled apart some belts they took off of an M2. That is the "American" ammo they refer to in the story.

It wasn't match grade, and they didn't know the BC or the velocity of the load, so its a bit unrealistic to expect them to make first round kills under those conditions. There were several kills at over 2000 meters and quite a few around the 1800 meter range. I'd say it really shows the value of a good spotter and they deserve a lot of credit for being able to accomplish what they did.

Not to say that belittles the British sniper. What he did was amazing too and he also deserves a lot of praise.

 

[Noel Carlson]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

Carter,

I did not mean to imply that the shot should be laughed at, that is one great example of shooting.

I celebrate anyone for killing the animals by whatever means available, and all the better if long-range terror can be instilled in that midieval culture of cretins as a side benefit.

Chris's dead-pan humor just caught me right.

 

[wallstdevil]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

This is very impressive. It take Furlong 3 Shots to kill the target. Here is the story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Furlong.

 

[biggame10683]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

"Didn't a Canadian already beat Hathcock's record with a Tac .50 during Operation Anaconda a few years back?"
I would think that if Hathcock had a barrett 50 back in the day he would have the record. Im new to the board but after reading about that guy we was the man.

 

[smack]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Biggame</div><div class="ubbcode-body">"Didn't a Canadian already beat Hathcock's record with a Tac .50 during Operation Anaconda a few years back?"
I would think that if Hathcock had a barrett 50 back in the day he would have the record. Im new to the board but after reading about that guy we was the man.
</div></div>

A factory stock Barrett SUCKS for serious accuracy at those ranges, especially the semi-auto.

 

[Pinco Palla]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SMACK</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

A factory stock Barrett SUCKS for serious accuracy at those ranges, especially the semi-auto. </div></div>

This is sadly true .

PP out

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

Just "skip" a few 700grainers like a civil war cannon and people will fall

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Noel Carlson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Carter,

I did not mean to imply that the shot should be laughed at, that is one great example of shooting.

I celebrate anyone for killing the animals by whatever means available, and all the better if long-range terror can be instilled in that midieval culture of cretins as a side benefit.

Chris's dead-pan humor just caught me right.

</div></div>

Swedes are pretty well known for their "logical lattitude" At least here in MN.

....

 

[Phil1]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dogtown</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Impressive, but the way this is written feels very Zaitsev mythical. </div></div>

<span style="font-weight: bold">English translation </span>

"Vasily ZaitsevVasily Zaytsev
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Vasily Grigoryevich Zaytsev
March 23, 1915(1915-03-23) – December 15, 1991 (aged 76)

Vasily Zaytsev in Stalingrad, October 1942.
Place of birth Yeleninskoye, Russian Empire
Place of death Kiev, Ukraine
Allegiance Soviet Union
Years of service 1937—1945
Rank Captain
Battles/wars Great Patriotic War
Battle of Stalingrad

Awards Hero of the Soviet Union
Order of Lenin
Order of the Red Banner 2 times
Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class
Medal for the Defence of Stalingrad
Medal For the Victory Over Germany
Captain Vasily Grigorevich Zaytsev (or Zaitsev or "Vasilii Zaytsev") (Russian: &#1042;&#1072;&#1089;&#1080;&#1083;&#1080;&#1081; &#1043;&#1088;&#1080;&#1075;&#1086;&#1088;&#1100;&#1077;&#1074;&#1080;&#1095; &#1047;&#1072;&#1081;&#1094;&#1077;&#1074;, pronounced [v&#652;&#712;s&#690;il&#690;&#618;j &#609;r&#690;&#618;&#712;&#609;or&#690;jev&#690;&#618;t&#597; &#712;zajts&#616;f]) (March 23, 1915–December 15, 1991) was a Soviet sniper during World War II, notable particularly for his activities between November 10 and December 17, 1942 during the Battle of Stalingrad. He killed 225 soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht and other Axis armies, including 11 enemy snipers.[1]

 

[Phil1]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TOP PREDATOR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">important thing is that there is one less to shoot back. </div></div>

Yes. Be it first or third shot he's still dead. Be it the skill of a shooter using good field techniques to get close to the target, or great equipment. The result is the same.

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

The one I was MOST impressed with was back in '03 when two Brit snipers fired simultaneously at a range of just under and over 1100m. The wind was so bad they had to hold 56 ft. (not inches- feet!) for it.

 

[Emouse]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

Guys,...the young sniper in question had no spotter at his disposal, an LRF that didn't range to that distance ( poor UK kit issue) and standard issue factory ammo. It is the longest recorded non.50 kill in that a body was recovered, for Afghanistan. There have been longer "observed" kills. It is in any ones estimation an exceptional shot on a well deserved target. I understand that this in fact adds to an already significant tally for the gentleman in question.

A JOB WELL DONE.

