Having watched "American Sniper" a few weeks ago I was interested to read the following this morning:

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/...st-sniper/ar-AA8SF3j

Looks like the accolade for most lethal sniper in military history does in fact belong to a Brit.

Simo Häyhä

"I only did my duty, and what I was told to do, as well as I could."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4

Errr..... I mean a Fin

Yes, a 152cm long Fin. A remarkable man for sure

It is a remarkable feat without a doubt. It must be remembered that Chris Kyle had a large number of unconfirmed kills. If I recall correctly about 100 of them.


I think the movie was made in large part because he wrote an immensely popular book and the way he died.

Definitely interesting... They all have many unconfirmed kills for sure to Larry's point.
To many, Carlos Hathcock is and was a legendary figure in the annals of Sniperdom ( new made up word).
He operated back then with a 30-06 and a Redfield 3x9 scope! Imagine that relative to today's Sniper weapons, optics, and calibers such as the .338 Lapua and .50 BMG

I believe that a Canadian sniper holds the record for the longest-distance kill. Kyle, like Carlos Hathaway in Vietnam, did multiple tours and, like Hathaway, he was well known to the enemy and was targeted by them. All these snipers saved many, many American, British/ Canadian/ other allies lives and all deserve the greatest respect. Also, their spotters deserve far more credit tan they receive.

Carlos Hathcock was in a totally different environment. The story of him taking out the Chinese general is nothing short of miraculous. It took skill and calm under pressure to survive that episode.

quote:

Originally posted by blanco county:
I believe that a Canadian sniper holds the record for the longest-distance kill. Kyle, like Carlos Hathaway in Vietnam, did multiple tours and, like Hathaway, he was well known to the enemy and was targeted by them. All these snipers saved many, many American, British/ Canadian/ other allies lives and all deserve the greatest respect. Also, their spotters deserve far more credit tan they receive.

As of the last I saw the Canadians kill has userped by a Brit, and then again by an American.

Snipers are getting so much trigger time that extra long whackings are common place.

Hathcock's 50 BMG kill at 1600 yards is to me still the most amazing.

""Because he saw the enemy as humans, he has not struggled emotionally or psychologically with what has happened."

Don't really understand that quote from the story.
Respect and admire his duty but thinking the author got the quote wrong.

Ski+3

Some more info on Simo. There is not som much info to find written in english on this fascinating Fin. In Swedish there is much more and in Finland he is the national hero of all times.

http://www.badassoftheweek.com/hayha.html

http://www.simohayha.com

http://www.mosinnagant.net/finland/simohayha.asp

quote:

Originally posted by blanco county:
I believe that a Canadian sniper holds the record for the longest-distance kill. Kyle, like Carlos Hathaway in Vietnam, did multiple tours and, like Hathaway, he was well known to the enemy and was targeted by them. All these snipers saved many, many American, British/ Canadian/ other allies lives and all deserve the greatest respect. Also, their spotters deserve far more credit tan they receive.

per SEAL doctrine, Kyle did not use a spotter. the Marines and Army did.

And all the extra long range shots flukes. No way to adjust the sights for those ranges, so had to, in a case or two, range them in, but in others, do the best you can to estimate and let on off. So many variables in a really long shot, a lot of them as much luck as skill, because a breeze of any sort, and the person moving, can make a miss. Not saying it doesn't take skill, and a lot of it, just so many things enter into the picture, you wonder how many misses they had at those extreme ranges.

An interesting read here, With British Snipers to the Reich
by C. Shore

These guys experimented with the Ma deuce in single shot sniping role,

First-hand battlefield experiences
-- Comparison of British, German, American, French, Russian, and other weaponsIn "With British Snipers", Captain Shore shares a wealth of first-hand experience of different rifles, pistols, machine guns, ammunition, telescopes, binoculars, and all the equipment a sniper should carry. In World War II he took part in the British landings

The guy's not an American, so it doesn't count.

Grizz

What about Zajcev?
He was a master sniper

Not to detract from any of these great soldiers, but should we take a lesson from SCI and keep track of trophies, different species, continents on which they were taken, etc.?