Along with special units in the ranks of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, as in any army in the world, there are special soldiers. It is not customary to talk about them a lot, and while in the service, at best, only their name is known about them, these are snipers. People who have only one goal - to hit this very goal. Today we will learn how to become a sniper in the Russian army, what are the intricacies of training and what percentage eventually gets the right to use the famous Dragunov rifle (SVD), as well as new improved units of unusual weapons.

Features of the profession

First you need to figure out who a sniper is. After all, this person, not just a disguised soldier with a long-range rifle, such an appearance is preceded by a colossal experience of specific activities and training, as well as a special mindset and principle of thinking. A sniper does not just shoot accurately (a classic example of the importance of quality, not quantity), this fighter must be aware of the importance of his own shot, the right moment for which you may have to wait more than one day.

A single pull on the trigger of a sniper rifle can change the course of an entire battle, just as the slightest movement can instantly cost a sniper his life. It is not surprising that in the preparation of such soldiers special techniques are used, aimed primarily at the formation of the necessary thinking.

Probably, there is not a single active sniper who dreamed of such a path from a young age. After all, this is too specific an area to remotely and without practice understand whether this particular person really wants to be a sniper. Nevertheless, there is a list of initial criteria for selecting fighters for this kind of activity. Already here there are somewhat ambiguous restrictions for the layman. This list includes the following items:

  • age not older than 35 years;
  • perfect vision and hearing (100% or 20/20), as well as an impeccable ability to distinguish colors (even the slightest color blindness is unacceptable);
  • complete absence of cravings for drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes;
  • a rank (not lower than the second) in a sport related to sniper business is required;
  • excellent physical form (candidates who have passed physical training exclusively with excellent marks are allowed);
  • lack of own family;
  • confession of Orthodoxy or atheism (representatives of other religions are not allowed);
  • the presence of a certain level of IQ;
  • the presence of the necessary basic psychological qualities (absence of phobias, manias, self-control, resistance to prolonged stressful situations, the ability to be alone for a long time, discipline and determination);
  • military service for at least 12 months (preferably airborne, intelligence, marines).

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Agree, the list is already quite impressive, but these are only those arguments, subject to which only a personal file will be studied in order to make a decision on one or another soldier for further stages of training.

Sniper Saboteur

Such fighters serve in the formations of the ground forces of the Russian Federation, as a rule, in reconnaissance detachments. Their duties include hitting a target at a distance of 500 meters. The preparation process begins with a detailed review of the personal file, as well as observations of the behavior of the soldier during service and in everyday situations. In addition, the process is accompanied by constant personal conversations, psychological trainings and unexpected exams.

At the first stage of selection, a potential candidate will have to pass a special psychological test by profession "sniper", as well as successfully cope with the implementation of the standards for shooting from the SVD and the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Another selection criterion is physical fitness. This test includes the following exercises:

  • 100-meter run (required standard for sprint - no more than 13 seconds);
  • pull-ups at least 17 times;
  • running for 3 kilometers in light uniforms (no more than 12 and a half minutes).

The following tests are related to the specifics of the profession. One of them is observation and visual memory. On a special section of a large area (200x1000 m), 10 targets are located in such a way that they are hardly noticeable. Within 10 minutes, candidates must visualize these targets, after which the fighters are sent to cover from which there is no view of the site. During the time that the candidates are in the room, the objects (about half) are rearranged and re-camouflaged. The task of the applicants is to detect targets and indicate which objects were moved and where.

Also a mandatory test is a shot reaction test. After all, when sending a bullet, there is noise and recoil in the shoulder. The sniper needs to ensure that the reaction to the shot is reduced to zero. When passing the test, the commander marks the candidates with the least manifestation of instincts.

Police sniper

The task of such an employee of the special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is to hit targets at a distance of no more than 300 meters - this is the main difference from a similar specialist in the ground forces. Police snipers take part in special operations to capture especially dangerous armed criminals, and the goal of such fighters is to neutralize terrorists in case of a threat to the lives of captured civilians.

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In general, the requirements for candidates are identical to those described in the previous section, however, there are some differences due to the performance of different tasks. For example, shooting standards differ. For police applicants, they look like this (all shooting is done from a prone position):

  • defeat of a target appearing in the window (20x30 cm) at a distance of 300 meters from the first shot;
  • defeat of the chest part of the target with a height of 150 cm from a distance of 300 meters;
  • hitting a target measuring 12x12 cm from a distance of 200 meters;
  • hitting 6 bullets from 6 shots at a target measuring 4x4 cm from a distance of 100 meters.

Additional tests are also carried out for an instant reaction with the subsequent defeat of the target. One of these “tricks” is a test when a candidate rises in alarm at night, is taken to the site, where the commander points to the target (a doll that looks like a living person from afar - a factor of surprise and discouragement for the applicant). Within 5 seconds, the fighter must fire a shot, otherwise the task will fail.

General provisions

Sniper training (full course)

1. General Provisions.

a. To become a sniper, one must know and be able to put into practice the basic principles of marksmanship, which include aiming, shooting position, trigger pull, scope adjustment, weather considerations, and bringing the weapon into normal combat.

The purpose of learning these principles is to develop stable and correct shooting skills and consolidate them at the level of instinctive actions. Shooting training of a sniper is a continuation of the basic training of a shooter. She teaches the sniper how to hit a target with the first shot at various, mostly long, ranges.

b. The fundamentals of marksmanship taught to the sniper range from those taught to the average soldier to those required for sniping tasks. To train at the expert level, a sniper must be equipped with the finest weapons and the best ammunition. He is also armed with additional knowledge and skills in the field of survival on the battlefield, which allow him to engage in a duel with the enemy and emerge victorious from him.

in. Each sniper must periodically retake a course in the basics of marksmanship, regardless of shooting experience. Even an experienced sniper experiences a deficit in the correct application of the basics of marksmanship from time to time, which is a consequence of the development of other skills and abilities. The fundamentals of marksmanship as a sniper must be practiced in the sequence given in the following sections.

2. Aiming.

The first skill a sniper develops is proper aiming. The importance of proper aiming cannot be overstated. Not only because it is one of the main skills, but also because it provides ways in which the sniper can check the correct position for firing and pulling the trigger. The aiming process includes the following phases: the relationship between the eye and the aiming devices, the "smooth front sight", the aiming point, the process of breathing and aiming, and exercises to develop the correct aiming.

a. Relationship between eye and sights.

    To understand what is required in the aiming process, the shooter must know how to use his eye. The diversity in the position of the eye in relation to the aiming bar translates into a variety of images perceived by the eye. The appropriate position of the eye is called "pupil removal". Correct pupillary distance, allowing for minor changes, is approximately 7.5 cm. The best way to maintain correct pupillary distance is to use a butt pad (so-called "cheek") or the thumb of the shooting hand.

    For a clearer understanding of the use of the eye in the process of aiming, it is necessary to remember that the eye is able to instantly focus when moving from one range to another. It cannot focus on two objects at different distances at the same time.

    To achieve an undistorted image when aiming, the shooter's head must take a position in which he looks straight, and not sideways and not frowningly. If the head is in a position that causes the shooter to aim through the nose or under the eyebrow, the eye muscles tense up and cause involuntary eye movements that reduce image fidelity. This not only affects the visual characteristics, but at the same time has a negative psychological impact on the shooter. The eye functions best when it is in its natural position, i.e., when the gaze is directed straight ahead.

    Do not focus on the aiming point for more than a few seconds. When the eyes are focused on a single image for a certain amount of time, it is imprinted in the perceptual zone. This effect can be illustrated by the following example. For 20 - 30 seconds, look at the black dot drawn on a piece of paper and then look at white wall or ceiling. You will see a barely noticeable image of a dot on the wall, while the sharpness of the image in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe image will be lost. This effect is very important for the shooter. The imprinted image dulls the sharpness of the image in the area of ​​perception and may be mistaken for a true image of the target.

    Many shooters with bushy brows have difficulty aiming, resulting in a distorted image of the target. In such cases, eyebrows are recommended to be trimmed or sealed with tape.

b. "Smooth fly".

    "Smooth front sight" is the relationship of the front sight and rear sight in relation to the eye. This is the most important element of aiming, since errors in its implementation lead to a change in the position of the axis of the bore of the weapon.

    Using open sight"even front sight" means such a position of the front sight in the slot of the rib, in which it is located in the center of the slot in direction and in line with the mane of the rib in height.

in. Aim point.

    After the shooter is trained in taking the "smooth front sight", it is necessary to start studying the choice of the aiming point. This element differs from the "flat front sight" only in that a dot is added to it on the target to which the front sight is brought.

    The point of aim used by the sniper is the center of the target. All novice shooters should know this, as it is the most commonly used and more understandable than others.

d. The process of breathing and aiming.

    Breath control is very important for the aiming process. If the shooter breathes while aiming, the up and down movements of his chest cause the weapon to move in a vertical plane. The "smooth front sight" is taken while breathing, but the shooter must hold his breath to complete the aiming process. To properly hold your breath, you need to inhale, then exhale and hold your breath during a natural respiratory pause. If at the same time the "smooth front sight" is not on the target, it is necessary to change the position of the body.

    The respiratory cycle lasts 4 - 5 seconds. Inhalation and exhalation take about 2 seconds. Thus, between cycles there is a pause of 2 - 3 seconds. It can be extended up to 12 - 15 seconds without special efforts or discomfort. It is during this extended pause that the sniper must fire his shot. Reasons for this: during the respiratory pause, the respiratory muscles are relaxed; thus, the shooter avoids diaphragm stress.

    The shooter must assume a shooting position and breathe normally until the "level sight" begins to approach the desired aiming point on the target. Many shooters then take a deeper breath, exhale, pause, and fire during the pause. If at the same time sights did not take the desired position on the target, the shooter resumes breathing and repeats the process.

    The respiratory pause should not cause discomfort. If the pause is prolonged, the body begins to experience a lack of oxygen and sends a signal to the brain to resume breathing. These signals cause slight involuntary contractions of the diaphragm and affect the shooter's ability to concentrate. In general, the maximum safe period for a respiratory pause is 8 to 10 seconds.

    As mentioned above, the eye plays a very important role in the aiming process. While exhaling and moving the front sight up towards the target, the focus must alternately move from the front sight to the target until the shooter determines that the sights are in the correct position on the target. Once the correct aiming pattern has been achieved, the focus must be on the front sight to accurately determine the position of the sights relative to the aiming point at the time of the shot and to determine variations in aiming irregularities.

    Some inexperienced shooters fail to understand that the final focus must be on the front sight; in poor lighting conditions, when the target is not clearly visible, the inexperienced shooter tends to focus the eye on the target. Shooting at a "blank" target (a target that does not have any shape or a regular target with the white side turned towards the shooter) can prove to the shooter the need to concentrate on the front sight.

e. Exercises to develop correct aiming.

e. Usage optical sight

The device of the optical sight allows aiming without the help of an open sight. The line of sight is the optical axis passing through the centers of the lens and the cross hairs of the sight. The crosshair of the sight plays the role of a front sight. The crosshairs and target image are in the focal plane of the lens (the plane that passes through the focus of the lens and is perpendicular to the optical axis). The sniper's eye perceives the crosshairs and the image of the target with the same clarity. To aim with an optical sight, the sniper's head must be positioned at the point of the exit pupil of the eyepiece so that the line of sight of the eye coincides with the optical axis of the sight. The sniper then moves the crosshair to the aiming point on the target.

1) Removal of the eye. When aiming, the eye should be at a distance of 7.5 - 9.5 cm from the exit pupil of the eyepiece. This distance - the distance of the eye - is quite large, but it must be maintained to ensure safety during recoil and to obtain a full field of view.

(a) Shadow effect. While aiming, the sniper must make sure that there is no shadow in the field of view of the scope; it must be completely clean. If the sniper's eye is not far enough from the scope, a concentric shadow appears in the field of view, which reduces the size of the field of view, worsens the conditions for observing through the scope and makes it difficult to aim. If the eye is not positioned correctly in relation to the optical axis of the sight, crescent-shaped shadows appear at the edges of the field of view; they can form from any side, depending on the position of the axis of vision relative to the optical axis of the sight. In the presence of such a shadow, the bullets deviate to the side, opposite side her appearance.
(b) Head position adjustment. If the sniper observes shadows at the edges of the field of view while aiming, he must find a head position in which his eye will see the entire field of view. Therefore, for accurate aiming, the sniper must fully concentrate on keeping the eye on the optical axis of the sight and on the exact location of the crosshair at the aiming point.

2) Advantages of an optical sight.
The optical sight provides:

(a) Improved aiming accuracy, which allows the sniper to fire at distant, subtle and camouflaged targets that are invisible to the naked eye.
(b) Quickness in aiming due to the fact that the sniper sees the crosshairs and the image of the target with the same clarity, in the same focal plane.
(c) Accuracy of fire in conditions of limited visibility (at sunset, at dusk, in fog, by moonlight, etc.)
(d) Better observation conditions, more accurate range determination and fire correction.

3) Lateral inclination of the weapon. Represents the deviation of the position of the weapon to one side relative to the vertical axis. On fig. 3A shows the correct aiming pattern, in which the optical sight and the rifle barrel are located exactly in the vertical plane. Rice. 3B shows the relationship between the aiming line and the throwing line. At the moment the bullet leaves the bore, it is directed to point A, but under the influence of gravity, the trajectory of its flight decreases and the bullet hits point A1, i.e. to the desired hit point. Rice. 3B illustrates the lateral tilt of the weapon; sights are slightly tilted to the right. In this case, the line of sight also ends at point A1 on the target, but the line of throw now passes through point B instead of point A. The bullet drops in the same way as on the first shot, its drop comes from point B and the point of impact is point B1. A greater tilt will cause the bullet to deflect more to the right - down, as shown in the inset of Fig. 3.

3. Shooting position

a. The sniper must choose a position that provides him with greater stability along with the ability to observe the target and cover from enemy observation. The sniper must be able to fire from any of the standard and rest positions discussed in this section. To hit the target with the first shot, he must have a stable position for shooting. Shooting position can be improved by using a sling. While the use of a sling while shooting in combat is not recommended, the choice should be left to the sniper, depending on the situation. It is recommended to give the same attention to training in shooting with a sling as in shooting with a support.

b. The shooting positions below should be considered as a guide to action, and not as the only possible for each person. Each of the above positions is an excellent "platform" for weapons and should be used taking into account the structural features of the body of each person.

in. The three building blocks of a good shooting position are bone stiffness, muscle relaxation, and a natural point of aim.

    Rigidity of the bone apparatus. Shooting positions are designed to be used as a "mount" for a rifle. The rigidity of such a "machine" is very important. If a house is built on a weak foundation, it will not stand upright. The same is true for a sniper using a weak "mount" (position) for a rifle. It will not be able to withstand the repeated recoil of the weapon at a fast rate of fire. Consequently, the shooter will not be able to apply skills in firing properly.

    Muscle relaxation. The sniper must be able to relax his muscles as much as possible while using different shooting positions. Excessive muscle tension causes tremor, which is transmitted to the weapon. However, in any position, a certain, controlled muscle tension is necessary. For example, at a fast rate of firing, it is necessary to apply pressure with the thumb of the shooting hand on the neck of the butt. Only through practice and the use of a natural point of aim will the sniper learn to relax the muscles.

