Sniping standards that those who used vintage sniping rifles were expected to meet.
Source: ‘Notes on Training For Rifle Fire in Trench Warfare’, US Army, 1917
In this sniping circular, these are the bookends of what a sniper should be able to accomplish:
1. Spot and hit a target behind a 4-inch loophole at 100 yards.
2. Spot and hit a target the size of a man's body at 800 yards.
******
Source: ‘Scout-Sniping’, Peter Anderson, 1918. 'American Edition' bulk-purchased by the USMC.
All of the tests below involved 5 rounds fired at the target.
Grouping Test:
2nd Class Bullseye, targets at 100 and 200 yards
Application Tests:
1. Loophole, target at 50 yards.
2. Aiming Position, 1/2 second exposure, [previously observed target scenario], target at 100 yards.
3. 2nd Class Figure, target at 100 and 200 yards.
4. Snapshooting, 3 second exposure, stationary silhouette at 200 and 300 yards.
5. Snapshooting, moving target, target at 100, 200 and 300 yards.
6. Spotting and shooting concealed target, target at 200 and 300 yards.
7. Firing at target behind cover, target at 300 yards.
The purposes of the testing are described as:
1. Test the accuracy of the individual man and his rifle.
2. Demonstrate quickness in shooting.
3. Demonstrate trained eyesight in the accurate shooting of small objects and indistinct objects.
4. Demonstrate ability to hold off in engaging moving targets.
This manual suggests that most snipers should be expected to be effective to 4-500 yards under actual combat conditions.
******
Source: ‘Far from Home, A Memoir of a 20th Century Soldier’, Jeffrey Williams, 2003
British Army Sniping School at Bisley, 1941. Commanding officer: N.A.D. Armstrong, Canadian Corps sniping instructor during WWI and British Army sniping instructor during WWII. Staff instructors furnished by the Lovat Scouts ('The Ghillies'). Williams recounts one short anecdote from his training there:
"One of the more exhilarating exercises was a contest of sniper versus sniper with live ammunition. It involved two men stalking through the gourse with an instructor watching each one. If your instructor saw you, he uncovered a target, matching the extent to which you were exposed, for your opponent to hit."
Source: ‘Notes on Training For Rifle Fire in Trench Warfare’, US Army, 1917
In this sniping circular, these are the bookends of what a sniper should be able to accomplish:
1. Spot and hit a target behind a 4-inch loophole at 100 yards.
2. Spot and hit a target the size of a man's body at 800 yards.
******
Source: ‘Scout-Sniping’, Peter Anderson, 1918. 'American Edition' bulk-purchased by the USMC.
All of the tests below involved 5 rounds fired at the target.
Grouping Test:
2nd Class Bullseye, targets at 100 and 200 yards
Application Tests:
1. Loophole, target at 50 yards.
2. Aiming Position, 1/2 second exposure, [previously observed target scenario], target at 100 yards.
3. 2nd Class Figure, target at 100 and 200 yards.
4. Snapshooting, 3 second exposure, stationary silhouette at 200 and 300 yards.
5. Snapshooting, moving target, target at 100, 200 and 300 yards.
6. Spotting and shooting concealed target, target at 200 and 300 yards.
7. Firing at target behind cover, target at 300 yards.
The purposes of the testing are described as:
1. Test the accuracy of the individual man and his rifle.
2. Demonstrate quickness in shooting.
3. Demonstrate trained eyesight in the accurate shooting of small objects and indistinct objects.
4. Demonstrate ability to hold off in engaging moving targets.
This manual suggests that most snipers should be expected to be effective to 4-500 yards under actual combat conditions.
******
Source: ‘Far from Home, A Memoir of a 20th Century Soldier’, Jeffrey Williams, 2003
British Army Sniping School at Bisley, 1941. Commanding officer: N.A.D. Armstrong, Canadian Corps sniping instructor during WWI and British Army sniping instructor during WWII. Staff instructors furnished by the Lovat Scouts ('The Ghillies'). Williams recounts one short anecdote from his training there:
"One of the more exhilarating exercises was a contest of sniper versus sniper with live ammunition. It involved two men stalking through the gourse with an instructor watching each one. If your instructor saw you, he uncovered a target, matching the extent to which you were exposed, for your opponent to hit."
