Longest "confirmed kill" sniper shot

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

A Canadian sniper has beaten the record for the longest confirmed kill in military history by picking off an ISIS fighter from 11,319 feet.

The bullet was fired from a McMillan TAC-50 rifle set on a high-rise tower and took 10 seconds to travel the 2.14 miles towards the fighter, who was attacking Iraqi soldiers.

This smashed the last record set by a Briton Craig Harrison, who killed a Taliban soldier with a 338 Lapua Magnum rifle at a range of 8,120 feet(1.54 miles) in 2009.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMillan_Tac-50

 

[therealmeep]

Crazy you can shoot that far and have the accuracy to hit something. The 10 second flight time reminds me of a nerf dart now.

 

[droopyRO]

I wish them many record breaking shots.
Many things can happen in 10 seconds, probably a stationary target.
I`m more amazed that the bullet had energy left to kill at that range.

 

[erocker]

I don't think I've made a paper airplane that could fly 10 seconds. That's an amazing shot! Like, you could shoot, take a sip of coffee and tie your shoe, look back through your scope and splat!

 

[jboydgolfer]

the TAC.50 is a beast.

Bolt action FTW.

Spoiler: Big Gun

imagine getting hit with THIS "rifle" actually meant to fire on tanks/armor
20mm Lahti...but it IS technically a rilfe as it is fired by a man, on the ground, not like a howitzer, etc, only uses two "feet" or "snow shoes"

 

[qubit]

And it was isis that it nailed from over 2 miles away. Yeah.

You just brightened up my day, Caps.

 

[Xzibit]

Campers

 

[agent_x007]

I think it's ugly :/
This is 20mm sniper I like (Anzio 20mm "Vulcan") : LINK

 

[MrGenius]

I`m more amazed that the bullet had energy left to kill at that range.

That made me curious. So I did some research.

2.14 miles = 3766.4 yards
M1022 Long-Range Sniper Ammunition = .50 caliber 650-grain projectile, initial/muzzle velocity 2750 fps
Estimated drop in elevation(distance the bullet drops from barrel level to target) = ~9409 inches/~784 feet/~261 yards/~239 meters
Estimated energy(ft.lbs. force retained by the bullet at target) = ~1155 ft.lbf.
Estimated velocity(speed in Feet Per Second retained by the bullet at target) = ~895 ft/s

Estimations based on the following chart :
http://www.shooterscalculator.com/ballistic-trajectory-chart.php?t=1da2e6db

I used default .50 BMG values for calculation(except for bullet weight and initial/muzzle velocity, which I guessed would be that of the M1022). And without any correction for atmosphere.

So...the energy of the bullet related to its potential to kill a human at that range is roughly equivalent to dropping a half inch diameter pointy object that weighs ~1155 lbs. a distance of 1 foot. If you were to do that on a human target...I can definitely imagine it being lethal.

EDIT: I just realized I could adjust chart step size from 25 yds. to 1 yd. So the calculations could be more accurate(for exactly 3766 yds. vs. 3750 yds). Not that much difference really. But I'm going to make the corrections to the info above anyway.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

That made me curious. So I did some research.

2.14 miles = 3766.4 yards
M1022 Long-Range Sniper Ammunition = .50 caliber 650-grain projectile
Estimated drop in elevation(distance the bullet drops from barrel level to target) = ~9286 inches/~774 feet/~258 yards/~236 meters
Estimated energy(ft.lbs. force retained by the bullet at target) = ~1160 ft.lbs.
Estimated velocity(speed in Feet Per Second retained by the bullet at target) = ~896 ft/s

Estimations based on the following chart :
http://www.shooterscalculator.com/ballistic-trajectory-chart.php?t=be80d1d7

I used default .50 BMG values for calculation(except for bullet weight and initial/muzzle velocity, which I guessed would be that of the M1022).

So...the energy of the bullet related to its potential to kill a human at that range is roughly equivalent to dropping a half inch diameter pointy object that weighs ~1160 lbs. a distance of 1 foot. If you were to do that on a human target...I can definitely imagine it being lethal.

beautiful...........it doesnt even matter if you are wrong.........

 

[Mr.Scott]

I had a head shot at 3/4 of a mile when I was in the PI. That was my longest kill.
McMillan M88

 

[Beastie]

This smashed the last record set by a Briton Craig Harrison, who killed a Taliban soldier with a 338 Lapua Magnum rifle at a range of 8,120 feet(1.54 miles) in 2009.

