I have often noticed a specific trait of Sniper Rifles that seams to be a sort of accuracy rating of the weapon, but have yet to figure out what it stands for or how it is Measured.

That rating is measured in "MOA" for example "1/4 MOA"

Can any of you explain this rating system to me?

Minutes of Angle are divisions of degrees. The MoA rating of a firearm describes, probably when held in a vise, the maximum deviation from the centerline of the bore that a group of shots will have.

In real life, it's more of a likely-to-have, as ammunition, windage, and skill of the shooter will all vary.

~Zero the Inestimable

well said zero. http://riflestocks.tripod.com/moa.html

Like wise, I agree with Zero.
When you've got a well made, floating barreled rifle, thats quoting 1/2 or 1/4 MOA, the biggest problem comes from ammunition, becuase, while you might have a 1/4 MOA rifle, a lot of ammo, especially military loads, unless you've got a VERY patient Quarter Master, who'll get you nice stuff, is more likely to be around 1/2-1 MOA.

As a guide, think of fireing 5 shots at a single target. a 1 MOA setup will place all 5 holes within 1 inch at one hundred yards. equally, 1 MOA will place 5 shots in 2 inches at two hundred yards, and 3 at three hundred. Most snipers wouldn't want to shoot at much more than three hundred if they can, so your looking at a guarenteed head shot at 350 yards if your a competent shot, at 1 MOA.

RipSlider

but not all sniper tactics aim for the head,
the SAS actually adopt a technique to shoot
the target's limbs, leaving him alive to use
up the enermy medicines and bandages...
this is especially useful when using 5.56
ammunition...

you can't silence a sniper rifle can you? the bullet breaks the sound barrier so it still makes the 'crack'. how loud is it with a silencer?

That would depend on the rifle and ammunition in question. Anything supersonic is going to be loud, but supressing the report of the propellant could make it harder to determine where the shots are coming from.

~Zero the Inestimable

A suppressed rifle firing transonic ammunition would be a lot quieter than a the same rifle unsuppressed. I've personally never shot a suppressed rifle, however i've shot ammunition through a suppressed pistol that was not subsonic (approximately 1,100+ fps is the barrier i believe). I was firing .45SUPER and it sounded simular to a small caliber pistol, kinda like a .22MAG. However with subsonic ammunition, my .45 (wet suppression) sounds like a loud air rifle with a bit more bassy thump and dry it sounds like a .22short.

Come to think of it, the target of a supersonic round wouldn't hear anything until he was already dead...

~Zero the Inestimable

Gun-Nut.

Mate, your talking crap. Any sniper aims for a one shot kill. My Sergant at Arms ( The chap who looks after the guns, and says things like " This is the naughty end, try not to look down this end...") is SAS, but RTU'd for 2 years, as he decked a Major of the Para's.

He teachs one shot kills. And he's an SAS sniper. He'd go fucking nuts if you even suggested a shot to wound idea.

RipSlider

quote:

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Originally posted by Zero the Inestimable:
Minutes of Angle are divisions of degrees. The MoA rating of a firearm describes, probably when held in a vise, the maximum deviation from the centerline of the bore that a group of shots will have.

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Thanks Zero

quote:

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Originally posted by RipSlider:
Gun-Nut.

Mate, your talking crap. Any sniper aims for a one shot kill. My Sergant at Arms ( The chap who looks after the guns, and says things like " This is the naughty end, try not to look down this end...") is SAS, but RTU'd for 2 years, as he decked a Major of the Para's.

He teachs one shot kills. And he's an SAS sniper. He'd go fucking nuts if you even suggested a shot to wound idea.

RipSlider

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It's a tactic to try to lure out opposing troops to get the wounded man and pick em' off. The VC's used this tactic in Vietnam. Usually people don't leave their men dying on the battlefield, so if you wound them then someone is going to have to carry them and it takes up their manpower and strength.

In most situations, 1 shot kills will be the snipe of choice though.

a sniper rifle can kill with 1 shot on
any body part, just depending of the time
taken for the wounded man to die, during
this time, if the victim is still alive,
his teammates would carry him off, even they
know he is going to die in a minute or so,
they would still spend some medicine or
bandages on him...(they are teammates)

if the person come out to rescue his friend,
you can snipe him, getting a second kill...

I have not been in the military. However, If I was wounded in no man's land only to die 10 agonizing minutes later from shock, etc. I would prefer my comrade to make a direct head shot upon myself and thus no others would die making a vain attempt to rescue me and cheating the enemy sniper out of additional kills.

quote:

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Originally posted by RipSlider:
When you've got a well made, floating barreled rifle, thats quoting 1/2 or 1/4 MOA, the biggest problem comes from ammunition, becuase, while you might have a 1/4 MOA rifle, a lot of ammo, especially military loads, unless you've got a VERY patient Quarter Master, who'll get you nice stuff, is more likely to be around 1/2-1 MOA.

As a guide, think of fireing 5 shots at a single target. a 1 MOA setup will place all 5 holes within 1 inch at one hundred yards. equally, 1 MOA will place 5 shots in 2 inches at two hundred yards, and 3 at three hundred. Most snipers wouldn't want to shoot at much more than three hundred if they can, so your looking at a guarenteed head shot at 350 yards if your a competent shot, at 1 MOA.

RipSlider

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Ammunition shouldn't be a problem (what?) Snipers are issued M-82 Match 7.62 BT Ball Ammunition. Match Grade means all of the ammunition in that "batch" are made from the same lot of primers, casings, ball, powder everything is the same and the quality is consistent as should the consistency of the end result.

I'm not sure what England uses for sniper rifles but the USMC Scout/Snipers use the M-40A1 built on the Remington Model 700 Action. Aiming for the head is ineffective, look at when some one is moving..... the arms legs and head are constantly moving the center mass area of the body (upper torso) moves very little, making it a much easier target. I do know in the Army Sniper manual the engagement of targets below 800yards is prohibited unless absoulutely necessary.

Shad

"There's my 2cents for what it's worth"

whats the maximum engagement range that they allow? and whats the optimum range?

so far the maximum range is 1500 metres
achieved by the M82A1...
usually the best range is around 800 metres,
ARs dont have high power scope to aim with
that accuracy, even though M16 can shoot up
to 800 metres...
you should be safe at that range, but be
alert of nearby patrols...

RipSlider is right. Snipers aim for one-shot kills.