    Natural point of aim. Since the rifle becomes an extension of the body, it is necessary to adopt a position in which the rifle is naturally aimed at the target. When the sniper assumes a shooting position, he must close his eyes, relax, and then open his eyes. After aligning the front sight in the rib slot, it will take the position of the natural aiming point. By moving the feet or body, and by using breath control, the sniper can move the natural point of aim to the desired point on the target.

d. The fit of the belt serves two purposes. It allows you to maximize the stabilization of the position of the weapon when used correctly and helps to reduce some recoil factors.

e. Proper contact between the cheek and thumb of the shooting hand, or the cheek and butt of the weapon, is essential to the aiming process.

    As mentioned above, the distance between the eye and sights must be constant. This constancy is achieved through cheek contact. Proper contact means that the shooter's cheek is in contact with the butt of the weapon in the same place each time they fire, which contributes to uniform aiming and the correct position of the eye at the appropriate distance from the sight.

    To provide better contact when aiming at an open sight, it is necessary to press the fleshy part of the cheek to the upper part of the thumb of the right hand, covering the neck of the butt.

    When aiming at an optical sight, it is necessary to press the cheek against the butt in such a way as to ensure the correct removal of the eye from the sight. The use of the thumb is not possible. A very important point is a strong pressure on the cheek so that the head and weapon work as a whole during recoil, which achieves a quick recovery of aiming after a shot.

    Once the correct cheek position has been determined, it must be adopted with every shot. In the initial period, the cheek may hurt. To prevent this, it is necessary to firmly press the cheek to the butt.

Prone Shooting Positions:

    Standard prone shooting position. This position is very stable and easy to adopt. It provides a low silhouette and meets the requirements of cover from fire and observation of the enemy. To assume a prone position, the sniper first adjusts the belt, stands facing the target. The left hand is on the forearm near the swivel, the right hand is on the stock, in the area of ​​​​the heel of the butt. Then he spreads his legs to a comfortable width for him, transfers the weight of the body slightly back and kneels. The toe of the stock drops to the ground in front, on the line between the shooter's right knee and the target, the shooter drops to the left side, placing the left elbow in front, in the same line (the weapon is lowered carefully so as not to knock off the sight). With the right hand, the shooter rests the recoil pad on the right shoulder. Then the right hand grasps the neck of the butt and the right elbow is lowered to the ground so that the shoulders are approximately at the same level. The sniper then ensures proper cheek-to-stock contact and releases the belt tension. To move the natural point of aim to the target, the sniper uses the left elbow as a pivot point. A position is well balanced if the reticle moves vertically without tilting when the sniper breathes.

    Prone shooting position. To assume this position, the sniper first selects a firing position that provides the best view, arc of fire, and cover from observation. Then he takes a comfortable position for prone shooting and prepares the platform (emphasis) for the rifle. The emphasis should be as low as possible. The rifle must rest firmly on the rest with the stock between the front swivel and the magazine. Care must be taken to ensure that the moving parts and the barrel do not touch the stop, as this can lead to a miss. The sniper then forms a bipod from his elbows. At the same time, he covers the neck of the butt with his right hand, the thumb is on top of the neck, the index finger is on the trigger; then rests the butt plate on the right shoulder. The left hand is also placed on the neck; the thumb covers the neck from below, and the remaining fingers - from above. The fingers of the left hand are involved in ensuring proper contact of the cheek with the butt and the necessary removal of the eye. The sniper then relaxes and uses his left hand (if necessary) to change the scope settings. To adjust the position for shooting vertically, he simply moves his elbows, and horizontally he shifts his body to the right or left. The store changes with either hand; single reloading is done with the right hand, while the left supports the neck of the butt. When firing from this position, it is very important that the firing area is clear. If the bullet hits a branch, leaf or grass, the shot may fail.

    Checking the correctness of the standard shooting position includes the following elements:

    b) The left hand is in the area of ​​​​the front swivel.
    c) The handguard lies in a fork formed by the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, supported by the palm (but not the fingers).
    d) The left elbow is directly under the receiver (as far as the features of the shooter's body structure allow).
    e) The belt is located high on the left arm.
    f) The butt plate is in the "pocket" of the shoulder, close to the neck.
    g) The shoulders are approximately at the same level (to prevent lateral tilt).
    h) The body is in line with the rifle (to absorb recoil energy).

Sitting positions:

    Standard position. There are three variations of the standard seated shooting position: splayed, cross-legged, and cross-ankle. These positions are equally good, depending on the features of the shooter's body. He must choose one of them, the most stable and comfortable.
    a) Cross-legged shooting position. For this position, the sling, adjusted for prone shooting, is reduced by 5 - 7 cm. Then the sniper turns half a turn to the right, crosses his left leg with his right and sits down. Leaning forward, the sniper brings his left hand behind his left knee and slides it down over his left shin. With his right hand, the sniper rests the butt on the shoulder, wraps around the neck of the butt and places the elbow of the right hand on the inside of the right knee.
    b) Shooting position with legs apart. To assume this position, the sniper proceeds in the same way as for assuming a cross-legged position, except that after crouching, he leaves his legs in place without crossing them and places his elbows on the inside of his knees. He stretches his legs to a comfortable position and spreads his feet about 90 cm apart. By turning the soles of his feet slightly inward, the sniper does not allow his knees to move apart and maintains pressure on his hands. The adoption of the position is completed by transferring the weight of the body forward, relaxing and correctly pressing the cheek to the butt. Many snipers use this position as it is adopted very quickly.
    c) Shooting position with crossed ankles. To assume this position, the sniper crosses his ankles, sits down and moves his feet slightly forward. Leaning forward, he places his hands between his knees. As in other positions, it is imperative to regulate the natural point of aim with body movement, but not with muscle tension. In the seated position, this is achieved by moving the foot, both feet, or buttocks until the sights are aligned with the target.

    Seated Shooting Position This position assumes that the sniper is in an area or position where he can or should assume a modified sitting position to provide an area of ​​sight and fire. To take the position, it is necessary to prepare a platform for the rifle or use natural cover as a stop. When doing this, make sure that the barrel or moving parts do not touch the stop. Then the shooter takes a comfortable sitting position, covers the neck of the butt with his right hand and rests the butt plate on the shoulder. The left hand is also on the neck to ensure proper contact between the cheek and butt and the necessary removal of the eye. The shooter then places his elbows on inner sides knees, as in the standard cross-legged position. Position adjustment is made by changing the position of the elbows or the body. Since this position is tedious, it is necessary to rotate the duties of a sniper between team members.

    Checking the correctness of the standard sitting position includes the following elements:
    a) There is no side slope of the weapon.


    d) The left elbow is approximately under the receiver.
    e) The right shoulder is fixed in front of the right knee.
    f) The belt is located high on the left arm.
    g) The shoulders are approximately at the same level to prevent lateral tilt.
    h) The butt plate is located in the shoulder pocket, close to the neck.
    i) The cheek is pressed firmly against the butt at a point which ensures correct removal of the eye.
    j) There is a space between the index finger and the stock.
    k) The distance between the knees is less than the distance between the heels (in the position with legs apart).
    l) The index finger of the right hand presses the trigger straight back.

Kneeling positions.

Like the sitting position, the kneeling position has three options: low, medium, and high. The sniper uses what suits him best.

1) Standard kneeling position.

a) Any kneeling position requires level ground. To assume the standard position, the sniper drops to the right knee so that the right shin is parallel to the target. The right foot can take one of the three positions described below. For a low position, the foot is tucked in and the sniper sits on the inside of the ankle. For the middle position, the ankle remains straight and the foot touches the ground with the lift of the leg. The sniper sits on the heel. In a high position, the ankle is also straight, but the foot rests on the ground with the toe of the boot. The right buttock is on the right heel. When using these positions, the balance can be disturbed if the body is too far back.
b) The left leg is in a vertical position, the foot is on the ground. For greater stability, the toes of the foot should be directed approximately towards the target. To prevent lateral movement, the toes of the left foot should be turned slightly inward by rotating the foot around the heel. After assuming a position, the left leg can be extended forward or pulled back to lower or raise the barrel of the weapon.
c) The shin of the right leg must be in such a position that would provide stability when pointing the weapon at the target. When viewed from the front, the lower leg should be approximately vertical. In this position, the left leg plays the role of an emphasis to support the weight of the body.
d) The right elbow is usually at shoulder level to form a "pocket" against which the butt plate rests. The elbow may be lower if the butt plate does not slip off the shoulder. The left hand supports the rifle, so it is very important to know the placement of its various parts in relation to other parts of the body. On the shoulder there is a flat part located on the back surface, above the elbow bend. With this part, the hand is placed on the same flat part of the knee of the left leg. In this case, the elbow of the left hand is in front of the knee and the weight of the body is transferred forward to the left leg. The left foot should be under the rifle for maximum stability. There should be a gap between the elbow and the belt, which indicates that the forearm is supported by the shoulder with the belt. The belt supports the bones and, in turn, the bones support the rifle. Approximately 60% of the body weight is transferred to the left leg, reducing the load on the right foot and leg, which promotes a relaxed position.

2) Position for shooting from the knee with an emphasis.

a) This position is used in cases where it is necessary to quickly assume a shooting position, and there is not enough time to assume a prone position. It is often used on level ground or when there is a parapet in front of a position where other positions cannot be used.
b) The position is taken in the same manner as the standard position, except that the rifle is supported by a tree or other fixed object that is used for support, cover from fire or observation. Support is provided by the contact of the shin and knee of the left leg, forearm, shoulder or rifle, lying on the palm, with an emphasis. As in other cases, it is necessary to ensure that the moving parts and the barrel do not come into contact with the stop. Otherwise, it may result in a failed shot.

3) Checking the correctness of the adoption of the standard kneeling position includes the following elements:

a) No side slope.
b) The left hand is on the forearm in the area of ​​​​the front swivel.
c) The forearm lies in a fork formed by the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, supported by the palm; the fingers are relaxed.
d) The left leg, viewed from the front, is approximately vertical.
e) The elbow of the right hand is approximately at shoulder height.
f) The weight of the body is transferred to the left leg.
g) The cheek is firmly pressed against the butt at a point that ensures the correct removal of the eye.
h) There is a gap between the index finger of the right hand and the forearm.
i) The index finger presses the trigger straight back.
j) The belt is high on the left arm.
l) There is a gap between the belt and the elbow of the left hand.

BOOK II. Initial training

The Sniper Training School for Police Units uses a weekly program that includes the following subjects:

    the role and place of the sniper;

    selection of rifles and equipment;

    preparing and bringing the rifle to normal combat;

    ballistics: internal, external and in the final section of the trajectory;

  • marksmanship basics;

    shooting in low light conditions;

    sniper tactics and field skills;

    reconnaissance and target selection;

    aiming point and fire on command;

    simultaneous fire/sniper ambush;

    assault with the support of snipers;

    observation and collection of information;

    keeping records;

    storage and conservation of weapons.

All of these items and more are covered in Sniper vs. Sniper, so we'll look at the one- and two-day programs we use. These programs are designed for experienced snipers who need to hone their skills.

sniper exercises

Snipers train both as a separate, independent element and as part of a tactical assault team. First, we will reveal the features of training specifically for snipers.
From the moment snipers arrive at the shooting range, a realistic approach is taken to their training. We start from the 100m direction where they take up positions in a line. For every sniper in the field several targets.
Instructors evaluate how quickly, silently and effectively the sniper prepares for the first shot - shot from a cold barrel- the most important shot of the day. Each shot is carefully analyzed, evaluated and recorded in the sniper book. Targets can be signed and kept by snipers for reporting when they arrive in their units.

Exercise 1
Shot from a cold barrel

Shooting is carried out at two head targets at a distance of 100 meters from the prone position / from the stop. The sniper may use a weapon sling, bipod, sandbags, or other equipment he may have. during the operation. After the command, the sniper has unlimited time to shoot at the center of the left target (See picture), reload and shoot at the right target. During the operation, the sniper does not have the opportunity to fire a sighting or test shot, so a cold shot tests both the shooter and his weapons and their ability to hit the target with the first shot. The second shot is designed to develop the sniper's ability to reload the weapon and fire automatically, in the case when the target did not fall after the first shot.
A cold bore shot must not deviate more than 2.5 cm from the aiming point. This requirement is not unrealistic for modern sniper systems and ammunition. The shooter is not stressed, has unlimited time and ideal conditions.

Exercise 2
Group

While in the same shooting position (prone/down) the sniper has unlimited time to shoot groups of five shots. The target should have a small but clearly visible point of aim when performing this exercise. It is designed to test the stability of the rifle, scope, ammunition and shooter. Remember the aphorism: "Precision is the result of uniformity."
A group with a radius of more than 2.5 cm should alarm a good shooter with great weapon, but for a beginner shooter with a medium weapon, a result of less than 5 cm is quite satisfactory. It is necessary to strive to ensure that the radius of the group is less than 2.5 cm.
Common causes of scatter are loose screws in the sight and mechanism mounts, barrel imbalance, trigger failures, and insufficient shooter skills in firing a shot.

Exercise 3
Lying without support

When performing this exercise, snipers must fire five shots from a prone position without support (without bipods and sandbags) at a reduced-size silhouette target. During the exercise, we observe the ability of snipers to fire using a belt. During the operation, the firing position of the sniper may not always allow the use of the stop.
Experienced snipers with properly fitted slings, gloves and shooting jackets are able to shoot a group with an accuracy of less than 7.5 cm. Less experienced shooters may be satisfied with a result of less than 15 cm. Comfortable position and breath control play an important role in this exercise.

Exercise 4
Shooting on command

Shooters load five cartridges and fire one shot at the head target for each command. This drill is performed from a prone/supported position, with the sniper firing within a second of the command being given. At the time of the command, the sniper is already in position and aiming at his target
The instructor monitors the stable defeat of the center of the target on command. Again, good archers should be within a 5 cm circle. At the same time, bullets that hit a 10 cm circle will result in the "death" of the enemy.

Exercise 5
Shooting in one gulp

Each shooter in the line is assigned a target (paper or 3D head target). A countdown is given from 5 to 1. On the count of 1, all snipers must simultaneously fire one shot. This exercise is repeated five times.
All targets must be hit with five shots to the center and each salvo must sound like one loud shot. The instructor observes the shooting in order to identify shooters who shoot too early or, conversely, too late. Such arrows "do not know their trigger".
Volley fire is important when conducting an ambush and in situations where several terrorists must be eliminated immediately. A premature shot can alert criminals to take cover or start killing hostages.
The "shooting on command" and "volley shooting" exercises must be given additional attention and training time if we want to train professionals.

Exercise 6
Shooting at 200 meters

After moving into the 200m firing range, snipers should prepare positions for prone/support shooting as quickly as possible. Using known sight settings or aiming, snipers fire five rounds at the head target. Shooting can be done with a time limit or on command (See above).
It is not surprising that most police snipers have never fired at ranges greater than 100 meters. So this exercise gives them some experience.
Center head hits with a dispersion diameter of 7.5 - 10 cm can be considered an acceptable result. Some shooters will be satisfied with just hits to the head, while others may get a scattering group of less than 5 cm in diameter.

