Table Of ContentTHE ULTIMATE
MAJ. JOHN L. PLASTER, USAR (RET.)
AN ADVANCED TRAINING MANUAL
FOR MILITARY AND POLICE SNIPERS
PALADIN PRESS • BOULDER, COLORADO
AlsobyJohn L. Plaster
Ultimate Sniper: TheVideo (video)
AdvancedUltimate Sniper (video)
SOG: APhotoHistoryofthe SecretWars
SOG: The SecretWars ofAmerica's
Commandosin Vietnam
SecretCommandos: BehindEnemyLines
with the Elite Warriors ofSOG
The UltimateSniper:
AnAdvancedTrainingManualforMilitary and PoliceSnipers
byMaj.JohnL. Plaster, USAR(Ret.)
Copyright© 1993, 2006 byJohnL. Plaster
ISBN 10: 1-58160-494-7
ISBN 13: 978-1-58160-494-8
Printedin the United States ofAmerica
Publishedby PaladinPress, adivision of
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Allrights reserved. Exceptfor use in areview, no
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Visit ourWeb site at www.paladin-press.com.
Illustrations by BradleyHopkins and TamiAnderson
Photo on backcover, bottomrow, far right copyright © byJon Hill
WARNING
The procedures, drills, and techniques outlined in this book are intended for official military
and law enforcement use only. It is not the intent of the author, publisher, or distributors of this
book to encourage readers to perform any of the techniques or drills in this book without proper
professional training and supervision. Attempting to do so can result in severe injury or death to
the reader or bystanders.This book isfor academic study only.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments • vii
Preface· ix
CHAPTER 1: Sniper Unit Organization and Equipment • 1
CHAPTER 2: The Sniper's Rifle • 37
CHAPTER 3: Sniperscope Basics • 79
CHAPTER 4: Using a Sniperscope • 105
CHAPTERS: Bullets and Ballistics • 129
CHAPTER 6: Basic Sniper Marksmanship • 171
CHAPTER 7: Advanced Sniper Marksmanship • 203
CHAPTER 8: Special Shooting Situations • 231
CHAPTER 9: Heavy Rifle Sniping • 263
CHAPTER 10: Binoculars and Spotting Scopes • 291
CHAPTER 11: Spotting and Target Detection • 305
CHAPTER 12: Range and Wind Estimation • 337
CHAPTER 13: Camouflage for Sniping • 361
CHAPTER 14: Stalking and Movement • 389
CHAPTER 15: The Sniper's Hide: The FFP • 401
CHAPTER 16: Mantracking • 415
CHAPTER 17: Basic Offensive and Defensive Tactics • 425
CHAPTER 18: Sniping in an Urban Environment • 443
CHAPTER 19: Countersniping Tactics and Techniques • 459
CHAPTER 20: Countersniping in Iraq • 483
CHAPTER 21: Special Sniping Operations • 503
CHAPTER 22: Night Sniping Operations • 519
CHAPTER 23: Special Sniping Environments • 537
APPENDIX I: Glossary ofSniping and Marksmanship Terms • 551
APPENDIX II: Current U.S.-Based Training Programs • 563
APPENDIX III: References • 569
v
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This second editionof The UltimateSniper is Park, Georgia, Police Department; FBI Special
dedicated to the United States of America's Agent Bowen Johnson; FBI Special Agent Mike
military and law enforcement snipers, sharp Balen; Ed Sanow and S. WA. T. Magazine;
shooters, and designated riflemen. Though few Olympic rifleman Lance Peters; .50-caliber
ever receive the recognition they deserve, our world record champion, Skip Talbot; Will Von
world is a better and safer place thanks to their Gal, who generously sponsored the Super
great dedication, skill,and courage. Sniper Shootout competitions in the United
Hundreds of snipers, long-range riflemen, States and Europe; Garth and Fred Choate,
tacticians, optics experts, and firearms industry both serious riflemen, who helped me develop
professionals have helped me since the pub and manufacture my sniper rifle stock and the
lication ofthe first edition, sharing not only their Rifle Stabilizer; Bushnell optical engineer Tim
tactics, techniques, and lessons learned but new Carpenter, who explained the technicalities of
ideas, weapons, and devices, many ofwhich I've laser rangefinders; Barbara Mellman-Skinner at
incorporated into these pages. Among this Bushnell, for much support; Leupold's Garth
diverse group, first I thank my old Special Kendig, a friend and supporter; Shep Kelly of
Forces friend, Steve Stormoen-the first Federal Cartridge Company; my longtime
edition's mysterious "S.S."-who finally has gunsmith friend, Gene Mayo; Dr. B.R.G.
come in from the shadows; allmy colleagues and Kaplan, M.D., for insights on wound ballistics;
friends at Gunsite Training Center, including the Fifty Caliber Shooters Association; and
Dr. Richard jee, Neal Terry, Jim "K-Bar" fellow Green Beret vet and author Jim Morris.
