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Sniper rifle

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A sniper rifle is a special tool made for extreme accuracy at long distances.

Sniperscope
Sniperscope

Unlike regular rifles, these are designed to hit a specific target from very far away. They are used by military snipers for many different jobs. These jobs include watching an area, which is called surveillance, or hitting targets made of metal.

Pso-1 grid
Pso-1 grid

To work well, a sniper rifle must be reliable and easy to hide. It is usually a portable rifle that a person carries on their shoulder. Most modern versions use a special sight to help the shooter see clearly.

How these rifles work depends on the type of action they use. Some are bolt-action rifles, where the user moves a handle to load each shot. Others are semi-automatic, meaning they can fire more than one shot quickly.

Rackandchamber
Rackandchamber

The most important part is the telescopic sight, or scope. This tool magnifies the view by 4 to 40 times. It also has a large lens to make the image look bright. Inside the scope, there is a reticle, which is a set of marks. These marks help the shooter judge how far away a target is.

Tango51zoom
Tango51zoom

Long-range shooting has a very long history. Sir Joseph Whitworth, a British engineer, designed the Whitworth rifle in 1854.

Sniper Rifle Mosin 1891 30-fr
Sniper Rifle Mosin 1891 30-fr

His design used a special shape inside the barrel to make it very accurate. In 1857, his rifle hit a target at 2,000 yards away. This was much further than the Enfield rifle used at the time. During the Crimean War, people also began using the first optical sights. A man named Colonel D. Davidson helped create these early sights. These tools allowed marksmen to see things much further than ever before.

In the 20th century, many famous rifles were used in big wars. During World War I, German snipers used scopes that could glow at night.

Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-216-0417-19, Russland, Soldaten in Stellung
Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-216-0417-19, Russland, Soldaten in Stellung

During World War II, soldiers used the Karabiner 98k and the Mosin-Nagant Model 1891/30.

Sniper Rifles M40 XM21
Sniper Rifles M40 XM21

These rifles were very effective on the battlefield. Later, the United States Army used the M24 Sniper Weapon System.

USMC Sniper M24
USMC Sniper M24

The M24 was the standard rifle for the Army from 1988 to 2010. It could hit targets at a range of about 800 meters.

Today, sniper rifles are divided into two main groups. Military rifles are built to be very tough and sturdy.

G22 ohne Schalldaempfer noBG
G22 ohne Schalldaempfer noBG

They must work in bad weather and be light enough to carry for a long time. Law enforcement rifles are often different. These are used by police in cities and focus on being as precise as possible.

M82rifle
M82rifle

They do not need to be as heavy or as rugged as military versions. Some, like the Heckler & Koch PSG1, are made just for police work. Both types help people do very specific and important jobs.

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🖼️ Images & Media (14)
File:M24-Sniper-Weapon-System.jpg
M24-Sniper-Weapon-System.jpg
File:G22 ohne Schalldaempfer noBG.png
G22 ohne Schalldaempfer noBG.png
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-216-0417-19, Russland, Soldaten in Stellung.jpg
Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-216-0417-19,...
File:Sniper Rifle Mosin 1891 30-fr.png
Sniper Rifle Mosin 1891 30-fr.png
File:Sniper Rifles M40 XM21.jpg
Sniper Rifles M40 XM21.jpg
File:USMC Sniper M24.jpg
USMC Sniper M24.jpg
File:Sniperscope.jpg
Sniperscope.jpg
File:Pso-1 grid.png
Pso-1 grid.png
File:Rackandchamber.jpg
Rackandchamber.jpg
File:Italian soldiers serving under Regional Command West provide support to the Afghan National Army in support of Operation Southern Strike in Herat, Afghanistan, June 2, 2013 130602-A-ZZ999-002.jpg
Italian soldiers serving under Regional...
File:M82rifle.jpg
M82rifle.jpg
File:Minutes of arc1.svg
Minutes of arc1.svg

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