Exercise 7
Shooting at 300 meters

After moving to the shooting area at a range of 300 meters, snipers fire five shots, aiming at the chest area. Shooting position - prone / from the stop. Snipers must be given sufficient time to fire a well-aimed shot. The firing range of 300 meters is practically the limit for a police sniper due to the fact that target identification by face at long ranges is very difficult.
The trajectory of a .308 Win caliber bullet passes 38 - 43 cm below the line of sight when firing at 300 meters if the rifle was brought to normal combat at 100 meters. The sniper must have a solid knowledge of the corrections to be made to the scope or the location of the aiming point when firing at ranges of 200 and 300 meters.
When shooting at ideal conditions at a distance of 300 meters, the standard is a group of hits in the center of the chest with a diameter of 12 - 15 cm. shooting at a distance of 300 meters.

Exercise 9
Shooting after loading

Snipers move forward at a run from the line of 200 meters to the line of 100 meters and fire at the target with five shots at a fast pace from any position using the stop. The instructor evaluates the impact of stress and heavy breathing on shooting results.
Push-ups, sit-ups, or rope climbs can also be used to increase breathing and heart rate.

Tactical lessons

These sessions are a series of exercises that include 1-2 shots each, fired at different and unknown ranges. Shooting at unknown ranges is an integral part of sniper training. He will constantly have to determine ranges, both for determining the installation of the sight, and for intelligence reports.
The instructor should show maximum imagination in preparing such exercises, at the same time they should include: shooting at targets located near the hostages, shooting at high elevation angles of the target, shooting through open windows, shooting at targets in cars, at moving targets, rotating targets and shooting in a crowded environment. Each situation should require the sniper to position himself, identify the target, relay information, and then fire only on command.
Tactical drills may be performed by a single sniper, a pair, or a squad of snipers. Strive to keep the lessons interesting, varied and realistic.

Experimental exercises

The purpose of these exercises is to give the sniper information about the behavior of the bullet in various conditions.
This may include: shooting through various types of glass and obstacles at various angles to determine bullet deflection. As well as tests of bullet penetration when shooting at barricades, gelatin blocks, car doors and windshields, etc. Shooting in windy conditions at long ranges can also be attributed to such exercises.
All results of such exercises must be documented and videotaped for future generations of snipers who may not have the time or materials to conduct their own experiments.

Unit exercises

Since the sniper is an integral part of the capture team, unit exercises should be included in the sniper's training program.
The scenario for such an exercise could be as follows: the sniper attends a preliminary briefing, chooses a place for a position, determines possible targets, transmits information to the command post and waits for a command to open fire. A sniper's shot may signal the start of an assault, or he may simply be required to provide fire cover for an advancing capture team and continue to relay information.
The capture team must have full confidence in the sniper's ability to fire at targets located in close proximity to the team's fighters. This confidence can only arise when the members of the team see the high degree of accuracy and professionalism that the sniper possesses.
It is always necessary to assign at least two snipers to each terrorist, and this in turn leads to the fact that great attention must be paid to developing the ability to conduct simultaneous fire.

BOOK III. Special types of shooting

To special types shootings include:

A) Limited time shooting at a moderately fast pace.
B) Shooting in a limited time at a normal pace (high-speed shooting).
C) High-speed shooting with the transfer of fire in depth.
D) High-speed shooting with the transfer of fire along the front.
D) High-speed shooting with a dash.

Starting to describe the features of these shootings, first of all, it must be emphasized that, from a methodological point of view, the transition to them is possible not earlier than the shooter has mastered the basics of shooting techniques well.
By the time you become familiar with special types of shooting, all the actions necessary to fire a shot should already have become a mechanical habit.
Only under these conditions can success be expected. On the contrary, a premature transition to difficult shooting, especially to shooting in a very limited time, as a rule, entails the most bad consequences: the shooter acquires many harmful habits, which are then very difficult to get rid of.
Even individual, unorganized attempts by the shooter, who, out of curiosity, tries himself in special types of shooting when he is not ready for them, should be inexorably suppressed.
The only reliable indicator that the shooter is ripe for work in difficult conditions is good accuracy (without breaks) and the ability to confidently achieve alignment of the midpoint of impact with the center of the target when shooting indefinitely.
From the point of view of the shooter's training, the concept of "shooting in unlimited time" combines such training exercises when the shooter has time to fire a shot at his own discretion, as well as those when, according to the conditions, the rate of shooting is only formally somewhat limited (1-2-3 minutes per every bullet).
Methodically and technically, a line must be drawn between shooting in unlimited time and high-speed shooting.

A) Shooting in a limited time at a moderately fast pace- an average of about 5 rounds per minute - serves as a transitional stage from shooting in unlimited time to high-speed shooting. From the point of view of methodology, it is nevertheless closer to the latter than to the former, so we begin this section with an analysis of it.
Moderately fast pace does not require any other skills than those already well known to everyone who has passed the initial training.
The shooter can carefully aim and carefully pull the trigger; he has every opportunity after each shot, as usual, to rest a little; in some cases, raising his hand, he can even afford to refuse the next, not adjusted quick shot and take a short break for a few seconds. Only a wasteful attitude to time is unacceptable; do not linger or be distracted by foreign objects.
But a fixed deadline is always of great moral importance.
The shooter sharpens the sense of time, he masters the pace and, working, gets used to accurately fit both individual shots and the whole series in the prescribed number of seconds.

The main thing that a shooter should learn in the process of training for a given period is to take his time and make full use of his time. Each shooting range should have a slogan: "Hurry is the main enemy of speed."
Check for correct manufacturing good fit weapons in hand and a comfortable setting of the feet of the shooter must even before the command "fire"; there is no time to think about it while shooting. After the signal, slowly, but not wasting time in vain, the shooter begins to act; his movements should be measured and methodical; raising the arm, cocking the hammer (for a revolver), aiming and shooting the right combination replace each other. The trigger, as a rule, needs to be cocked without the participation of the left hand. All unnecessary movements must be eliminated; due to this, as well as due to the distinctness of the implementation of individual techniques, the necessary time savings are achieved.

With any shooting in a limited time, the economy of the latter should be made at the expense of secondary auxiliary actions. This is necessary so that the shooter has the opportunity to carefully aim, slowly and smoothly pulling the trigger, just as he does when shooting slow, calm. The statement that the secret of high-speed shooting lies in the slow release of the trigger, at first glance, may seem somewhat paradoxical. Meanwhile, in reality, it is absolutely fair: this is the main guarantee of success.
B) High-speed shooting at a normal pace(4-5 seconds per shot) is the main element in all complicated exercises, in all combat shootings; therefore, the most serious attention should be paid to its careful working out.

Turning to high-speed shooting, the shooter only continues the work begun at the previous stage. Numerous non-shooting exercises will help him to achieve the utmost speed of movement and thus further save time on secondary details.
But the old rule of pulling the trigger slowly and smoothly still applies here. The whole point of persistently polishing your dexterity is just to give the shooter time to aim and pull the trigger.

Since high-speed shooting should not be based on haste, but on the shooter's confidence in his technique, long and persistent preparatory exercises without a shot take on special importance for her. Accurate timing and observation by an instructor or an experienced comrade from outside are highly desirable here. During training, the shooter must report the time every 5 seconds, especially noting at what second he fired the first shot, and how much time he has left at the end of the entire series. It's not good to take the first shot too long, but it's even worse to fire it hastily and carelessly, thus "unnerving" yourself at the very beginning of the series. The shooter must fit in time with almost no margin. When calculating your time in training, you need to remember that an exercise in vain, without cartridges, requires somewhat less time than a series of actual shots.

The setting of breathing during high-speed shooting has great importance; therefore, during training, special attention should be paid to it. Always experiencing nervous tension before the "Fire" command, the shooter tends to forget about the correct setting of breathing in high-speed shooting. The shooter must not forget to empty his chest of air before he fires the first shot; he must use the intervals between subsequent shots during cocking the hammer and restoring the aiming line to take a deep breath. This should become a habit and is achieved by training. During test shooting, you no longer have to think about breathing.

Thus, the work of the shooter during high-speed shooting occurs in two rates, abruptly replacing each other: a very fast pace - preparation for a shot; slow - trigger release and aiming.

Turning to the training system of a speed shooter, it should be noted, first of all, that a beginner should not strive immediately, by all means, to meet the time allotted for the test series or set by the rules of the competition. Harmful haste would only lead to negative results. It is always difficult to meet the time in the beginning. Therefore, you should not adjust the shooter if he is somewhat late with the last shot. On the contrary, the shooter should be placed in such training conditions in which he could freely observe, study and polish his achievements without any panic, without false fear of the second hand.

C) Complicated high-speed shooting, which primarily includes shooting with the transfer of fire in depth, differ from the usual ones, primarily in that they have relatively little time left for the actual shooting. Since the rate of fire is usually no more than 3-4 seconds per shot, and sometimes even less, the speed and automaticity of the shooter's work in preparatory training should be brought to the limit possible. As a rule, these exercises are performed only with automatic (self-loading) pistols that do not require an extra operation - cocking the trigger.

Since time is short, you have to save even on what you didn’t save on during normal high-speed shooting: on aiming. Strictly speaking, here, too, the problem is not so much in saving, but in the correct distribution. This is favored by relatively large curly targets, without glasses or with large circles. If there is a target without circles, only the defeat of the figure is counted; thus, the shooter has the opportunity, without losing points, to only approximately aim near ones that are relatively easy to hit the target, saving time for distant, more difficult ones.

Of particular importance for such firing are the size and shape of the sights. In order not to waste a lot of time looking for the front sight, the sight slot should be very wide; it is also obvious that a thick, rough front sight is clearly visible against the background of a large one-color dark figure. For such firing, the sights of the TT pistol mod. 1930; pistols of later releases are worse in this respect. For defensive purposes, the black bar and front sight are good; for shooting at black figures or a silhouette, it is better to smear the front sight with chalk or a colored pencil. For large shaped targets, weapons are usually sighted "point of aim - point of impact", with aiming when firing at the center of the figure.

If the shooting conditions impose especially strict requirements on the shooter in terms of time (1-1.5 seconds per shot), the time savings have to be extended to the trigger release; it must be done evenly and smoothly, but relatively quickly. A smooth but fast descent requires a lot of practice. The shooter must repeatedly and constantly rehearse the entire process of firing this exercise, making sure that the movement of the index finger occurs strictly parallel to the axis of the bore of the weapon. It is especially important at the same time that the second and third phalanxes of the index finger are far from the weapon, do not touch its side surfaces. Checking the trigger release without a shot, subject to all the conditions of the test exercise, will immediately show whether the finger is working correctly. If, when pressed, the weapon "pecks" to the right, left, up or down, this means that the descent is not performed correctly. It is necessary to somehow grab the handle in the palm of your hand or change the position of the fingers on the weapon. If the handle is not held loosely, but firmly, then the inevitable push during a rapid descent is not so easily transferred to the weapon. Therefore, in an exception to the general rules, complicated high-speed shooting with a very limited time is carried out with a fairly tight grip on the weapon. For these shootings, it is especially convenient to use the American position (the shooter is sideways to the target, the weapon is on an arm extended like a stick) with a slight tension of all the muscles of the body.

Shooting at shaped targets located in depth must begin with hitting the nearest target. It is inconvenient to start with distant targets; in this case, the shooter with a weapon would cover the nearest targets; it would be difficult to find them after the shot. In addition, the first shot, which occurs immediately after a quick raise of the hand, is usually the least accurate of all; thus, the nearest and therefore the easiest target is the most suitable object.

Finally, the most distant target (most often a growth target at a distance of 75 meters) is at the same time the most difficult to hit; it requires careful aiming and impeccable trigger pulling. One careless movement - and the bullet will pass by a narrow figure, which from a distance seems thin, like a knife blade. If the shooter knows that he can save time by firing at the nearest targets, he can take his time aiming at the last piece.

D) Olympic shooting. According to the conditions, the shooter must hit six emerging figures in 8 seconds; this is repeated three times. The signal to open fire is the appearance of targets; until then, the weapon must be pointed at the ground.
The features of the Olympic shooting technique include almost everything that was said above in paragraph "B" about complicated shooting. There is little left to add.

Before declaring his readiness, the shooter must check his readiness. The production is preferably American, with a focus on the first right target. Shoulder and arm up to and including the wrist - in a tense state; the brush firmly holds (compresses) the handle of the weapon. The movement of the hand with the weapon, both for the first shot and for subsequent shots, is carried out only by the shoulder joint. After checking the aiming at the right target and lowering down, straightened like a stick, and slightly tense hand with a weapon, the shooter declares "ready". Under such conditions, after the appearance of targets, he will not have to spend time preparing or looking for a line of sight; he only raises the weapon to its former height and opens fire from right to left.

The choice of direction is not accidental; it is dictated by a number of sound considerations. Firstly, when shooting from right to left, the next targets are in the field of view of the shooter; secondly, with American manufacture, it is much easier to make movements in this direction; thirdly, due to the fact that the center of gravity of the system consisting of a weapon and a hand is located much to the right of the axis of the bore, the weapon itself deviates slightly to the left under the influence of recoil with each shot.

Preliminary training without cartridges in Olympic shooting is especially necessary both for the acquisition of appropriate skills and for self-control; in the latter case, it gives even more than the shooting itself.
Keeping in mind the always possible unforeseen delays in the rapid transfer of fire along the front from one target to another, training in Olympic shooting should be carried out with some margin of time. (shootout) is carried out in a reduced time; the first time - 6 seconds, the second time - 4 seconds.
Technically, the most practical way to reduce training time is to shoot eight seconds not at six but at seven targets; such training gives the shooter visual data for self-confidence. Breathing in Olympic shooting requires special skills; you need to be able to exhale at the moment the targets appear. Actually, it already begins with the word "ready"; then the shooter fires all six shots without taking a breath.

E) One of the most popular exercises in dash shooting is the so-called "bustle". Under this funny name, high-speed shooting with a dash in an extremely limited time is known in wide sports and shooting circles. Its terms are well known. Starting position - 60 m from the target; target number 10 - full-length, black with circles or the so-called dash number 14. Before the "fire" command, the shooter is in the "at attention" position, the weapon is in a buttoned holster. On command, the shooter runs to the firing line 50 m and releases two rounds; then independently switches to 40 m, 30 m and 20 m, releasing two, two and one cartridge, respectively. 35 seconds to fire and move. For the sake of safety and better control, participants are always allowed to enter competitions one at a time. During the competition, the referee always follows the shooter relentlessly with a stopwatch in his hand.

The difference between "turmoil" and the above shooting is the dash and the need to change the aiming point as you approach the target. After the "fire" command, the shooter immediately makes a quick dash forward, simultaneously opening the holster and taking out the weapon. Approaching the next firing line, he must calculate his movement in such a way that at the last step he pushes off with his left foot, turn around and immediately stand in a position of normal and correct production, with his right side to the target; followed by two shots - and a new breakthrough to the next frontier. For this shooting in the process of training it is very important to learn how to stop in a timely manner in a position convenient for firing.
A time of 35 seconds is generally quite enough, and if you have to save it on movement, it is only because the presence of circles (ellipses) obliges the shooter to do this quite carefully aiming and slowly pulling the trigger. In this regard, the production is ordinary; the hand is not tense, the position of the hand in it is free.

Shooting for points, or rather the need to make as many dozens as possible, forces you to choose different aiming points in "turmoil" for different distances. Knowing the trajectory of your weapon, this is not so difficult to do.