Kauber, Bill Jeans, Jack Furr, Bill Atkins, Eric Additionally, I thank the cadre at the U.S. Army
Olds, Chris Mayer, Chris Caracci, and Ted Yost; Sniper School, the U.S. Marine Corps Scout
the Marine Corps' most accomplished Vietnam Sniper Instructor School, and the 5th Special
War sniper, Chuck MaWhinney; Marine sniping Forces Group Sniper Training School for their
legend GySgt. Carlos Hathcock; Department of hospitality during my visits. For the considerable
the Army JAG, Mr. W Hays Parks; Sgt. Darryl amount of ammunition consumed to evaluate
Schmidt, St. Paul Police Department; Sgt. and test weapons, I thank Steve Hornady at
Charlie Dodge, Minneapolis Police Department; Hornady ammunition, Jeff Hoffman at Black
Sgt. Neal Terry, Albuquerque Police Depart Hills Ammo, and Mike Larson of Federal
ment; Agent Fred MacDonald III, Mississippi Cartridge.
Bureau of Narcotics; MSgt. Steve Holland, 5th My original sniper school cadre, who helped
Special Forces Group; Tom Slowik, Arizona launch me on this interesting journey more than
Crisis (SWAT) teams; George Lainhart, College 20 years ago, each contributed in his ownway:
vii
viii TH E UL T IMAT E SN IPER
MILITARY INSTRUCTORS LAW ENFORCEMENT INSTRUCTORS
Officer Lyle Beauchamp,
Lt. Col. Gary Schraml
Minneapolis Police Department
Sgt. 1st Class Gary Gamradt
Officer Lyle Delaney,
Lt. Col. Dave Loehr
Minneapolis Police Department
Sgt. 1st Class Blaine Nelson
Sgt. Gary Hill, Minneapolis Police Department
Capt. Wendell Daluge
Special Agent Kevin Crawford, FBI
Sgt. 1st Class Michael Corrow
Sgt.Dan Harshman,
1st Lt. Charles Weebee
St. Paul Police Department
SSgt. Timothy Cole
Sgt. Darryl Schmidt,
2nd Lt. Dave Beckering
St. Paul Police Department
SSgt. Robert Siefert
Sgt. Steve Campbell,
WO1JeffLuikart
Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics
SSgt.Timothy Weber
Agent Tommy Squires,
CSM DickWagaman Mississippi Bureau ofNarcotics
SSgt. Michael Anderson
Trooper Dave \X'atson,
Sgt. 1st Class Darryl Brown Alabama Highway Patrol
Sgt. Brent Henry
MILITARY SUPPORT PERSONNEL
MSgt. Clifton Evans
Sgt.John Lepowski
SgtMaj. Robert Roschen
MSgt. Steve Lischalk 1st Lt. Joseph Seaquist
Sgt. Michael Maherud IvlSgt.James Olson
MSgt. Robert Payne
This second edition's photographers and
Sgt. Lance Peters
photo technicians include my lovely wife, Gail,
MSgt. Carl Peterson
along with Roger Kennedy, Charles Farrow,
Sgt. Gary Zacharias and Doug Black. Many of Brad Hopkins' first
MSgt. Daniel Purkat edition illustrations have been retained,
reinforced by new drawings from Tami
Spec. 4 Brad Hopkins
Anderson. And finally, I thank Paladin Press
publisher Peder Lund, a fellow Special Forces
combat vet, and my editor, Jon Ford, for their
help and encouragement.
PREFACE
Though the first edition of The Ultimate mind but the integral sniper role for every type
Sniper represented the best of what was known ofconventional and special operation. Until 77w
about sniping in 1993, this art and science Ultimate Sniper this had not been done, nor had
advanced so remarkably in the following dozen sniper skills been clearly divided into three
years that a second edition has become a distinct areas-marksmanship, tactics, and
necessity. Thanks to these updates, changes, fieldcraft-and addressed in the depth they
and revisions, I believe that this new edition will demanded. Much ofwhat I wrote existed as bits
help advance sniping well into the 21st century and pieces in diverse places, but no manual or
and prove as revolutionary as the original book. book or guide had so thoroughly assembled
And it was revolutionary. Never before had them, focused exclusively on sniping.
a sniper training manual addressed man And yet, The Ultimate Sniper equally
tracking, for example. And though manuals contained original thoughts and techniques,
cited compensation for crosswinds, they lacked from ballistic data cards (now often copied) to
the simple advice that you can neutralize the the sniper engagement sequence, the concept of
wind's effect by reducing your distance or "ballistic advantage" (later elaborated as
shifting up- or downwind. Sniper training countersniper "overmatching"), and even a
curriculum did not even address up/down clear definition of"accurate," to name a few.
