Sniper Rifle

Lore & Background

The Whitworth rifle was arguably the first long-range sniper rifle in the world, designed in 1854 by Sir Joseph Whitworth. During the Crimean War, the first optical sights were designed for fitting onto rifles. During the Second Boer War, the Lovat Scouts became the first official sniper unit in the British Army. It was not until World War I that sniper rifles began to be used more regularly in battle. During World War I and II, the word 'sniper' began to be used commonly. Sniper rifles have continued to be used consistently throughout the later part of the 20th century in Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East. Modern sniper rifles circa 2010 are beyond anything in use even ten years prior, with effective ranges exceeding 1,000 m.

Reader's Guide

Modern sniper rifles can be divided into two basic classes: military and law enforcement. Military rifles are designed for durability, range, reliability, and repairability under adverse conditions, sacrificing a small degree of accuracy. Law enforcement rifles are built for greatest possible accuracy in non-combat, often urban environments, and may be smaller. Distinguishing characteristics include a telescopic sight, unusually long overall length, a stock designed for prone firing, and the presence of a bipod. The telescopic sight offers magnification from more than 4× up to 40× and a large objective lens. The action may be bolt-action or semi-automatic.

Did You Know?

• The Whitworth rifle could hit a target at 2,000 yards (around 1,830 meters).
• During the American Civil War, Confederate sharpshooters using Whitworth rifles killed Major General John Sedgwick.
• The Lovat Scouts, formed in 1899, were the first official sniper unit in the British Army.
• By the end of World War II, snipers provided reasonable accuracy over 600 m.
• The Heckler & Koch PSG1 is an example of a law enforcement sniper rifle.

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