During the November battle for Fallujah, a U.S. Marine sniper made the longest
range kills so far in Iraq. Reservist sergeant Herbert B. Hancock, chief scout
sniper for the 1st battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, shot four Iraqis at a range
of some 970 meters. The 35 year-old marine is a Texas police officer in civilian
life. The shooting was done with the bolt action 7.62mm M40A3 rifle. Based on
the Remington 700 short action rifle, the M40A3s are hand made to marine
specifications. The rifle weighs 16.5 pounds, is 44.25 inches long and uses a
10X scope. The rifle comes with a bipod, and a rail that can also mount night
vision scopes. Marine snipers operate in teams of two men, with the other man,
who is often also a qualified sniper, acting as a spotter (usually with a 20X
scope and binoculars.) A 970 meter shot is difficult for a 7.62mm rifle,
especially in Iraq, with it?s heat and humidity (which interferes with the
predictability of the bullets flight). A 7.62mm rifle rarely gets hits at more
than (or even close to) 1,000 meters, and anything over 500 meters requires a
high degree of skill. Shooting is easier in Afghanistan, where higher elevations
provide thinner, drier air, and cooler temperatures. A Canadian sniper made a
record shot (2,400 meters) in Afghanistan, using a 12.7mm rifle.
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