My Life

I have decided to make a new category title “Random Facts”. I seem to like my random facts and I always get told that I know quite a bit about the world and everything that goes on in it.

I will try to post a new random fact every week. Lets begin with random fact 1.

The longest range sniper kill ever recorder and confirmed was 2,430 metres. This shot was fired by a Canadian sniper, Corporal Rob Furlong who was on Operation Anaconda in Afganistan in a three-man sniper team lead by Master Corporal Graham Ragsdale from the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI).

A three-man al-Qaeda weapons team was moving into a mountainside position when Furlong shot and killed one carrying an RPK machine gun.
His first shot missed entirely, and his second shot had hit the knapsack on the militant’s back. The third struck the target’s torso. ~ Wikipedia

The shot had been fired from .50 BMG (12.7mm) McMillan TAC-50 bolt-action rifle.

This meant that the bullet had a flight time of ≈ 4.5 seconds, and a drophttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trajectory_of_a_projectile#Height_at_x of ≈ 70 meters (230 feet). ~ Wikipedia

Although this feat looks incredible, without the special circumstances that were in place during this operation the shot could not have been possible from the rifle and bullet used. The maximum effective range of the .50 BMG cartridge that was used is between 1,500 – 2,000 metres.

The ambient air density in the Shah-i-Kot Valley where Corporal Furlong operated is significantly lower than at sea level due to its 2,432 m (9,000 ft) mean elevation. This increases the maximum effective range of a high powered sniper rifle like Corporal Furlong used by ≈ 600 m (1968 ft). ~ Wikipedia

The previous record was held by US Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock, achieved during the Vietnam War, at a distance of 2,250 meters. ~ Wikipedia

References:
Sniper
Rob Furlong
Carlos Hathcock
Sniper rifle

Thanks,

Marat