The best rifle resource on the net
 

Welcome to our rifles Archive. Have fun browsing!

 

Article #4: The sniper rifle

(Browse for more articles)

 
In the human being’s incessant quest allows the entire power of ignited
for newer and more effective ways of gunpowder to be translated into bullet
evening the odds, some truly impressive speed. They are also invariably equipped
inventions dot the trail of history. The with telescopic sights and often even
sniper rifle is to tactical violence what infrared targeting devices that allow for
the electron microscope is to vision. It accurate placement of the shot. Yet
drastically reduces the number of another advanced feature in contemporary
variables involved in zeroing in on a sniper rifles is the night scope, which
chosen target and is, for all intents and again operates on the infrared principle.
purposes, a highly specialized precision This allows a target top be aimed at
instrument. without detection.
Given a choice, most manufacturers of For enhanced accuracy, a sniper rifle may
sniper rifles would probably market their come equipped with a swiveling stand on
product under a name that has less which it is mounted to reduce the margin
negative connotations. While such rifles of error. This is almost mandatory, since
are doubtlessly highly accurate and a human body is not the steadiest of
credit to the art of firearm making, they mechanisms under circumstances of high
are almost never used under very valorous stress. Despite the frequent Hollywood
circumstances. A sniper specializes in depiction of cold-blooded killers with
picking off a target from a location of nerves of chilled steel, most real-life
concealment, without warning. This snipers are people who are subject to the
considerably detracts from the image of same levels of stress that others are.
the fearless gunslinger. One of the most Another frequent feature in a sniper
descriptive depictions of a rifle rifle is the silencer. Though the need
manufactured exclusively for sniping (or for one depends on the situation, it can
rather, assassination) was the one made generally be assumed that the sniper will
by a Belgian manufacturer for Edward have to shoot at more than one target and
Fox’s character in the film ‘The Day that he therefore cannot allow his first
Of The Jackal’. shot to give him away. Silencers,
However, sniper rifles are also necessary unfortunately, subtract from the range of
equipment in war situations, and their the fired bullet and can affect accurate
effectiveness (coupled with the placement of a shot even over shorter
sniper’s skill, of course) have often distances.
turned the course of many a battle. In Sniper rifles are invariably manufactured
war situations, snipers may also be with trigger mechanisms that minimize the
required to target installations rather required pressure on the trigger a s much
than human beings, in which case the as possible. This is because the greatest
rifle used would pack a considerably danger of fudging a shot arises at the
heavier punch and even explosive bullets. time when the trigger is pulled. In most
They are also used in law enforcement. other rifles and other firearms, triggers
However, the sniper rifle is primarily an are heavier on the pull as an added
anti-personnel device and most models safeguard against accidental shooting.
have been derived from the hunting rifle Where they are used in law enforcement,
model, since accuracy and long range are sniper rifles are generally not required
common factors in both. Other than that, to be manufactured to extremely high
they do not initially appear to differ standards. For one, range if usually not
very much from other highly accurate a necessary factor (even though accuracy
rifles, other than in the fact that rapid always is). Most rifle work in law
repeat-firing capability is not a enforcement takes place in confined city
prerequisite. Many purists would contend locations.
the claim that sniper rifles are Examples of sniper rifles being
jazzed-up hunting rifles, and with good manufactured today would include the
reasons. Barrett M98, the Dakota Longbow T-76, the
Sniper rifles may be needed top shoot at Enfield No. 1 and the Mauser 86SR. German
stationary, slowly moving targets and and Swedish makes have found the highest
targets in rapid motion. They tend to be favor down the ages, owing to more
bolt-operated or semi-automatic, and precise engineering. However, several
calibrated for longer than usual ranges. Russian, English and American models such
The primary means of achieving longer as the Tactical Ops Tango 51 are also in
range is via a longer barrel, which may extensive use today.
measure up to 600 mm in some cases. This






1- A- B- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- 16- 17- 18- 19- 20- 21- 22- 23- 24- 25- 26- 27- 28- 29- 30- 31- 32- 33- 34- 35- 36- 37- 38- 39- 40- 41- 42- 43- 44- 45- 46- 47- 48- 49- 50- 51- 52- 53- 54-