British Army sniper Craig Harrison set the record for longest sniper kills in 2009, shooting two Taliban soldiers from 8,120 feet using an L115A3 long-range rifle. The previous record was held by Canadian corporal Rob Furlong.
The record for longest sniper kills was set in November 2009 by Craig Harrison, a British Army Household Cavalry sniper. He shot two Taliban soldiers from 8,120 feet (2,475 meters) – more than 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers). The record was previously held by Canadian corporal Rob Furlong, with a killing stroke of 7,972 feet (2,430 meters).
More Shooting Facts:
Harrison used an L115A3 long-range rifle. The bullets were estimated to have traveled at 3,071 feet per second (329 meters per second), reaching the target soldiers in approximately 6 seconds. The shot was far enough away that the soldiers probably didn’t even hear them.
Harrison’s shot was reportedly achieved in prime environmental conditions, with little outside influence on the bullet’s trajectory. A hit noted at a shorter range of 2,821 feet (860 metres) was achieved by a Royal Marine sniper team under less than ideal conditions. Lance Corporal Matt Hughes and Lance Corporal Sam Hughes hit the target in gale force conditions which required them to fire 56 feet (17 meters) to port for a successful shot.
The word sniper comes from a hunting expedition by British troops in British India during the 1770s. One of the soldiers was able to shoot a snipe, a particularly difficult bird to hunt, and has been referred to as a sniper ever since.
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