# How far could a sniper shoot?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 14, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199 "2003-05-14T14:08:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/1 "2003-05-14T14:08:59Z")
So I was reading some of the adventures of **Golgo 13** , the world’s most terrifying hitman, the most mind-blowing (quite literally) sniper… and I got to wonder just how realistic his skills would be.
It’s common knowledge in the manga that Golgo 13 can pick off a moving target at a distance of one kilometer.
How far away could a _very_ good shot, in the real world, consistently hit a target? Moving or otherwise?
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/2 "2003-05-14T14:18:29Z")
With a normal hunting type sniper rifle, a really skilled shooter could consistently hit a human sized target at 300 - 400 yards. Anything more than that would be a real stretch, especially if it was moving.
However, huge 50 cal rifles are often used in competitions to hit 1 foot circles from 1000 yards away. Those are not the types of guns typically used by snipers but it is possible.
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### Author:  [@mrcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrcrow)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/3 "2003-05-14T14:25:11Z")
300 seems a long way.
there are so man variables.🙂
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### Author:  [@mrcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrcrow)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/4 "2003-05-14T14:29:46Z")
sorry i should have posted 400 yards…🙂
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### Author:  [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/5 "2003-05-14T14:30:26Z")
The record stands at something like 2,430 metres:
[http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1026271952413\_269/](http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1026271952413_269/)
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### Author:  [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/6 "2003-05-14T14:43:07Z")
Special forces snipers do, in fact, use .50-cal. rifles on occasion.
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### Author:  [@breaknrun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breaknrun)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/7 "2003-05-14T14:43:54Z")
Do a search for Carlos Hathcock, a marine sniper. His most famous kill was from 2500 yards with a .50 caliber Browning. Top shooters could be consistent at 1000 yards.
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/8 "2003-05-14T15:05:35Z")
How would they compensate for the effect of gravity on the bullet?
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### Author:  [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/9 "2003-05-14T15:08:58Z")
You compensate by sighting in for longer distances. Trained snipers can also compensate for bullet drop and wind conditions by adjusting their sights accordingly.
It’s an art form in and of itself. Google .50-cal target competition and read about all of the things shooters must account for.
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### Author:  [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/10 "2003-05-14T15:34:08Z")
There are many variables in effect when trying to hit past 400 yards. These include bullet drop (due to gravity), wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, and elevation. There are also components that contribute to random error such as variations in bullets (weight, diameter, etc.), variations in propellant, barrel temperature, buildup of powder and copper in the barrel, etc. And of course, there’s human error, which is usually the most significant component.
The Army says 800 yards is the practical limit for 7.62 x 51; the Marines say 1000 yards. At any rate, 95% of shooters have an extremely tough time beyond 300 yards. Only a handful of people can shoot 7.62 x 51 at 800 yards and beyond.
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### Author:  [@SteveAtlanta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveAtlanta)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/11 "2003-05-14T16:20:37Z")
If you are interested in the mechanics and tecniques of sniping, especially in the military sense, then check The History Channel. They run a sporadic series of episodes with names like “Sniper - One Shot, One Kill” and “Sniper - Stalk and Kill.” The equipment, techniques and training are explained in detail during these hour-long episodes.
From those programs and from an acquaintence who just retired from the field, I can give some comments. As a previous poster said, trained Scout/Snipers can consistently fire a killing shot from a prone position using a good rifle and scope at 800 to 1,000 yards. The Barrett .50 has been fired accurately to just over one mile (1,760 yards). For the shot mentioned by a previous poster, Carlos Hathcock used a scope-mounted M2 .50 calibre machine gun, but firing a single shot. An M2, or “Ma Deuce” is that huge base-pounted machine gun mounted on tanks, Jeeps, ships, riverine patrol boats and tripods since World War II and still used widely today.
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### Author:  [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/12 "2003-05-14T16:30:28Z")
I don’t know the game Golgo 13, but it sounds like an assassination type situation (hitman). In that case, I suspect the range might be extended beyond 1000m a bit. From a prepared position, and a proper solid rest, with exaclty known ranges etc. the sniper could considerably reduce the variables. With special low drag coefficient bullets and some wildcat cartridge, I suspect you could extend the range out to 1500 yards at least, even without going to the .50 cal. When Hathcock made his record shot he was (IIRC from reading the book about him some years ago) firing from a hilltop firebase, not crawling around in the jungle.
