Longest recorded sniper kills

Royal Marines snipers with Accuracy International L115A1 rifles. These rifles are similar to the L115A3 Long Range Rifle used by Craig Harrison but outfitted with Schmidt & Bender 3-12x50 PM II telescopic sights.

Reports regarding the longest recorded sniper kills that contain information regarding the shooting distance and the identity of the sniper have been presented to the general public since 1967.^{[citation needed]} Snipers have had a substantial history following the development of long distance weaponry. As weapons, ammunition, and aids to determine ballistic solutions improved, so too did the distance from which a kill could be targeted. In mid-2017 it was reported that an unnamed Canadian special forces operator, based in Iraq, had set a new record of 3,540 m (3,871 yd), beating the record previously held by an Australian sniper (also unnamed) at 2,815 m (3,079 yd).^[4] In November 2023, the record was once again broken by 58-year old sniper, Viacheslav Kovalskyi of the Security Service of Ukraine, who shot a Russian soldier from a distance of 3,800 m (4,156 yd) during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.^{[5][6][7][8][9]}

Sniper technology

The McMillan TAC-50 rifle used by Canadian Army Corporal Rob Furlong.

Although optical equipment such as rangefinders and ballistic calculators have largely eliminated manual calculations to determine elevation and windage, the fundamentals of accurate and precise long-range shooting remain essentially the same since the early history of shooting, and the skill and training of the shooter, and the shooter's spotter where applicable, are the primary factors. Accuracy and precision of ammunition and firearms are also still reliant primarily on human factors and attention to detail in the complex process of producing maximum performance.^{[original research?]}

The modern method of long-distance sniping (shots over 1,100 m or 1,203 yd) requires intense training and practice. A sniper must have the ability to accurately estimate the various factors that influence a bullet's trajectory and point of impact, such as the shooter's distance from the target, wind direction, wind speed, air density, elevation, and even the Coriolis effect. Mistakes in estimation compound over distance and can cause a shot to only injure, or to miss completely.^[10] Any given combination of firearm and ammunition will have an associated value, known as the circular error probable (CEP), defined as the radius of a circle whose boundary is expected to contain the impact points of half of the rounds fired.^[11]

If the shooter wishes to improve accuracy, increase range, or both, the accuracy of estimates of external factors must improve accordingly. At extreme ranges, highly accurate estimates are required and even with the most accurate estimates, hitting the target becomes subject to uncontrollable factors. For example, a rifle capable of firing a ½ or 0.5 MOA (approximately 0.5 inch center to center of the two holes furthest apart) 5-round group (often referred to as "grouping") at 100 yards will theoretically fire a 12.5 inch group at 2,500 yards (0.5 × 2,500/100 = 12.5). Unless the group is centered perfectly on the target at 100 yards, the 2,500-yard group will be centered 25 times the off-center error at 100 yards. This example ignores all other factors and assumes no-wind shooting conditions, identical muzzle velocities, and identical ballistic performance for each shot.^{[citation needed]}

Devices such as laser rangefinders, handheld meteorological measuring equipment, handheld computers, and ballistic-prediction software can contribute to increased accuracy (i.e. reduced CEP), although they rely on proper use and training to realize any advantages. In addition, as instruments of measure, they are subject to accuracy errors and malfunction. Handheld meteorological instruments only measure conditions at the location they are used. Wind direction and speed can vary dramatically along the path of the bullet.^{[citation needed]}

History

Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock in 1996

The longest confirmed kill in World War II was by German sniper Matthäus Hetzenauer at 1,100 metres (1,200 yd).

The science of long-range sniping came to fruition in the Vietnam War. US Marine Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock held the record from 1967 to 2002 at 2,286 m (2,500 yd).^[12] He recorded 93 official kills.^{[citation needed]} After returning to the US, Hathcock helped to establish the Marine Corps Scout Sniper School at Quantico, Virginia.^[13]

In addition to his success as a USMC scout-sniper during multiple deployments to Vietnam, Hathcock competed in multiple USMC shooting teams. Hathcock also won the 1966 Wimbledon Cup, which is earned by the winner of the US 1,000-yard high-powered rifle National Championship. Even after being severely burned during an attack on an Amtrac on which he was riding in his efforts to rescue other soldiers, which earned him a Silver Star, and after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Hathcock continued to serve, shoot and instruct. In Vietnam, Hathcock also completed missions involving a "through the scope" shot which killed an enemy sniper specifically hunting him, and a multiple-day solo stalk and kill of an enemy general.^[19]

