The supergun that kills from a mile - and the camouflaged crackshots using it against the Taliban

By Christopher Leake
Last updated at 9:51 AM on 15th February 2009


British Army snipers call it 'the Silent Assassin' and it is the weapon the Taliban fear the most.

It is the British-made L115A3 Long Range Rifle which, in recent weeks, has killed scores of enemy fighters in Afghanistan.

In a new initiative on the front line, the Army is using sniper platoons to target the Taliban and 'The Long', as the snipers call it, can take out insurgents from a mile away.

Many of the elite marksmen who use the rifle make their own extraordinary suits of camouflage to stay hidden from the Taliban.

Some have been known to go 'under cover' for two days while they pick off the enemy.

Last week Army snipers were training with the rifle and full camouflage on the snow-covered ranges of the Support Weapons School at the Land Warfare Centre at Warminster, Wiltshire.

Deadly: The rifle is known as 'The Long' and can take out insurgents from a mile away

One of them, known as Yuppie, said: 'You could call it made-to-measure camouflage.

'This one is green string tied into sheets, then covered in straw with straps attached so it fits tight. It took three months and a lot of patience to make.'

His comrade Dean, who like Yuppie is a veteran of Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Northern Ireland, said: 'I wouldn't say us snipers are an elite, but we think we're a cut above the rest.'

The L115A3 Long Range Sniper Rifle - based on a weapon used by the British Olympic shooting team - weighs 15lbs, fires 8.59mm rounds and has a range of 1,100-1,500 yards.


.http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/02/14/article-1145667-037BE7C7000005DC-186_468x232.jpg

-Where can I buy one of these!!!!....I sure could use one!:eek:

-Where can I buy one of these!!!!....I sure could use one!:eek:
May need one in a year or so? lol

make nice moose gun

make nice moose gun


Haha...at first I thought you said Mouse Gun ? :yes:

good for hunting of alkinds

it is a very impressive weapon with great range.
so, i'm guessing that it's action and operation makes it easier on the sniper to achieve his objective.

i had heard that shots from that distance were possible, but very hard to get and were dependent upon the wind's influence. i wonder if this has been an integrated improvement making those shots easier.

it's a fascinating read.

make nice moose gun

holy give the poor moose some sort of a chance:sly:

it's a toy , compared to the Barrett 50 caliber sniper rifle ..!
some models have a effective range of 2,700 meters.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/M82A1_afmil.jpg/300px-M82A1_afmil.jpg

The Barrett M82A1 with AN/PVS-10 day/night optic.

Type: Anti-materiel rifle
Place of origin: United States

Service history

In service: 1989–present


Production history

Designer: Ronnie Barrett
Designed: 1980
Manufacturer: Barrett Firearms Company
Unit cost: $8,650
Produced: 1982–present
Variants: M82A1, M82A1A, M82A1M, M82A2, M82A3, M107

Specifications

Weight: 13.6 kg (29.98 lb) (M82A1)
Length: 1,450 mm (57.1 in) (M82A1)
Barrel length: 508 mm (20.0 in)
733 mm (28.9 in)


Cartridge: .50 BMG (12.7x99mm NATO)
Action: Recoil operated, rotating bolt
Muzzle velocity: 853 m/s (2,799 ft/s)

Effective range: 1,850 m
Maximum range: 6,800 m

Feed system: 10-round detachable box magazine
Sights: Fixed front, adjustable rear sight; MIL-STD-1913 rail provided for optics.


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now this one above ill take.....nice guns.

The M82A1 is known by the US Military as the SASR — "Special Applications Scoped Rifle", and it was and still is used as an anti-matériel weapon and EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) tool. The long effective range, over 1850 m with a record shot of 2500 meters.

The Longest Range I know is: McMillan Tac-50

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Tac50.jpg

Type: Anti-materiel rifle, Sniper rifle
Place of origin: United States

Service history

In service: 2000-present
Used by: Canada
Wars: Afghan War

Production history

Designed: 1980s
Manufacturer: McMillan Brothers Rifle Co.
Produced: 1980s–present

Specifications

Weight: 26.0 lb (11.8 kg)
Length: 57.0 in (1,448 mm)
Barrel length: 29.0 in (737 mm)
Cartridge: .50 BMG (12.7 x 99 mm)
Action: manually operated rotary bolt action
Muzzle velocity: 823 m/s (2,700 ft/s) (Hornady 750 gr A-MAX)

Effective range 2,400 m (2,620 yd)

Feed system: 5 round detachable box magazine
Sights: Customizable; 16x telescopic sight standard in Canadian Forces




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May need one in a year or so? lol

-DougR, I need one now....I will be singing antlers in the tree top
by who shot the moose.....Being able to shot a moose one mile way,
is a bonus....The moose will not know what hit him.....Bang-Bang.

Hmm,
Didn't they change the round from a 50 cal to a 460 round more of a boat tail and got longer range out of it???

For People like me who like up close and personal..... Check this out...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqucgAIFEyM&feature=related

nice thanks for the info

-Just think, ten of these guns in the hand of a punch of Newfies.....The war in the
middle east would be over in a week....
Super gun......For super Newffff

Here is the "CONSUMER" version by the same company.

hXXp://www.accuracyinternational.com/

and here is a dealer in the USA that stocks them..

http://www.tacproshootingcenter.com/AI_rifles.html

Wish I had the money to blow on one of these...would love to shoot one.

Great Info.

I would like to buy one of them.

As Jed Clamplet would say.....Weeeeeelllllll Doggggiee .....Right nice squirrel gun for Jethro
Man both of those things are awesome.....and how many of them are on the streets of our cities at this time.......
Tony

As Jed Clamplet would say.....Weeeeeelllllll Doggggiee .....Right nice squirrel gun for Jethro
Man both of those things are awesome.....and how many of them are on the streets of our cities at this time.......
Tony
As I recall...Jethro and Jed would only shoot the wings off the flies a few hundred feet away. How much more accuracy would be needed? lol

LOL, squirrel gun? I don't think there would be anything left of a squirrel but a*s hole and eyeballs after being hit this monster, even after a mile away. Would be nice to add to my collection, but would hope I would never ever need something like this.