BOOK IV. Sniper/counter-sniper operations and marksmanship basics

Introduction

Trained and used primarily by various military formations, the sniper plays a key role in demoralizing and incapacitating the enemy's manpower. There are many publications on the history of the sniper movement and their use in various military conflicts. The evolution of police snipers owes much to the vast amount of information and data on tactics and application technology gleaned from the military. However, this chapter is limited to the use of police snipers and the very specific duties and parameters within which they have to operate.
The role of snipers in crisis management is vital, so special attention must be paid to their selection and training. The terms sniper/counter sniper are interrelated. A countersniper simply means an additional step in the effective application of techniques and methods of action in cases where suspects may have experience in sniping operations they received during their military service or from other sources. The sniper must remain undetected by people in the area of ​​the crisis, and also be aware that someone else may be doing the same thing as him, but on the other side of the barricade. The sniper team consists of a shooter and an observer. Very often the role of the observer is not given importance, but it plays a very important role. And while we adhere to the sniper/sniper concept pioneered by the USMC, everyone in a sniper pair has special duties. Everyone must be fully trained for the basic task of a sniper and everyone must have their own weapons. During long operations, it may be necessary for the first number to change weapons. In addition to pistols, it is recommended to have compact melee weapons, such as MP - 5, CAR - 15, etc. It must be used by both numbers alternately when performing the duties of an observer (whose responsibility is to ensure the safety of the sniper).
Despite the fact that in recent times the situation has changed, in the past very often some agencies or units appointed less experienced or less experienced snipers to positions unwanted people to "put them away". It's like shooting your own foot. No person should be assigned to operations until they have attained the minimum qualification, regardless of what training they received prior to joining the unit.
The main duties of the members of the sniper team are:

Sniper:

    Provides security and fire cover for the unit. Note: Remember that a telescopic sight or spotting scope has a limited field of view. And when a sniper reports, "The left side of the building is under control," he usually only sees a few windows.

    Collects information within its sector and transmits it to the command post and the unit commander.

    Destroys the suspect on command or in the event of (in his opinion) a real threat to life.

    Covers approaches and escape routes.

Observer:

    Provides cover for the sniper.

    Monitors the area of ​​the operation and the surrounding area, reports the results of the observation to the sniper.

    The observer determines the corrections for weather conditions or the wind and assists the sniper in correcting the fire.

    Replaces the sniper when he needs a break or rest due to fatigue.

    Ensures that the sniper is not distracted unnecessarily.

The sniper team is the eyes and ears of the command post and capture team. Report the position of the suspects and their movements. Also report places where you don't see anyone. If you have good review room, it is very important for the capture team to know where there are no criminals, as well as where they are.

Selection of candidates

The candidate selected for the sniper team must have certain qualities:

    Accuracy: A sniper must be proficient with weapons. The possibility of hostages and crowds of onlookers may require a shot with an accuracy of less than one minute of arc in the absence of time to prepare.

    At mental abilities: despite the fact that the personnel of the capture team must be well trained in conducting accurate fire, there are situations when you have to shoot reflexively, in an excited state, in order to save your own or someone else's life. The sniper, on the other hand, must kill calmly and selectively, hitting carefully chosen targets if necessary. During a lengthy operation, the sniper may "get to know" the suspect - by watching him move, eat, etc. - and then either get a "green light" based on the threat to the hostages' lives, or watch him preparing to kill the hostage, after which he must shoot him.

    Patience: the sniper may be required to be in position for extended periods of time in cold weather.

    Movement Skills: the sniper must be sufficiently experienced in matters of covert movement and camouflage.

    Intelligence: the sniper must have a broad knowledge of various areas, including ballistics, scope alignment, weather factors, etc. Additionally, he must be very observant in order to collect information in the area of ​​the operation. He must have determination, be self-confident, have common sense and be reasonable.

Note: the observer must have the same qualities.

Deployment

Snipers should take up their positions as soon as they arrive in the area of ​​operation, after a readiness report and after a briefing by the commander/command post. This is done in order to start collecting information as soon as possible and to carry out the containment of suspects.

Weapons and Equipment

The following weapons and equipment are suggested as a minimum requirement.
Weapon. The rifle is an integral part of the sniper, directly enhancing the capabilities of the unit. It is a precision surgical instrument. Regardless of a sniper's ability, lack of proper equipment is the weak link in the chain. Particular attention must be paid to the selection of suitable weapons. The standard is .308 caliber, which has accumulated a lot of data as a result years tests. However, there are other calibers, the use of which is determined by the firing ranges. For a unit that expects situations to occur. when you need to fire at long ranges, the 7mm Magnum and 300 Winchester Magnum are excellent choices. Also, McMillan makes excellent sniper systems, including 12.7mm, which are quite simple and easy to handle. A trained shooter can easily achieve stability in firing from such a system at a distance of up to 1300 meters. As additional tasks, such systems can be used to stop cars or destroy explosive devices at a safe distance. The most important requirement is a thorough knowledge of your own weapon and its capabilities.
The sniper system, as a minimum, must have:

    Stock made of fiberglass or composite material.

    Heavy barrel (reduces vibration that affects bullet flight).

    Adjustable hook release.

    Quick adjustable strap.

  1. A bolt with a high degree of surface treatment and polished parts of the trigger mechanism.

    Non-shiny surface.

    Optical sight with variable magnification. Many 4X to 20X scopes use 6X magnification. High magnification is used for observation. It is not recommended to use a magnification greater than 9X for shooting. At a higher magnification, the problem of the stability of the field of view of the sight arises and the effect of the mirage increases. The optics must be coated (a double reticle is recommended), resistant to fogging, have a device for determining the range and mechanisms for introducing corrections for various shooting conditions. The sight must have good light gathering characteristics. The rifle attachment device must be designed for heavy-duty use.

Equipment. In addition to the normal tactical equipment worn by all unit personnel, the sniper and spotter must carry the following:

    A heavy-duty case for each system that can be placed behind your back when climbing a rope or wall, and has straps to hold it when climbing. It must be waterproof and protect the weapon from impacts. It must also have compartments for ammunition, accessories, etc.

    Warm, water-resistant clothing, boots, and a heat-insulating mat, which is used when the team is forced to remain practically motionless in a firing position for a long time during the cold season. Remember that the sniper team must be autonomous.

    Robust, high magnification spotting scope or binoculars.

    Quick-fit disguises for yourself and gear, including burlap capes, facial veils, makeup, and more. Many agencies use ghillie suits.

    Devices for climbing roofs, trees, etc.

    A compact, concentrated diet high in protein.

  1. A compact, multifunctional tool with a wire cutter.

    Any bag for general needs (carrying uniforms, coffee, etc.).

    Consider usage various types clothing forms. The fact is that there is no universal form for various terrain conditions, lighting conditions, etc. It is recommended to have one set of uniforms for operations in the city, forest and desert. Thus, you will be ready for action in almost any conditions.

* As mentioned above, the above items are in addition to the usual set (body armor, radio station, flask, etc.). Careful attention must be paid to the size and weight of additional equipment so that it does not hamper the unit's operations. Each situation will determine what property is required. However, be sure that you have everything you need.

Storage. Proper storage of weapons must be given constant attention. Cairns for storing weapons should not allow the presence of moisture. Do not store firearms in carrying cases for extended periods of time. This is especially important for rifles with free-floating barrels.

Workout

The main requirement for training can be called that they are as realistic as possible. Below are some of the key points used in the organization and conduct of training.

    although training in several specialties is very important, snipers must have enough training time to practice their specialty;

    do not forget to allocate a place for snipers in accordance with their specifics during tactical exercises (surveillance, fire support, etc.);

    Practice conducting drills on evacuating a wounded employee, on actions when meeting with the enemy and on storming a building in combination with live sniper shooting; in real life you may encounter similar situations and apply a technique that you have never practiced before - not the best option.

    practice exercises to develop visual memory; options for such exercises are the observation of a certain number of objects for a certain time, followed by their restoration from memory on paper, as well as a survey by the unit commander of employees on the distinctive qualities of key objects and local items encountered by the unit during the school day.

    the following exercise helps in developing hand-eye coordination and helps the eyes "see faster"; during this exercise, two balls (or other suitable objects) are used, painted in different colors. One color corresponds to the left hand, the other to the right. The balls are placed in a container and thrown one at a time to the student. The latter must catch the ball with the appropriate hand. With the acquisition of experience, the pace and speed of the ball increase.

    practice camouflage and covert movement under supervision. This also applies to city subdivisions.

    Conduct activities to gather information through observation. At the same time, appoint an enemy and draw up a plan of his actions. This is a good test of the sniper's ability to spot key points in an observation. Demand from him a radio report of details relevant to the case.

    during training, use situations in which the life of hostages or employees is threatened and the decision is required from the sniper to shoot or not. Evaluate his reaction during the debriefing of the lesson.

    strive to ensure that training time is used both for teaching marksmanship, recording results, and for practicing methods of movement, equipping positions and tactical actions. Remember that the main thing for a sniper is the ability to effectively use his weapon. The weapon must meet the requirements and the sniper must be able to accurately shoot from it. Insufficient attention paid to this leads to the fact that the sniper becomes a professional in the wrong execution of this or that technique. After the sniper has learned to use weapons satisfactorily, it is necessary to move on to firing from various provisions, after exertion, under conditions of limited time and under the influence of other stress factors that may occur in a real situation.

    check the correctness of the trigger pull by the sniper with a coin placed on the barrel and a blank shot; after the shot, the coin should remain on the barrel. It is very useful to equip the magazine with a training cartridge during shooting. This technique can also be used to teach actions when delays occur.

    conduct training sessions with sniper teams of other units with which there is an agreement on mutual support. During long operations, especially in the cold season, snipers will have to be changed. If this situation arises, it is very important that the new replacement snipers know the situation (range cards, observation log, briefing, etc.) and be able to smoothly carry out the replacement.

    in the course of advancing to the object, correctly apply the methods and techniques of movement (using routes sheltered from fire and with fire support).

Note: The use of sports air rifles can significantly increase the professional level of a sniper. They can be used in almost any situation and can significantly reduce ammunition consumption. Targets used for shooting must be reduced to sizes appropriate for ranges.

sniper book

Both during training and during operations, it is strongly recommended to keep records in the sniper book. The main sections of the book are:

    Number of shots.

    Type of ammunition, bullet weight, etc.

    Visibility and weather conditions at the time of shooting (fog, rain, sun, temperature, humidity, wind, etc.).

    Any problems with weapons or ammunition.

    Each target must be confirmed by the signatures of the shooter and the senior commander and filed into the file. The book may also contain precise diagrams of targets and the distribution of bullets on them.

The sniper book is designed for three main purposes: it allows the sniper to adapt the rifle to specific conditions and ranges in the area of ​​the incident in real time; it allows you to more thoroughly examine your weapon and its capabilities, and also serves as proof of professionalism in court.

Ballistics

As stated earlier, there is a wealth of information available about the capabilities of the .308 cartridge. The main recommended bullet type is the head hole, jacketed, tapered tail bullet, weighing 168 - 175 grains (10.7 - 11.2 grams). Also good choices are the 7mm Magnum, 300 Winchester Magnum and .50 gauge. Talking about ballistics is like arguing about religion, especially since there are a huge number of excellent books and tables describing this subject in detail. We are not going to talk about ballistics in such a volume. The most important thing is to use quality weapon systems that you have confidence in and practice with them until you become a pro. Experiment with different ammo to determine what works best with your rifle and for different situations (eg through glass, long range, etc.). Once you have decided on the manufacturer and series of ammunition, it is strongly recommended that you purchase a large batch of such ammunition and store it in a hermetically sealed container. Even from the same manufacturer, cartridges of different series differ in their characteristics, albeit slightly.

Weather

Military snipers are well aware of how the weather affects the flight of a bullet. While they are trained to engage targets at ranges up to 1500 meters, the same principles apply to police snipers. Despite the fact that in most cases it is necessary to fire at ranges not exceeding 70 meters, it is necessary to remember the possibility of firing at long ranges. In addition, I would like to say that snipers of police units must be ready for high-precision shots, especially in situations with hostage-taking, when in order to save their lives, the sniper has to fire at the head of a terrorist, partially covered by a hostage. The small effect that certain weather conditions have on shooting accuracy may not be taken into account in cases where it is necessary to neutralize a lone criminal or provide fire support for a capture team. But when accuracy of less than a minute of arc is needed, this effect can be critical. Below are some considerations for basic weather conditions.

Note: While in most cases police snipers do not fire at long ranges, we train snipers to fire at ranges up to 1004 meters using both optical and open sights. the fact is that long ranges require the sniper to carefully observe the principles of marksmanship. The influence of the wind, the hook press, even the beating of the heart, greatly increase errors in long-range shooting. If the sniper develops the habit of applying the same principles to firing at 70 meters as he does at firing at 1004 meters, then perfectly accurate shooting will become the standard.

    The wind has a significant effect on the bullet, increasing in proportion to the range due to the increase in air resistance with decreasing bullet speed, which ultimately leads to a loss of stability.

    The wind also has a significant effect on the sniper. The stronger the wind, the more difficult it is to maintain a stable position of the weapon.

    To correct for the wind in the sight, it is necessary to determine its speed and direction. There are several ways to do this:

    a. Flag. The angle in degrees between the flag and the pole is divided by the constant number 4. The result is an approximate speed expressed in miles per hour. If there is no flag, some light object (a tuft of dry grass, a wad of paper, etc.) may be thrown from shoulder height. Pointing to the place of the fall with the hand, we get the angle between the hand and the body, which we also divide by 4 and get the approximate speed.
    b. Wind drift and sense organs can be used if other methods are not applicable. Wind 3-5 mph felt lightly on the face; 5-8 miles per hour - the leaves on the trees are in constant motion; 12-15 mph - small trees are starting to wobble.
    in. Mirage (waves of vapor or reflection of light from layers of air with different temperatures and density, visible to the naked eye on a warm sunny day). With the help of an optical sight, the mirage is also visible on colder days. The higher the magnification of the sight, the easier it is to observe the mirage. While some practice is required, correct mirage estimation allows the sniper to accurately assess and make appropriate adjustments to the scope. The other side of the mirage effect is the diffraction of light, which is caused by the non-uniform density of the air. Depending on atmospheric conditions, diffraction can cause the target contour to shift in the direction of the mirage. For example, if the mirage is moving from right to left, the target will appear to be slightly to the left of its actual position. The shooter can only aim at the contour of the target as perceived by his eye, so he needs to aim at a point slightly away from the center of the target (the effect of wind on the bullet must also be taken into account).

The generally accepted method for classifying wind effects is the clock face method (See diagram). It is believed that an oblique wind deflects a bullet half as much as a side wind of the same strength.
The next point is the change in wind direction at different ranges. For example, at a range of 300 meters the wind may be blowing from left to right at 5 miles per hour, while at the same time it may be blowing from right to left at 10 miles per hour at the point of impact. The shooter must be able to spread the difference when determining the influence of the wind.
An area easily overlooked is a significant change in wind speed within locality. You can be in a sheltered place and not feel its presence, while the target may be outdoors or in an open area where a strong wind blows. A particularly difficult situation is the case when the sniper is located on a multi-story building. The strength of the wind on the ground can be zero at that time. how on the roof of a 25-story building the wind can reach 50 miles per hour.
Temperature has a certain effect on the bullet's point of impact. Thus, an increase in air temperature by 20 degrees F (6°C) increases the muzzle velocity by approximately 15 m/s. Regardless of range, the sniper must introduce a correction of one minute of arc for every 20 degrees F (6°C) deviation from normal temperature. As the temperature rises, the scope setting decreases, and as the temperature drops, it increases.
Question: How many of you reading this book have done sniper training during the spring-summer-autumn period when temperatures are moderate? How many of you have been training in sub-zero temperatures, when the air temperature in the wind reaches 100° F below zero? As can be seen from the tables, ballistic performance are radically different for temperatures 85° F (30 C°) above zero and for temperatures 35° F (5 C°) below zero. Remember, your cold shot is the most important. How many of you know where your bullet will fly at different temperatures? This again refers us to the previous pages, where the need is indicated that the sniper unit should be autonomous, able to perform tasks in severe weather conditions. Many of you may be saying, "We can't work effectively in these extreme temperatures." Never say never. In contrast to this statement, many examples from life can be cited. Ask snipers about it in places where temperatures of 40° F (4 C°) below zero are common.