Hathcock's record stood until Canadian sniper Arron Perry of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry exceeded it with a shot of 2,310 m (2,530 yd). Perry held the title for only a few days, as another man in his unit, Corporal Rob Furlong, beat Perry's distance with a 2,430 m (2,657 yd) shot in March 2002. Perry and Furlong were part of a six-man sniper team during 2002's Operation Anaconda, part of the War in Afghanistan.^[3]

A Horizon's Lord rifle, as used by Ukrainian sniper Viacheslav Kovalskyi.

Corporal Furlong's record was bested by a British soldier, Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison, of the Blues and Royals, Household Cavalry, who recorded two consecutive 2,475 m (2,707 yd) shots (confirmed by GPS) in November 2009, also during the War in Afghanistan, in which he hit two Taliban insurgents consecutively.^[20] Harrison killed the two Taliban machine gunners with shots that took the 8.59 mm (0.338 inch) rounds almost five seconds to hit their targets, which were 900 m (980 yd) beyond the L115A3 sniper rifle's recommended range. A third shot took out the insurgents' machine gun. The rifle used was made by Accuracy International.^[21]

In June 2017, an unnamed sniper from Canada's Tier 1 special forces unit, Joint Task Force 2, surpassed the 2009 record by over 1,000 m (1,100 yd), with a 3,540 m (3,871 yd) shot in the Iraqi Civil War. As with the previous two Canadian records, a McMillan TAC-50 with .50 BMG ammunition was used.^[1][2]

In November 2023, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a special agent with the Security Service of Ukraine, later revealed to be 58-year-old sniper Viacheslav Kovalsky, surpassed the previous world record by shooting a Russian soldier from a distance of 3,800 m (4,156 yd). The sniper used a Ukrainian-made, multi-caliber anti-materiel sniper rifle named Volodar Obriyu (Horizon's Lord). The ammunition used was a newly developed .50 caliber round named 12.7×114 mm HL, which was made by necking down a 14.5×114 mm case.^{[5][6][7][8][9]}

Confirmed kills 1,250 m (1,370 yd) or greater

This list is not exhaustive, as such data is generally not tracked nor managed under any official procedure. For example, the 2002 Canadian Army sniper team that saw two soldiers set consecutive new records (Arron Perry at 2,310 m (2,526 yd) and Rob Furlong at 2,430 m (2,657 yd)), also made a number of kills at 1,500 m (1,600 yd) that are not counted here.^[22] The list also shows that, in some cases, an armed force command may choose to withhold the name of the sniper for security reasons.

