Sniper rifles are in service with most of the world's armies, as well as police and anti-terrorist units. The modern sniper rifle is a specially designed precision weapon. What is the history of this murder weapon?
The beginning of time
Now it is already difficult to determine exactly who was the first to have the idea of hitting a target with one accurate shot. Most likely, such an idea first appeared many thousands of years ago, and the bow was the first accurate weapon. But the very concept of "sniper" and the weapon - a sniper rifle - appeared much later.
The birth of the rifle as a weapon took place in 1856. This year, a propeller gun made according to the Baranov system was officially in service. The use of a rifled barrel increased the accuracy and range of fire. But the mention of sniper shots, marking the birth of a new military art - sniper - appeared in the 17th century.
The first well-aimed shots
The very first well-known well-aimed shot was that of an English soldier, John Dyot. From a distance of 140 meters, he managed to get right into the eye of the enemy commander. Considering the effective firing range of the long-barreled hunting rifles used at that time, a maximum of 70-80 meters, this case became known to many.
After him, the number of shooters used by long-range rifles increased dramatically on both sides of the conflict. They even got their name - snipe shooter (translated from English - snipe hunter), which later was shortened to the well-known term sniper (sniper).
The birth of snipers
The heyday of the sniper art came in the middle of the 19th century. At that time, the mass arming of the armies of the leading countries began with rifled needle weapons. With a longer firing range, it quickly replaced the old smoothbore guns. In addition, special training for marksmen has begun in many countries. It is this time that can be considered the date of birth of the sniper rifle. After all, these trained shooters were armed with special rifles equipped with long-range sniper sights.
The most popular rifles for snipers by the middle of the 19th century were rifled guns of the Dreise, Minier and Anfield systems. They can be safely called the progenitors of modern sniper rifles used by special forces around the world. The manufacture of these weapons from the very beginning was aimed at ensuring ultra-precise long-range shooting. Special sighting devices provided the shooter with farsightedness, facilitating the aiming process.