The effect of temperature on muzzle velocity of a 308 caliber bullet

Note: A change in bullet speed of 15 m/s corresponds to a deviation of the point of impact by 1 minute of arc in height.

THE ART OF TARGET SHOOTING

The sniper training process includes various stages, however, first of all, it is necessary to instill in candidates the principles of marksmanship and ensure required amount ammunition and training time. Until the sniper reaches an acceptable level of marksmanship, there is no point in training other skills and abilities. There is not much use in that sniper who can successfully perform all the required tasks, but is not able to hit the target if necessary. The following are some basic marksmanship principles that are also applicable to the training of other specialists armed with long guns.

Components of a well-aimed shot

Steady position

    Non-Firing Hand Position: The handguard of the weapon is in a "V" fork formed by the thumb and other fingers. The hold should be light, with little pressure towards the butt.

    Stock Position: Positioned in the hollow of the firing shoulder, which keeps the stock from moving due to recoil and helps to maintain a stable position.

    Shooting Hand Position: Pistol grip is in "V". Place your index finger on the trigger so that it does not affect the position of the weapon when pressed. The remaining three fingers exert a light pressure towards the butt to keep the latter in the shoulder cavity, thus reducing the recoil action.

    Shooting Elbow Position: Important for balance. The exact position is determined by the shooting position used (kneeling, standing, prone, etc.) and must ensure that the shoulders are at the same level.

    Non-Firing Elbow Position: Positioned directly under the weapon for a comfortable and stable position. In the case when it is necessary to fire in wide sectors, at moving targets or at targets with different target elevation angles, the elbow should not be on the stop.

    Cheek to butt contact: Assuming the same gun hold and position each time, the shooter's neck relaxes; the cheek should return each time to the same position. This position should ensure the natural preservation of the line of sight and the necessary removal of the eye from the sight. This ensures uniformity of aiming. Apply the same pressure to grip the weapon, cheek each time.

    Stop: Use an artificial stop if available. If the stop is missing, the weapon is held by bone, not muscle. When using the rest, do not place the weapon directly on a hard surface. The non-firing hand must be positioned between the fore-end and the resting surface. This is necessary to absorb the vibration caused by the movement of the bullet through the bore, which leads to a significant deviation of the bullets from the target.

    Muscle Relaxation: Properly used rest allows the shooter to relax most of the muscles. This occurs when using artificial or bone-based support. The emphasis due to the muscles leads to vibrations of the weapon.

    Natural point of aim: When you assume a shooting position, orient your weapon in the direction of the target. Then take a position in which the weapon and sights are in line with the aiming point. With proper use of the rest and cheek-to-stock contact, the sights will naturally align with the target. To keep the front sight on the target, it is necessary to use the effort and support of the muscles. After the shot, the muscles relax, causing the front sight to deviate to the position of the natural aiming point. Align this point with the desired aiming point on the target to prevent movement. The shooter must be completely relaxed while in position and after each shot, the sights must return to the target again, provided that all requirements are met.

Aiming

    Flat fly. For an open sight, this position is achieved by aligning the front sight in the rib slot in height and direction. The fly is on the target. When aiming, you should clearly see the front sight. The slot of the sight should be somewhat blurry.

    With proper position and cheek-to-stock contact, the shooter will eventually find that a level front sight position will be reached automatically.

Holding your breath

    There are two ways to hold your breath:
    a. Natural respiratory pause. Occurs after exhalation of air from the lungs just before inhalation. It has to be just natural. This method is most suitable for conditions where the sniper has enough time to fire a shot.
    b. At a fast rate of fire or when firing at multiple targets, the shooter simply holds his breath before pulling the trigger.

    Regardless of which method is used, holding the breath is a very important element of marksmanship. The up and down movements of the chest during breathing cause the weapon to move in a vertical plane.
    3. The respiratory cycle lasts approximately 4 - 5 seconds. Between cycles there is a pause lasting 2 - 3 seconds. This pause can be extended up to 5 seconds. A respiratory pause is a more acceptable way, since the muscles involved in the respiratory process are relaxed at the moment of the pause and the diaphragm is not tense. The respiratory pause should be natural and should not be artificially delayed. If the pause is too long, the body suffers from an oxygen deficiency and sends signals to the brain to resume breathing. In addition, the lack of oxygen causes the eyes to begin to lose focus. 8 - 10 seconds is the maximum acceptable period for a respiratory pause.

Descent

    Trigger is an independent action of the index finger on the trigger, accompanied by an ever-increasing pressure directed strictly back until the shot is fired. There are two types of descent: smooth and interrupted.

    Any unexpected movement, uneven crochet press, etc. can cause the bullet to deviate from the target.

    The descent must be practiced until the skills in its implementation are fixed in the subconscious. The moment of the shot should be unexpected for the shooter. If the moment of the shot is known, a natural reflex is triggered to compensate for the sound and recoil of the shot.

Check that your weapon is not tilted. This flaw is very common and causes bullets to deflect left - down or right - down. Get in the habit of checking the position of the weapon before each shot.
In conclusion, we can say that the whole process as a whole includes a number of special techniques, which, with sufficient practice, are performed reflexively. The basic formula is very simple: take the correct shooting position, aim and pull the trigger. It is very important to understand that neglecting the basic principles of marksmanship leads to misses. For example, when firing a .223 caliber cartridge, any mistake in aiming leads to an increase in bullet deflection by 50 times (an error of 2.5 mm at a distance of 25 meters leads to a bullet deflection of 152 cm when firing at a distance of 300 meters).

Weapons with an optical sight

When using optical sights, all the above principles are observed. However, the sharpness and magnification of the image achieved with the help of optics make the shooter's job easier. When using optics, the shooter must use a different technique of using cheek-to-stock contact due to the fact that the head position when shooting with optics is slightly higher than when shooting without it. This is very true for weapons with a butt like Monte Carlo. If the rifle does not have such a stock, then you can make a pad of durable foam and tape or something similar. It is very important that the weapon is comfortable for the shooter. The following are some of the differences between open sights and optical sights:

    Pupil removal. The eye should be at a distance of 7.5-9.5 cm from the eyepiece of the sight to ensure safety when shooting and a full field of view.

    shadow effect. When aiming, it is necessary to ensure that the field of view is completely clear, without shadows. Incorrect removal of the eye leads to the appearance of a shadow in the form of a circle in the field of view, which interferes with observation and reduces the field of view. If the eye is not positioned correctly in relation to the main optical axis of the scope, this results in a crescent-shaped shadow on the sides of the scope's field of view. As a result, the bullets are deflected in the direction opposite to the shadow.

    Parallax. it optical distortion, which occurs when the lens axes do not match optical instrument. Parallax causes the point of impact to deviate significantly from the point of aim. To determine the parallax, install the weapon in the machine and aim the crosshair of the sight at a remote point. Without knocking down the aiming, move away from the weapon for a short period of time. Then take the same position and look into the scope. If the crosshair is in the same position, then everything is in order. If there is a deviation, it means that there is a parallax phenomenon.

Ranging

Even with a rangefinder and scope equipped with a compensator, the ability to determine the range is a very important issue in the training of a sniper. There are several ways to determine the range, such as determining from a map, using a range card, using a rangefinder, by observing bullet deviations, determining with an eye and the size of an object. The main points related to police snipers are discussed below.

Determination of ranges by eye

This method is the most accessible and appropriate. In this case, the range is determined by laying off segments of 100 meters on the ground. At ranges up to 500 meters, you can divide the distance into segments of 100 meters with sufficient accuracy (for longer distances, determine the middle of the distance, calculate how many segments of 100 meters fit up to it and then multiply the result by 2 times). Related to this method is the method of determining the range by the size of objects, which can refine your calculations. This method requires knowledge of the size of an object at a certain distance. Objects such as a deer, a cow, certain types of trees, windows, and especially a human figure look different at different distances. The sniper must improve his skills in determining ranges and develop his own formulas and methods. For example, by measuring the parameters of the windows of buildings or the distance between the headlights of different cars, etc., and calculating the number of centimeters between them at known ranges, we get an excellent way to determine ranges. Using the method of determining ranges by the relative size and degree of visibility of individual elements of objects characteristic of the area of ​​​​action, you can double-check yourself using the method of postponing 100-meter segments. perfect time to acquire these skills are training at a shooting range with known ranges. Usually each firing line is marked on the ground at intervals of 100 meters. Use personnel targets (the average human figure is approximately 75 cm from the waist to the top of the head). If possible, use different methods to cross-check the results.

Range cards

The use of range cards is very effective when time and context permit. An example is a raid on a specified object, which was under surveillance for a certain time. The cards reflect characteristic landmarks that allow the sniper to quickly and accurately estimate ranges to targets. The range card is compiled in relation to the sniper's firing position and the target. The card indicates the distances to easily identifiable local objects such as individual trees, lampposts. entrance doors buildings, etc. When a target appears, its location relative to the nearest local object marked on the range card will immediately indicate the exact range to the sniper.

Factors affecting range determination

    Objects with straight, sharp outlines appear closer than objects with blurry, indistinct outlines, such as a group of trees or shrubs.

    A target that has a sharp contrast to the background appears closer than it really is.

    The terrain significantly affects the accuracy of range determination. When observing up the slope, the ranges appear longer and, conversely, when observing down the slope, they appear less than they really are. A smooth, even surface (sand, water) brings the target closer. Conversely, rough terrain creates the illusion that the targets are farther away. When observing through a valley or a large lowland, which are completely visible, the ranges appear longer. A narrow field of view also removes objects (alleys, winding streets, paths in wooded areas, etc.).

    Lighting conditions also give the illusion that objects appear to be closer or further away than they really are. The better the target is illuminated, the closer it appears. A target seen in daylight appears closer than one seen in fog, dust, or rain. The position of the sun in relation to the target is also of great importance. If the sun is behind you, the target appears closer. When the sun is behind the target, the range to it seems to be greater than it really is.

    A fully open target will appear closer than the same target but partially open.

Target reconnaissance

1. Preliminary search: a quick inspection of specific areas (without constantly combing the eyes of the entire sector of observation).
2. Detailed search: systematic study. Use the method of sequentially inspecting one lane after another. Start from the nearest section (the most dangerous) from any side, the sector is 180(, 50 meters deep, then inspect subsequent sections in sequence.
3. Difference between INTEREST and ATTENTION:

    INTEREST: a sense of participation in an ongoing or potential process.

    ATTENTION: actions in response to any stimulus.

Attention without interest cannot be sustained for a long time. Stimulate your interest to maintain attention in the event of a long period of inconclusive observation (be creative).

4. Four types of target signs:

    olfactory (smell);

    tactile (touch);

    auditory (sound/audibility);

    visual (view).

Note: one feature enhances the perception of other features.

5. The main unmasking signs:

  • contrast;

    traffic.

Note: The enemy is trying to find the same signs in order to find you that you are looking for in order to find him.

Checklist before - and during shooting

After the team has taken a position, you need to check the following:

    Are there any obstacles in front of the barrel;

    The presence of an appropriate emphasis. The bipod must be on a stable surface, shooting bags or socks in place, nothing in contact with the barrel, etc.;

    Natural aiming point and lack of lateral tilt of the weapon;

    General condition of the weapon (sight mount, etc.);

    Make sure that the protective covers of the sight are removed, there are no obstructions in front of the sight and the focus of the sight is set correctly. Make sure that the settings of the sight and correction mechanisms correspond to the range and shooting conditions;

    Make sure the shooting position is comfortable;

    Equipment or straps must not be placed between the stock and the shoulder;

    Write down the weather conditions in the sniper book;

    Use any minute to check old records of similar conditions and ranges, check the range card, etc.

Before and after each shot, a well-trained shooter will automatically mentally check the following points:

    The correct position of the body;

    The correct holding of the weapon for convenience, recoil compensation and prevention of lateral tilt;

    Breath control;

    Pupil removal;

    The correct field of view of the sight;

    Descent control;

    Continued mental and physical application of basic marksmanship skills after each shot;

    Waiting and planning for the next shot;

    Record the shot in the sniper book as soon as possible (especially important for litigation).

Hit group analysis

Analyzing the nature and accuracy of each group, the shooter determines the causes of deviations and eliminates them. Errors are usually the result of the following factors:

    correct aiming;

    sight field of view;

    Focusing the eye on the target;

  • Pupil removal;

    Incorrect sight settings;

    Unstable shooting position;

    Natural point of aim;

    Waiting for a shot;

    Holding a weapon;

    Failure to assess range and weather conditions;

    Emotional state, concentration or distraction.

Shot from a cold barrel

During training, create a database for a cold shot. Pay special attention to the first shot after uncovering. A hot barrel affects the point of impact of a bullet. Remember, in a real-life situation, a shot from a cold barrel is a valid shot. If conditions permit at the time of the challenge, each team should take turns conducting a cold bore test at the nearest firing range to double check the weapon.
Note: Many shooters coat the bore with a medium layer of lubricant during storage. There is nothing wrong with this, but remember to wipe the barrel dry before completing the task. The oil in the barrel has an effect on the first shot.

Position selection

In most cases, the time constraints of an incident or its location (especially in a built-up area) prevent the sniper team from choosing the most appropriate location for the position. However, you should use as many factors as possible to your advantage. Camouflage and modes of movement are covered in Chapter 2. Here are some considerations for choosing a position in a built-up area:

    When taking a position in a building, choose it to the right or left of a window or doorway to avoid projecting into them;

    Get into position as deep as possible inside the room so as not to be in the light, but remember that the farther you are from the firing hole, the smaller your field of view;

    When you open a window, be sure to fasten the curtains so that their movement does not give away your presence. Instead of opening the window, you can pull out one glass. If the window does not open, you can knock it out or move to another position. Many modern high-rise buildings have high-strength window panes that you can't break;

    Moisten the area immediately adjacent to your position with water if you are in a dusty room. This is done so that when fired, the enemy does not detect your position and the dust that has risen does not block the view when shooting;

    Build a firing position if necessary. Use tables and other furniture to build a stable platform;

    Make sure you are protected from fire and observation;

    Think over the ways of approach and retreat to the position. You must occupy it discreetly and leave quickly when you find it;

    Do not choose for the position of the place where the enemy can expect you to appear;

    When choosing a position, take into account the changing conditions day and night in case the operation is delayed. Remember that a place that is relatively sheltered at night may not provide a concealed position in daylight.

Route selection

Below are the main issues to be resolved during route selection.

1. Camouflage during movement and in position.
2. The route must provide cover from enemy fire and observation and be as short as possible.

    Avoid those places where the enemy can wait for you ( possible ways approach);

    Consolidate time (it should work for you, if possible);

    In case of detection, choose cover according to the weapon of the enemy. For example, for a .308 caliber bullet, the cover should have a thickness of: pine - 127 cm; from sand - 25 cm; from concrete - 7.5 cm.