("slant") shooting. Having spent years in From Croatia to Canada, from Alaska to
combat behind enemy lines and years Alabama, snipers, sharpshooters, and long-range
instructing snipers, I knew that our institutional riflemen found The Ultimate Sniper to be the
knowledge and combat experience were much "bible" of their craft. The Philippine Marine
greater than what was depicted in the manuals. I Corps so highly regarded it that they copied its
was concerned that this precious knowledge, art for their sniper unit logo, and the Karen
paid for in blood, might be lost-only to have to National Liberation Army translated sections for
be relearned, with still more blood paid. their resistance fighters. The chapter on night
That's why I wrote The Ultimate Sniper-to operations was so authoritative that the 2nd
explain things like natural lines of drift, to Battalion, 8th Marines, reproduced it for all its
provide relevant insights on ballistics, optics, Marines. Sgt. 1st Class Earl S. Ellis, an All
shooting techniques, ammunition, human Army Sniper Champion and NCOlC of the
vision, parallax, smart ways to divide sectors of Army Sniper School, told me he found
fire, plus the role of snipers in every type of inspiration in its pages to revise the Army's latest
military operation-not just the two-man, sniper training manual. Probably the greatest
independent missions that most often come to compliment came from USMC Maj. Ed Land
ix
x THE U LTIMAT E SNIPER
(ret.), founder of the modern Marine sniper new chapter to countersniping in Afghanistan and
training program and current National Rifle Iraq. You'll also find new rifles, new cartridges,
Association secretary, who told an audience he'd and breakthroughs in emerging technologies,
hoped to write a book such as The Ultimate some already applied and others that have yet to
Sniper- but now he wouldn't have to. gobeyondprototypesand lab principles.
Several first edition prophecies came to be. Some of the recent historical accounts are
As I'd anticipated [po123], the Ml18 SpecialBall drawn from my new book-which I'll hopefully
round was improved into today's M118LR. finish within the next year-on the history of
Further, as I wrote in 1993 [po76], "T he sniping and sharpshooting. When it's published,
Trijicon ACOG, I think, should be on at least it will be the most detailed and complete book
half the M16A2s in the USMC and the U.S. ever written on the subject.
Army." That's nearly their proportion among our And here's an important admin note: U.S.
troops in Iraq and Afghanistan as ofthis writing. ballistic tables normally use yards, so we're
Here are some new prophecies. The next using yards almost exclusively in this book.
leap forward in long-range shooting technology Should you need to convert yards to meters,
will be a Bullet Drop Compensator that's as multiple by 1.0936; to convert meters to yards,
precisely adjustable as target knobs. Not long multiple by 0.9144.
afterward-perhaps in the next decade-we'll As in the first edition, I urge you to support
see an automated electronic reticle that's tied to and join the National Rifle Association, and
a laser rangefinder so that, as quickly as you laze encourage your friends and relatives to do
the distance, the reticle instantly resets itself for likewise. For future generations of great
dead-on aiming. The other improvement is riflemen, we must protect this great American
more mundane: a rationalizing of all sniping birthright, the Second Amendment. And finally,
units ofmeasurement-mils, yards, meters, and I ask you to join me in assisting today's U.S.
Minutes of Angle-so there's a simpler "yard Army and Marine Corps snipers on the front
stick" and no need to translate all these lines of the War on Terror via the Adopt-a
confusing figures and fractions when calculating Sniper program. Founded by a Texas police
and compensating. sniper, Brian Sain, this nonprofit group supplies
What's new in this edition? Well, although hard-to-find gear and information for our
tactics don't change, where and how we apply military snipers serving in remote, far-flung
them do. Thus you will find here greater places. You can reach them on the Internet at
elaboration of sniping tactics and techniques www.americansnipers.org.
against terrorists and insurgents, especially in the
mountains, deserts, and urban areas of the Middle Maj.John L. Plaster, USAR (ret.)
