However, the 50 currently holds the record for the longest sniper rifle kill at 3,871 yards (2.2 miles) by an unnamed Canadian sniper during the Iraqi Civil . The Cutting Edge MTAC bullet that hit the target was hand-lathed, and weighed just under an ounce (422 gr. He was murdered the next year, Chris Kyle, ex US Navy SEAL sniper who was responsible for 160 kills during his career, Hollywood hunk Bradley Cooper starred in the movie version of the book, American Sniper was based on Chris Kyle's four tours of duty in Iraq. [17][18] Routh is imprisoned at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Ramsey Unit in Brazoria County, Texas. I definitely dont have any regrets about that.. Windageposes another key difficulty: at a distance of over two miles, the snipers would have had to adjust for a distance of over 360 inches. [16], Hathcock's record stood until Canadian sniper Arron Perry of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry exceeded it with a shot of 2,310m (2,530yd). During his first time on the firing range, Craig Harrison used a Dragunov sniper rifle, later describing how it felt in his autobiography The Longest Kill.. Mark Episkopos is the new national security reporter for the National Interest. U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Courtney P. Carr, adjutant general, Indiana National Guard, and Taya Kyle, widow of late U.S. Navy Seal sniper Chris . In January 2010, he was sent on a humanitarian mission to Haiti. For comparison, legendary sniper and American hero Chris Kyles record for a combat kill was 1.2 miles with a single shot in 2008 against an Iraqi insurgent, according to History.com. Chad Littlefield (February 11, 1977 February 2, 2013), This page was last edited on 22 January 2023, at 19:35. Snipers arent heroes. After a few moments of uncertainty, the spotters cheered. One could imagine the spotters holding their breath in anticipation before hearing a loud impact on steel. He pumped iron with a trainer twice a day, five days a week, for months. 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. You dont think of the people you kill as people. His bestselling autobiography, American Sniper a story . Copyright 2023 The Western Journal. Kyle described punching out a man, later identified as Ventura, whom he said made offensive remarks about Navy Seals. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, US hero Chris Kyle was a sharpshooter who served in Iraq, He was nicknamed the Devil of Ramadi by terrified Iraqi insurgents, Chris Kyle pictured with with his wife, Taya, in 2012. He was accused by some in the US of being anti-Muslim and of giving his country a bad name through the red crusaders cross he had tattooed on his arm. Longest shot was a 2,100-yard strike against a man armed with a rocket launcher Prefers a bolt-action .300 Winchester Magnum custom sniper rifle Left the Navy after 10 years to 'save his marriage' 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. The Bronze Star is awarded to members of the Armed Forces for heroic or meritorious achievement or service in a combat zone. The distance at play made it particularly difficult to account for bullet drop, or the phenomenon of a fired projectile being dragged down by gravity over the course of its trajectory. Although Kyle used a . Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle, Iraq War; Distance: 1,920 m (6,300 ft) Weapon: McMillan Tac-338 . The most-revered in war after survival and victory is a sniper's shot. Kremer served as a member of the United States Army 2nd Ranger Battalion, and he made this record-breaking shot only a year into the war. In an interview with the defence publication, Kyle said he didn't regret any of his kills in the field. If they hit a rock that is 4 feet in diameter, they get more field credibility. The shot was nearly 800 yards further than the previous longest sniper shot in history, perhaps aided by the soldier utilizing match-grade Hornady ammunition. ', The honor of taking the impressive shot would fall to a friend of Austin and Humphries who has a great trigger finger and smart analytical business mind. He agreed to it on the condition of anonymity, according to the release, which referred to him as Winston.. Actor Bradley Cooper, who portrayed U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle in the Oscar nominated film 'American Sniper,' has revealed that he and Taya Kyle, the sniper's widow, are engaged to be married. Chris Kyle was such a skilled marksman that he killed an enemy fighter 1.2 miles - 21 football fields - away with a single shot. Two years after being recorded, the longest sniper kill shot remains one of the greatest feats ever performed in military history. And invaders r worse.. Back home with his family after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind. The Silver Star is the third-highest military combat decoration. He agreed to take Routh to a shooting range, which Kyle believed had therapeutic value. Kyle, who was a former Navy SEAL, and his friend Littlefield were walking down range to set up targets when Eddie Ray Routh opened fire and hit both of them. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd called the suspect a bad rapper and also compared him to a "baby" at a news conference. Perry and Furlong were part of a six-man sniper team during 2002's Operation Anaconda, part of the War in Afghanistan. All Rights Reserved. [9] After returning to the US, Hathcock helped to establish the Marine Corps Scout Sniper School at Quantico, Virginia. And by doing his job so well, better than anyone in his countrys history, he saved many American lives.. He was officially responsible for 160 kills during his career as US Navy SEAL sniper, according to the Pentagon. The record now belongs to a team led by Scott Austin and Shepard Humphries of Nomad Rifleman. Lewis Capaldi handled himself like a true pro, simply backing away from the mic and hanging on to the stand while his fans took the lead. Chris Kyle was such a skilled marksman that he killed an enemy fighter 1.2 miles - 21 football fields - away with a single shot. The verdict was appealed. Gary Buiso. Hathcock became a US Marine Corps legend as a result of his many accomplishments, and even had a variant of the M21 named after him. Even the most basic of sniper kills are impressive feats, and things get progressively more difficult with targets who are further away. Specifics: Perry held the record of longest sniper shot in history for perhaps the shortest time in history. Those were the moments when he thrived.". The initial target date was in May 2021, but major complications in procuring and assembling the rifle and a protective bunker for the team of forward spotters pushed it back considerably. I definitely dont have any regrets about that.. 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. As a well known SEAL, Chris Kyle became the most lethal sniper in U.S. history and left a lasting legacy by protecting the U.S. marine's lives with overwatch protection. Also, questions were raised about the true number of medals he'd been given for his military success. "[9] Four months later, while he was in his jail cell, Routh shared with former Erath County Sheriff's Deputy Gene Cole: "I was just riding in the back seat of the truck, and nobody would talk to me. Then there is the Coriolis Effect, which requires snipers to account for hemispheric drift. [1][2][3], Chris Kyle had begun working with veterans after leaving the military. It was the world's eighth-longest confirmed kill shot by a sniper. A third shot took out the insurgents' machine gun. The Longest Sniper Kills in History. The Hollywood-hewn story of Navy Seal Chris Kyle faced criticism for fictionalizing the sniper and being tonally off-the-mark, . In addition, as instruments of measure, they are subject to accuracy errors and malfunction. Carlos Hathcock taking aim in Vietnam. AP. a Remington 700/300, Later type classified as a MK13 Mod 1, .300 Winchester Magnum sniper rifle with McMillan stock and . His feat was especially impressive considering how unlikely it was for the maximum effective range of the weapon he used. When asked whether he regretted fatally shooting men and women, he told D Magazine: I regret the people I couldnt kill before they got to my boys. Both guns belonged to Kyle. American Sniper: Directed by Clint Eastwood. You may opt out at anytime. Chris Kyle, musclebound, grim-faced and lethal, liked to tell stories. Matt covers politics, faith, history, national and global news. He described the killing in his book, American Sniper. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. This impressive shot was taken against M23 rebels that had been wreaking havoc throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When he's not writing, working or spending time with his family, Matt enjoys PC Gaming, Science Fiction and YouTube. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. [4], On February 2, 2013, Kyle and his friend, Chad Littlefield, 35, were shot and killed by Eddie Ray Routh at the Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge-Resort shooting range in Erath County, Texas. Get the latest news delivered right to your email. [2], Murders of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield, "The fatal intersection of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and the Marine veteran who killed him", "Chad Littlefield, 1977-2013: The Other Shooting-Range Victim", "Inside the Tortured Mind of Eddie Ray Routh, the Man Who Killed American Sniper Chris Kyle", "Noted sniper slain at Erath County gun range", "Man charged in fatal shooting of ex-SEAL/author", "Chris Kyle's Widow Breaks Down on the Stand and the Chilling Text Message", "Author of 'American Sniper' among the dead at Rough Creek", "Ex-SEAL Chris Kyle remembered after shooting death", "At 'American Sniper' murder trial, a psychosis defense", "Jury Returns Guilty Verdict in 'American Sniper' Trial", "Jury finds Eddie Ray Routh guilty in 'American Sniper' case", "Chris Kyle Funeral Procession Arrives in Austin. D Mag says that, "while on the sniper rifle, Kyle had to do complicated math, accounting for wind speed, the spin of a bullet, and the curvature and rotation of the Earth. The records for the longest sniper kills among the armed forces began to be published in 1967 during the Vietnam War by the US Military. Chris Kyle's longest shot was taken against an enemy fighter in Iraq. This list is not exhaustive, as such data is generally not tracked nor managed under any official procedure. "[6][10] Local police captured Routh after a short freeway chase, which ended when Routh, who fled the scene in Kyle's Ford F-350 truck, crashed into a police cruiser in Lancaster. The M2 machine gun Carlos Hathcock used for his longest confirmed kill in 1967 (U.S. Marine Corps) A WWII-era machine gun used as a sniping system . The group added, In the extreme long range shooting community, there isnt an official standard for records. "The things they would do - beheadings, dragging Americans through the streets alive, the things they would do to little boys and women just to keep them terrified and quiet That part is easy. The case attracted national attention due to Kyle's fame as author of a bestselling autobiography, American Sniper, published in 2012. For example, a rifle capable of firing a 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). Theyre just targets. Date: August 2008 Weapon: MacMillan Tac-338 Ammunition:.338 Lapua Magnum Nationality: USA . By the end of his first deployment Hathcock's life was worth $30,000 to the North Vietnamese . Jan 23, 20159:30 AM. With Bradley Cooper, Kyle Gallner, Cole Konis, Ben Reed. Those were the moments when he thrived.". Rifle builders Scott Null and his sons Meshac & Nehemia of S&S Sporting in Idaho built the rifle. The McMillan TAC-338 is a specialized sniper rifle made to "exact" specifications with long range lethality and precision in mind, explains Military Factory. Instead, a February afternoon in 2013 turned into murder when former United States Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle died alongside his friend, Chad Littlefield, after a veteran . The masterwork rifle was completed finally in May, about a full year after the original target date, according to the release. AMERICA'S deadliest sniper, Navy Seal marksman Chris Kyle, had at least 160 confirmed kills in Iraq by the Pentagons official count. Carlos Norman Hathcock was a sniper for the United States Marine Corps and was highly commended for his impressive service record of 93 confirmed kills. Ventura, a former Underwater Demolition Teams/Seal member, testified he never made the comments and the altercation never happened. [7], If the shooter wishes to improve accuracy, increase range, or both, the accuracy of estimates of external factors must improve accordingly. WE HAVE OUR FIRST HIT! Photo illustration by Slate. His hard-earned skills enabled him to make this record shot on this third try. He killed near Sadr City in 2008 at a distance of 2,100 yards. Kyle dropped the insurgent at 1.2 miles away (or approximately twenty-one football fields) with a single shot. With this kind of shooting, nobody has yet figured out how to get first round hits. The film American Sniper is adapted . [20] Hundreds of people, many waving American flags, lined Interstate 35 to view the procession and pay their final respects to Kyle. . And boy is it a space-aged piece of beauty!, World Record Extreme Long Range Shot 4.4 Mileshttps://t.co/1aHENBmrH9#longrangeshooting #NomadRifleman #firearm #gun #guns #firearms #freedom #firearmsnews #gunnews #2anews #2a #2ndamendment #secondamendment #pew #shootingrange #shooting #shootingsports #rifle #thegunbulletin pic.twitter.com/MxgihiVFU2, TheGunBulletin (@TheGunBulletin) September 22, 2022. He was officially responsible for 160 kills during his career as US Navy SEAL sniper, according to the Pentagon. The 2nd Ranger Battalion, the unit that Kremer served in, is one of three ranger battalions that belong to the United States Armys 75th Ranger Regiment. Honestly, most shots made at distances north of 1500 meters (~1600 yards) unless the shooter, rifle and ammunition is specifically trained and configured for use at that range and extensive practice is done, are misses. While the Mk-12 and Mk-11 were both semi-automatic rifles, Kyle's .300 Win Mag was a manual bolt-action. But then again, as Kyle showed us, some of the most important shots are those that beat the odds. The Silver Star is the third-highest military combat decoration. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. 6,000: Approximate number of calories Cooper was eating per day while training for the film. The McMillan TAC-338 is a specialized sniper rifle made to "exact" specifications with long range lethality and precision in mind, explains Military Factory. 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. Another man was also fatally shot. A Canadian special forces sniper has broken the world record for the longest confirmed kill shot. Chris Kyle was shooting a .338 Lapua Magnum. He spotted a man on a roof, who initially didn't appear to be carrying a weapon - but hours later, a further check revealed the insurgent was clutching a possible RPG (rocket-propelled grenade). When asked whether he regretted fatally shooting men and women, he told D Magazine: I regret the people I couldnt kill before they got to my boys. Because of the weapons sheer complexity, it required custom parts shipped from all over the world, including, Canada, New Zealand, Arkansas, South Dakota and Washington. Later, Kyle called it a "really, really lucky shot." Chris Kyle didn't fit the stereotype of the sullen, lone wolf sniper. "I heard Mr. Routh say, 'I shot . In page 178, he describes his longest shot. Today well learn about the top 10 longest sniper shots ever recorded and rank them according to the distance between shooter and target. Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore appeared to lash out against it onTwitter when he wrote: My uncle killed by a sniper in WW2. [citation needed], USMC Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock's confirmed 2,286m (2,500yd) kill in the Vietnam War 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. Nicholas Ranstad still holds the record for the longest shot made by a US sniper. Navy Seal sniper Chris Kyle explains some of the details from his book American Sniper, including the differences between the SEAL teams and how he was able to make a 2,100 yard shot in combat. What caliber did Chris Kyle use as a sniper? The impact was confirmed by a hole in the target 3.125 inches from dead center and a recovered bullet. Perry was accused of desecrating corpses, but the issue was dropped due to lack of evidence. [citation needed] 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 . [6] On the way to the shooting range, Kyle texted Littlefield, "This dude is straight up nuts." This article first appeared in December 2020. 2004 shot is the longest recorded sniper kill by an American. US Army Sergeant Nicholas Ranstad served in an Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron called the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment. You also agree to our. . In 2017, a sniper from Joint Task Force 2 (JTF-2) neutralized an ISIS target in Iraq at a distance of over 3,540 meters. Chris Kyle, whose story . But by then Kyle had become a controversial figure. Kyle described punching out a man, later identified as Ventura, whom he said made offensive remarks about Navy Seals. The rifle used for the shot was a project in and unto itself. Chris Kyle, American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History. And that brings us to "The Legend" and his claim-to-fame long-distance shot. [original research? He was born on April 8th in Texas and had a lovely childhood wanting to end the world's . This record-breaking shot took down an Islamic State insurgent in 2004, but few other details have been disclosed. Hathcock also won the 1966 Wimbledon Cup, which is earned by the winner of the US 1,000-yard high-powered rifle National Championship. At the New Jersey Warrior Challenge in 2012, Ranstad was an honored guest and autographed almost 100 flyers! American Sniper, the movie, whipped up a fierce backlash. The Audience's Response Will Give You Goosebumps, 'He's a Stupid Rapper': Gang Member Charged with Murder After Police Hear His Latest Song, 'Ouch': 11 House Democrats Reportedly Snubbed Biden for a Concert, 'Pure Theater': Greta Thunberg 'Detained' at Protest, But Look What Happens After Police Let Her Down, Elderly Man Pulls Out Six-Shooter and Fires Back After Being Shot in Leg by Two Alleged Armed Robbers, Read the Entire Explosive $50 Million Gen. Flynn Lawsuit Against the US Government, Op-Ed: The Pro-Life Movement Has a Golden Opportunity, But Only if We Work Together. Texas hardman Chris Kyle became a household name after his autobiography, American Sniper, was adapted into a movie by Clint Eastwood, starring Bradley Cooper.