I get a lot of questions from folks these days about what rifle they should purchase, what caliber, gas or bolt etc. Here’s some things to chew on before making a decision:
- Most Special Operations Force snipers these days can only guarantee a 1st round 100% hit rate (anytime, any weather, any place) out to between 500-600 yards. Joint Special Operations Command conducted a small exercise to confirm this several years ago. Keep in mind that there are some shit-hot SOF snipers out there that have greater range, but this is not the norm.
- Since the guaranteed 1st round hit engagement distance is that close, a good semi-auto in 7.62 mm would provide comparable results and be more than acceptable.
- Many semi-auto rifle makers guarantee 1/2 MOA and some shoot even better. So, there are minimal accuracy concerns with a semi-auto rifle, especially inside of 550 yards.
- If you’re not constantly training or don’t make a good wind call decisions, the chances of missing at 500-600 yards are higher, so follow up shot capabilities are a factor in your purchasing decision. With a semi-auto you can watch the round go down range without working a bolt. So, IF you miss on your first shot the follow-on shot is out faster.
- A semi-auto rifle provides a lot of firepower, so there’s no need to carry an M4 with you while on patrol
- If you need a rifle to shoot past 600 yards with a high percentage of achieving a 1st round hit, use a bolt gun chambered in a faster more powerful cartridge….. .300 Winchester Mag or .338LM.
I had a Hogan H308 (www.hoganguns.com) 14.5” gas piston with a NF 2.5-10X on top out on the range at Camp Lejeune a few weeks back. Shooting at an NRA F-Class target at 600yds the vertical group would CONSTANTLY stay inside the X ring (1/2 MOA), the wind would occasionally blow it into the 10 ring! The rifle was keeping up with the Marine M40A5’s on the range plus I had the tactical advantages of less weight, less length and more firepower. In short, 500 yards and in use a semi-auto in 7.62mm, any further use a more powerful round out of a bolt gun.
- Most Special Operations Force snipers these days can only guarantee a 1st round 100% hit rate (anytime, any weather, any place) out to between 500-600 yards. Joint Special Operations Command conducted a small exercise to confirm this several years ago. Keep in mind that there are some shit-hot SOF snipers out there that have greater range, but this is not the norm.
- Since the guaranteed 1st round hit engagement distance is that close, a good semi-auto in 7.62 mm would provide comparable results and be more than acceptable.
- Many semi-auto rifle makers guarantee 1/2 MOA and some shoot even better. So, there are minimal accuracy concerns with a semi-auto rifle, especially inside of 550 yards.
- If you’re not constantly training or don’t make a good wind call decisions, the chances of missing at 500-600 yards are higher, so follow up shot capabilities are a factor in your purchasing decision. With a semi-auto you can watch the round go down range without working a bolt. So, IF you miss on your first shot the follow-on shot is out faster.
- A semi-auto rifle provides a lot of firepower, so there’s no need to carry an M4 with you while on patrol
- If you need a rifle to shoot past 600 yards with a high percentage of achieving a 1st round hit, use a bolt gun chambered in a faster more powerful cartridge….. .300 Winchester Mag or .338LM.
I had a Hogan H308 (www.hoganguns.com) 14.5” gas piston with a NF 2.5-10X on top out on the range at Camp Lejeune a few weeks back. Shooting at an NRA F-Class target at 600yds the vertical group would CONSTANTLY stay inside the X ring (1/2 MOA), the wind would occasionally blow it into the 10 ring! The rifle was keeping up with the Marine M40A5’s on the range plus I had the tactical advantages of less weight, less length and more firepower. In short, 500 yards and in use a semi-auto in 7.62mm, any further use a more powerful round out of a bolt gun.