50 Cal Snipper Rifle?

[Bman505]

I was out on base the other day checking out some of their firearms they are currently using. When we got to the 50 cal the guy said that was and has been used as a sniper riffle. He said that one of the longest confirmed kill shots was made by a 50 cal at over a mile. Can anyone confirm or add to this?

[Jizzle]

the longest confirmed kill with a .50 is probably longer than that. possibly not for the U.S. armed forces as other countries use them also. the bullet doesn't even stabilize it's flight path (depending on the ammo ur using, i'm going off of military grade) until about 300-400 yards. Up until that range you will still notice keyholing in your targets. It's a beasty round.

[Jizzle]

canada holds the record currently. The guys name is Rob Furlong and he hit a target at roughly 1.5 miles. 2430 Meters. Thats a long ways. He did it with a .50 BMG. The thing is though. Hathcock had a confirmed kill about 150m less with a 30-06 in VN. To me that's crazier. Both are rediculous shots.

Google the name or here's one link for Mr. Furlong

http://military.discovery.com/technology/weapons/snipers/snipers-09.html

[Descreet38]

The thing is though. Hathcock had a confirmed kill about 150m less with a 30-06 in VN. To me that's crazier. Both are rediculous shots.

OK - lets get all the “facts” into play.

Furlong was using a rifle that was built as a .50 sniper rifle from the start. He used a .50 caliber McMillan TAC-50 bolt-action rifle. His team was also equipped with the latest in technology such as laser range finder, electronic meteorology computer - etc.

Hathcock was using a highly modified M2 .50 machine gun when he made the famous long distance shot - not a 30-06. Machine gun was modified to fire one round for each trigger pull and had some special sights installed on a low tri-pod.

The other big differences in these two shots - Hathcock was deep in enemy territory and surrounded by non-friendlies who immediately began shooting back.

My source - I have used the same system as a sniper. We didn't have all the nice toys that exist today back in the late 60's early 70's

[Jizzle]

so you esentially said the same thing that i just did. minus the 30-06 part.

[Jizzle]

http://www.bobtuley.com/50bmg914.jpg

found the rifle/machine gun you where talking about. took me a few to find it. i also confirmed his longest kill with a 30-06 was just over 1200 yards, i was quite a bit off. 1200 yards is still reaching out and touching someone especially with a normal hunting type rifle.

[Descreet38]

Wow - you sure know how to bring back memories. Yes - we agree again - tis a beautiful world when people live in agreement.

seriously - Jizzle, you do surprise me with some of your research. It is pretty much on the mark.

I have actually used a modified M2 as depicted above for a shot that was just a little over 1 mile. This would have been in the late 70's. I have a couple at just under the 1.5 but that was with the Barrett system in late 80's early 90's.

When a Barrett shooter does a 1.75 or 2 mile I will smile because I think 70-80 % of todays snipers could do a 1.5 mile with the new system and all of its technology.

[Jizzle]

especially with the bors system. not to mention the .408 Chey Tech Intervention with it's ABC system. That targeting system, not to mention the ballistics on it are quite amazing. it consistently groups shots of 3000m and greater at less than 1 minute of angle. Thats pretty rediculous. At 2500 meters they had the guy from future weapons hit a man sized target 3 outta 6 times. That says something.

btw here's the supporting documentation :)

http://www.cheytac.com/White%20Paper2007.pdf

[Jizzle]

btw i've always been a fan of the "ma-deuce".