Counter Sniper Handbook - Eliminate the Risk with the Official US Army Manual E-Book
U.S. Department of Defense
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- Herausgeber: Booksell-Verlag
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017
Counter Sniper aims to reduce the damage caused by a sniper, which can often be very harmful. The individual who shoots at police, firemen, soldiers or citizens is certainly dangerous. In order to counteract, it is necessary to train individuals whose knowledge and skills fall within the description of a sniper, but who are known as Counter snipers. This handbook provides the crucial information in the selection of the right equipment, preparation, training, and the decisive actions of the counter sniper. Content: Ammunition Rifles Sights Noise and Muzzle Flash General Notes Trajectory of 222 Cartridge Description of Epoxy Impregnation of Stock Firing Positions Typical Countersniper Situations Suitable Countersniping Equipment
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Counter Sniper Handbook - Eliminate the Risk with the Official US Army Manual
FOREWORD
With the increase in civil disorders, the term sniper has come into common usage (particularly in the press) which is in general, erroneously used in that the term is commonly applied to any person who fires at a specific area or person with any type of firearm. Webster defines a SNIPER as "a sharpshooter concealed to harass the enemy by picking off individual members, usually at long range, and with a telescope-flight equipped rifle.”
Regardless of what we may call him, the individual who is shooting at police, firemen, soldiers or citizens is certainly dangerous. In order to counteract, we must employ a trained individual whose knowledge and skill fall within the dictionary description of a sniper, whom we shall refer to throughout the manual as a COUNTERSNIPER.
This manual provides general basic information, which we hope will be of assistance to those concerned in the selection of equipment, training, and employment of the counter sniper.
The contents of this manual pertaining to the selection of equipment are presented in the sequence that it is felt should he followed in determining the end item best suited to the needs of the user.
CHAPTER 1 AMMUNITION
1. We believe that, in most instances, the counter sniper will not be required to engage targets beyond 300 yards* In fact, it is our belief that the majority of the targets will probably £all within a span of 100 to 200 yards, particularly in built up areas. Infrequently, however, perhaps in the country-side, a target may be engaged at distances up to perhaps 500 to 600 yards.
2. Of the several factors that must be considered in the selection of countersniper equipment (i. e., ammunition, weapons, and scopes), accuracy is perhaps the most critical, because on many occasions, the target presented will be small, and in addition possibly partially obscured or blending into the background. Further, innocent people may be located in the immediate vicinity of the target and the counter sniper must avoid injuring bystanders.
3. The ammunition to be used is the first item to be considered in terms of your objective or mission. Once you determine the ammunition that best suits your requirement, you may then consider the weapon and scope that will enable the countersniper to place the round in the target. The type of bullet is a prime factor to be considered. Soft nose hollow point or other types of commercial hunting bullets would certainly be the most effective, though not necessarily the most accurate. However, public officials are continually confronted with public opinion and n 'Humanitarians" who may class this type of bullet as barbaric; and therefore, in some instances, the public officials concerned may be forced to restrict the employing agency to the use of military-type bullets of full jacketed configuration.
4. Noise level and recoil are certainly factors to be considered inasmuch as the average shooter is able to obtain better performance from a rifle of low recoil rather than one of medium or heavy recoil-It is also advantageous to have a low level of noise for the following reasons:
a. We do not want to alert the sniper or snipers to the fact that they are being fired upon.
b. Eliminate or certainly reduce the possibility of panic on the part of the general public, which often accompanies gunfire.
c. Reduce the shock effect on the ears of the countersniper who will perform more precisely with a low level of muzzle blast.
5. For distances up to 300 yards, we recommend the Caliber .222 Remington cartridge. Commercial loadings by our American ammunition companies will usually shoot ten shot groups of one inch or less at 100 yards. Many ammunition lots will, in fact, shoot groups of .6 to . 7 of one inch at this distance. The recoil is mild noise level low and the cost of ammunition relatively inexpensive. The performances capabilities of this cartridge are shown in Annex A. Please note that the rifle was sighted to hit "point of aim" at 250 yards, and all groups fired at other ranges are in relation to this same aiming point, indicating that the bullet will strike approximately four and a quarter inches above this aiming point at 100 yards, a little over five inches above at 200 yards and four inches below at 300 yards.
At ranges greater than 300 yards the .222 cartridge is considered impractical, due to the loss of velocity, which results in drastic changes in the trajectory curve that would negate the possibility of disabling wounds. For instance, using the same sight setting explained above, we would find the strike of the bullet two feet below the aiming point at 400 yards and five feet below at 500 yards. We acknowledge that a full-sized man could be hit at these greater distances by careful estimation of the range and the proper "hold over"; however, the countersniper ordinarily cannot depend on getting a shot at a fully exposed target and must therefore have the capability of hitting a much smaller target.
6. For the greater ranges we recommend a cartridge of the .30 caliber class using either the .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO) or 30-06. Bullets of all types commercial loaded can be obtained in either caliber cartridge. Highly accurate MATCH ammunition is available from commercial sources as well as from government contractor. These cartridges have sufficient size, energy, velocity and bullet weight to produce satisfactory disabling wounds at greater ranges.
