Sniper rifles??????

ap3572001

I would like to hear some opinions on this term. I have a couple of .308 Heavy/Medium weight barrel rifles. Even a takedown Varmint rifle in 308. Some of my guns wear std,VXIII scopes with STD bases and rings some have Mark 4's with heavy rings and bases. Anyway. What exactly makes it a SNIPER rifle? In the WWII, Korea and Nam People on both sides used a qulity rifle with 4 or 6 power ,1" tube scope. My dad told me that German and Finnish snipers were the best. ( He had to face them in a real life). They used GOOD rifles with GOOD scopes and A LOT of skill. The "wanna be snipers" and "Gunshop commandos" are using term SNIPER RIFLE all the time. Can someone tell me what is it?

nards444

A sniper rifle can just about be anything. To me a sniper rifle is more the person using it and not the peice. But if your looking at what a sniper rifle its something that is usually bolt action and shoots accurately up to 700-800 yards. Various calibers used are 30.06, 308, etc.

sandwarrior

ap3572001,

....any high powered rifle modified to enhance accuracy and durability to maintain that accuracy in the field.
If the rifle was used as a sniper rifle then it qualifies as a sniper rifle, plain and simple. Or if the rifle was built specifically to be used as a sniper rifle, i.e. accurized, BDC/tactical type scope mounted etc.

As Nards444 stated "Sniper" usually refers to an individual within the armed services or law enforcement who has gone through a course that teaches tactics specific to sniping. Or an individual whose talents for that are recognized in the field and they are then given the specific assignment with enough basic training in the craft to succede in the field with the specialty job of precision shooting from concealed positions out to extended ranges.

Old Fool

I agree with Sandwarrior's definition, however the term "sniper", as well as the term "tactical", are now used as a marketing ploy to sell things to the "wanna be" crowd.

Al

Hawk Carse

Sarah Brady thinks any rifle with a scope sight is a "sniper rifle."

11echo

I read that the Germans during WWII didn't directly make "sniper rifles" ...they just took off the rifles from the normal production line that shot well during the "proof firing", and then added all the sniper paraphernalia.
Like most here I agree that the term sniper rifle tends to be a term that points at any rifle with a heavy barrel and a scope, but I can attest that that ain't the case ...I've got a Ruger 77V in .308 heavy BBL. with a 6x silhouette scope and I'm lucky to keep the group in a 2" circle at 100 yd.s. So just having those options doesn't make a "real" sniper weapon.
One thing I find interesting is the action. Western (U.S./British) thinking is a bolt action is the way to go ...as I understand the verbiage, the lock up on these actions is stronger ...i.e. easier to maintain uniform vibration in the barrel (better accuracy)
However the eastern block (USSR) has developed a sniper rifle based on a semi auto action ...and the Soviets have some real experience with sniper weapons. Would be very interesting to do some research into this aspect. My $0.02 anyway.

allen griggs

Simo Haya made 530 kills for Finland against Russia. He used a M28 Finnish Mosin Nagant. He used iron sights. He was making shots at 400 to 500 yards.

kimi

Interesting account, Allen, but it does note the two most important components that help describe a sniper rifle.

Mossbergboogie

First of all Sniper is a person. And if you are not a sniper than your rifle is no sniper rifle.

JustC

There is NO SUCH THING as a sniper rifle. It only BECOMES a sniper rifle when a person uses it to SNIPE a target.

Yes, the military makes many accuracy "upgrades" to a rifle, and yes they are heavy barreled rifles, and then after proving it's ability, assign it to an actuall sniper. That rifle is now a sniper's rifle.

ap3572001

Thank You fory Your opinions. Sniper rifle is a figure of speach. To me it is. I wintessed a conversation in the gunshop the other day. One guy said that his friends LTR 308 is NOT a sniper rifle because his friend scope it with a 4 power Zeiss. This was the most stupid remark I heard in a long time. As stupid as a remark that a 10 power Leupold Mark 4 is not strong enough to shoot good groups at 100 yards.