3. Study and route selection:

    Target location;

    Shelter from fire and observation;

    The most advantageous position for the team;

    Obstacles in the way of movement (natural or artificial);

    Known or probable locations of the enemy;

    Ways of movement through various parts of the terrain (obstacles, dangerous areas, open areas, etc.);

    Escape routes (for movement to another area or withdrawal upon detection);

    Mark and remember the characteristic landmarks near the route and on the route;

    Be aware of animals that can betray your presence (dogs, birds, livestock);

    Target area: identify key control points (doors, streets, etc.).

Note: If you are detected, the enemy may not be able to fire at you, but from then on he will be aware of your presence.

4. Characteristics of settlements:

    The predominance of artificial local objects;

    Availability of shelters from fire and observation (for both sides);

    Limited sectors of observation and firing;

    Traffic mainly along the streets (for both sides);

    Overcoming obstacles is difficult due to limited access routes;

    The presence of hidden ways of approach and departure through underground utilities (sewerage, metro, utility networks, etc.);

    The presence of the civilian population;

    Advantages on the side of the defender;

    Radio communication is deteriorating.

5. Sources of information:

  • civil defense plans;

    fire departments;

    Local military units;

    Urban Engineers.

Firing order

This order or similar should become part of the sniper's automatic actions - a kind of subconscious list.

    Determine the goal (details and importance);

    stable position;

    Determine the main danger zones;

    Determine if it will be necessary to fire at a moving or fleeing target (in the case of an escape of criminals, their exit to attack a capture team, movement in windows or doorways, etc.) Determine in advance for possible situations.

    Open fire (guided by the principles of the use of weapons).

Assault on a building under cover of a sniper

The unit commander may decide to use the sniper's shot as a signal to start an assault on command, or to wait for his shot to appear on the target. This method is very effective, but requires careful organization of interaction. Apply it during the course.

Evacuation of a wounded employee under cover of a sniper

Snipers can be used to cover the evacuation of a wounded employee or during sudden threatening situations (sudden encounter with the enemy, unexpected opening of fire by the enemy, etc.). These situations should also be worked out during training.

Interaction between multiple sniper teams

To effectively cover the area of ​​operation in a 360° sector, at least two sniper teams must be used. Whether you choose to use coordinated fire or otherwise, the rule of thumb is that every sniper knows his duties and positions where other personnel are. Sometimes the capture group may be in a position from which the object is not visible. In such cases, the sniper team can direct their movement. Remember that you must report what you see from your position and from a certain angle, so that those in other positions can correctly understand you. It is very easy under stress to give a command to someone to move to the left, not suspecting that for him it may be a completely different direction. Be sure to practice this question in the course of classes.

Use of snipers during civil disobedience actions

The sniper can play a key role in supporting police forces during mass disturbances, riots, etc. They can be used to conduct counter-sniper operations and to provide general security police officers, and to collect and report information. This became clear after the riots in Los Angeles and Las Vegas in 1992, when police forces had to face pre-arranged ambushes of rioters that are now commonplace.

Use of snipers in red-handed arrests

A sniper team can provide cover during drug seizure operations that involve a certain risk to life. They may also provide cover for red-handed arrests in buildings or parking lots, etc.

Actions of snipers as part of a capture group

At first glance, this task may seem unusual for snipers or as a misuse of them. At the same time, in large cities there are a lot of industrial zones and large shopping centers. You can measure distances in them and you will be surprised. An example is one such building in Seattle, which has an internal length of 700 meters.

Surgical shooting

This shooting is especially important when carrying out a hostage rescue operation, when the perpetrator holds a weapon aimed at them. A person has only two places, with the defeat of which instant paralysis occurs and the reflex execution of the command of the brain centers does not occur:

    Base of the brain: It is located at the point of attachment of the spinal cord to the brain. You can feel this place by placing your hand on the depression at the base of the skull. To hit this point, the target must have its back to you.

    motor nerves: Pass through the crown of the head down to the upper tips of the ears. Vulnerable when fired from the left or right.

If you can only fire from the enemy's front, aim for the eye socket or mouth. A headshot can ricochet and cause reflex muscle contraction.

Note: There is an opinion among experienced professionals that it is not necessary to strive to defeat the above vulnerable points. They claim that with a direct hit in the head by a bullet of caliber .308 and above, death occurs instantly. You can bring your own thoughts.

Object designation

Exist various options designation or identification of objects. To organize effective communication when providing mutual assistance or conducting joint operations with other departments, it is very important that all participants use the same option for designating the elements of an object and identifying it. This is another area where standardization is vital.

EXAMPLE: Side 1 of 4

Here is one of the widely used methods. Please note that the building is numbered from top to bottom, not from bottom to top (as civilians imagine). This is done because team members or snipers can only see upper floors building. If you start notation from the bottom up, it can be confusing for those who cannot see the lower floors and therefore do not know how many floors the building has. As a result, they may misunderstand which window and which floor they should control. This unfortunate situation can lead to the sniper taking out the janitor on the 13th floor with surgical precision instead of the terrorist on the 14th.
Also note that the designation of the sides of the building starts from the side on which the main entrance is located and it is always number 1. The sides are numbered clockwise when viewed from above. Each side is assigned a number, regardless of wall configuration or other structural features. Some agencies use letters for this. It is recommended that you establish your naming system once and for all and not change it to avoid confusion.

Snipers should try to position themselves on opposite corners so that everyone can see two sides of the building. Although each sniper has a limited view and charts what he sees, at the command post all the charts received from all teams must be placed in order, side by side, to get the full picture.
Note: The sniper must liaise with the command post to verify that the side seen by the sniper matches the assigned number or letter.

EXERCISE #1:
Shooting at targets located at unknown ranges.

Purpose: To train the sniper in determining ranges to targets and firing.
Order of execution:

a) Each pair is assigned 5 targets at ranges unknown to the snipers.
b) Each pair is given 10 rounds, 5 for each.
c) Each pair must hit 5 targets at ranges up to 900 meters. The number of the sniper group is marked on each target.
d) At the command of the leader, snipers fire at their targets without time limit.
e) At the end of shooting, targets are inspected and hits are scored as follows:

    5 points are assigned for each hit;

    the maximum number of points per team is 50;

    the credit score is 80% of the maximum.

EXERCISE #2:
Shooting a sniper during a counter-terrorist / counter-guerrilla operation.

Purpose: Developing skills in snipers in conducting well-aimed fire at a point target in the specified conditions.
Description of the exercise: This exercise is performed for 2 days, half a day every day. The amount of ammunition - 30 pcs. each for one day. Shooting is carried out at silhouette targets located at the lines of 100, 200 and 300 meters each. The positions used for firing: - on the first day - lying down from a stop, on the second day - using various shelters and lying down using a belt.
Snipers work in pairs in turns; radio contact must be organized with them.
Procedure: Prior to the exercise, snipers are briefed on the following:

    The purpose of the exercise;

    Distribution of goals;

    Types of targets used;

    The amount of ammunition;

    Temporary restrictions;

    Expected results.

After the briefing, the snipers advance to the indicated positions.
Every day, shooting is carried out with 10 shots at 3 silhouette targets located at ranges of 100, 200 and 300 meters. The silhouette target is complemented by blackening of the zone 2.5 cm above and 2.5 cm below the line drawn through the centers of the eyes and limited by the width of the head contours. Only hits in that area are counted. On the sights, the values ​​\u200b\u200bare set according to the distance to the target; the method of aiming using the removal of the aiming point is not allowed.
On the first day, snipers fire only at single targets.
On the second day, the first five shots are fired at a double target (for example, the "terrorist" is half covered by the "hostage"). The second series of five shots is fired at a group target (for example, a "terrorist" is partially covered by two "hostages". Due to the fact that hits only in the blackened area of ​​​​the head are counted, it is necessary to fire only in that part of this zone that is not covered by the head of the "hostage" ".

Additional requirements for shooting positions on the second day:

    The first and second shots are fired from behind the wall;

    The third and fourth shots are fired from the roof;

    The fifth and sixth shots are fired from around the corner;

    The seventh and eighth shots are fired from the window;

    The ninth and tenth shots are fired using the prone sling.

These positions are used to fire at each target at ranges of 100, 200 and 300 meters.
Evaluation: The event is considered failed if the sniper misses 7 or more each day or hits the "hostage" target on any day.

EXERCISE #3:
Test for the title of marksman.

Purpose: Evaluate the ability of a sniper to fire at 25 specific targets at various ranges.
The exercise consists of two stages:

    firing at fixed targets;

    firing at moving targets.

Requirements for the sniper: The sniper must be dressed in a camouflage suit and move tactically correctly during the test. Movement during the test is carried out at a distance of 5 - 10 meters from the starting position to the firing position.
Order of execution:

1. Firing at stationary targets at a distance of 300 - 800 meters.

a. Each pair of snipers is assigned a target group consisting of 8 targets.
Fixed targets are placed in the center of the group of targets. The right and left boundaries of the target group must be marked.
b. The first stage of the exercise at each turn (300, 500, 600, 700 and 800 meters) is firing at stationary targets from a prone position from a stop or using the Hawkins position. In this case, the rifle must be adjusted to 600 meters. A command is given to load three cartridges. The sniper and observer are given three minutes to determine the wind correction, assess the lighting conditions, determine the height of the aiming point and fire three shots at the targets. At the end of three minutes, all fixed targets from that range are lowered or moved to the firing line for testing and scoring. The exchange of positions between the sniper and the observer is not carried out until the sniper has fired at the moving targets on this turn.

2. Firing at moving targets at a distance of 300 - 800 meters.

a. All teams remain in their positions to fire at moving targets within their respective groups of 8 targets.
b. The second stage of the exercise at each turn (300, 500, 600, 700 and 800 meters) is firing at moving targets. The command is given to load two cartridges.

After everyone is ready, a command is given to start moving the target, which appears on the left border of the group target and moves from left to right. The sniper has 15 to 20 seconds to fire one shot. The next target starts moving from right to left. It also takes 15 - 20 seconds and one shot to defeat it.

3. Evaluation of the exercise.

Each hit is worth one point with a maximum score of 25 points. Misses are valued at 0 points. The final result is the number of points, which is 80% of the maximum.

4. Qualification table.

Note:
H is a fixed target;
D - moving target;
LSU - lying position from the stop;
X - Hawkins position.

EXERCISE #4:
Sniper position equipment.

Objective: To develop the sniper's ability to equip a semi-fixed position that provides cover from fire, observation, and has an appropriate arc of fire.
Description of the exercise: After examining the terrain, the sniper must choose a place to hide within the indicated area of ​​the terrain and set up a firing position invisible to an observer from a distance of 25 meters.
Recommendations for the leader: The terrain on which the exercise will be performed should be selected with the utmost care. As a minimum, the number of places suitable for setting up shelters should be 1.5 times the number of teams involved in the exercise. Snipers should have an adequate amount of time to set up positions before instructors begin observing. The boundaries of the area where the exercise is being carried out must be clearly marked with local objects or with the help of stakes.
Order of execution:

a. Briefing. Before the start of the session, snipers are briefed on the following issues:

    the purpose of the lesson;

  • time to complete the exercise (usually 9 hours);

    the direction from which the observation will be made and the nomination of the observer.

b. After the briefing, the teams depart to the places where the shelters are equipped and begin to work.
in. During the observation phase, the observer maintains radio contact with two assistants. Assistants are located within the area of ​​the lesson and move to the detected positions on the command of the observer.
d. At the same time, an assistant observer is moving around the field, holding cards with various signs, which should be recorded by snipers.
e. If the observer cannot detect cover with binoculars and a spotting scope from a distance of 600 meters, he sequentially moves to distances of 500, 300, 100 and 25 meters. On all these lines, he has unlimited time for observation, with the exception of the line of 25 meters, from which he has the right to observe within 1 minute.
e. Scoring A drill is considered failed if the sniper is spotted at any time or has drawn all the sign cards incorrectly.

If you decide for yourself that you want to learn the basics of marksmanship, then you have at least two options: join the army or enroll in a sniper rifle shooting course. But not everyone has the opportunity to serve in the army. Also, if you have your own weapons, it is quite possible to learn how to shoot from a sniper rifle. The purpose of this process is to teach you how to position yourself correctly, how to aim and shoot. After some time, with desire and perseverance, you will be able to successfully hit any target in the "bull's eye".

Required accessories

Before starting sniper rifle training you need to decide on the place where you will practice. In the presence of firearms, shooting is allowed only in areas equipped for this purpose. See photo.

If you have an air rifle, then it will be enough to retire to some deserted area, for example, a forest. The main thing you should have with you is, of course, a weapon, ammunition for it and a few targets.

Sniping means use of an optical sight, with which the weapon must be equipped. Therefore, this is another device that is indispensable for training. Also, the weapon can be equipped with bipods of your choice, which have the purpose of increasing the stability of the weapon and minimizing wobble.

In this video you will be told the basics of shooting from a SVD rifle.

For convenience, it does not hurt to take a tourist rug, since the main posture when shooting will be the prone position. When using a combat rifle, it is worth having special ear protection - headphones. Tools for cleaning / lubricating weapons after firing will not be superfluous. For shooting, you can choose Gamo products, see prices for Gamo rifles. In addition, popular models are , and .

Safety

The main safety requirement is prevention of harm to the life and health of people, animals, as well as the safety of other people's property in the target field area.

The use of a specialized shooting range/shooting range makes it easier to comply with this rule, as the shooting range has well-defined boundaries. When shooting from airguns, you need to be no less careful.

The main rules for handling any type of weapon are:

  1. Regardless of whether the weapon is loaded or not, hold the rifle only in the direction of fire.
  2. Shooting is prohibited when people/animals are on the firing line.
  3. The inadmissibility of firing from a faulty rifle.
  4. Use only approved ammunition for this type of weapon.
  5. Do not remove a loaded combat rifle from the firing line.
  6. If there is an instructor, clearly follow his commands to open and cease fire.
  7. At the end of the shooting, inspect the weapon, put the safety on.

Both athletes and army snipers use almost the same rules for shooting, which allow them to hit targets at any distance with a guarantee. The differences are only in the type of target.

About the training of army snipers, see the following video:

The main stages of the production of a shot are: adopting a shooting position, aiming and pulling the trigger. This will be enough for a beginner shooter.

Military snipers also learn camouflage and stealth and many other disciplines that are not needed for a civilian.

Therefore, we will analyze only the basics of marksmanship and the technical part directly related to it. Let's leave the rest to the professionals.

Rules

shooting position

The posture for firing a shot must provide an arrow stability for successful hitting the target. The main way to achieve this is to adopt a prone position, in which the weapon is placed on some kind of support.

This position allows you to almost completely eliminate barrel vibrations, which is important for an accurate shot. It is important to achieve full contact of the body with the ground, which increases the area of ​​\u200b\u200bsupport. The legs must be spread apart by 1.5 shoulder widths, the heels should be pressed firmly to the ground.

To avoid accidents, follow the safety measures when firing from the PM, about them at:

The right leg and the barrel of the weapon should ideally form a straight line. At the initial stage, this should be monitored. The position of the body should be without tension, the muscles, if possible, relaxed. Correction of the direction for shooting is carried out by moving the legs left and right.

For beginners, the preferred method of shooting from the stop, in which the left hand supports the butt at the right shoulder, and the elbow is pressed into the ground. Also, something soft must be placed on the stop to prevent the barrel from bouncing when fired.

