# Longest recorded sniper kills

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 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 an Australian sniper (also unnamed) at 2,815 m (3,079 yd). In November 2023, the record was once again broken by 58-year old sniper Viacheslav Kovalskyi of the Security Service of Ukraine, who shot a Russian soldier from a distance of 3,800 m (4,156 yd) during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

## Sniper technology

Although optical equipment such as rangefinders and ballistic calculators have largely eliminated manual calculations to determine elevation and windage, the fundamentals of accurate and precise long-range shooting remain essentially the same since the early history of shooting, and the skill and training of the shooter, and the shooter's 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 1,100 m or 1,203 yd) 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 the shooter's distance from the target, wind direction, wind speed, air density, elevation, and even the Coriolis effect. 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, increase range, or both, the accuracy of estimates of external factors must improve accordingly. At extreme ranges, highly 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 ½ or 0.5 MOA (approximately 0.5 inch center to center of the two holes furthest apart) 5-round group (often referred to as "grouping") at 100 yards will theoretically fire a 12.5 inch group at 2,500 yards (0.5 × 2,500/100 = 12.5). Unless the group is centered perfectly on the target at 100 yards, the 2,500-yard group will be centered 25 times the off-center error at 100 yards. This example ignores all other factors and assumes no-wind shooting conditions, identical muzzle velocities, and identical ballistic performance for each shot.
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 longest confirmed kill in World War II was by German sniper Matthäus Hetzenauer at 1,100 metres (1,200 yd).
The science of long-range sniping came to fruition in the Vietnam War. US Marine Gunnery Sergeant 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 US, 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, Hathcock competed in multiple USMC shooting teams. Hathcock also won the 1966 Wimbledon Cup, which is earned by the winner of the US 1,000-yard high-powered rifle National Championship. Even after being severely burned during an attack on an Amtrac on which he was riding in his efforts to rescue other Marines, which earned him a Silver Star, 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 sniper Arron Perry of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry exceeded it with a shot of 2,310 m (2,530 yd). 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 consecutive 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 (0.338 inch) rounds almost five seconds to hit their targets, which were 900 m (980 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.
Harrison's record was surpassed in 2012 by an unnamed Australian sniper, also during the war in Afghanistan, though this was not widely reported.
In June 2017, an unnamed sniper from Canadian special forces unit, Joint Task Force 2, surpassed the 2012 record by nearly 800 m (870 yd), 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 .50 BMG ammunition was used.
In November 2023, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a special agent with the Security Service of Ukraine, later revealed to be 58-year-old sniper Viacheslav Kovalsky, surpassed the previous world record by shooting a Russian soldier from a distance of 3,800 m (4,156 yd). The sniper used a Ukrainian-made, multi-caliber anti-materiel sniper rifle named Volodar Obriyu (Horizon's Lord). The ammunition used was a newly developed .50 caliber round named 12.7×114 mm HL, which was made by necking down a 14.5×114 mm case.

