DemonDuck
I\'m always so thrilled to read about our efficient killing machines. Why I bet that a consumer version of this sniper rifle would be a big hit.
Hey maybe we could have a reality based TV show where contestants try to make difficult kill shots....
robinyatesuk2003
three hits in one target zone,, WOW ! proves it was not just a lucky shot
Mickey
I don\'t think that killing people from a long distance is cause for celebration. It may be necessary, but killing people is always tragic.
Iman Azol
Wow. Some serious hype here.
The primary utility of a sniper is intelligence gathering--infiltration, scopes, radios and sat phones means lots of information for tactical planning. Killing is secondary, but useful if the opportunity presents itself, and doesn\'t hinder intelligence.
And no, they don\'t \"routinely\" kill more troops than entire battalions. Most snipers will have one or two kills in their entire career.
Gonzalo Villouta Stengl
Thank you very much for this information.
I was wondering if you could also provide updated information of cost effective top nuclear weapons?
I think, with all my respect, you should restrict your technology screen update to peace, wealth and sustainability oriented developments. We need urgently a shortcut to live in a better worl. So, please help the world, not the contrary.
THIS IS A WORLDWIDE DEMAND !!!!!
Got it ?
HOPEFULLY.
mhenriday
Wonderful to see Gizmag celebrating murder in a foreign country - keep up the good work !...
Henri
Dread Zontar
Hats off to the snipers mentioned here for their prowess.
That being said, my sentimental favourite and personal \'Greatest of Them All\' is SIno Hayha of Finland.
The fellow\'s credited with something like 500 confirmed kills and another 40-odd if unconfirmed ones are added. He\'s also credited with a couple 100 more, but those were machine-gun ones.
Even more amazing, he did this:
- in less than 100 days (!!!); - during the 1939-40 Winter War against the Red Army when it invaded Finland; - in minus 20 to minus 40 degree weather; - on days where the Sun was up for short hours; - he used 1930-40s technology ... and he used METAL sights rather than telescopic ones because the latter might reflect light that would reveal him to the enemy; - to make him invisible as possible, he\'d breathe out through his mouth, which he filled with snow ... the snow would prevent his breath from condensing outside of him and revealing his position.
Plus, he took a shot to the face and survived! Now, THAT is ONE tough farm boy!
Hail, Finland, HAIL! And viva Simo Hayha!
And no, I'm not Finnish.
Facebook User
I see noting exciting about a man that shots two other men, enemies or not.
Stein
I easily see why this accomplishment is fascinating. The level of skill is impressing. The setting is severe, whatever definition of that word is used. The feeling of \"showing them bad guys\" something. And a lot more related thoughts.
But I assume that the guy who did achieve these extremely difficult kills, will think the attitude in this article is rather sickening. He\'s been in serious danger many times. He will have had PLENTY of time in bad places, contemplating the value of life, his own and any others. He will have thought about the possibility of roles being reversed, and that being as justified, and as real. Situations when reality in its gravest form is very close, make people realize a lot...
Treating kills as some sort of sports achievement, is very wrong. This piece of text is highly disrespectful of the situation. I would guess that Corporal Craig Harrison, given the chance, would like to slap the writer in the face, like you do when a kid has behaved really offensively, but mostly not meant badly. I think the writer has just not thought properly about it.
I see this type of writing a byproduct of a culture I dislike. It seems as this culture has a strong following in the US. The National Rifle Association, NRA, seems to be one breeding ground for extremely soft brains. I hope someone is offended by that. But more strongly I hope the writer was just sloppy with his style, and that the resemblance with people who think philosophy is a clothing brand, was a mishap.
Just to emphasise: I do not try to say that this topic should not be covered in Gizmag. But with such a serious and sensitive topic, a writer with a better sense of reality, and of what he\'s discussing, should be used. The mentioned killings did not take place in \"Star Wars\" or \"Avatar\". They were real killings. Yes shooting them probably was right, but that really is a choice between very bad and even worse. The two dead had parents, and probably kids and more. Many people now suffer. Most likely Corporal Craig Harrison is one of them. You never forget a kill. This is probably why it took so long to reach the public. None implied wanted this type of attention.
Seeing a war scene makes sure you know it\'s nowhere near a sport, an adventure or heroism. No winners. All loose. It\'s a very bad hell. Only that. Please remember this, out of respect for people involved, and out of respect for what type of attitudes can be tolerated in our society. Treating killings as sports is just NOT tolerable.
Biggles
Anyone watching Thai TV on any channel from 11th to about 15th April could witness a flag waving street protestor in the middle of a crowd being hit in the head by a sniper and the devastating effect thereof. Its one thing to read a book about it but another to see this actually happen in front of your eyes in your home. We were told later that the rifle used was from Israel and said to cost $150,000 with specialist training an extra cost. Also a photo in the local Thai paper recently shows a soldier on a pedestrian overpass sprawled behind a sniper rifle along with a spotter man checking targets below . I cannot identify if the weapon was one of those mentioned here.