I just finished reading this book. I would be interested in the comments of anyone else who has read it. Coughlin was a Marine Corps sniper during recent events in Iraq (the invasion). He is credited with 60 "kills". The book was published earlier this year, after he retired from the Corps. I was a bit disappointed in the book. He had the assistance of a "writer", but there wasn't much about the science or art of shooting. Instead he talks about loading a round of "173 grain Lake City Match Ammunition" (not an exact quote). Now I have a whole bunch of 173 gr. FMJ match bullets, and they don't shoot as well as Sierra 168 or 150gr. MKs. Why not use those? He talks about the bullet penetrating the chest and "then exploding". Not sure how that happens. And finally, on, I believe, a shot lasered at 931 yards, his spotter tells him that there is a 3 mph wind and Jack pronounces that the wind is not a factor. Now, before you gyus get on my case, I am sure that Jack is a much better shot than I am. I would just have liked a bit more about how these guys trained. It looks like his team was able to laser rangefind the distances of most of his shots. A very definite plus, as it removes the variable of range estimation.
Any one else read the book?
Peter.

Peter,

The military uses the ammo they are issued, and that has been approved by the DOD for use in combat. For snipers that is either M118 or M118LR match ammo.

The M118 is listed as having a 173 grain bullet, but if you weigh them they will average closer to 175 grains. The M118LR uses the Sierra 175 grain Match King...that is sometimes erroneously referred to as a “hollow pointâ€...which it is not under the definitions used for warfare. The pin hole on the tip is a by-product of the manufacturing process of applying the jacket material...it is not designed for expansion like a true hollow point. In spite of that, M118LR ammo is clearly marked on the box as “not for use in combat.†I’m sure that it sometimes “finds†its way into some sniper rifles, but in most cases M118 will be what is used.

As for wind not being a “factor†that can be taken in several different ways. Perhaps it was a head or tail wind...perhaps it was a half or less value wind...perhaps the target was large enough to absorb the wind deflection. A 3mph full value wind (90 degrees) at 900 yards will move that round approximately 17 inches.

As for the graphic descriptions of rounds “exploding†that can probably be chalked up to an editor wanting to inject some “exciting dialog†for the readers.

I haven’t read the book but perhaps it wasn’t meant to be a “how to become a sniper†book...but rather a man telling his own personal story of a war and his experiences in it.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
I just finished reading this book. I would be interested in the comments of anyone else who has read it. Coughlin was a Marine Corps sniper during recent events in Iraq (the invasion). He is credited with 60 "kills". The book was published earlier this year, after he retired from the Corps. I was a bit disappointed in the book. He had the assistance of a "writer", but there wasn't much about the science or art of shooting. Instead he talks about loading a round of "173 grain Lake City Match Ammunition" (not an exact quote). Now I have a whole bunch of 173 gr. FMJ match bullets, and they don't shoot as well as Sierra 168 or 150gr. MKs. Why not use those? He talks about the bullet penetrating the chest and "then exploding". Not sure how that happens. And finally, on, I believe, a shot lasered at 931 yards, his spotter tells him that there is a 3 mph wind and Jack pronounces that the wind is not a factor. Now, before you gyus get on my case, I am sure that Jack is a much better shot than I am. I would just have liked a bit more about how these guys trained. It looks like his team was able to laser rangefind the distances of most of his shots. A very definite plus, as it removes the variable of range estimation.
Any one else read the book?
Peter.

Peter:

I too was disappointed in the book on several counts. Did we really need to hear how Coughlin's marriage failed? What in the heck was the relevance of that? And I am sure he loves his daughters and is a great father, but I did not buy the book to read about that.

The tone of the book put me off a bit too. I felt the author was a little too full of himself and too much of a self-promoter. Also, he exuded a lack of respect for commissioned officers which, IMHO, is not the mark of a good NCO. And what the heck was the relevance or significance of his side-kick Lieutenant [or Captain was it?]. As near as I could tell, all that guy did was carry ammo and spot targets. Never could figure out why he merited mention on the dust cover.

That said, you have to give Coughlin credit for the sniper doctrinal evolution he apparently assisted with. It does sound like the urban sniper teams aggressively engaging the enemy up front was a very effective combat tool. I did enjoy reading about the kills and contemplating what it must be like to snuff out a life like that from long distance. What thoughts go through your head when you are about to execute someone in a pretty cold blooded fashion and the target has not the least clue it is coming?