Rank	Sniper	Date	Distance	Weapon	Ammunition	Nationality	Military unit	Conflict	References
1	Viacheslav Kovalskyi	November 2023	3,800 m (4,156 yd)	Horizon's Lord	12.7×114 mm HL wildcat	Ukraine	Special Group "Alpha", Security Service of Ukraine	Russian invasion of Ukraine	[5][6][7][8][9]
2	JTF 2 sniper (name withheld)	May 2017	3,540 m (3,871 yd)	McMillan TAC-50	.50 BMG	Canada	Joint Task Force 2, CANSOFCOM, Canadian Armed Forces	War in Iraq	[1][2]
3	2 Cdo Regt sniper (name withheld)	April 2012	2,815 m (3,079 yd)	Barrett M82A1	.50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211)	Australia	2nd Commando Regiment, SOCOMD, Australian Defence Force	War in Afghanistan	[23]
4	Ukrainian National Guard sniper (name withheld)	November 2022	2,710 m (2,964 yd)	XADO Snipex Alligator	14.5×114mm	Ukraine	Ukrainian National Guard, Ministry of Internal Affairs	Russian invasion of Ukraine	[24][25]
5	Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison	November 2009	2,475 m (2,707 yd)	Accuracy International L115A3	.338 Lapua Magnum (LockBase B408)	United Kingdom	Blues and Royals, Household Cavalry, British Army	War in Afghanistan	[20]
6	Corporal Rob Furlong	March 2002	2,430 m (2,657 yd)	McMillan TAC-50	.50 BMG	Canada	3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Canadian Armed Forces	War in Afghanistan	[22][3]
7	Master Corporal Arron Perry	March 2002	2,310 m (2,526 yd)	McMillan TAC-50	.50 BMG	Canada	3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Canadian Armed Forces	War in Afghanistan	[22][3]
8	Sergeant Brian Kremer	October 2004	2,300 m (2,515 yd)	Barrett M82A1	.50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211)	United States	2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, United States Army	Iraq War	[26][27]
9	Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock	February 1967	2,286 m (2,500 yd)	M2 Browning machine gun	.50 BMG[A 1]	United States	7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, United States Marine Corps	Vietnam War	[28][12]
10	South African Special Forces sniper (name withheld)	August 2013	2,125 m (2,324 yd)	Denel NTW-14.5	14.5×114mm	South Africa	South African Special Forces Brigade, Joint Operations Division, SANDF	MONUSCO	[29][30][31]
11	Specialist Nicholas Ranstad	January 2008	2,092 m (2,288 yd)	Barrett M82A1	.50 BMG	United States	1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, United States Army	War in Afghanistan	[32][33][34][35]
12	Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle	August 2008	1,920 m (2,100 yd)	McMillan TAC-338	.338 Lapua Magnum	United States	SEAL Team 3, US Naval Special Warfare Command, United States Navy	Iraq War	[36][37]
13	Corporal Christopher Reynolds	August 2009	1,853 m (2,026 yd)	Accuracy International L115A3	.338 Lapua Magnum (LockBase B408)	United Kingdom	The Black Watch (3 SCOT), Royal Regiment of Scotland, British Army	War in Afghanistan	[38]
14	Saudi Army sniper (name withheld)	January 2016	1,700 m (1,859 yd)	PGW Defence Technology LRT-3	.50 BMG	Saudi Arabia	Royal Saudi Land Forces, Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia	Yemeni Civil War	[39]
15	Staff Sergeant Steve Reichert	April 2004	1,614 m (1,765 yd)	Barrett M82A3	.50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211)	United States	2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, United States Marine Corps	Iraq War	[40]
16	Billy Dixon	June 1874	1,406 m (1,538 yd)	Sharps .50-90	.50-90 Sharps	United States	Civilian	American Indian Wars	[41]^[better source needed]
17	Norwegian Army sniper (name withheld)	November 2007	1,380 m (1,509 yd)	Barrett M82A1	.50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211)	Norway	2nd Battalion, Norwegian Army	War in Afghanistan	[42]
18	Sergeant Vladimir Ilyin	1985	1,350 m (1,476 yd)	Dragunov SVD	7.62×54mmR 7N1	Soviet Union	345th Independent Guards Airborne Regiment, Soviet Army	Soviet–Afghan War	[43]
19	Sergeant First Class Brandon McGuire	April 2007	1,310 m (1,433 yd)	Barrett M82A1 (M107)	.50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211)	United States	3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, United States Army	Iraq War	[44]
20	Sergeant Major Herbert Sleigh	February 1918	1,280 m (1,400 yd)	M1903 Springfield	.30-06 Springfield	United States	American Expeditionary Forces, United States Army	World War I	[45]^[better source needed]
21	Staff Sergeant Jim Gilliland	September 2005	1,250 m (1,367 yd)	M24 Sniper Weapon System	7.62×51 mm NATO	United States	2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, United States Army	Iraq War	[46]

