Longest recorded sniper kills - wikipedia Longest recorded sniper kills Royal Marine snipers with L115A1 rifles. These rifles are similar to the L115A3 Long Range Rifle used by Craig Harrison but outfitted with Schmidt & Bender 3 - 12x50 PM II telescopic sights. The McMillan Tac - 50 rifle Corporal Rob Furlong used. Reports regarding the longest recorded sniper kills that contain information regarding the shooting distance and the identity of the sniper have been presented to the general public since 1967. Snipers in modern warfare have had a substantial history following the development of long distance weaponry. As weapons, ammunition, and aids to determine ballistic solutions improved, so too did the distance from which a kill could be targeted. In mid-2017 it was reported that an unnamed Canadian special forces operator, based in Iraq, had set a new record of 3,540 m ( 3,871 yd ), beating the record previously held by British Corporal Craig Harrison at 2,475 m ( 2,707 yd ). Contents 1 Sniper technology 2 History 3 Confirmed kills 1,250 m ( 1,367 yd ) or greater 4 Notes 5 See also 6 References 7 Bibliography Sniper technology Although technology such as electronics have improved, optical equipment such as rangefinders and ballistic calculators have eliminated manual mathematical calculations to determine elevation and windage, the fundamentals of accurate and precise long - range shooting are the same as throughout the history of shooting, and the skill and training of the shooter and his spotter where applicable are the primary factors. Accuracy and precision of ammunition and firearms are also still reliant primarily on human factors and attention to detail in the complex process of producing maximum performance. The modern method of long - distance sniping ( shots over 1.1 kilometres or 0.7 miles ) requires intense training and practice. A sniper must have the ability to accurately estimate the various factors that influence a bullet 's trajectory and point of impact, such as range to the target, wind direction, wind speed, air density, elevation, and even the Coriolis effect due to the rotation of the Earth. Mistakes in estimation compound over distance and can cause a shot to only injure, or to miss completely. Any given combination of firearm and ammunition will have an associated value, known as the circular error probable ( CEP ), defined as the radius of a circle whose boundary is expected to contain the impact points of half of the rounds fired. If the shooter wishes to improve accuracy and precision, wishes to increase range or wishes to do all of these things, the accuracy of `` estimates '' of external factors must improve accordingly. At extreme ranges, extremely accurate `` estimates '' are required and even with the most accurate estimates, hitting the target becomes subject to uncontrollable factors. For example, a rifle capable of firing a 1 / 2 MOA ( approximately 1 / 2 '' center to center of the two holes furthest apart ) 5 - round group ( often referred to as `` grouping '' ) at 100 yards will fire a theoretical 12.5 '' group at 2500 yards. Unless the group is centered perfectly on the target at 100 yards, the 2500 - yard group will be centered 25 times the off - center error at 100 yards. This example ignores all other factors and assumes `` perfect '' no - wind shooting conditions and identical muzzle velocities and ballistic performance for each shot. USMC Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock 's confirmed 2500 - yard kill in Vietnam was primarily due to the enemy soldier stopping his bicycle on the spot Hathcock had fired at while sighting in his Browning M2 heavy machine - gun. Devices such as laser rangefinders, handheld meteorological measuring equipment, handheld computers, and ballistic - prediction software can contribute to increased accuracy ( i.e. reduced CEP ), although they rely on proper use and training to realize any advantages. In addition, as instruments of measure, they are subject to accuracy errors and malfunction. Handheld meteorological instruments only measure conditions at the location they are used. Wind direction and speed can vary dramatically along the path of the bullet. History The science of long - range sniping came to fruition in the Vietnam War. Carlos