One thing that did impress me was Coughlin withholding fire on targets he was not convinced were combatants. It would have been so easy to just snuff them indiscriminately, but he did not. All of that combat experience and killing and the man still had a solid ethical core that would not let him kill a target he was not certain was an enemy combatant. Impressive.


Jordan

Guys, this is an “I was there bookâ€...not a how to become a sniper book.

Every single “I was there book“ I have ever read has glaring technical mistakes and/or errors, and just as glaring, and obvious embellishments designed to make the story a bit more interesting to a wider audience.

i browsed the book and was turned off by the writing and tone of the book. book said he had more than 60 confirmed kills and was the marines top sniper??? carlos hathcock's book, "marine sniper 93 confirmed kills" is a better book of carlos time in vietnam, and a book to be read. i admit i never saw combat as a navy corpman so my opinion is only that, with no experience. orlop

quote:

Originally posted by orlop:
i browsed the book and was turned off by the writing and tone of the book. book said he had more than 60 confirmed kills and was the marines top sniper??? carlos hathcock's book, "marine sniper 93 confirmed kills" is a better book of carlos time in vietnam, and a book to be read. i admit i never saw combat as a navy corpman so my opinion is only that, with no experience. orlop

orlop,

Hey, Doc...cut the poor guy some slack. Carlos Hathcock is dead, so perhaps this guy is the Marines top sniper at the present time. Also, it took Hathcock almost one and a half tours to chalk up his score, while this guy got his in a what, a month or so?

Hathcock was a hell of a sniper...but it sounds like this guy ain’t too shabby either.

I just finished 'Out Of Nowhere.'
Great book on the history of Snipers.
60 kills?,,,93 kills?
In this book, there are Russian snipers with 300 kills recorded.And they are women.
Pick up 'Out Of Nowhere.'
You won't be disappointed.

quote:

Originally posted by poletax:
I just finished 'Out Of Nowhere.'
Great book on the history of Snipers.
60 kills?,,,93 kills?
In this book, there are Russian snipers with 300 kills recorded.And they are women.
Pick up 'Out Of Nowhere.'
You won't be disappointed.

I haven't read that book but I saw something one the history channel(I think) and Russian women snipers got more kills then any in WW2. I think they said some got over 300, but don't quote me on that.

Just keep in mind that the Marine Corps requires a bit more than just the sniper’s word on a kill.

Carlos Hathcock probably had four or five times the 93 kills that were considered “officialy confirmed“ by the Corps.

Also, if you’ve ever read stories or watched news footage of the battles for Moscow and Stalingrad you will see that you could pretty much shoot in any direction and hit a German soldier on the battlefield...VERY target rich environment!

First of all if you write a book and want to make any money at it you don't wright it for just the shooting community, you write it for Amazon and Borders, which means you have to put the family and wife in it etc. Unfortunately that leaves all of Us unsatisfied. I aggree , I wanted more info, but in this case I believe the ghost writer was making the decisions for success in the market.
He had Casey the officer along to conferm his kills, need an officer you know, the Mariens are very particular about confermed kills. I was in the military (enlisted of course) and I'll take any Chief Master Sgt. over 90% of the officers out there.
Now, in my humble opinion, a Finn, Simo Hayna back in WWII , was probably the best sniper of all time. Used a Mosin Nagant with open sights no less, they were much more reliable in the severe winter conditions and he didn't have to expose himself to enemy fire as much. At one point in the Winter War , sometimes called "The White Death" the Finns with 36 soldiers heald off 4000 Russians. The Russians lost 1600 men the finns had 5 or 6 left but heald the ground.

"Mr. Häyhä was credited with over 500 kills in his service during the Winter War with his service cut short as he was wounded on 3-6-40 by a Soviet sniper. Simo was shot in the face with what turned out to be an exploding bullet and he was taken out of action due to these wounds. The total time that Simo Häyhä served in the Winter War was 100 days with about 500 kills credited to him. His record is truly remarkable and is long since remembered in the nation of Finland."

Connecticut Yankee

quote:

Unfortunately that leaves all of Us unsatisfied.

I like just about anything by Stephen Hunter.He researches guns,shooting,reloading and hunting.He used to be a anti-gun ass.He saw the light I guess.
'Time To Hunt','Hot Springs'....ect
Start with the first one.I buy theM at second hand bookstores around here.