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2008-08-05 Science & Technology
Snipers Seek More Range - Strategy Page
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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-08-05 10:56|| || Front Page|| [336069 views ]  Top

#1 338 lapua will work out to 1500M, Canadians have put it to good use from what I recall reading. Its purpose built for killing humans in one shot at extreme range. But speaking as a former normal rifle toting guy, it kicks like hell - I've shot some from a civilian rifle, and it punches pretty hard.
Posted by OldSpook 2008-08-05 11:27||   2008-08-05 11:27|| Front Page Top

#2 Wouldn't the 6.5mm Grendel (made by Alexander Arms) be something to look at? I'm not sure of its max range but I know it's more accurate to 800M than any 7.62mm or 5.56mm round, and has more stopping power at that range.

Does anyone know the max range on the 6.5 Grendel?
Posted by DLR 2008-08-05 11:59|| http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/ice_ages.html]">[http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/ice_ages.html]  2008-08-05 11:59|| Front Page Top

#3 Why don't they go for the gold standard, the fifty caliber rifle? The long range Sharps rifle was able to accurately hit targets at 1000m with black powder, in the 19th Century.

With modern propellants and laser scoping, 2000m is not unrealistic. And there are some sweet fifty cals out there, off the shelf.

Ironically, if you want even better performance, you might realistically use a rail gun type weapon, with a round propelled by a conductive plasma, not chemicals.

But that would require carrying along a suitcase sized generator-capacitor-inductor. But if you're taking out targets at 5000+m, what's your hurry? The round will hit its target at that range with a speed of about 3-5km/sec, vaporizing a hole the size of a basketball in the target.
Posted by Anonymoose 2008-08-05 12:07||   2008-08-05 12:07|| Front Page Top

#4 'moose, isn't the 12.7mm rifle they mention the .50 caliber? I've shot them and they are HEAVY, not to mention the weight of the ammo.
Posted by AlanC 2008-08-05 13:48||   2008-08-05 13:48|| Front Page Top

#5 There's a generally unmentioned problem with sniping using any rifle or calibre that has a heavy recoil and that is the problem of retinal detachment.

The shooter has to shoot a fair number of rounds to become comfortable with the rifle, then he has to keep it zeroed which again takes a fair number of rounds.

The sniping itself only takes one shot but there are many hundreds/thousands of shots taken before that solitary "interest" shot. In time and after enough tough jolts the shooter's eye(s) can fail via detached retina problems. That marks the end of heavy rifle shooting.


Posted by Canuckistan sniper 2008-08-05 14:28||   2008-08-05 14:28|| Front Page Top

#6 can consistently get kills out to 1,800 meters.

I don't think the .338 Lapua can do that range. If the US going to introduce another caliber, then why not go with the best? .408 Chey-Tac gets consistent hits on man sized targets at 2500 yards and the necked down .375 is, AFAICR, supersonic to about 3000 yards. The down side being is the rifles are in the heavy class.
Posted by ed 2008-08-05 15:36||   2008-08-05 15:36|| Front Page Top

#7 I've read good things about the Barrett .416. The rifles are smaller and lighter than the M107 (.50 caliber - military grade of the M82A) The round also flies flatter and longer - could be a real boost to the long range wars in Afghanistan and the Paki border.
Posted by Rob06">Rob06  2008-08-05 15:54||   2008-08-05 15:54|| Front Page Top

#8 Yep .338 lapua was purpose designed to be the 1200m sniper round. PRoblem is we are needing 50% more. And yes recoil is a pain but not nearly as bad as the 50bmg Barret (which I fired one time and it was harsh, plus I've used M-2 in the service). But its good to 1500m with a good sniper and is a compromise between weight size range recoil and effectiveness.

Ballistics/recoil is going to be a pain at 1800m+ given that it needs to be kept portalbe enough for a sniper team to carry it and set it up, etc.

For now, I'd say go with the Lapua (its proven), and purpose build a military sniper rifle around that round.

The .416 is interesting though, and probably worth a look.








Posted by OldSpook 2008-08-05 16:34||   2008-08-05 16:34|| Front Page Top

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