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Submitted via IRC for TheMightyBuzzard
A sniper with Canada’s elite special forces in Iraq has shattered the world record for the longest confirmed kill shot in military history at a staggering distance of 3,540 metres.
The Canadian Armed Forces confirmed Thursday that a member of Joint Task Force 2 made the record-breaking shot, killing an Islamic State insurgent during an operation in Iraq within the last month.
[...] The elite sniper was using a McMillan TAC-50 sniper rifle while firing from a high-rise during an operation that took place within the last month in Iraq. It took under 10 seconds to hit the target.
[...] The military source said the JTF2 operation fell within the strictures of the government’s advise and assist mission.
[...] The kill was independently verified by video camera and other data, The Globe and Mail has learned.
[...] The skill of the JTF2 sniper in taking down an insurgent at 3,540 metres required math skills, great eyesight, precision of ammunition and firearms, and superb training.
Not our typical fare but the physics involved in making that shot are crazy.
Source: The Globe and Mail
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Friday June 23 2017, @05:30PM (8 children)
Lack of bad luck, yeah. You don't get lucky on a 2.2 mile shot though. You either had that shit perfectly dialed in and the wind didn't change before you pulled the trigger or you just miss.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday June 23 2017, @08:43PM (5 children)
Which is my question: Like the viral internet videos, how many shots did he take before he made it?
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Saturday June 24 2017, @12:34AM (4 children)
One. You can't set up again before they hear the shot and start ducking for cover, even on a two mile away target.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Saturday June 24 2017, @01:02AM (3 children)
I'm not convinced that people in Iraq would identify a shot fired 2 miles away as being aimed at them.
The mention of high-rise tells me it's a city, or the edge of it. IF you can hear a muzzle blast from 2 miles away in a city, identify it as hostile from 2 miles away in a city, think that you might be within range when it's 2 miles away in a city, and think that you are potentially the target when there's another thousand targets in those 2 city miles, or even differentiate between the suppression fire that the closer enemies are filling the air with despite you being covered from their angle, then you'll duck.
And your buddy will kick your ass for being a coward no better than the infidels, for a painful humiliation that will last the whole 20 seconds before his chest explodes from one of the subsequent rounds.
I don't buy the "fire only when sure" in a war area when shooting far beyond normal range. I'm pretty sure your buddies closer to the target really want you to do your best asap, and keep trying until you don't miss.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Saturday June 24 2017, @08:30AM (2 children)
They probably would want you to but what they want and what you're trained to do are two extremely different things.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Monday June 26 2017, @04:18PM (1 child)
"John and Fred got killed because our sniper cover wasn't quite sure of his shot and didn't want to spook the bad guy too early"
Spooking the bad guys is how you win wars. The guy who saw the wall explode right next to his leg may thank his god, but still has to change his underwear and tell his friends that's not a safe place to be.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday June 27 2017, @11:42AM
Bob, you've hit armchair quarterbacking level. You're not qualified to speak on this. I'm only barely qualified to speak on the general subject, which is why I've not gone into the detail you just did.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by KGIII on Saturday June 24 2017, @01:33AM (1 child)
Squeeze, not pull.
"So long and thanks for all the fish."
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Saturday June 24 2017, @08:32AM
Which is likely why I got an M60 instead of a sniper rifle.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.