 

[kombayotch]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

Standard issue factory ammo yes, but still match grade ammo. It's a .338 Lapua; the only thing on the battle field chambered in that round is a sniper rifle. It wasn't low grade ball ammo that was loaded for a MG by any stretch of the imagination.

I appreciate the feat. It's an awesome feat and a job well done, but it was neither the longest shot made in Afganistan, nor the longest 1st round kill since his first shot missed. Neither of those claims are accurate and those familiar with Furlong and Perry's shots may take exception because they ignore the accomplishments of the other two individuals.

 

[lroseen]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

WOW! Some people here have taken one upmanship to a whole new level. Rather than the normal "well I did" its become "well my guy did this." I think i'm gonna make some popcorn. Please continue! But seriously good shootin to all mentioned.

 

[Sig685]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Biggame</div><div class="ubbcode-body">"Didn't a Canadian already beat Hathcock's record with a Tac .50 during Operation Anaconda a few years back?"
I would think that if Hathcock had a barrett 50 back in the day he would have the record. Im new to the board but after reading about that guy we was the man.
</div></div>

Nobody is taking anything away from Carlos Hathcock's reputation and legend. His fame is secure for a long time to come. We can celebrate the exploits of people who came after him without worrying about tarnishing his image, in fact we can say that he helped blaze the trail. Whether Carlos Hathcock could do better with "a barrett 50 back in the day" is inconsequential. The Canadian made a shot at very long range and he has earned whatever acclamations anyone chooses to shower him with. From what I understand he and his team saved some of our guys from some grief and for that I am thankful.

 

[BigBrother]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sandwarrior</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The one I was MOST impressed with was back in '03 when two Brit snipers fired simultaneously at a range of just under and over 1100m. The wind was so bad they had to hold 56 ft. (not inches- feet!) for it. </div></div>

Hey, sorry to hijack the thread a little, but this speaks to a question I'd raised earlier- when you say they held 56 ft., how did you come to that number? What is it simply "this many MOA (or Mils) at 1100m = so many feet?"

The reason I ask is because of my confusion over people using linear distance to describe holdovers.. i.e., "I held 30 inches high".. does anyone really think in those units when making adjustments?? Or is it an after-the-fact calculation?

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

BigBrother,

That's the number the article gave. I got it off www.militarynews.com. I subscribed to it and it won't go away. Still good stuff most of the time.

You're right in that it certainly isn't the spoken language in this discipline. Funny thing is until you posted this I never even thought to work out what it was. Which according to my rough calculations it's about 15.5 mil.? For two guns to pull the trigger almost simultaneously is pretty damn good. Not to mention the article said they were using 7.62, which I assumed to be 7.62x51. A really long shot for that cartridge. Even if it was 7.62x67 it was still a helluva shot. But I don't know if the Brits were using .300 Win Mag then.

Edit:

I think it was clearly and 'after-the-fact' calculation that they could give to the reporter ...who was no doubt chomping at the bit to get it on the AP wire. With the Brits, I'd assume (again....making a lot of guesses here) it was calculated in mil. As far as I know they never really took to the MOA thing.

 

[BigBrother]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

Yeah, all of that makes sense, in fact I was tempted to put at the end of my posting "is it an after the fact calculation used for articles and reporters?"

The reason being I only ever see that designation in writeups from the general press. And I could never figure out if they meant so and so linear distance at the *target*, or, say, at the height of the bullet's travel. It was the latter that always baffled me- who the heck knows off the top of their head how high their bullet has traveled without consulting a drop table or program, right? Am I correct that there's no easy correlation between angular adjustment ("I dialed up 15 MOA") and height of bullet travel?

Thanks

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

BigBrother,

Unfortunately, that's the press. You can't hardly tell most any of them the truth or they won't get it right. The best thing to do is to tell the story as simply as possible to them. By giving them a linear measurement, they say OK and go away, story in hand. But if you explained to them how to break it into mil or moa, and all the other factors you had to account for, they'll go off on another story.

 

[BigBrother]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

Yeah, I totally get that. And as for this question?..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Am I correct that there's no easy correlation between angular adjustment ("I dialed up 15 MOA") and height of bullet travel?</div></div>

 

[Lindy]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

Knowing the angular sight adjustment required to hit a target at a given range is not sufficient to calculate the maximum ordinate of the shot, i.e., the maximum height of the bullet in its trajectory.

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BigBrother</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yeah, I totally get that. And as for this question?..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Am I correct that there's no easy correlation between angular adjustment ("I dialed up 15 MOA") and height of bullet travel?</div></div></div></div>

There's no easy correlation. That has no pertinent bearing on the problem either. So, it's just as much a fun fact to give the press. That is unless you are shooting under something.then you need to know so you don't ping a bridge or something between you and the target. Same would apply for windage.

 

[BigBrother]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

Great, thanks guys for clearing this up!!

