# British Sniper Sets Record
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [May 7, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640 "2010-05-07T15:50:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/1 "2010-05-07T15:50:04Z")
Wow.
"A BRITISH Army sniper has set a new sharpshooting distance record by killing two Taliban machinegunners in Afghanistan from more than a mile away.
Craig Harrison, a member of the Household Cavalry, killed the insurgents with consecutive shots — even though they were 3,000ft beyond the most effective range of his rifle…The distance to Harrison’s two targets was measured by a GPS system at 8,120ft, or 1.54 miles. The previous record for a sniper kill is 7,972ft, set by a Canadian soldier who shot dead an Al-Qaeda gunman in March 2002."
[Hotshot sniper in one-and-a-half mile double kill](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/afghanistan/article7113916.ece)
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/2 "2010-05-07T18:06:12Z")
Reach out, reach out and touch someone…
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### Author:  [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/3 "2010-05-07T18:12:44Z")
Three consecutive shots at 3,000 feet beyond the effective range of his weapon. Wow. Two kill shots, and a third to destroy their machine gun.
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### Author:  [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/4 "2010-05-07T18:19:47Z")
Christ. Three full seconds of lag time over that distance between shooting the bullet and hitting the target. That’s an incredible level of skill.
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### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/5 "2010-05-07T19:16:32Z")
Camper noob.
(only kidding. Awesome.)
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### Author:  [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/6 "2010-05-07T19:19:08Z")
So, are they going to set him on that Taliban sniper who’s been causing a lot of problems over there?
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### Author:  [@may\_be\_ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/may_be_ignorant)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/7 "2010-05-07T19:43:27Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Camper noob.
Beat me to it. 🆒
I was watching a show that showed the previous record holder and the other three or so longest or most impressive sniper kills. They took the original snipers and had them recreate the situations. The Canadian said he was only able to take that long of a shot because an American sniper had given him American made ammunition.
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### Author:  [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/8 "2010-05-07T19:59:13Z")
This guy killed [5 Taliban in 28 seconds](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1273679/Gone-28-seconds-Rapid-sniper-takes-Taliban-soldiers-protect-British-patrol.html), although he fired 9 rounds (with 5 round mags) before the first hit (getting range and windage, I guess). Amazing that they didn’t notice the rounds buzzing round them. They must have been too focused on the patrol they wanted to ambush.
Si
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### Author:  [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/9 "2010-05-07T20:04:19Z")
> [@si\_blakely](#):
>
> This guy killed [5 Taliban in 28 seconds](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1273679/Gone-28-seconds-Rapid-sniper-takes-Taliban-soldiers-protect-British-patrol.html), although he fired 9 rounds (with 5 round mags) before the first hit (getting range and windage, I guess). Amazing that they didn’t notice the rounds buzzing round them. They must have been too focused on the patrol they wanted to ambush.
>
> Si
The sniper said that the other four had moved closer by then. Makes me wonder if they were trying to hunt him down. Bad tactical decision, if so.
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### Author:  [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/10 "2010-05-07T20:15:07Z")
I’m suspicious of a ‘record’ that is totally unverifiable.
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### Author:  [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/11 "2010-05-07T20:18:44Z")
Especially one where the manufacturer of the weapon used says this -
> [@](#):
>
> Tom Irwin, a director of Accuracy International, the British manufacturer of the L115A3 rifle, said: “It is still fairly accurate beyond 4,921ft, **but at that distance luck plays as much of a part as anything.** ”
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### Author:  [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/12 "2010-05-07T20:29:00Z")
> [@LionelHutz405](#):
>
> I’m suspicious of a ‘record’ that is totally unverifiable.
It is apparently verified by GPS measurement. What standard is normally used to verify this type of thing? I’m ignorant.
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### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/13 "2010-05-07T20:35:31Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#):
>
> Especially one where the manufacturer of the weapon used says this -
It plays a part. Not the whole part.
And I think the guy acknowledged that he was lucky.
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### Author:  [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/14 "2010-05-07T20:38:26Z")
> [@Ogre](#):
>
> It is apparently verified by GPS measurement. What standard is normally used to verify this type of thing? I’m ignorant.
Regardless, the rifle manufacturers themselves say they were “lucky shots” — do people get records for being lucky?
And why would someone want a record associated with the death of a human being who just happens to have different viewpoints to you?
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### Author:  [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/15 "2010-05-07T20:44:55Z")
> [@Ogre](#):
>
> It is apparently verified by GPS measurement. What standard is normally used to verify this type of thing? I’m ignorant.
That’s how it was measured, not verified.
If you are going to claim a record, you need to do more than just claim it.
If you want to claim a really good shot from a long way away, go ahead. But claiming a record is a bit much.
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### Author:  [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/16 "2010-05-07T20:51:46Z")
Three “lucky shots” in a row? This guy is amazing and deserves the record.
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### Author:  [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/17 "2010-05-07T21:03:15Z")
> [@TruCelt](#):
>
> Three “lucky shots” in a row? This guy is amazing and deserves the record.
deserves the record for what? – 3 very skillful shots, or 3 very lucky coincidences?
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### Author:  [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/18 "2010-05-07T21:06:46Z")
> [@appleciders](#):
>
> Christ. Three full seconds of lag time over that distance between shooting the bullet and hitting the target. That’s an incredible level of skill.
And if the target would have took a step to either side within that 3 seconds, the sniper would have missed. Or if there had been a particularly strong cross-wind half a mile out from the target.
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### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/19 "2010-05-07T21:10:20Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#):
>
> And if the target would have took a step to either side within that 3 seconds, the sniper would have missed. Or if there had been a particularly strong cross-wind half a mile out from the target.
We get it - there’s luck involved. Whenever I shoot someone from across a map on a computer game I know there was luck involved. That doesn’t stop it from being awesome.
Why do you seem to have sour grapes about this?
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### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-sniper-sets-record/538640/20 "2010-05-07T21:11:22Z")
> [@chappachula](#):
>
> deserves the record for what? – 3 very skillful shots, or 3 very lucky coincidences?
3 kills from a distance.
Who cares if it was luck or skill (or both). A record is a record.
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