It takes an incredible amount of control and dedication to become a sniper, and every little move a shooter makes while in position can affect the outcome of the shot. Even the most basic of sniper kills are impressive feats, and things get progressively more difficult with targets who are further away.
So, just how far away were the targets of the longest sniper shots ever made? Today we’ll learn about the top 10 longest sniper shots ever recorded and rank them according to the distance between shooter and target. We’ll also learn some interesting facts about each one!
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Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle, Iraq War
Weapon: McMillan Tac-338
Date: August 2008
Shooter’s Nation: USA
Source: wikimedia.org
This impressive sniper shot was one of several heroic acts that Navy SEAL Chris Kyle was commended for. Chris Kyle’s accomplishments were described in his bestselling autobiography, American Sniper, but the details weren’t all accurate: In the book, Kyle is said to have earned two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars, but Navy records show that he earned one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with Valor.
Did you know?
Clint Eastwood directed a film adaptation of American Sniper which was released in 2014.
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Nicholas Ranstad, War in Afghanistan
Weapon: Barrett M82A1
Date: January 2008
Shooter’s Nation: USA
Source: wikimedia.org
US Army Sergeant Nicholas Ranstad served in an Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron called the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment. While the 1st Squadron is manned by the US Army, it is actually based out of the Tower Barracks in Grafenwöhr, Germany. At the New Jersey Warrior Challenge in 2012, Ranstad was an honored guest and autographed almost 100 flyers!
Did you know?
Nicholas Ranstad still holds the record for the longest shot made by a US sniper.
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Unnamed Special Forces Sniper, United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Weapon: Denel NTW-14.5
Date: August 2013
Shooter’s Nation: South Africa
Source: wikimedia.org
This impressive shot was taken against M23 rebels that had been wreaking havoc throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The rebels grew angry after they felt that their conditions didn’t improve following a peace treaty signed with the government, and have committed all kinds of atrocities including using child soldiers. The South African National Defense Force kept this sniper kill quiet and people didn’t hear about it for nearly a year afterwards.
Did you know?
The Captain who made this record shot is reported to have taken down up to 5 other targets in the same engagement.
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Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock, Vietnam War
Weapon: M2 Browning machine gun
Date: February 1967
Shooter’s Nation: USA
Source: wikimedia.org
Carlos Norman Hathcock was a sniper for the United States Marine Corps and was highly commended for his impressive service record of 93 confirmed kills. He first started shooting as a child to help get food. Hathcock became a US Marine Corps legend as a result of his many accomplishments, and even had a variant of the M21 named after him.
Did you know?
The name of the Springfield Armory M25 White Feather sniper rifle was based off the name “White Feather” that the North Vietnamese People’s Army of Vietnam gave Hancock.
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Sergeant Brian Kremer, Iraq War
Weapon: Barrett M82A1
Date: October 2004
Shooter’s Nation: USA
Source: wikimedia.org
US Sergeant Bryan Kremer took down an Iraqi insurgent in 2004 with the longest confirmed sniper kill shot made by a US soldier. His record has yet to be beaten to this day by any other soldier in the United States! Kremer served as a member of the 2nd Ranger Battalion in the Iraq War, and he took this record-breaking shot approximately a year after it began.
Did you know?
The 2nd Ranger Battalion, the unit that Kremer served in, is one of three ranger battalions that belong to the United States Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment.
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Master Corporal Arron Perry, War in Afghanistan
Weapon: McMillan Tac-50
Date: March 2002
Shooter’s Nation: Canada
Source: wikimedia.org
Arron Perry broke the record for the longest recorded sniper kill after it stood unbroken for 34 years. While Perry got his military career started in the Princess Louise Fusiliers, a unit of the Halifax Militia, he was actually serving as a member of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry at the time of his record sniper shot. Perry was accused of desecrating corpses, but the issue was dropped due to lack of evidence.
Did you know?
Interestingly, Arron Perry’s record-breaking shot was broken by another soldier in his same unit after just a few days.
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Corporal Rob Furlong, War in Afghanistan
Weapon: McMillan Tac-50
Date: March 2002
Shooter’s Nation: Canada
Source: wikimedia.org
Corporal Rob Furlong, who was in the same military unit as Arron Perry, was an ambitious type from the start, and he even taught himself to use a rifle ambidextrously! He took plenty of time to familiarize himself with the fine details that go into lining up the perfect sniper shot, from the direction of the wind to the shooter’s breathing. His hard-earned skills enabled him to make this record shot on this third try.
Did you know?
His feat was especially impressive considering how unlikely it was for the maximum effective range of the weapon he used.
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Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison, War in Afghanistan
Weapon: Accuracy International L115A3
Date: November 2009
Shooter’s Nation: UK
Source: wikimedia.org
Craig Harrison is known predominantly for his record sniper shot that he made in Afghanistan, but his experience goes far deeper. While he was highly commended and praised for his shot, which saved 12 men, he felt totally abandoned by his regiment once he developed PTSD. He has said that his overall experience eroded his trust in the armed forces.
Did you know?
During his first time on the firing range, Craig Harrison used a Dragunov sniper rifle, later describing how it felt in his autobiography “The Longest Kill.”
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Unnamed Special Forces Sniper, War in Afghanistan
Weapon: Barrett M82A1
Date: April 2, 2012
Shooter’s Nation: Australia
Source: wikimedia.org
The details of Special Forces accomplishments are often concealed in order to protect the shooter’s identity. But in this case, the identity of the shooter who made this record shot genuinely isn’t known for certain! Two soldiers fired off simultaneously using the same weapons and ammo and, while the target was definitely eliminated, no one is sure which shooter was responsible for the kill.
Did you know?
Since the identity of the shooter is uncertain, some people argue that this shot shouldn’t even qualify as a record.
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Unnamed JTF-2 Sniper, Iraqi Civil War
Weapon: McMillan Tac-50
Date: May 2017
Shooter’s Nation: Canada
Source: wikimedia.org
The shot that this Unnamed JTF-2 Sniper, Iraqi Civil War made in 2017 is the longest sniper shot ever recorded. This record-breaking shot took down an Islamic State insurgent in 2004, but few other details have been disclosed. As previously mentioned, the finer points of Special Forces military accomplishments are often kept private in order to protect the soldiers. This especially holds true when it comes to details of personal identity and how the task was carried out.
Did you know?
The Joint Task Force 2 unit is currently based at Dwyer Hill, which is relatively close to Ottawa in Ontario.