7. Many people will undoubtedly wonder why we have not recommended other calibers each as the 22-250 Remington, 220 Swift, 243 Winchester, 6mm Remington .270, .284, etc. In many cases they are all, entirely suitable insofar as accuracy and flat trajectory are concerned, however, they are not available with full metal jacket bullets. If the counter sniper possesses an accurate Varmint rifle and can obtain or handload bullet types suitable to the area and conditions, by all means use it. Rather than go to the additional expense of special rifles. If however, if you are making an initial investment, we suggest that you give our recommendations in chapter 2 careful consideration.
CHAPTER 2 RIFLES
1. The rifle used by the counterneiper must be as accurate as it is reasonably possible to obtain. The USAMTU shop builds rifles that will give an average extreme spread of one and a half inches at 300 meters (328 yards), but these rifles are constructed by the world's most experienced gunsmiths and the cost of the barrel alone exceeds the cost of a rather good commercial rifle. Rifles meeting the above mentioned accuracy criteria are impractical from the standpoint of cost and availability. From a realistic point of view, insofar as accuracy requirements are concerned, we recommend a rifle that will constantly shoot into two minutes of angle or in terms of measurement, two inches at 100 yards, six inches at 300 yards, etc. To be acceptable, the rifle must consistently shoot these size groups or smaller.
NOTE: Some users may feel that a requirement exists for a weapon with a rapid fire capability. However, to our knowledge, the only semi-automatic rifle that has an acceptable accuracy insofar as sniping is concerned, is the US Army XM-21 sniper rifle. At this time, these rifles are only available to Military Police Units.
2. The manually operated bolt action rifle is the most accurate of all of the commercial versions available and is by far the easiest type to modify to produce the quality weapon required for sniping. The heavy or so called "Varmint" weight barrel is an absolute necessity in order to ensure an accurate and stable rifle. The relative merits of the heavy barrel versus the standard of "Sporter" barrel, insofar as stability is concerned, can be illustrated by comparing the movement of the pendulum of various clocks. The movement of the pendulum of the typical coo coo clock is very fast and changes direction at a rapid rate, whereas the heavy pendulum of the grandfather clock swings slowly back and forth. Let us assume that a set of sights are attached to both types, immediately it becomes apparent which one would allow a more precise alignment and timed release of a shot. A light hunting rifle has its place when a long carry or hard climb up a mountain is required, but it is too inefficient to be used as a countersniper weapon.
3. The countersniper rifle must be capable of holding a ZERO. For example, it must shoot in the same place in relation to the aiming point every day regardless of changes in weather, temperature, humidity level, etc. Therefore, the modifications listed below should be made to the rifle selected in order to obtain the accuracy and consistency that is required.
a. Epoxy Impregnation of the Stock. In order to prevent warpage and principally to increase the tensile strength of the stock, impregnation of the wood of the stock with an epoxy is recommended. This is rather impractical for a small organization with only one or two rifles, but for the larger departments with a. number of weapons, it is quite advantageous. A brief description of this process can be found at the rear of the manual. (Annex B.)
b. Free Floating of Barrel. Wood should be removed from the barrel channel in the stock, until the barrel is entirely free of the stock. This is called "free floating" and assures that the barrel will be allowed to vibrate freely and uniformly on each shot. The clearance between the barrel and stock should be a minimum of 1/16 inch. It has been customary in the past to use a dollar bill to ensure proper clearance, by sliding it up to the front of the receiver between the stock and barrel. This is not sufficient clearance, as many barrels will vibrate several thousandths of an inch and strike the stock in an inconsistent manner causing inaccuracy and shifting of the center of the shot group. After the wood has been removed, the barrel channel of the stock should be coated with a good grade of varnish (bar top varnish is excellent) to close the pores of the wood and prevent changes in the dimensions of the -wood that would result from the moisture that would be either absorbed or conversely lost due to fluctuations both in the humidity level and temperature.
c. Glass Bedding. In order to obtain the desired consistency we must join the metal parts of the mechanism to the stock by means of glass bedding. "Bedding" is a term used to describe the matching fit between the metal parts and wood of the stock. Glass bedding is the use of either a fiberglass or a plastic type material to obtain a perfectly matching fit between the metal and wood. The material is very similar to that used in the manufacture of boat hulls, auto bodies, etc. Several commercial types of glass bedding are available. Those having the least shrinkage are the more desirable. Some types have up to 7% shrinkage while others have none. Shrinkage does not ordinarily occur during the hardening or setting up process, but rather during the two or three day curing period following the hardening action. It is strongly recommended that a skilled gunsmith perform the bedding operation, which at first observation looks simple, but in reality calls for considerable skill, knowledge, and experience on the part of the craftsman.
d. Trigger Adjustment. Most high powered rifles of American manufacture have adjustable trigger mechanisms which can and should be adjusted to a relatively light pull of two to three pounds. In as much as the target may be visible for only a few seconds, it is very important that the counter -sniper be able to get off a fast shot with a minimum of disturbance to his rifle. Safety is also very important and the rifleman should practice frequently in order to become thoroughly accustomed to the sensitivity of the trigger so as to obtain a perfectly timed shot that is aimed only at his prescribed tar-get and does not endanger innocent bystanders.