Notes

1. Longest confirmed kill using non-match grade ammunition.

See also

• List of snipers
• History of sniping
• Long range shooting

References

1. Fife 2017
2. Bunch 2017
3. Kalvapallé, Rahul (24 June 2017). "Small but mighty: How Canada's military produces some of the world's best snipers". Global News. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
4. ^[1][2][3]
5. Evans, Holly (21 November 2023). "Ukrainian sniper 'breaks world record after killing soldier nearly 2.5 miles away'". The Independent. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
6. "Ukrainian sniper destroys record for longest kill". Newsweek. 19 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
7. "SBU sniper claims world record after successful 3.8 km shot". kyivindependent.com. 19 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
8. "9 seconds to target – Ukrainian sniperopens up about his world record kill shot". Yahoo News. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
9. MacDonald, Alistair (4 December 2023). "Ukrainian Sniper Breaks Cover to Claim World-Record Hit of More Than 2 Miles". WSJ. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
10. Plaster 1993
11. "Circular Error Probable (CEP)," Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Technical Paper 6, Ver 2, July 1987, p. 1
12. Henderson 2003, p. 181
13. Henderson 2003, p. 283
14. Dougherty, Martin J (2012). Sniper: SAS and Elite Forces Guide: Sniping skills from the world's elite forces. Amber Books Ltd. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-909160-38-5. Upon reaching the target area he discovered that his shot had gone through the scope of the sniper's rifle
15. Sasser, Charles W.; Roberts, Craig (1 July 2004). Crosshairs on the Kill Zone: American Combat Snipers, Vietnam through Operation Iraqi Freedom. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 76. ISBN 978-1-4165-0362-0. Hathcock's bullet had gone through the cobra sniper's scope and entered his eye
16. Riegert, Keith; Kaplan, Samuel (25 June 2013). The MANual: Trivia. Testosterone. Tales of Badassery. Raw Meat. Fine Whiskey. Cold Truth. Ulysses Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-61243-183-3. Unfortunately for the guy behind the scope, Hathcock's shot was clean and true—perfectly passing through the glass scope
17. Sasser, Charles W.; Roberts, Craig (1 April 1990). "Their Mission: One Shot One Kill". One Shot One Kill. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-4391-3712-3. Both lenses of the enemy's sniper scope, front and back, were shattered. It was obvious what happened. My bullet smashed through his scope and into his right eye.
18. "Carlos Hathcock: Famous Marine Corps Sniper". military.com. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
19. ^{[14][15][16][17][18]}
20. Smith 2010
21. Tovey, Alan (2 February 2015). "The company behind the rifle used by the world's deadliest sniper". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
22. Friscolanti, Michael (15 May 2006). "We were abandoned". Maclean's. Archived from the original on 19 September 2007. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
23. Wahler & Linwood 2014, p. 192
24. "Ukrainian sniper takes out Russian soldier 1.68 miles away nearly breaking world record". The Mirror. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
25. "Ukraine claims that a Ukrainian sniper made the second-longest combat kill ever". jpost.com. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
26. Sheridan, Michael (3 May 2010). "British sniper Craig Harrison (The Silent Assassin) breaks record, kills target from 1.5 miles away". Daily News. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015. Sgt. Brian Kremer of the United States Army held the record in 2004 with a shot in Iraq that struck its target from about 7,545 feet (2,300 m; 2,515 yd).
27. "Report: Canadian sniper shattered world record for the longest confirmed kill in history". ktvb.com. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2022. U.S. Sergeant Bryan Kremer has the longest confirmed sniper kill shot by a U.S. soldier, the Globe and Mail reported. He killed an Iraqi insurgent from 2,300 metres (7,546 ft; 2,515 yd) in 2004.
28. "This legendary Marine sniper made the Corps' longest known kill shot more than 50 years ago with a machine gun". businessinsider.com. 17 March 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
29. Gibson 2013
30. Helfrich 2013
31. Hofstatter, Stephan; Oatway, James (22 August 2014). "South Africa at war in the DRC – The inside story". Sunday Times. South Africa. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
32. "Gun Charges Dropped Against Sniper Who Once Held Record in Afghanistan". nbcwashington.com. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
33. "8 Longest Sniper Shots in History". gunsandammo.com. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
34. Nye, Logan (23 February 2016). "The 7 longest range sniper kills in history". businessimsider.com. Retrieved 11 October 2022 – via We Are The Mighty.
35. "SERGEANT RANSTAD HONORED BY TN STATE LEGISLATURE, VISITS BARRETT". barrett.net. 16 May 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
36. Sanchez, Raf (2 January 2012). "'The Devil of Rahmadi' named America's deadliest sniper". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 4 January 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
37. "Chris Kyle, America's deadliest sniper, offered no regrets". cnn.com. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
38. Jennings 2011
39. هاني صفيّان يخبر (7 May 2016). وراء خطوط العاصفة (in Arabic). Al Arabiya. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021 – via YouTube.
40. D'Alessio 2005
41. Souter 2012, p. 40
42. Johnsen 2008
43. "Soviet snipers in Afghanistan, 1979 – 1989 years. (28 photos)". methgag.com. 18 November 2015. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
44. Cannon 2010
45. Evening Public Ledger 1918, p. 4
46. Harnden 2006

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