## Confirmed kills 1,250 m (1,370 yd) or greater

This list is not exhaustive, as such data is generally not tracked nor managed under any official procedure. For example, the 2002 Canadian Army sniper team that saw two soldiers set consecutive new records (Arron Perry at 2,310 m (2,526 yd) and Rob Furlong at 2,430 m (2,657 yd)), also made a number of kills at 1,500 m (1,600 yd) 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 sniper for security reasons.
| Rank | Sniper | Date | Distance | Weapon | Ammunition | Nationality | Military unit | Conflict |
| 1 | Viacheslav Kovalskyi | November 2023 | 3,800 m (4,156 yd) | Horizon's Lord [uk] | 12.7×114 mm HL wildcat | Ukraine | Special Group "Alpha", Security Service of Ukraine | Russian invasion of Ukraine |
| 2 | (name withheld) | May 2017 | 3,540 m (3,871 yd) | McMillan TAC-50 | .50 BMG | Canada | Joint Task Force 2, CANSOFCOM, Canadian Armed Forces | War in Iraq |
| 3 | (name withheld) | April 2012 | 2,815 m (3,079 yd) | Barrett M82A1 | .50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211) | Australia | 2nd Commando Regiment, SOCOMD, Australian Defence Force | War in Afghanistan |
| 4 | (name withheld) | November 2022 | 2,710 m (2,964 yd) | XADO Snipex Alligator | 14.5×114mm | Ukraine | Ukrainian National Guard, Ministry of Internal Affairs | Russian invasion of Ukraine |
| 5 | Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison | November 2009 | 2,475 m (2,707 yd) | Accuracy International L115A3 | .338 Lapua Magnum (LockBase B408) | United Kingdom | Blues and Royals, Household Cavalry, British Army | War in Afghanistan |
| 6 | Corporal Rob Furlong | March 2002 | 2,430 m (2,657 yd) | McMillan TAC-50 | .50 BMG | Canada | 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Canadian Armed Forces | War in Afghanistan |
| 7 | Master Corporal Arron Perry | March 2002 | 2,310 m (2,526 yd) | McMillan TAC-50 | .50 BMG | Canada | 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Canadian Armed Forces | War in Afghanistan |
| 8 | Sergeant Brian Kremer | October 2004 | 2,300 m (2,515 yd) | Barrett M82A1 | .50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211) | United States | 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, United States Army | Iraq War |
| 9 | Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock | February 1967 | 2,286 m (2,500 yd) | M2 Browning machine gun | .50 BMG | United States | 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, United States Marine Corps | Vietnam War |
| 10 | (name withheld) | August 2013 | 2,125 m (2,324 yd) | Denel NTW-14.5 | 14.5×114mm | South Africa | South African Special Forces Brigade, Joint Operations Division, SANDF | MONUSCO |
| 11 | Specialist 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 |
| 12 | Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle | August 2008 | 1,920 m (2,100 yd) | McMillan TAC-338 | .338 Lapua Magnum | United States | SEAL Team 3, US Naval Special Warfare Command, United States Navy | Iraq War |
| 13 | Corporal Christopher Reynolds | August 2009 | 1,853 m (2,026 yd) | Accuracy International L115A3 | .338 Lapua Magnum (LockBase B408) | United Kingdom | The Black Watch (3 SCOT), Royal Regiment of Scotland, British Army | War in Afghanistan |
| 14 | (name withheld) | January 2016 | 1,700 m (1,859 yd) | PGW Defence Technology LRT-3 | .50 BMG | Saudi Arabia | Royal Saudi Land Forces, Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia | Yemeni Civil War |
| 15 | Staff Sergeant Steve Reichert | April 2004 | 1,614 m (1,765 yd) | Barrett M82A3 | .50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211) | United States | 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, United States Marine Corps | Iraq War |
| 16 | Billy Dixon | June 1874 | 1,406 m (1,538 yd) | Sharps .50–90 | .50-90 Sharps | United States | Civilian | American Indian Wars |
| 17 | (name withheld) | November 2007 | 1,380 m (1,509 yd) | Barrett M82A1 | .50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211) | Norway | 2nd Battalion, Norwegian Army | War in Afghanistan |
| 18 | Sergeant Vladimir Ilyin | 1985 | 1,350 m (1,476 yd) | Dragunov SVD | 7.62×54mmR 7N1 | Soviet Union | 345th Independent Guards Airborne Regiment, Soviet Army | Soviet–Afghan War |
| 19 | Sergeant First Class Brandon McGuire | April 2007 | 1,310 m (1,433 yd) | Barrett M82A1 (M107) | .50 BMG (Raufoss Mk 211) | United States | 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, United States Army | Iraq War |
| 20 | Sergeant Major Herbert Sleigh | February 1918 | 1,280 m (1,400 yd) | M1903 Springfield | .30-06 Springfield | United States | American Expeditionary Forces, United States Army | World War I |
| 21 | Staff Sergeant Jim Gilliland | September 2005 | 1,250 m (1,367 yd) | M24 Sniper Weapon System | 7.62×51 mm NATO | United States | 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, United States Army | Iraq War |

### Notes

* ↑ Longest confirmed kill using non-match grade ammunition.