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### Author:  [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/13 "2003-05-14T16:44:00Z")
The OP asked about **moving targets** and that’s in thre realm of pure fantasy at that range. A kilometre is about a thousand yards. At that range a hit on a human torso is difficult even under the best of circumstances. While one minute of angle isn’t difficult at 100 yards it becomes much more difficult at a thousand. Wind pushes the bullet and over that distance the bullet may face wind from different directions. Target shooters use wind flags between themselves and the target to give them some information on shifting winds so they can compensate but snipers have no such luxury.
Also military snipers don’t use particularly high power scopes, usually something like a 10x Leupold M4. Look at a person from the distance of a football field with the naked eye and that’s what you’ll see in a scope at 1,000 yards.
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### Author:  [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/14 "2003-05-14T16:49:04Z")
Golgo 13 isn’t very far out of the realm of imagination, though.
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### Author:  [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/15 "2003-05-14T17:15:11Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Padeye \*
> \*\*The OP asked about **moving targets** and that’s in thre realm of pure fantasy at that range. \*\*
From the above link:
> [@](#):
>
> The Canadian .50-calibre rounds have a maximum range of between 2,200 and 2,300 metres. The U.S. rounds, they discovered, “fly farther, faster,” said Cpl. “Bill”, a 26-year-old native of Fogo Island, Nfld. The two-man Canadian team, coupled with American Sgt. Zevon Durham of Greenville, S.C., made the kill from 2,430 metres on the second shot. The first blew a bag from the hand of their target, an al-Qaida fighter walking on a road.
>
> “He didn’t even flinch,” said Bill, who spoke to The Canadian Press on condition that his real name not be used.
>
> “We made a correction and the next round hit exactly where we wanted it to. Well, a bit to the right.”
>
> The kill, one of more than 20 unofficially accredited to Canadian snipers during Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan’s Shah-i-Kot Valley, beat the 35-year-old record of 2,500 yards, or 2,250 metres, set by U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Carlos Hathcock in Duc Pho, South Vietnam.
The target was moving, albeit walking at 2500 yards. I think there was another report where a Canadian sniper took out a driver of a truck at about 2000 yards.
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### Author:  [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/16 "2003-05-14T17:31:34Z")
Err, make that:
albeit walking at _over_ 2500 yards
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### Author:  [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/17 "2003-05-14T19:18:26Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Rhum Runner \*
> \*\*I suspect you could extend the range out to 1500 yards at least, even without going to the .50 cal. When Hathcock made his record shot he was (IIRC from reading the book about him some years ago) firing from a hilltop firebase, not crawling around in the jungle. \*\*
Two things:
1. While a (successful) 1500 yard shot w/ .30 cal might be possible, _no one_ can pull it off consistently.
2. While I have the utmost respect for him, as he was probably the finest sniper ever to live, even Mr. Hathcock could not do magic. I believe he even admitted his 2,500 yard shot had a considerable component of “luck” to it.
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### Author:  [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/18 "2003-05-14T19:28:51Z")
A favorite of gun lore is the amazing shot. Any fool can make a lucky shot but a good shooter almost never makes a bad shot. Don’t judge what can be done predicably and repeatedly buy a few exceptional examples.
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### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/19 "2003-05-14T20:25:45Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _quoted by bernse_
> The two-man Canadian team, coupled with American Sgt. Zevon Durham of Greenville, S.C., made the kill from 2,430 metres on the second shot.
What’s the time delay between the arrival of the bullet and the audible gunshot at a kill of this distance? Somebody standing next to the target hears the _THUCK_ of the round hitting the guy’s chest, and then how long before he hears the echoing crack of the sniper’s rifle?
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### Author:  [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-could-a-sniper-shoot/175199/20 "2003-05-14T20:55:10Z")
2,430 / 331 = 7.3 seconds. Minus the time it took the bullet to get there. Adjust for altitude and air temp of course.
How do these people accurately measure the distance of these shots? Especially the ones that are not in a controlled type of environment (ranges or courses).
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