4. There is a common misconception among shooters that there is no longer a need to clean the bore of a rifle due to the non-corrosive priming used in the manufacture of modern ammunition. Nothing could be further from the truth. The bench rest shooters who are conscious only of accuracy, clean their barrels after every tenth record shot. The build up of metal fouling from the bullets passing through the barrel can greatly impair accuracy. The rifle should be properly cleaned after firing. Many types of bore cleaners are available, most of which will do a satisfactory job. The bolt should be removed and the rifle cleaned from the breech end, with care taken not to cause damage or wear to the rifling at the muzzle end of the barrel, instructions and recommendations supplied with the cleaning agents should be followed as closely as possible.
5. There is one additional type of rifle that should be given consideration, and that is the .22 caliber rim fire. This rifle when equipped with a telescopic sight is very useful as a training rifle due to several factors previously mentioned such as cost, noise, recoil, etc. Equipped with a silencer and sub-sonic ammunition (some types of Match 22 long rifle cartridges are loaded below the speed of sound by the factory), it could be employed within a few yards of bystanders, etc., without their being aware that anything is going on. It is also helpful in eliminating certain undesirable domestic animals or wildlife without arousing the neighborhood with gun fire.
CHAPTER 3 SIGHTS
1. Let us now discuss one of the most important and yet least understood components of our countersniper equipment, the SIGHTS on the rifle.
Early firearms had no sights, but were simply pointed in the direction of the target, and a prayer to the right diety was considered to be very helpful. In fact, many firearms throughout history have had religious symbols placed on them to assure assistance from the gods when firing at infidels, non believers, and even certain species of game.
Later, front sights were installed, followed by open rear sights, peep sights, and finally the high quality and efficient optical sights which are available today. The modern telescope, permits one to see targets that are completely invisible to the naked eye; allows the shooter to utilize the full accuracy potential of the rifle and finally provides the countersniper with the confidence that he can hit his target, which is absolutely essential in activities of this sort.
2. In order to prove the requirement for an optical sight on the part of the countersniper, we shall make a comparison of the characteristics of all types of sights available today.
a. The Open Sight is found on most .22 caliber rim fire rifles and many hunting rifles when received from the factory. This type of sighting system requires the shooter to place his head and eye in an exact position in relation to the sight to insure that they are all properly aligned. He must focus on the rear sight, the front sight, and the target at various times in the firing of each shot. In as much as it is physically impossible for the human eye to focus on more than one of these objects at any one time, his eye must shift its focus from the rear sight, to the front sight to the target. In the course of obtaining a good "sight picture" this process is actually run through several times in the firing of a single shot- Experience in competitive shooting has shown that the best results are obtained by firing with the front sight sharply in focus and allowing the rear sight and target to be out of focus. We immediately note a disadvantage to this system in the use of moving targets in as much as we tend to look directly at the target and consequently accept a loss of accuracy. Another objection to the open sight system is the fact that it covers up the target, to the degree that nothing below the top of the rear sight can be seen when aiming (see illustration). Additional targets, which certainly could be danger points, are obscured by the sights.
b. The peep sight is a much more precise aiming device than the open sight and requires the eye to focus only on the front sight and the target. Again, the best results are obtained while concentrating focusing on the front sight. However, we have the same problem with peep sights on a moving target as mentioned above, in that we may loose sight of it. The peep is simply looked through and the eye is supposed to naturally seek the brightest spot in the center of the peep. However, many people will tend to drift into the lower half of the aperature of the peep and consequently shoot low. The light passing through the aperature is much lower in intensity than the available light and many time objects that can be seen clearly with the naked eye cannot be defined by looking through the sights. The field of view which is defined as the area that can be seen through the peep sight is limited. In fact, it is much smaller in size than the area that is viewed through telescopic sights of the magnification levels of which we are concerned (see illustration). Further, good peep sights are expensive and cost almost half as much as an acceptable optical sight which does the job much more effectively.
c. From experience it has been determined that the telescope sight is the only suitable sight to be employed in the countersniper role. In shooting, you simply look into the eyepiece of the telescope, place the reticle on the target and press the rigger.
3. We shall explain the terminology related to optical/telescope sights in some detail below in as much as the average person has little or no knowledge in this field:
a. RETICLE: This is the aiming device within the sight which is found in many configurations ouches cross wires, post, center dot, or combinations of any and all of the above. The reticle, which is greatly magnified by the lenses of the telescope, is In reality an extremely small and delicate assembly that is not to be tampered with by the amateur. For example, the ordinary cross wires are manufactured from a material that is actually less than one half the thickness of a human hair.
