“A sniper with Canada’s elite special forces in Iraq has shattered the world record for the longest confirmed kill shot in military history at a staggering distance of 3,450 metres.
Sources say a member of Joint Task Force 2 killed an Islamic State insurgent with a McMillan TAC-50 sniper rifle while firing from a high-rise during an operation that took place within the last month in Iraq. It took under 10 seconds to hit the target.
“The shot in question actually disrupted a Daesh [Islamic State] attack on Iraqi security forces,” said a military source, who stressed the operation fell within the strictures of the government’s advise and assist mission. “Instead of dropping a bomb that could potentially kill civilians in the area, it is a very precise application of force and because it was so far way, the bad guys didn’t have a clue what was happening.”
A sniper with Canada’s elite special forces in Iraq has shattered the world record for the longest confirmed kill shot in military history at a staggering distance of 3,450 metres.
Sources say a member of Joint Task Force 2 killed an Islamic State insurgent with a McMillan TAC-50 sniper rifle while firing from a high-rise during an operation that took place within the last month in Iraq. It took under 10 seconds to hit the target.
“The shot in question actually disrupted a Daesh [Islamic State] attack on Iraqi security forces,” said a military source, who stressed the operation fell within the strictures of the government’s advise and assist mission. “Instead of dropping a bomb that could potentially kill civilians in the area, it is a very precise application of force and because it was so far way, the bad guys didn’t have a clue what was happening.”
The kill was independently verified by video camera and other data, The Globe and Mail has learned.
“Hard data on this. It isn’t an opinion. It isn’t an approximation. There is a second location with eyes on with all the right equipment to capture exactly what the shot was,” another military source said.
A military insider told The Globe: “This is an incredible feat. It is a world record that might never be equalled.”
We know that this is an AWESOME shot, but what exactly is the science behind the shot.
TiborasaurusRex does a pretty good analysis of the shot using what info we know at the time so lets look at some of the gear he used.
The McMillan Tac-50 is a long-range anti-materiel and anti-personnel sniper rifle. The Tac-50 is based on previous designs from the same company, which first appeared during the late 1980s. McMillan makes several versions of .50 caliber rifles, based on the same proprietary action, for military, law enforcement and civilian use. It is produced in Phoenix, Arizona in the United States by McMillan Firearms Manufacturing.
The Tac-50 is a military and law enforcement weapon, which, designated as the C15, is the standard Long Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW) of the Canadian Army since 2000. Rifles of the Tac-50 family are guaranteed to provide 0.5 minute of angle (MOA) groups with match-grade ammunition.
| McMillan Firearms Manufacturing Tac-50 | |
|---|---|
 Canadian Army McMillan Tac-50 (C15) Long Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW)
|
|
| Type | Anti-materiel rifle, sniper rifle |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2000–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | Afghanistan War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1980s |
| Manufacturer | McMillan Firearms Manufacturing |
| Produced | 1980s–present |
| Variants | Tac-50 A1, Tac-50 A1-R2 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 26.0 lb (11.8 kg) |
| Length | 57.0 in (1,448 mm) |
| Barrel length | 29.0 in (737 mm) |
|
|
|
| Cartridge | .50 BMG (12.7 x 99 mm) |
| Action | manually operated rotary bolt action |
| Muzzle velocity | 805 m/s (2,641 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 1,800 m (1,970 yd) |
| Feed system | 5 round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Customizable; 5-25x telescopic sight standard in Canadian Forces |
Scope used was something around this:
This Limited Edition PM II run is the exact specification that won the contract, including More Tactile Click (MTC) Locking Turrets (LT) on both the elevation and windage adjustments, an illuminated first focal plane Tremor2 reticle, and Pantone finish. This edition of that special scope also features a custom placard on the objective lens featuring an elegant limited edition graphic along with the serial number of the scope. Only 300 of these scopes will be produced, and these scopes will be ITAR-controlled and export governed by the United States State Department.
The glass looks like this:
This package, with custom scope bases are the most likely candidate needed to make this shit happen.
Now…
I know this is getting a little long winded, BUT all in what we are getting to here, is ONE HELL of a shot, but with the round and rifle used is very doable. The thing to remember and take away however is that this was a COMBAT shot, using unsure/unknown conditions. To pull off a shot like this take alot of training, and knowledge of one’s rifle. Canadian SF guys are tough as nails, and should be used in more conflicts, hats off to them, and good shooting!