Hathcock held the record from 1967 to 2002 at 2,286 m ( 2,500 yd ). He recorded 93 official kills. After returning to the U.S., Hathcock helped to establish the Marine Corps Scout Sniper School at Quantico, Virginia. In addition to his success as a USMC Scout - Sniper during multiple deployments to Vietnam, Gunnery Sergeant Hathcock competed in multiple USMC shooting teams. Hathcock also won the 1966 Wimbledon Cup, which is earned by the winner of the U.S. 1000 - yard high - powered rifle National Championship. Even after being severely burned during an attack on an Amtrac on which he was riding and his efforts to rescue other soldiers, and after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Hathcock continued to serve, shoot and instruct. In Vietnam, Hathcock also completed missions involving a `` through the scope '' shot which killed an enemy sniper specifically hunting him, and a multiple - day solo stalk and kill of an enemy general. Hathcock 's record stood until Canadian Master Corporal Arron Perry of Princess Patricia 's Canadian Light Infantry beat it with a shot of 2,310 metres. Perry held the title for only a few days, as another man in his unit ( Corporal Rob Furlong ) beat Perry 's distance with a 2,430 m ( 2,657 yd ) shot in March 2002. Perry and Furlong were part of a six - man sniper team during 2002 's Operation Anaconda, part of the War in Afghanistan. Corporal Furlong 's record was bested by a British soldier, Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison, of the Blues and Royals, Household Cavalry, who recorded two 2,475 m ( 2,707 yd ) shots ( confirmed by GPS ) in November 2009, also during the War in Afghanistan, in which he hit two Taliban insurgents consecutively. Harrison killed the two Taliban machine gunners with shots that took the 8.59 mm rounds almost five seconds to hit their targets, which were 900 metres ( 1000 yd ) beyond the L115A3 sniper rifle 's recommended range. A third shot took out the insurgents ' machine gun. The rifle used was made by Accuracy International. In June 2017, an unnamed sniper of Canada 's special forces Unit Joint Task Force 2 surpassed the 2009 record by over a kilometre, with a 3,540 m ( 3,871 yd ) shot in the Iraqi Civil War. As with the previous two Canadian records, a McMillan Tac - 50 with Hornady A-MAX. 50 (. 50 BMG ) ammunition was used. Confirmed kills 1,250 m ( 1,367 yd ) or greater This list is not exhaustive, as such data is generally not tracked nor managed under any official procedure. For example, the Canadian Army 2002 sniper team that saw two soldiers ( Arron Perry / 2,310 m and Rob Furlong / 2,430 m ) set consecutive new records, also made a number of kills at 1,500 m that are not counted here. The list also shows that, in some cases, an armed force command may choose to withhold the name of the actual sniper for security reasons. The United Nations Security Forces, such as in the Balkans, also had one American sniper ( name withheld ) attributed with a 1271 - metre shot. While not on the list due to the range being less than the minimum distance used to compile it, Hathcock 's second - longest confirmed kill was 1,200 yards ( 1,100 m ) using a `` standard '' USMC sniper rifle chambered in. 30 - 06 Springfield. At the time of Hathcock 's service, snipers had essentially been eliminated from the USMC, and its sniper rifles were a hodgepodge mix of commercial Remington 700 and Winchester Model 70 rifles chambered for multiple cartridges. The major challenge for Hathcock and other scout - snipers was improving the performance and reliability of their rifles and ammunition. Sniper Date Distance Weapon Ammunition Nationality Military Unit Conflict References JTF - 2 sniper ( name withheld ) May 2017 3,540 m ( 3,871 yd ) McMillan Tac - 50 Hornady A-MAX. 50 (. 50 BMG ) Canada Joint Task Force 2 Iraq Civil War Corporal of Horse ( CoH ) Craig Harrison November 2009 2,475 m ( 2,707 yd ) Accuracy International L115A3. 338 Lapua Magnum LockBase B408 bullets United Kingdom Household Cavalry War in Afghanistan Corporal Rob Furlong March 2002 2,430 m ( 2,657 yd ) McMillan Tac - 50 Hornady A-MAX. 50 (. 50 BMG ) Canada 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia 's Canadian Light Infantry War in Afghanistan Master Corporal Arron Perry March 2002 2,310 m ( 2,526 yd ) McMillan Tac - 50 Hornady A-MAX. 50 (. 