Successful shooting from a sniper rifle is unthinkable without the right stock. Competent emphasis of the butt in the shoulder is able to eliminate discomfort during recoil when firing a weapon large calibers. The attachment also affects the accuracy of the shots fired, so it should not be neglected.

The butt is pressed tightly against the shoulder and is neither too low nor too high. When carrying out a series of shots, it is necessary to observe the uniformity of the application, which will increase the average accuracy.

Aiming

One of highlights in the production of a shot. It depends on him what position the barrel will take and, accordingly, where the bullet will fly. An important rule to remember is to keep both eyes open.

When closing the left eye, muscle tension is transmitted to the right eye, which causes rapid fatigue, which directly affects the effectiveness of shooting. In a combat situation, this is especially important, since binocular vision makes it easier to determine distances “by eye”.

In addition, the viewing angle is increased. When using an optical sight, aiming is achieved by moving the aiming mark to the aiming point, taking into account external factors(distance, wind speed). The eye must be kept on the optical line of sight.

One of the most important rules is to prevent the weapon from falling over when the reticle is not in a horizontal position. The aiming itself is divided into two periods. The first is to check the workmanship, to eliminate inconveniences in position.

The second is holding the breath, increasing the pressure on the trigger, intensive observation of the reticle relative to the target, up to the moment of the shot. It is important not to forget to rest your eyes between shots.

If you are unable to keep your left eye open, you can use a piece of cloth or paper that is used as a shield.

No less important than aiming is the process. Mistakes in trigger release can negate even excellent aiming of the barrel on the target. For sports systems, the downhill force is from 50 to 150 grams, while for combat systems it is at least 1.5 kg.

To overcome this moment, the shooter must create a similar force in the index finger. But, since it is forbidden to strain the muscles of the right hand, the shooter more energetically clings to the neck of the butt of the rifle with the rest of the fingers of the right hand. So those same 1.5 kg are evenly distributed on the fingers holding the brush on the butt.

After the shot, 1.5 kg, which held the trigger, go away, but the tension in the hand remains, as a result of which it twitches along with the rifle. At this point, the weapon moves away from the line of sight, sending the bullet in the wrong direction.

This is called "failure" of the descent with the "pull" of the weapon. The above problem is “treated” as follows: only the index finger presses the trigger, and all the rest only hold their hand on the butt.

The finger is placed on the hook with a fold between the first and second phalanges. This is a rule that has been proven over the years. If the finger is not applied correctly, the rifle will make small oscillations from side to side, which threatens to seriously miss when shooting at long distances.

Breath

Experienced shooters tend to shoot during the interval between exhalation and inhalation, since rib cage, when it is completely filled with air, raises the body of the shooter, and with it the butt. The trunk goes down.

Shooting on a pause between exhalations allows you to hold a weapon aimed right at the target. Also, during breath holding, carbon dioxide accumulates in the blood, dilating blood vessels and relieving muscle tension.

With proper preparation and compliance with all the rules of the shot, it should not take more than 8 seconds to hold your breath.

Conclusion

Now you know how to shoot with a sniper rifle. Equally important is the practice and conscious control of their actions at the initial stage. Pass. If the rifle breaks down, then read the material about the repair of pneumatic weapons.

Selection options in the army and police units of the United States, selection for snipers of the ATS, Ground Forces of the Russian Federation, units of the Special Forces of the RF VV.

Selection of candidates for the training of snipers in the US Army

In the US Army, snipers are trained at the Army Infantry Center and School (Fort Benning, Georgia).
In the US Army, candidates for training as snipers are only men. Recruitment takes place on a voluntary basis, after which a careful selection takes place. There are increased requirements for recruitment and selection.

Applicants must:

  • have a rank in shooting sports or be a hunter-athlete and annually confirm their qualification in competitions
  • be in excellent physical shape above national standards and in good health
  • have 100% vision in both eyes (or correctable to 100%, glasses are not allowed)
  • do not smoke, do not use drugs, do not abuse alcohol
  • be proactive, disciplined and emotionally stable
  • pass a special test to determine the level of mental development
  • have a rank from private first class to sergeant first class
  • be a member of the regular army or reserve components of the ground forces
  • have excellent performance
  • have no disciplinary action
  • have at least one year before the end of the contract
  • pass a physical fitness test (at least 70% of the grades are “excellent”)
The sniper requires emotional balance. The sniper must be able to spend long periods of time outdoors and be able to use natural conditions and phenomena in his activities.

Selection of candidates for the training of snipers in US police units

The Tactical Team Sniper Candidate must be a member of the Rapid Intervention Unit who has demonstrated special skill with rifles. These skills can be acquired by him during competitions, hunting or during appropriate training in the army. The sniper must be in excellent physical shape. He must run, climb walls and rappel on a par with the best fighters, as he would have to carry heavier weapons than the others in addition to the standard equipment. A good sniper must also be able to control his heart and breath. If his heart is pounding and he is out of breath after a heavy climb to the roof of a building, you can hardly expect him to shoot accurately.

There is only one way to determine the physical condition - this is a test for physical fitness. At a minimum, a tactical team sniper must be able to:

  • Run 1 mile in 8 minutes. 30 sec
  • From a prone start, run 40 yards in 8 seconds
  • Climb without the help of legs on a rope tied with knots to a height of 25 feet
  • In full assault gear, climb a knotted rope to a height of 14 feet
  • Do 50 squats in 60 seconds
  • Bend over and, without bending your knees, touch the ground with the palms of your hands
  • While holding a teammate in any way, climb a flight of 30 steps in 30 seconds
The officer must have good eyesight, not be color blind and not lose visual acuity at dusk.

Requirements for the identity of an ATS sniper and the selection of candidates for snipers

When selecting candidates for the position of a sniper, professional and psychological selection is very important. The process accomplishes two main tasks. The first is the identification of persons who, due to their professional, moral, psychological and psychophysiological qualities, are not capable of performing the functions of a sniper. This ensures the prevention of a significant part of professional mistakes and neuropsychic breakdowns in the course of hostilities or special operations, the development of neuropsychiatric disorders and diseases in the future.

Psychological and psychophysiological contraindications for appointment to the position of a sniper:

  • chronic diseases
  • condition after suffering poisoning and acute diseases
  • belonging to the "risk group", reduced psychological stability, a tendency to mental maladjustment
  • insufficient level of development of professionally important qualities
  • increased anxiety, restlessness, fear
  • excessive impulsiveness, tendency to spectacular response, lack of restraint
  • emotional-vegetative instability (frequent redness or blanching of the face, sweating, constant trembling of the hands or eyelids)
  • irritability, resentment, a tendency to negative emotional and evaluative reactions

The second task is to determine the degree of professional, moral-psychological and psycho-physiological readiness of these persons to perform combat sniper work.
All candidates are assessed for the following qualities:

  • value and legal orientation (purposefulness, professional sense of duty)
  • moral principles
  • intensity of motivation (voluntary readiness to solve a difficult professional task)
  • intellectual abilities (general intelligence, operational and heuristic thinking)
  • level of claims, adequacy of self-esteem, self-confidence, social maturity (responsibility, decisiveness in a difficult environment, realism, flexibility of behavior)
  • resistance to mental and physical stress
  • level of self-control (restraint, poise, self-control)

Important are the ability to quickly navigate in a complex and dynamically changing environment, well-developed functions of perception, spatial orientation and coordination of movements, speed-strength endurance.

In the training of snipers for groups fighting armed criminals, there are features, the main of which is that, unlike the training of snipers in the army, where the main shooting distance is 600-800m, here this distance is usually 2-3 times less . About the sniper in the police is also required: correctly determine the target; take into account the presence of random persons, hostages or members of their group who may be near the offender; stay in one position, possibly for several hours; the need to subsequently answer to the court for their actions.

Based on this, selection for ATS snipers should be tough.
First of all, the sniper must be selected on a voluntary basis. However, just wanting to be a sniper is not enough. It is preferable to select snipers from competitors in shooting competitions or from people with obvious shooting ability, as well as a working knowledge of ballistics. In addition, a sniper candidate must have significant experience in law enforcement and be well versed in all areas of police activity. Preferably, the selected candidate is mature, calm, patient and emotionally balanced person, non-smoker and not inclined to drink alcoholic beverages.

Preference should be given to a person with good physical fitness, who is able to endure heavy loads. Good health means a quick reaction, the ability to clearly control the muscles, control breathing. It is very important that the sniper has excellent vision and enhanced stamina. A sniper with lost or broken goggles will become helpless, and the goggle lenses can cause a glare in the sun and give away the sniper's location. The sniper must be interested in his constant improvement and professionalism.

It is desirable that the sniper candidate be of above average intelligence and be able to communicate clearly and concisely when communicating over the walkie-talkie. He will need the ability to understand ballistics, optics, communications, navigation, etc. It is also necessary to check the degree of observation of the future sniper, visual memory and the ability to collect and analyze useful information and use it when necessary.

The selection can be divided into two stages. At the beginning, the available data on the degree of development of abilities, the state of health, physical, business, moral-psychological and psycho-physiological qualities of the candidate are analyzed. Then testing is carried out in order to determine the level of development of the above qualities.

It should be noted that not every good shooter is suitable for sniper activity. In evaluating candidates, it is necessary to show sufficient firmness and adherence to principles.

In order for the sniper to have a constant high psychological tone and a good ability to perform the task, regular psychodiagnostic examination (testing, conversation, observation) is necessary. In the form of prevention of stress diseases, regular relaxation training is recommended. It is also necessary before entering the operation - to build self-confidence, reduce inhibition and fight specific fear and anxiety.

Qualification requirements and standards

Sniper proficiency testing should be done every 3-4 months, sniper rifles should be checked and brought to normal combat monthly, as the seasons and weather change. Passing the standards will allow you to maintain weapons in a state of combat readiness and constantly improve your shooting skills.

Marksmanship standards:

  • shooting from a prone position at 100 meters, 6 shots at a target square 4x4 (cm) (all bullets must be in the target)
  • shooting from a prone position from a stop at 300 meters a head target measuring 30 x 20 cm, appearing in the window opening for 5-6 seconds (defeat from the first shot)
Additional tests:
Running at a distance of 100 meters and then shooting from a distance of 100 meters from a prone position with support, the target is a circle with a diameter of 8 centimeters.
Instant shooting on the "fire" command:
  • shooting from a distance of 200 meters, at a target measuring 12x12 cm from a prone position with support
  • shooting from a distance of 300 meters, shots to the chest, chest figure, 150 cm high, from a prone position with support

Physical standards:

  • run at a distance of 3 km in a time not exceeding 13 minutes
  • push-ups, 40-50 times in 60 seconds
  • pulling the legs to the chest, 50-60 times in 60 seconds
  • pull-ups on the horizontal bar, 16 times

Guidelines for the selection of snipers in units and formations of the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation

Sniper training includes the selection of servicemen who meet the requirements for a sniper and their subsequent special training in methods of action, taking into account weapons, equipment and tactics in combat.

The selection begins with the study of documents of military personnel, personal conversations, observation of military personnel during classes and in Everyday life. The main attention should be paid to those servicemen who have sports ranks, primarily in shooting, have been involved in hunting since childhood, are observant, unhurried, self-possessed and calm by nature, have good physical fitness at the final stage of the single training of soldiers and based on the results, shown in the main subjects of training, and primarily in shooting, are outlined by the commander of the combined unit and submitted to the headquarters of the candidacy for snipers.

Candidate Qualifications

  1. He is fit for health reasons to serve in the intelligence units of the SV (VDV)
  2. For conscripted military personnel - at least 1 year of service in deployed motorized rifle, reconnaissance (reconnaissance and airborne), airborne units, units of the Marine Corps, special forces units that have expressed a desire to continue service under the contract after completing the courses
  3. For military personnel serving under a contract - in addition to those listed in the previous paragraph, it is preferable - with experience in combat operations in zones of local conflicts. First age group
  4. Sports category not less than the second, preferably:
    Biathlon, athletics, shooting, orienteering, fox hunting, skiing, all-around GTO, tourism, mountain tourism
  5. Not being the only children in the family, the only breadwinners
  6. Preferably unmarried
  7. Preferably non-Muslim
  8. Preferably non-smokers
  9. Successfully passed the test for psychological fitness in the future specialty
  10. Successfully passed tests on:
    • physical training in the amount and according to the standards of VSK 1 tbsp.
    • firing from SVD (AK)
    • general education base (Option: 45 minutes for an essay on the topic: “Why do I want to become a sniper? “)

Testing observation and visual memory

In the observation band of 200x1000 meters, ten subtle targets are set. Candidates are given 10 minutes to observe and locate targets, after which they are asked to take cover.
At this time, half of the targets are moved to other places and additionally masked. If, upon repeated observation and study of this band, the candidate finds all the targets (ten) and finds a permutation of at least three targets, the exercise is considered completed.

Lack of reaction to the shot

Having this reaction is the most common mistake shooters make. Its manifestation can be of the most diverse nature (squinting the eyes before firing, pushing the weapon with the shoulder, sharp pulling of the trigger, relaxation of the muscle group involved in holding the weapon, etc.).

The cause of the reaction to the shot should be sought in the psychological processes that take place in the shooter before the shot. The shooter, knowing that the shot is accompanied by a loud sound and the recoil of the weapon in the shoulder, pulling the trigger from the cocking, smoothly pressing the trigger, involuntarily prepares for these unpleasant sensations for him, anticipating the moment when they should occur, involuntarily makes them towards some compensating movement. If this movement occurs before the trigger is released from the cocking, then it will disrupt the aiming of the weapon, and the shot will not be accurate. Moreover, the smaller the difference in time between this movement and the release of the trigger, the less noticeable this error is, both for the leader of the shooting and for the shooter himself. The reaction to a shot is manifested in all people involved in shooting in different ways and this is quite natural. Practice shows that the elimination of this reaction is the most difficult problem in training good shooters.

When selecting candidates during the initial exercise, the shooting leader should take note of those who, in his opinion, most correctly performed all technical actions with weapons on the firing line, and only then compare the results of their observations with the results of shooting at targets.

You can also determine the reaction to the shot as follows. Load one practice cartridge into the magazine. The shooter, not knowing whether the weapon is loaded or not, aims and pulls the trigger, involuntarily preparing for a shot, makes a movement towards him. Since the shot does not occur to the leader and the shooter himself, this movement is clearly visible, which knocks down the aiming of the weapon.

Physical fitness check

The level of development of the main physical qualities candidates are determined by three NFP exercises:

  • 100m run - 13 seconds
  • pull-ups on the crossbar - 17 times
  • 3 km run - 12 min. 30 sec. (field uniform)
Exercises are performed sequentially, with the provision of time for rest, sufficient for the recovery of the body.

The assessment of the physical fitness of candidates is made up of the marks they received for these exercises and is determined in accordance with the requirements of the NFP.

"Excellent" - two "excellent", one "good"
“Good” - one is “satisfactory”, the rest are not lower than “good”
"Satisfactory" - if more than two "satisfactory" in the absence of unsatisfactory marks, or if one mark is "unsatisfactory" in the presence of other positive marks and at least one of them is "good"
"Unsatisfactory" - two or more "unsatisfactory" marks
It is recommended to enroll candidates who have received a rating of at least “good”.

Selection of snipers in special forces units of the Internal Troops of the Russian Federation.

