A sniper rifle is a type of rifle used for engaging in the act of sniping, most purely a rifle used for shooting with great accuracy. The key features of modern sniper rifles are a highly reliable gun action, a scope, and almost always some support device. The need for high reliability and simplicity has resulted in many modern rifles continuing to be bolt-action, though some are semi-automatic. The scope is dependent on the rifle and intended engagement distance. Some large caliber sniper rifles are sighted out to 1500m with ultra high-magnification scopes, while rifles intended for urban combat and more limited range would use much less magnification. Many modern rifles incorporate bipods to steady the rifle for accurate shooting.
Types
The main types of rifle designs used as sniper rifles are:
- A regular rifle or assault rifle fitted with a scope, bipod and sometimes other enhancements is a large and very common class of sniper rifles. Most modern assault rifles have a sniper variant as did many of their predecessors. The professional term is "designated marksman" configuration.
- A dedicated sniper rifle designed specifically for the field or some subset of it. This includes what is most often thought of as a modern sniper rifle, epitomized in weapons such as the Accuracy International AWP. Low rate of fire, high unit cost, integrated bipods, and scope mounting systems such as the Picatinny Rail, are often found in this class. Large caliber (.50 caliber) sniper rifles such as the U.S. M107 or silenced ones, as in Russia's VSS Vintorez, are good examples of what can be accomplished in a dedicated sniper rifle, especially one devoted to a niche of the sniping field. Rifles used for competition shooting would also often fall into this category.
- Hunting rifles are often used as sniper rifles. Some of the first sniper rifles and many modern ones are derived from or are direct copies of hunting rifles. The deep ties between the two fields result in weapons that fulfill similar needs.
- Other weapons and derivations exist that function as sniper weapons, although the use of the term 'rifle' may be debatable. Submachine guns, carbines, crew-served machineguns and even pistols can be used to snipe, but these clearly are not sniper rifles.
The main categories of use and resulting types include:
- Military sniper rifles feature a focus on high durablity, use of highly available ammunition types (such as NATO 5.56 or 7.62 caliber ammuntion)
- Close support sniper-rifles extend the range of infantry, a classic example being the SVD Dragunov.
- Designated marksman rifle configuration such as M16A2E3 equipped with scope, bipod and adjustable chick-piece.
- Standard sniping, with a sniper and spotter team, often use a rifle with higher range and reliabilty with a low rate of fire. They more often bolt-action and usually have bipod (whereas ones used for close-support often do not) and very high power scopes.
- Large-caliber sniper rifles use larger ammunition, especially 50-caliber rounds. There's a large similarity in use but two divergent focuses exist.
- Use against enemy combatants used the same way as standard sniper rifles but with higher target effect. Prime example is the US XM107
- Use against materiel targets, such as for ordinance disposal or against thin-skinned targets like parked aircraft or gas tanks. This field of use is also a part of the field of Anti-Materiel Rifles and light infantry anti-vehicle weapons. Due to the similarity in function many large-caliber weapons in this catergory can be used in both roles.
- Police Sniper Rifles often feature less rugged designs and don't have to adhere to military standards of durability and functionality, and are not restricted to certain ammunitions.
- Civilian rifles of high accuracy tend to fall into two categories, general and competition. In addition to user requirements they are often heavily influenced by regulations in regard to their design placed by governmental bodies. Competition rifles must abide by the standards of a given sporting regulatory body as well. Common non-competition weapons include ones used for hunting or general target practice. There is generally a higher focus on ease of use, customization, as well the inclusion of things like ornamentation of the weapon.
Many other ways of organizing sniper rifles into categories exist. The first highlights the difference in intent of design and the resulting characteristics. The second highlights intent of use and resulting characteristics.
History of sniper rifles
See sniping for the history of the field of sniping. Sniper rifle design developed alongside the people that use them.
Future of sniper rifles
Today sniping has diversified immensely and with it the rifles. Weapons technology advancements and new mission requirements are continually changing the rifles. The constants are a focus on accuracy and a scope for superior long-range target hit success, as compared to a sniper rifles contempories.
Abridged list of sniper rifles
- For a Full listing see: List of sniper rifles
- Semi-automatic designated marksman configuration:
- Galil Tzalafim
- M16A2E3.
- SVD Dragunov
- Semi-automatic sniper rifles:
- Bolt-action sniper rifles:
- De Lisle carbine
- Enfield No. 1
- Remington 700 PSS
- Dakota Longbow T-76
- M24 SWS
- M40 USMC sniper rifle
- Sig Sauer SR66
- Sig Sauer SR86
- Tactical Ops Tango 51
- High Calibre sniper rifles
- Barrett M82A1
- Accuracy International AWP
- Arctic Warfare Magnum