50 BMG ) Canada 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia 's Canadian Light Infantry War in Afghanistan Sgt. Brian Kremer October 2004 2,300 m ( 2,515 yd ) Barrett M82A1 Raufoss NM140 MP (. 50 BMG ) United States 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, United States Army Iraq War Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock February 1967 2,286 m ( 2,500 yd ) M2 Browning machine gun. 50 BMG United States 1st Marine Division, United States Marine Corps Vietnam War Special Forces sniper ( name withheld ) August 2013 2,125 m ( 2,324 yd ) Denel NTW - 14.5 14.5 × 114mm South Africa South African Special Forces Brigade United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Nicholas Ranstad January 2008 2,092 m ( 2,288 yd ) Barrett M82A1. 50 BMG United States 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, United States Army War in Afghanistan Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle August 2008 1,920 m ( 2,100 yd ) McMillan Tac - 338. 338 Lapua Magnum United States US Navy SEAL -- Team 3, Charlie Iraq War -- Sadr City Corporal Christopher Reynolds August 2009 1,853 m ( 2,026 yd ) Accuracy International L115A3. 338 Lapua Magnum LockBase B408 bullets United Kingdom 3 Scots -- The Black Watch War in Afghanistan AL - GNAS AL SABOR ( name withheld ) January 24, 2016 1,700 m ( 1,859 yd ) LRT - 3 sniper rifle. 50 BMG Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabian army Yemeni Civil War ( 2015 -- present ) -- Harth ( Jizan Region ) Staff Sgt. Steve Reichert April 2004 1,614 m ( 1,765 yd ) Barrett M82A3 Raufoss NM140 MP (. 50 Cal ) United States 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, United States Marine Corps Iraq War - Latifiya Billy Dixon June 1874 1,406 m ( 1,538 yd ) Sharps. 50 - 90. 50 - 90 Sharps United States Civilian Buffalo Hunter American Indian Wars Army sniper ( name withheld ) November 2007 1,380 m ( 1,509 yd ) Barrett M82A1 Raufoss NM140 MP (. 50 Cal ) Norway Norwegian Army 2nd Battalion War in Afghanistan Sergeant Vladimir Ilyin 1985 1,350 m ( 1,476 yd ) Dragunov SVD 7.62 × 54mmR 7N1 Soviet Union 345th Independent Guards Airborne Regiment ( Soviet Union ), Soviet Army Soviet war in Afghanistan Sgt. First Class Brandon McGuire April 2007 1,310 m ( 1,433 yd ) M107 ( M82A1 ) Raufoss NM140 MP (. 50 Cal ) United States 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, United States Army Iraq War Sergeant Major Herbert Sleigh February 1918 1,280 m ( 1,400 yd ) M1903A4 Springfield. 30 - 06 ( 7.62 × 63mm ) United States American Expeditionary Forces World War I Confederate sniper ( Name unknown ) December 5, 1864 1,271 m ( 1,390 yd ) Whitworth Rifle. 451 caliber hexagonal bullet Confederate States South Carolina Troops American Civil War -- Fort Sumter to Morris Island, South Carolina Staff Sergeant Jim Gilliland September 27, 2005 1,250 m ( 1,367 yd ) M24 rifle 7.62 × 51mm NATO United States 2nd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment, United States Army Iraq War -- Ramadi Carlos Hathcock in 1996 Notes Jump up ^ During the Vietnam War Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills of North Vietnamese Army and Viet - Cong personnel. During the Vietnam War, kills had to be confirmed by an acting third party, who had to be an officer, besides the sniper 's spotter. Hathcock himself estimated that he had killed 300 or more enemy personnel during his time in Vietnam. Jump up ^ Longest confirmed kill using 14.5 × 114 mm ammunition Jump up ^ Serving as part of the UN Force Intervention Brigade Jump up ^ Christopher Scott `` Chris '' Kyle ( April 8, 1974 -- February 2, 2013 ) was a United States Navy SEAL who claimed to be the most lethal sniper in American military history with 160 `` confirmed '' kills out of 255 claimed kills. This figure has been corroborated by the Department of Defense, U.S. Special Operations Command, and the U.S. Navy Special Warfare Command. Jump up ^ Longest confirmed kill using 12.7 mm multi-purpose ammunition Jump up ^ Officially adopted as a United States military bolt - action rifle on June 19, 1903, and issued to soldiers in WWI. The A4 was a sniper variant modified to accept a scope Jump up ^ Longest confirmed kill with a 7.62 × 51mm NATO chambered rifle See also History of sniping Francis Pegahmagabow, a Canadian sniper with 378 confirmed kills, the highest in World War I Simo Häyhä, a Finnish sniper who, using a standard iron - sighted bolt - action rifle, recorded the highest number of confirmed kills in any major war ( 505 or 542 ) Vasily Zaytsev, a Soviet sniper who amassed 225 kills during the Battle of Stalingrad Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a Soviet sniper during World War II, credited with 309 kills, and regarded as the most successful female sniper in history SSG Adelbert Waldron, an American sniper who has the highest number of confirmed kills for American snipers during the Vietnam War ( 109 ) References ^ Jump up to : Fife 2017 ^ Jump up to : Murphy 2017 ^ Jump up to : Bunch 2017 ^ Jump up to : Kalvapallé, Rahul ( June 24, 2017 ). `` Small but mighty : How Canada 's military produces some of the world 's best snipers ''. Global News. Retrieved June 24, 2017. Jump up ^ Plaster 1993 Jump up ^ Circular Error Probable ( CEP ), Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Technical Paper 6, Ver 2, July 1987, p. 1 ^ Jump up to : Henderson 2003, p. 181 Jump up ^ Gaijinass ( May 6, 2010 ). `` The way of the Gun : USMC S / S ''. Gaijinass.com. Retrieved May 6, 2010. Jump up ^ Henderson 2003, p. 283 ^ Jump up to : Smith 2010 ^ Jump up to : Friscolanti, Michael ( May 15, 2006 ). `` We were abandoned ''. Maclean 's. Retrieved May 3, 2010. Jump up ^ Chandler 2010 Jump up ^ Alpert 2010 Jump up ^ Drury 2010 Jump up ^ Sheridan, Michael ( May 3, 2010 ). `` British sniper Craig Harrison ( The Silent Assassin ) breaks record, kills target from 1.5 miles away ''. Daily News. Retrieved May 3, 2010. Jump up ^ Gibson 2013 Jump up ^ Helfrich 2013 Jump up ^ Hofstatter, Stephan ; Oatway, James ( 22 August 2014 ). `` South Africa at war in the DRC - The inside story ''. Times Live. Sunday Times. Retrieved 22 September 2014. Jump up ^ Murphy, Jack ( 26 August 2014 ). `` South African Special Forces Sniper Takes Out Congo Rebels ( 2125m shot ! ) ''. SOFRep.com. SOFREP. Retrieved 23 September 2014. ( Subscription required ( help ) ). Jump up ^ Goldstein, Joseph ( 2010 - 05 - 30 ). `` How to shoot someone from a mile away ''. New York Post. Retrieved 2012 - 09 - 05. Jump up ^ Buiso, Gray ( January 1, 2012 ). `` Meet the big shot - SEAL is America 's deadliest sniper ''. New York Post. Retrieved 2012 - 01 - 03. Jump up ^ Zennie, Michael ( 2 January 2012 ). `` 255 confirmed kills : Meet Navy SEAL Chris Kyle... the deadliest sniper in US history ''. Daily Mail. London. Retrieved 2012 - 01 - 02. Jump up ^ Sanchez, Raf ( 2 January 2012 ). `` ' The Devil of Rahmadi ' named America 's deadliest sniper ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 2012 - 01 - 02. Jump up ^ Jennings 2011 Jump up ^ هاني صفيّان يخبر ( May 7, 2016 ). وراء خطوط العاصفة ( in Arabic ). Al Arabiya. Jump up ^ D'Alessio 2005 Jump up ^ Souter 2012, p. 40 Jump up ^ Johnsen 2008 Jump up ^ Sohail 2015 Jump up ^ Cannon 2010 Jump up ^ Evening Public Ledger 1918, p. 4 Jump up ^ Charleston Courier 1864 Jump up ^ Harnden 2006 Jump up ^ Brownlie 2003, p. 63 Jump up ^ Westwood 2005, p. 212 Jump up ^ `` Герой Советского Союза Зайцев Василий Григорьевич : : Герои страны ''. Warheroes.ru. Retrieved 2012 - 09 - 05. Jump up ^ Fredriksen 2010, p. 306 Bibliography Alpert, Lukas ( May 2, 2010 ). `` Sniper kills Qaeda - from 11⁄2 mi. away ''. New York Post. Retrieved May 3, 2010. Brownlie, Robin ( 2003 ). A fatherly eye : Indian agents, government power, and Aboriginal resistance in Ontario, 1918 - 1939 ( 2003 ed. ). University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 19 - 541784 - 5. - Total pages : 204 Chandler, Neil ( May 2, 2010 ). `` Sniper 's Taliban shots earn him place in military record books ''. The Daily Star. Retrieved May 3, 2010. Bunch, Ashley ( June 22, 2017 ). `` Canadian sniper crushes world record for longest confirmed kill in military history, reports say ''. Militarytimes.com a division of Sightline Media Group. Retrieved June 23, 2017. Cannon, Chuck ( April 19, 2010 ). `` Army sniper films spot for History channel based on 1,300 meter shot in Iraq ''. United States Armed Forces. Retrieved October 9, 2014. Charleston Courier ( December 6, 1864 ). `` Charleston