Sniper: Part 1

SHORT HISTORY

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Sniper has been well known since the 14″th” century. Leonardo ‘Da Vinci’ invented sniping weapon during Siege of Florence war at 1498 to ‘stop’ the holy ancient Greek troops that surrounding Florence City, Italy. His invention was able to ‘kill’ at range 200 m. At the time, it’s a greater range.

On the 16th century, Louis XIV, the King of France was knocked down by the sniper even he had wearing bullet proof suit. Timothy Murphy, US army succeeded sniping and kill Simon Fraser, UK Army General from range 460 meters.

When Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Austria from year 1796 to 1797, many of his soldiers were killed by the sniper from range 150 m. Austria snipers was using bull up riffle with 20 bullets of 13 mm calibers on the ammunition chamber room.

During the Trafalgar war on 1805, Admiral Horatio Nelson from UK-Navy was sniped on his battleship during close combat with French battleship. He was aimed and sniped by the French soldiers above the ship’s mast. Fantastic, the sniper could aim precisely even the ship were shacking by the ocean wave. Admiral Horatio Nelson was shot from range 75 m.

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Record on sniper killing ratio during the world war i.e.:

·         ‘Simo Hayha’, Winter War at 1939 to 1940, victims 542 USSR troops.

·         Vassily ‘Zaitsev’, Battle of Stalingrad at 1942, victims 242 NAZI troops.

·         Carlos ‘Hathcock’, Vietnam War, victims 43 North Vietnam Soldiers.

Weapons & Attributes

Mauser M1895 is a single bolt action sniper riffle with 7 mm caliber that could shoot target accurately from range 300 m without telescope attach. The predicate was granted to Boer Army from Carolina Commandos & Pretoria Commandos from the hill of ‘Spion’ ‘Kop’, South Africa. With the riffle, his army succeed wipe out 1,200 from 1,700 UK troops at the lower hill nearby.

Sniper Camouflage call ‘Ghillie ‘Suit was created by Lord ‘Lovat’. He is Scotland noble and also an UK Army officer. His idea is able to protect their troop movement during the England-Germany war. UK Army General found many UK troops were shot on the chest and head.

In World War I, the best killing rate predicate was given to Francis ‘Pegahmagabow’, Canadian Army. He succeed wipe out 378 soldiers with Ross Mk3 .303(7,7mm) riffle and No 3 MK I 7, 7 mm caliber riffle.

‘Tokarev’ SVT38 was the first semi automatic sniper riffle created by Russia. Soon the SVT38 was upgraded to SVT40 type. German copied the SVT40 design and built its own, “Gewehr41” (Walther) semi automatic riffle. Later, the “Gewehr41” was upgraded to “Gewehr43” (G43).

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At the same time, US built “Garand” M1C & M1D sniper riffle. Single Bolt Action Springfield M1903 sniper riffle was used by US Marine. Meanwhile UK remained with their L42Z1 bolt action sniper riffle until the end of the World War II. The riffle design was based on Lee “Enfield” Mk IV riffle. According to UK armed forces, semi automatic riffle had so many problems because too heavy, wasting resource jammed, inaccurate for target ranging above 500 m.

When World War II neared end, NAZI success created the first infrared telescope for night use purpose. NAZI named it as “vampire”. The telescope was installed on their sniper riffle and assault riffle (’Strumgewehr44 – STG 44′) by ‘Haeland’ GmBH. The infrared is able to light red beam up to range 150m which possibly sniper to kill the enemy accurately during night.

During Korean War, America produced M1 carbine sniper riffle with infrared telescope attached. They copied from the NAZI “vampire” telescope with a better range. The IR could mark target 50 m further than the “Vampire”. During Korean War, 1966, American created Winchester 70 with 7, 62 mm bullets to meet NATO standard requirement riffle. The telescope was upgraded and able to zoom 6 times. North Vietnam & Vietcong used the Russian built riffle, “Mossin Nagant” M1891/30 single bolt action with 7, 62 mm x 54 R.

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(to be continued…)

Source: “Angkasa”-collection magazine (translate)