Which firearm should I buy ?

[ducatiz]

"I spent almost 2 years as a DM, trust me, I know!"

a Dungeon Master?     

wiseass nerd!

kala sa'ar, which in USA is a Designated Marksman.

Only the commies called them snipers.

[trenner]

...and Hathcock was using an M14 with 1960s glass and no spotter.  I consider him a far superior sharpshooter.

Agree.  His fieldcraft was extraordinary, too.

[Smiling End]

Agree.  His fieldcraft was extraordinary, too.

Hathcock was amazing but didn't he make that record shot with a .50 machine gun?

[ducatiz]

Hathcock was amazing but didn't he make that record shot with a .50 machine gun?

M14 and M70 in 30-06.  he did use the mg, but not for long range sharpshooter.

[rgramjet]

wiseass nerd!

Hey, I resemble that remark!

[Smiling End]

M14 and M70 in 30-06.  he did use the mg, but not for long range sharpshooter.

I'm pretty sure the record was with the mg.  This is from wikipedia:

In 1967, Hathcock set the record for the 20th century's longest combat kill with a Browning M2 .50 BMG machine gun mounting a telescopic sight. The distance was 2,286 meters or 1.42 miles. Hathcock was one of several individuals to utilize the Browning M2 machine gun in the sniping role. This success led to the adoption of the .50 BMG cartridge as a viable anti-personnel and anti-equipment sniper round. Sniper rifles have since been designed around and chambered in this caliber.

And I read the same in the Marine Sniper book by Charles Henderson.

[Autostrada Pilot]

a Dungeon Master?     

Ouch    

[ducatiz]

I'm pretty sure the record was with the mg.  This is from wikipedia:

In 1967, Hathcock set the record for the 20th century's longest combat kill with a Browning M2 .50 BMG machine gun mounting a telescopic sight. The distance was 2,286 meters or 1.42 miles. Hathcock was one of several individuals to utilize the Browning M2 machine gun in the sniping role. This success led to the adoption of the .50 BMG cartridge as a viable anti-personnel and anti-equipment sniper round. Sniper rifles have since been designed around and chambered in this caliber.

And I read the same in the Marine Sniper book by Charles Henderson.

looks like that was the gun, i am surprised, the Ma Deuce is not known for its accuracty, Unertl scope notwithstanding.

that really puts the feat into perspective then -- i would attribute it more to luck than pure skill since the LC 50bmg rounds of that time were not known for their pinpoint accuracy.

[DRKWNG]

Just goes to show that the White Feather was THE MAN!!

[DoubleEagle]

scope and spotter?  how about someone who can shoot it?

you miss my point.

you can have the most accurate gun in the world.  and it takes lots of practice, experience, and the right ammo to "take someone out" a mile away.

that's why the DOD spends 100 millions on our military ammo, so each round is identical to the previous one.

practice all you want on ammo X, once you start shooting ammo Y, your impact point will be off.

I spent almost 2 years as a DM, trust me, I know!


...and Hathcock was using an M14 with 1960s glass and no spotter.  I consider him a far superior sharpshooter.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    I don't call that sharpshooting...I call that a 1 in a 1,000,000 lucky shoot .

[ducatiz]

I don't call that sharpshooting...I call that a 1 in a 1,000,000 lucky shoot .

why do you always add spaces to your posts?  Just curious..

Hathcock's record was pretty impressive overall, I just don't >personally< think taking a potshot with an M2 can be chalked up to sharpshooter skills solely.

how do you shoulder an M2? how do you adjust for windage?  etc.. they have a very crude trigger and the bases are not solid. 

of course it has the range, but the accuracy??

[Mother]

why do you always add spaces to your posts?  Just curious..

Hathcock's record was pretty impressive overall, I just don't >personally< think taking a potshot with an M2 can be chalked up to sharpshooter skills solely.

how do you shoulder an M2? how do you adjust for windage?  etc.. they have a very crude trigger and the bases are not solid. 

of course it has the range, but the accuracy??

Is everyone assuming that he only fired 1 round?

He may have had a scope mounted to it

and he may have hit a dewd at 1.4 miles

but he also may have fired 100rounds

is ATV still marksmanship?

[ducatiz]

Is everyone assuming that he only fired 1 round?

He may have had a scope mounted to it

and he may have hit a dewd at 1.4 miles

but he also may have fired 100rounds

is ATV still marksmanship?

precisely my point, but the reports call it a sharpshooter hit not spray n pray.

[Mother]

precisely my point, but the reports call it a sharpshooter hit not spray n pray.

I don't mean full auto

When I heard this story it was related to me that he was shooting at some poor sucker on the other side of a valley

dewd was going up one side from the valley floor and he was on top of the other valley wall with his scope mounted M-2

it was also related he was one rounding it

but the question is

How many shots did it take?

sure he wasn't burning a belt

but how many singles did he send downrange before charlie rolled back to the bottom of the hill?

[DRKWNG]

Not trying to weigh in on whether Hathcock pulled that kill off in one shot or not, but there was a guy or two that I worked with in Afghanistan who could pull off a single well aimed, called shot, with a scope mounted M2 at pretty extreme distances.