East and Central Asia. We've devoted an entire January 2006
S N IP'E.B/,'(J NIT
ORGANIZATION
AND EQUIPMENT
SNIPER TEAM grumbling and shirking are
ORGANIZATION absolutely necessary quali
ties. We've listed the
A properly organized sniper's and spotter's duties
sniper team consists of two in the box on the following
men, a sniper and a spotter. page, but it must be under
Both are qualified and fully stood that there is always a
trained snipers, so more mutual contribution within
appropriatelyitcould be said a listed task;the responsible
a team consists of two A two-man military sniperteam hastwo trained team member ultimately
snipers. In order to function snipers whorotate weapons and duties atregular sees that it's accomplished,
intervals.
effectively, however, one will but to some degree his
shoot (the sniper) while his partner contributes to
partnerwatches(thespotter),witheach rotatingthese everythingthat's done.
dutiesonaregularbasis. Some jobs are shared, likesplitting the sector so
Also,sincea militarysniperisarmed withaslow both can surveil,but even here there must be some
firing, low-capacity, bolt-action rifle, his partner rotation and reliefor onewill suffereyestrain.And at
needs a high-capacity, automatic weapon-I recom times, one will rest while the other works, one will
mend the M16A2 with an 1\1203 40mm grenade secure while his teammate digs, and so on. It's gen
launcher-for team defense against unexpected, uineteamwork.
short-range contacts. The two men swap weapons Themember with the mostexperienceshould be
whentheyrotateroles. theteam leader,buthisprimarytaskistoeducatehis
Given that they are only two men, a sniper partnerand elevatehisskills on apar with hisown so
team must operate truly as a team to stand any they can rotate jobs completely yet suffer no decline
chance of accomplishing its mission and surviving incapability. Teamwork.
inavery dangerous environment. Most often, the newer sniper serves as the
Compatibility, a readiness to share, and a wil observer, butsomeauthoritieswould arguethatthe
lingness to rotate duties without pettiness and more experienced of the two should spot since he
1
2 TH E U LTIMATE S NIPER
probablyisbetterat estimatingrange and wind and
SNIPER'S DUTIES &RESPONSIBILITIES
evaluatingtargets.
Due to liability, police snipers do not rotate
Writes Operations Order weapons-i-each should have a rifle assigned exclu
Coordinates with Other Units sively to himself. But police snipers must also
Follows in March and Covers Rear rotate/rest/share or theywon't be able to last during
a protracted incident-and, face it, most incidents
Obscures Backtrail during March
that eventually lead to a police sniper taking a shot
LeadsWhile Stalking
areprotracted ones.
LeadsWhile Following EnemyTracks
Military units are configured according to
Selects Sniper Hide Location
mission, equipment, doctrine, and the terrain on
Shares Hide Construction
which they'll fight, balanced against flexibility and
Detects and Announces Target Indicators simplicity to keep the unit controllable. These fac
Observes Half Sector with Binoculars tors are asapplicable to a sniperunitorganization as
Adjusts Scope for Wind, Range,and Angle for an armor division. And from these factors have
Shares Range Estimates with Spotter evolved two basic concepts for organizing sniper
elements:consolidation and decentralization.
Decides Engagement Priorities
The sniper structure most frequently found in
Engages Human and Materiel Targets
U.S. military organizations is a consolidated one,
Designates NightTargets with Tracer
with snipers in their own battalion-levelplatoon that
operates directly under the S2 Intelligence Officer
or S3 OperationsOfficer.Asthe chartshows, thisis
SPOTTER'S DUTIES &RESPONSIBILITIES the sniper configuration found in U.S. Marine
Corps units as wellas in U.S. Army Light Infantry
Obtains and PreparesAny Special Gear Divisions.In most organizations using this arrange
Leads in March, May Fire Defensively ment, the snipers also serve as battalion scouts, a
good matching of skills and missions. In fact, the
FollowsWhile Stalking, Obscures Sign
USMC officially calls these men "Scout-Snipers,"
Covers TeamWhile Tracking Enemy
assigned to a Surveillance and Target Acquisition
Shares Hide Construction
(STA) platoon.
Draws Sketches and Range Cards
The benefits of a consolidated sniper platoon
Shares Range Estimates with Sniper are many. First, they can train together and focus
Observes Half Sector with Spotting Scope their efforts on sniping, under the control of
Detects and Announces Target Indicators platoon-level leaders who appreciate and support
IdentifiesTargets by Priority their needs. Second, since they're a battalion-level
asset, their role is considered and integrated in
EstimatesWind
every battalion operation.
Timesthe Wind and TellsSniperto Fire
Consolidation affords great flexibility in combat,
BacksUp Sniper's Shot
allowing the battalion sniper employment officer to
Observes and Reports Bullet Impact
concentrate ordispersethe snipers tofitthesituation
Operates Radio
and the mission. For instance, all snipers can be
Records Information focused along one enemy avenue of approach,
Vectors and Coordinates OtherTeams massedwithin one company'sarea iftheterrainbest
Operates Diversionary Devices suits sniping, or splitevenly, with three sniper teams
Sterilizes Site When Abandoning Hide attached to each company or one team for each line
platoon. They also can run independent, battalion
controlled operations.
