The term sniper is attested from 1824 in the sense of “sharpshooter.” The verb to snipe originated in the 1770s among soldiers in British India-in the sense of: “to shoot from a hidden place,” in allusion to snipe hunting, a game bird known for being extremely difficult to locate, approach, or shoot. Those who were skilled at the hunting of this bird were thus dubbed “snipers.”
In the last few decades, the term “sniper” has been used rather loosely, especially by media in association with police precision riflemen, those responsible for assassination, any shooting from all but the shortest range in war, and any criminal equipped with a rifle in a civil context.
In the Bosnian War, and for much of the Siege of Beirut, the term “sniper” was used to refer to what were generally ill-trained soldiers who terrorized civilians, mainly by firing at them from hi-rise windows and rooftops.
During the Siege of Sarajevo, the main street of the city became known as “Sniper Alley”.
These military issued handbooks provide the doctrine for the sniper training of accurate, efficient and observant snipers. This knowledge is not limited to the act of pulling the trigger, but camouflage, stealth movement, selecting firing position and much much more.
Learn everything the counter-sniper needs to know about ammunition, rifles, sights and how to deal with noise and muzzle flash in this comprehensive guide.
This manual contains the training syllabus taught to the Naval Special Warfare units on sniper techniques. This 9 week course will mold SEAL cadets into skilled snipers capable of operating independently in a field environment.
_-_fm_1-3b.jpg)
A US Marine Corps sniper has been carefully screened, selected and undergone comprehensive training in advanced infantry and marksmanship techniques. Learn more about the US Marine Corps sniper and their techniques in this comprehensive article.
Survival Library