338 Lapua Magnum is the ammo. The gun was an Accuracy International L115A3, apparently.

 

[Nuckles56]

239m bullet drop at that range, dear god. I'm amazed that they actually hit the guy. And also lucky he didn't move too much

 

[jboydgolfer]

When the curve of the earth becomes a factor in your shot, you KNOW its a long shot.

Also, distant shots like these are always best when done from high altitude like the tower mentioned in the op....makes bullet drop "easier" to deal with

 

[MrGenius]

When the curve of the earth becomes a factor in your shot, you KNOW its a long shot.

Yeah...between compensating for that, the elavation/bullet drop, the windage, and other atmospheric conditions...it's mind boggling how you could possibly even hit a human size target at that range. Not to mention make a 1 shot kill. It would be pretty hard to argue there wasn't some luck involved. Nobody's really that good of a marksman.

 

[stinger608]

Not to brag.........Okay, maybe LOL. I killed an elk at about 700 yards years ago.

Shot with a 7mm Remington Mag.

 

[peche]

Bolt action FTW.

thats why i love chey tac 408 "Intervention" never fired one, but always wanted!

Spoiler: another big gun

 

[agent_x007]

Yeah...between compensating for that, the elavation/bullet drop, the windage, and other atmospheric conditions...it's mind boggling how you could possibly even hit a human size target at that range. Not to mention make a 1 shot kill. It would be pretty hard to argue there wasn't some luck involved. Nobody's really that good of a marksman.

Q : Can "target" hear the shot that will kill him in few seconds (ie. he hears "bang" before bullet kills him) ?

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

No, the bullet is travelling faster than the speed of sound. If he could see the muzzle he would see the flash/smoke because it is travelling at the speed of light.

 

[dorsetknob]

Q : Can "target" hear the shot that will kill him in few seconds (ie. he hears "bang" before bullet kills him) ?

the fighter, who was attacking Iraqi soldiers.

He might have but seeing he was in a firefight with iraqi soldiers nearby he would not have noticed a shot sound from over 2 miles away

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

He might have

the laws of physics prevent this.

if the bullet was travelling at mach 2 and took 10 seconds to arrive then the sound would take 20 seconds

so

the isis guy would have been shagging virgins for a good 10 seconds before the sound arrived

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Damn 10 seconds, you could shoot, have lunch, go for a pee and be back at the scope in time to see the actual hit.

 

[agent_x007]

the laws of physics prevent this.

if the bullet was travelling at mach 2 and took 10 seconds to arrive then the sound would take 20 seconds

Well, sure muzzle velocity of the shell (using wiki link in first post) is 805 m/s, so 2.3 Mach to be exact.
But my problem is with a bullet that MUST slow down with range.
That's why you I highly doubt you will have a bullet doing 2 Mach at the 11,319 feet mark, and "target" may actually hear the shot (assuming fight will stop for a brief moment to hear the sniper shot).

If bullet will slow down to 0,4 Mach at the target, both sound and bullet itself should arrive at the same time (if my simple math is right).
If bullet is faster than that, he won't hear the shot, if it's slower - he could*.
@MrGenius based speed on 0.50 BMG chart.
Problem with this for 20mm shell is two fold :
1) Bigger bullet = more drag,
2) Bigger bullet = more weight.
At which point those two cancel each other is beyond my knowledge.

PS. *I know you probably can't hear a sniper shot from over 2 miles/3 kilometers away (maybe if it was Tank's main gun shooting at you ).
This is just a simple brain exercise

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

Well, sure muzzle velocity of the shell (using wiki link in first post) is 805 m/s, so 2.3 Mach to be exact.
But my problem is with a bullet that MUST slow down with range.
That's why you I highly doubt you will have a bullet doing 2 Mach at the 11,319 feet mark, and "target" may actually hear the shot (assuming fight will stop for a brief moment to hear the sniper shot).

If bullet will slow down to 0,4 Mach at the target, both sound and bullet itself should arrive at the same time (if my simple math is right).
If bullet is faster than that, he won't hear the shot, if it's slower - he could*.

PS. *I know you probably can't hear a sniper shot from over 2 miles/3 kilometers away (maybe if it was Tank's main gun shooting at you ).
This is just a simple brain exercise

Even in complete silence the bullet is coming towards you and the sound is always behind it. Maybe if you had spidey sense.

 

[agent_x007]

Even in complete silence the bullet is coming towards you and the sound is always behind it. Maybe if you had spidey sense.

Not always.
~895 ft/s (from .50 BMG case), is less than 1.0 Mach.
So, sound a bullet makes at that point is a bit faster than bullet itself.