What is a sniper rifle?
In the military field, sniper is the term used to describe shooters who can hit targets at very high distances and thus engage them. In the military, the term sniper is commonly used, and in police agencies, precision marks man. Snipers and precision marksmen are used wherever a few, very precise shots at high distances are necessary or may become necessary. For example, snipers and precision shooters are used to secure large areas, or to engage a single target at high range. A typical scenario would be, for example, the "final rescue shot" by a precision marksman.
In the civilian sector, sniper rifles are used for target shooting (for so-called long-range shooting) or hunting.
Most sniper rifles are bolt action rifles. Although semi-automatic rifles equipped with telescopic sights are also used for distances up to about 600 m, these weapons are called "Designated Marksman Rifle" or DMR for short - they form the link between assault rifles (range up to 400 m) and sniper rifles.
In semi-automatic weapons, the energy released by the propellant charge of the cartridge accelerates the bolt of the weapon to the rear and the fired case is ejected. The breech is accelerated forward again by a spring, and during this movement it removes a new cartridge from the magazine and inserts it into the chamber. The bolt is released immediately after ignition - the center of gravity of the weapon therefore changes even before the projectile has left the barrel. Because of this process, bolt action rifles are considered more accurate than semi-automatics. In addition, for snipers, accuracy is more important than rapid firing sequences.
In order to be accurate at long ranges, it is important to have a powerful, rapid-fire caliber on the one hand, and on the other hand, to make the best possible use of the caliber's energy reserves. For this reason, most sniper rifles have relatively long barrels (in military terms, a barrel is made of tubing ).
The longer the barrel of a rifle, the longer the projectile travels within that barrel while the propellant charge of the cartridge burns. Therefore, a longer barrel will accelerate a projectile longer. If the barrel is too short, strong muzzle flash occurs when the shot is fired - when the projectile leaves the barrel, the propellant charge has not yet been completely burned, resulting in the strong muzzle flash.
What is the caliber of a sniper rifle?
In addition to a long barrel, a powerful but accurate caliber is also necessary. In military units, the .308 Win cartridge is very popular (military: 7.62×51mm NATO), while assault rifles of Western military and police units are usually equipped with the .223 Rem caliber (5.56x45 mm NATO) - because more cartridges can be carried from a smaller caliber.
Other, calibers that are commonly used are .300 Win Mag (7.62x67 mm) or .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6 × 70 mm). For distances up to 2 km, rifles in the infamous .50 BMG caliber (12.7 × 99 mm NATO) are also used. The extremely powerful .50 BMG caliber is suitable for targeted engagement of hard or armored targets. Even more powerful calibers with bullet diameters of up to 20 mm are also conceivable.
What is the range of a sniper rifle?
The range of a sniper rifle depends not only on the weapon itself, but also on the shooter and the weather conditions. Depending on the design, we can say that a military sniper rifle is suitable for a range of about 1,000 meters. Large-caliber high-precision rifles, on the other hand, can be used at distances of up to 3,000 m when wielded by a capable marksman. Precision rifles used by police forces are used almost exclusively in urban areas; they are designed for shorter ranges and usually engage targets at distances of up to 1,000 meters.
Which sniper rifle does the Bundeswehr use?
The G22 sniper rifle
The Bundeswehr has various sniper rifles in service. The G22 was introduced in 1997 as the first pure sniper rifle in the Bundeswehr. Previously, the G3 with a telescopic sight was used for this purpose (which is actually not a sniper rifle, but a Designated Marksman Rifle ). The manufacturer of the G22 is the British manufacturer Accuracy International.
Technical Specifications:
| Caliber: | 7.62x67 mm (.300 Win Mag) |
| Barrel length: | 66 cm |
| Weight: | 9.3 kg |
| Target optics: | 5-25x magnification |
| Combat range: | up to 1,100 m |
The G29 sniper rifle
The G29 sniper rifle is designed for longer ranges than the G22 and is manufactured by Haenel. The G29 replaces the G22 in the Army and Navy special forces (Special Forces Command and Special Forces Naval Command).
| Caliber: | 8.6×70 mm (.338 Lapua Magnum) |
| Barrel length: | 68.5 cm |
| Weight: | 7.8 kg |
| Target optics: | 5-25x magnification |
| Combat range: | up to 1,500 m |
The G82 sniper rifle
The heaviest sniper rifle used by the Bundeswehr is the G82 in 12.7 × 99 mm NATO caliber (also .50 BMG, .50 Browning Machine Gun) made by the American manufacturer Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc. In contrast to the other two sniper rifles, the rifle is a semiautomatic that is used to engage primarily technical and well-protected targets at long ranges. The G82 has the longest range among sniper rifles, with an engagement distance of approximately 1,800 meters.
| Caliber: | 12.7 × 99 mm NATO (.50 BMG). |
| Barrel length: | 73.8 cm |
| Weight: | 12.9 kg |
| Target optics: | 5-25x magnification |
| Combat range: | up to 1,800 |
What is the best sniper rifle in the world?
It is difficult to say which sniper rifle is the best. When it comes to military and government purchases, cost and availability always play a decisive role in deciding which manufacturer and model wins the bid. As with hunting and sporting shooting, the precision of the shot is determined much more by the skills of the shooter and the performance of the target optics.
Can civilians buy sniper rifles?
In Germany, sniper rifles are subject to the same conditions as other rifles. Therefore, civilians are allowed to purchase sniper rifles, provided that the manufacturers offer it. For the acquisition of a rifle, which can be used as a sniper rifle entitle hunting license, green weapons possession card with pre-entry as well as the yellow weapons possession card, provided that other legal requirements are met.
Besides the question of whether you are allowed to own a sniper rifle, you should ask yourself whether you really need it. Sniper rifles are more expensive than most hunting and sporting rifles. They are usually oversized for hunting use and the calibers are too large - in a normal German hunting ground it may not only seem strange to use a sniper rifle to put a cartridge .50 BMG on a roebuck, it can also be very dangerous due to the strong bullet effect and the higher probability of ricochet and splintering. On the ordinary shooting range, one is also critically eyed with the large-caliber weapons.
The situation is completely different with long-range shooting. Those who are enthusiastic about the supreme discipline of rifle shooting and want to practice precise shooting beyond distances of 600 meters will find the optimal working tool in a sniper rifle.
Our Gunfinder sniper tip:
Marktplatz