Snipers in special operations support the actions of capture groups with fire or lead the destruction of terrorists. As a rule, a sniper with a partner who ensures his safety and conducts fire adjustments operates autonomously, maintaining constant communication with the commander of the cover group and the headquarters of the special operation. The destruction of terrorists, who can be in close proximity to ordinary people and be covered by them, using them as a human shield, requires the highest professionalism and endurance from the sniper, the mobilization of all personal qualities.

The sniper must have the temperament of a sanguine prone to phlegmatic, must be resolute, independent in judgment, not have uncontrolled emotions.

Not everyone can become a sniper, even if he shoots well.
The commander of a special forces unit is obliged to personally select snipers and test volunteer candidates.
The group of candidates includes former sportsmen in shooting range, hunters, servicemen (employees) who show stable positive results when shooting from a machine gun.

Testing is carried out on one day without a break for 6 hours in three stages, shooting is carried out from machine guns at targets No. 4 (chest target with circles) without using an emphasis from the hand.

1st STAGE
Shooting - testing under normal conditions without load (obtaining background comparative results).

Exercise #1 Shooting prone from the hand without using the stop.
Target: Target No. 4
Range: 100 m
Number of cartridges: 10 pcs
The test subject is given 10 rounds, the target number is indicated, the command “To the firing line - to battle” is given, he lies down on the firing line, equips the magazine and opens fire on the specified target. Time to complete the exercise 60 s (time with magazine equipment).

Exercise #2 Shooting with the transfer of fire from one target to another
Targets: 5 #4 targets 1m apart
Range: 100 m
Number of cartridges: 25 pcs.
Features of the exercise:
The conditions of the exercise are explained to the test-takers, 25 rounds are issued, and the command “to equip the magazine” is given. After equipping the store, the command "To battle", the shooter is made for battle, sends the cartridge into the chamber and waits for the command to open fire. The chief of firing calls the number of the target, the shooter opens fire on it, the time for a shot is 2 s.
Target numbers are named in random order.
For example: 1; 3; 5; four; 25; 3; 4:2; fifteen; one; four; 2; 3 3; one; 2; 5; 4 2; four; one; 3; 5

Exercise #3 Shooting from standby
Target: Target No. 4
Range: 100 m
Number of cartridges: 5 pcs.
Features of the exercise:
The test subject equips the magazine with 5 rounds. At the command "to the firing line for battle" it is made for firing, sends a cartridge into the chamber and waits for the command "Fire". The chief of fire gives the command "Fire" at various intervals:
For example: 1st shot at 6 minutes 2nd shot at 7 minutes 3rd shot at 9 minutes 4th shot at 20 minutes 5th shot at 30 minutes
Only 5 shots in 30 minutes.
The time for a shot is no more than 2 seconds.

2nd STAGE
The test subjects in the SIB (personal armor protection equipment) with weapons make a march of 20 km under the guidance of a special forces officer, ordered in part by the seniors on the march. To help him, 3-4 instructors of special training and a paramedic are assigned.
Each instructor is assigned several test takers.
Instructors observe the behavior of the subjects and evaluate their actions.
During the march, the following standards are worked out:

  • on exit from enemy artillery fire
  • to overcome the terrain by crawling
  • to overcome a section of terrain by dashes
Introductory:
  • to overcome water barriers
  • to overcome swampy areas
  • carrying the wounded
3 times stop at pre-selected places for 5 minutes, compiling a card with a schematic representation of the area with landmarks and designations of the distance to them
3 stops on the route to practice camouflage actions, instructors set the task for their subordinates to camouflage themselves on the ground using improvised items in 3 minutes

3rd STAGE
The march ends at the firing line, shooting is carried out on the move - testing after the physical and psychological stress received on the march. The same 3 exercises are performed.

All results of the three stages are studied by officers and ensigns of the unit. Preference is given to candidates who have shown stable shooting results without load and against the background of fatigue, who have shown initiative and creativity when solving introductory questions, who quickly entered the situation, and who most accurately compiled sniper cards.

If the subject's background results are excellent, and after the load there is a significant deterioration, these are symptoms of a weak nervous system that is not able to withstand strong loads and stresses. In the event of a slight deterioration in the results or their stability, the subject's nervous system is able to maintain the body in a normal state, which is necessary for a sniper.

Among all modern soldiers, the sniper is in a special position. The very name of this military profession inspires respect bordering on fear. This man with a gun knows how to do what is inaccessible to others, namely, to hit a target with pinpoint accuracy from a long distance. Sometimes, when the target itself does not even suspect that it was at gunpoint.

And here, I think, it is necessary to make a small reservation. Sniper sniper strife. Who is considered a sniper? For example, in the Soviet army there was a sniper in every motorized infantry unit. That was the name of the position in the staff list. An SVD sniper rifle was assigned to one of the fighters, but, in the future, this fighter did not undergo any special training, except for the firing course. An equally sad situation was observed in the landing, and only in parts of the GRU the situation was better.

Afghanistan, and then Chechnya, made their own adjustments. Now in the Russian army, and after it in some others, they began to approach the training of snipers more responsibly. Allocate separate time at the shooting range, conduct tactical exercises. But, not every one of these "men with a gun" can be called a sniper. Formally, there were many snipers, but in reality, not everyone met the standards. Therefore, in the future, in this article, we will call a sniper a professional who has made sniper craft his profession.

Translated from English, "sniper" means "snipe marksman". In reality, as cruel as it sounds, the sniper is a human hunter, invisible, elusive and merciless. The sniper is a representative of a special breed of people. It does not have that boorish arrogance, ready to turn into a scandal on any occasion, so valued in sergeants and corporals, whose task is to keep soldiers in obedience, every second dripping on their brains. A sniper is a very calm and balanced person, not prone to loss of self-control and the manifestation of negative emotions. Even if a nervous, impulsive, touchy, irritable person, prone to panic and loss of self-control, shoots well and has excellent physical characteristics, he will be eliminated already at the initial stage of selection. It makes no sense to prepare a person who, due to the natural abilities of his character, can allow a nervous breakdown and fail a combat mission. In addition, the sniper must have an above average intelligence level, as well as good physical training, but if physical training can be brought up to the desired level, then the character cannot be corrected. As they say, blood is a great thing.

So, at the initial selection, snipers take people:

  • good at shooting
  • having good eyesight (preferably one hundred percent)
  • responsible, disciplined, emotionally balanced
  • no health contraindications

Snipers are trained both individually and as part of a tactical assault group.

Main required skill is the ability to shoot accurately.

Without this skill, everything else becomes meaningless. First of all, the cadet is taught to shoot from the prone position from the stop. Since in practice the sniper has to shoot from different positions, he is taught to shoot prone without rest, shooting from the knee, shooting while standing and sitting.

The instructors set the technique - they teach the correct aiming, they teach you how to hold your breath correctly and set the correct descent technique. They eliminate technical errors, such as blinking at the time of the shot, delaying aiming (aiming), excessive tension of individual muscle groups and other flaws.

Below we present one of the programs for improving marksmanship.

Accuracy exercises

Exercise 1
Shot from a cold barrel

Shooting is carried out at two head targets at a distance of 100 meters from the prone position / from the stop. The sniper may use a weapon sling, bipod, sandbags, or other equipment he may have during the operation. After the command, the sniper has unlimited time to shoot at the center of the left target, reload and shoot at the right target. During the operation, the sniper does not have the opportunity to fire a sighting or test shot, so a cold shot tests both the shooter and his weapons and their ability to hit the target with the first shot. The second shot is designed to develop the sniper's skill to reload the weapon and fire automatically, in case the target did not fall after the first shot.

Exercise 2
Group

While in the same firing position (prone/upright), the sniper has unlimited time to fire a group of five shots. The target should have a small but clearly visible point of aim when performing this exercise. It is designed to test the stability of the rifle, scope, ammunition and shooter.

A group with a radius of more than 2.5 cm should alarm a good shooter with an excellent weapon, but for a beginner shooter with a medium weapon, a result of less than 5 cm is quite satisfactory. It is necessary to strive to ensure that the radius of the group is less than 2.5 cm

Common causes of scatter are loose screws in mounting the sight and mechanisms, unbalanced barrel, malfunctions of the trigger mechanism, and insufficient shooter skills in firing a shot.

Exercise 3
Lying without support

When performing this exercise, snipers must fire five shots from a prone position without support (without bipods and sandbags) at a reduced-size silhouette target. During the exercise, we observe the ability of snipers to fire using a belt. During the operation, the firing position of the sniper may not always allow the use of the stop.

Experienced snipers with properly fitted slings, gloves and shooting jackets are able to shoot a group with an accuracy of less than 7.5 cm. Less experienced shooters may be satisfied with a result of less than 15 cm. Comfortable position and breath control play an important role in this exercise.

Exercise 4
Shooting on command

Shooters load five cartridges and fire one shot at the head target for each command. This drill is performed from a prone/supported position, with the sniper firing within a second of the command being given. At the moment the command is given, the sniper is already in position and aiming at his target.

The instructor monitors the stable defeat of the center of the target on command. Again, good shooters should be within a 5 cm circle. At the same time, bullets that hit a 10 cm circle will result in the "death" of the enemy.

Exercise 5
Shooting in one gulp

Each shooter in the line is assigned a target (paper or 3D head target). A countdown is given from 5 to 1. On the count of 1, all snipers must simultaneously fire one shot. This exercise is repeated five times.

All targets must be hit with five shots to the center and each salvo must sound like one loud shot. The instructor observes the shooting in order to identify shooters who shoot too early or, conversely, too late. Such shooters "don't know their trigger".

Volley fire is important when conducting an ambush and in situations where several terrorists must be eliminated immediately. A premature shot can alert criminals to take cover or start killing hostages.

Exercise 6
Shooting at 200 meters

After moving into the 200m firing range, snipers should prepare positions for prone/support shooting as quickly as possible. Using known sight settings or aiming, snipers fire five rounds at the head target. Shooting can be carried out with a time limit or on command

Center head hits with a dispersion diameter of 7.5 - 10 cm can be considered an acceptable result. Some shooters will be satisfied with just hits to the head, while others may get a dispersion group of less than 5 cm in diameter.

Exercise 7
Shooting at 300 meters

After moving to the shooting area at a range of 300 meters, snipers fire five shots, aiming at the chest area. Shooting position - prone / from the stop. Snipers must be given sufficient time to fire a well-aimed shot. The firing range of 300 meters is practically the limit for a police sniper due to the fact that target identification by face at long ranges is very difficult.

When shooting under ideal conditions at a range of 300 meters, the standard is a group of hits in the center of the chest with a diameter of 12 - 15 cm. cm from the aiming point when firing at a distance of 300 meters.

Exercise 8
Shooting after loading

A popular exercise is shooting after a load. Shooters at a fast pace run 100-300 meters to the firing line, after which, again, they fire at a target at a fast pace. Push-ups, sit-ups, and rope climbs can also be used to increase breathing and heart rate.

When the shooter is "ripe" to work in difficult conditions, they move on to special types of shooting, such as

  • Shooting in a limited time at a normal pace (high-speed shooting)
  • High-speed shooting with the transfer of fire in depth
  • High-speed shooting with the transfer of fire along the front
  • Rapid shooting with dash
  • High-speed shooting with a dash in an extremely limited time, the so-called "turmoil".

Regardless of shooting experience, each sniper must periodically re-take a marksmanship course. Even experienced snipers sometimes lack the basics of marksmanship as a result of developing other skills and abilities.

Disguise

Another important skill is the ability to camouflage on the ground.

The sniper is a hunter and therefore must be invisible. Working without disguise, the sniper himself becomes a victim from a hunter. Positions often have to be selected and equipped close to enemy positions. Therefore, the camouflage of the sniper's position should naturally and not stand out from the surrounding landscape.

Occupy and equip the position should only be at night. And you need to crawl into position. When equipping a position, you cannot become, not only in full height but even on all fours.

In the army in peacetime, snipers sometimes devote more than half of their time to arranging and camouflaging shelters, both primary and secondary. In addition, they must train covertly and imperceptibly to overcome distances of 200-300 meters in a plastunsky style, pressing into the folds of the terrain. Mandatory training for selection, equipment and camouflage positions at night. During the day, a visual demonstration of the errors, errors and shortcomings of such disguise is made.

Such training takes place in various places - in the field, in the forest, at the intersection of ravines, the outskirts of abandoned villages, landfills, construction sites, in any ruins, at different times of the day and under different weather conditions. Training sniper work in a constantly changing environment with the obligatory receipt of a real result develops a sniper's tactical thinking.

The developed tactical thinking of snipers of all branches of the armed forces - both the military and operational special forces - allows you to quickly navigate in an unfamiliar environment, aggressively take the combat initiative into your own hands and not release it in the most unexpected turns of events.

The work of a sniper as part of a unit

During tactical training, snipers work out actions as part of units, and also learn to perform specific combat missions, such as:

  • destruction of enemy command personnel
  • disruption of the organization of the work of the front line of the enemy
  • sniper terror and demoralization of the enemy
  • observation of events on the enemy's side, study of the location of his firepower, observation, adjustment and command posts and other tactically important objects.

Snipers can operate alone, in pairs, in small sniper teams, or as part of a squad.

For example, Chechen fighters during the first and second Chechen wars used small tactical groups, which included a sniper, machine gunner or grenade launcher and several machine gunners. While the submachine gunners and the machine gunner fired heavily, the sniper hit the selected targets, and the grenade launcher hunted for equipment.

During a sniper attack, the enemy sniper is first of all hit, then the officer, signalman and machine gunners. After that, the enemy unit becomes uncontrollable for a while.

As part of the police units, snipers face slightly different tasks than army snipers. The destruction of terrorists, the hunt for terrorist snipers, the operational cover of the police or military, and so on, depending on the operational situation and instructions "from above". In addition, snipers in police units sometimes have to justify their actions in court.

Wherever the sniper serves, he is a special forces fighter by his unique combat profile. A smart commander gives snipers almost complete freedom of action, of course, with careful coordination of tactical moments in solving a common task. And then, in the neutral zone, behind enemy lines or in the city, the sniper acts independently, at his own peril and risk. The cruel necessity of life forces the sniper to work on the principle of "one shot - one dead."

Things to Remember in a Possible Sniper Threat

  • the sniper, as a rule, operates as part of a group
  • at night, snipers use night vision devices that can detect targets up to 500 meters
  • the first stage of the sniper's work is to detect (spot) the target, so equip 2-3 firing positions and change them more often
  • in the city, the sniper occupies the dominant heights, located in the building, chooses a firing position in the depths of the room, which makes it difficult to detect him
  • sniper firing under cover of small arms fire
  • non-aimed shooting from small arms may indicate the beginning of the sniper's work
  • sniper teams with a cover team provoke return fire, forcing fire weapons to reveal themselves
  • harassing fire can only be fired from camouflaged firing positions
  • the favorite tactic of snipers is to act from an ambush, a secret, at night, on pre-prepared (sighted) areas of the terrain
  • use active night vision devices prudently
  • the sniper often uses the wounded as a "live bait", who will certainly come to the rescue. In such cases, it is necessary to use limited visibility, smoke in the area, armor protection, military equipment
  • when searching for a sniper among the local population, it should be remembered that the distinguishing feature of a sniper is the characteristic bruises on his shoulder
  • in a sniper war there is no rear, flank and front, you can expect the enemy from everywhere (during the day he is a civilian, and at night he is the killer of our soldiers)

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