Courier ''. Charleston Courier. ISSN 1061 - 5105. D'Alessio, Stephen ( Feb 22, 2005 ). `` Marine Sniper Receives Bronze Star Medal for Valor ''. United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2013. Drury, Ian ( May 2, 2010 ). `` The super sniper : Hero picks off two Taliban from a mile and a half away ''. Daily Mail. London. Retrieved May 3, 2010. Evening Public Ledger ( February 5, 1918 ). `` Johnstown Sammee First to Kill Hun ''. Evening Public Ledger. Philadelphia : Cyrus H.K. Curtis. pp. 1 -- 16. ISSN 2151 - 3945. LCCN 83045211. OCLC 9355469. Retrieved January 7, 2018. Fife, Robert ( June 21, 2017 ). `` Canadian elite special forces sniper makes record - breaking kill shot in Iraq ''. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 23, 2017. Fredriksen, John C. ( 2010 ). The United States Army : A Chronology, 1775 to the Present ( 2010 ed. ). ABC - CLIO. ISBN 978 - 1 - 59884 - 344 - 6. - Total pages : 327 Gibson, Erica ( August 30, 2013 ). `` SA skerpskutter skiet doodskoot oor afstand van meer as 2 km ( English translation : SA sniper 's kill shot from over 2km away ) ''. Volksblad ( in Afrikaans ). Retrieved 2013 - 08 - 30. Harnden, Toby ( January 1, 2006 ). `` Sniper shot that took out an insurgent killer from three quarters of a mile ''. The Sunday Telegraph. London. Retrieved May 5, 2010. Henderson, Charles ( 2003 ). Silent Warrior ( 2003 ed. ). Berkley Books. ISBN 0 - 425 - 18864 - 7. - Total pages : 336 Helfrich, Kim ( August 30, 2013 ). `` SANDF mum about DRC sniper super shot ''. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 2014 - 07 - 30. Masters, Chris ( October 29, 2012 ). `` Taliban remain in fear of lethal strikes ''. Australian Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 November 2012. Jennings, Christian ( August 17, 2011 ). `` Long range killer : Behind the scenes of Accuracy International ''. Wired.com. Retrieved June 16, 2016. Johnsen, Nilas ( October 7, 2008 ). `` Dreper fra 1380 meter ( English translation : Kills from 1380 meters ) ''. Verdens Gang ( in Norwegian ). Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 08. Jowett, Philip ; Jowett, Philip S. ; Snodgrass, Brent ( 2006 ). Finland at War 1939 -- 45 ( 2006 ed. ). Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978 - 1 - 84176 - 969 - 1. - Total pages : 64 Murphy, Jack ( June 22, 2017 ). `` SOFREP Exclusive : The inside story of Canada 's JTF2 record - breaking sniper kill SOFREP Original Content ''. SOFREP.com. Retrieved June 23, 2017. Plaster, John L. ( 1993 ). The ultimate sniper : an advanced training manual for military & police snipers ( 1993 ed. ). Paladin Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 87364 - 704 - 5. - Total pages : 453 Reichert, Steve ( November 26, 2012 ). `` Steve Reichert on the 2815 Meter Shot ''. soldiersystems.net. Retrieved July 11, 2014. Smith, Michael ( May 2, 2010 ). `` Hotshot sniper in one - and - a-half mile double kill ''. The Sunday Times. Retrieved May 3, 2010. Sohail ( November 18, 2015 ). `` Soviet snipers in Afghanistan, 1979 -- 1989 years ''. methgag.com. Retrieved June 16, 2016. Souter, Gerry ( 2012 ). American Shooter : A Personal History of Gun Culture in the United States ( 2012 ed. ). Potomac Books Inc. ISBN 9781597976909. - Total pages : 300 Westwood, Dr. David ( 2005 ). Rifles : an illustrated history of their impact ( 2005 ed. ). ABC - CLIO. ISBN 978 - 1 - 85109 - 401 - 1. - Total pages : 470 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Longest_recorded_sniper_kills&oldid=854647914 '' Categories : Sniper rifles Snipers Sniper warfare World records Hidden categories : Pages containing links to subscription - only content CS1 Arabic - language sources ( ar ) All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from May 2018 Articles with hCards CS1 : Julian -- Gregorian uncertainty CS1 Afrikaans - language sources ( af ) CS1 Norwegian - language sources ( no ) Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Français Português Slovenščina Edit links This page was last edited on 12 August 2018, at 21 : 20 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. 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Question: who has the longest kill shot in the world
Answer: an unnamed Canadian special forces operator, based in Iraq