 

[cazorp]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kombayotch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">One thing that many seem to miss about the Furlong shot is that he was shooting unknown ammo. The Canadian teams ran out of the AMAX loads they brought with them and basically pulled apart some belts they took off of an M2. That is the "American" ammo they refer to in the story.

It wasn't match grade, and they didn't know the BC or the velocity of the load, so its a bit unrealistic to expect them to make first round kills under those conditions. There were several kills at over 2000 meters and quite a few around the 1800 meter range. I'd say it really shows the value of a good spotter and they deserve a lot of credit for being able to accomplish what they did. </div></div>

Are you sure about that? I recall it being the opposite way around, they used up their canadian rounds and then turned over to Hornady A-max which their american sniper counterparts where using, which they were very impressed with since they could reach out further with the US ammo "It was a hotter round, we were getting longer ranges out if it". Wikipedia also states that it was an A-max 750 gr that he used which makes sense if you compare BC on A-max 750's to standard M2 ball or equvalent rounds..

 

[irishshooter]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

I recall reading this story in The Daily Record (scottish newspaper), while it may have been misinterpreted or even exageratted its still a positive story for once

Our troops in Afghanistan are being taken for granted at home and get f all recognition from anyone so its good that they got a mention at all

 

[Pete E]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sandwarrior</div><div class="ubbcode-body">BigBrother,

That's the number the article gave. I got it off www.militarynews.com. I subscribed to it and it won't go away. Still good stuff most of the time.

You're right in that it certainly isn't the spoken language in this discipline. Funny thing is until you posted this I never even thought to work out what it was. Which according to my rough calculations it's about 15.5 mil.? For two guns to pull the trigger almost simultaneously is pretty damn good. Not to mention the article said they were using 7.62, which I assumed to be 7.62x51. A really long shot for that cartridge. Even if it was 7.62x67 it was still a helluva shot. But I don't know if the Brits were using .300 Win Mag then.

Edit:

I think it was clearly and 'after-the-fact' calculation that they could give to the reporter ...who was no doubt chomping at the bit to get it on the AP wire. With the Brits, I'd assume (again....making a lot of guesses here) it was calculated in mil. As far as I know they never really took to the MOA thing. </div></div>

I looked at the link but can't find the story.

If this is the incident I am thinking of, the targets were two Iraqi's tank commanders who were sitting with their upper bodies out of the hatches of their vehicles, watching the Brits some distance away.

The presence of the armour had halted the Brit advance somewhat as it was located such that normal AT weapons couldn't be used..

The Brit commander then whistled up the two snipers (Royal Marines ??) who simultaneously took out the two targets. For some reason, I thought the range was "only" 800m, but I may be wrong or it maybe a different incident.

There was a news reporter present watching as they took their shoots, and when he gave his report, he made it sound very matter-of-fact/every day happening and obviously didn't appreciate the skill involved.

IIRC, The rest of the Iraqi crew abandoned their vehicles and hightailed it on foot.

 

[Emouse]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

no one is making less of the other guys first rate target interdiction. The "miss " in this case was in fact a journo typo. As the sniper had no accurate ranging ability over extreme distance he simply dropeed a couple of ranging shots on nearby hard itms BEFORE the target arrived. That way he had an accurate FIRST shot on the animate target.

No matter what,..it was a good shot and under trying circumstances.

 

[5R Milspec]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

If I am able to add.my good friend was the man who taught Carlos what he knew.He talked about him from time to time.He told me one time about when Carlos shot a bic out from under a young kid.said that he shot it with a 50 cal.said the kid was an intel person.took the bike first then the kid.the shot was around 1000yrsd.my good friends name was William E.Lisenby.he left me alittle over a year ago,but he left this world as a USMC retired sniper that taught me alot.so lets give it up for the men and women who place their lives in harms way for our freedom.May God bless them as they bless us with our freedom and lives.
All so to add some or you guys may have shot with Willima [Doc ] Lisenby at a 1000yrds match.he was a member at Hawksridge.sorry if I jumped into a post that talked about great kills.just thought that I would share.Doc never said much about Korea or Nam.But I do think that he needed to be regognized for his bravery and being a POW from the Viet Nam war.Please don't hate me for posting this it's just something I needed to do for me and Doc.and it seemed like a good place or post to do so.my hat is always off to our men and women.
John

 

[E3C3H3O3]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

these are both great shots taken by the canadian and the swede, getting a confirmed kill at over 1500M is just amazing, 1800 and 2430 is just crazy good shooting even if it did take 2 or 3 shots.Put a mcmillan TAC-50 in Hathcocks hands and I would love to see what he would have been able to do.

 

[Terry Hoover]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

POW network list Willaim E Lisenby as a fake, never was a POW.
For shame.
Semper Fidelis,
Tipy

 

[fint]

Re: Confirmed 1st round kill

knew Doc also
not a fake