During his first time on the firing range, Craig Harrison used a Dragunov sniper rifle, later describing how it felt in his autobiography The Longest Kill.. Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. But in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, at least five soldiers from three countries have made longer shots. Longest shot was a 2,100-yard strike against a man armed with a rocket launcher Prefers a bolt-action .300 Winchester Magnum custom sniper rifle Left the Navy after 10 years to 'save his marriage' As weapons, ammunition, and aids to determine ballistic solutions improved, so too did the distance from which a kill could be targeted. You also agree to our. Self-proclaimed as the "most lethal sniper in US military history," Chris Kyle achieved 160 confirmed kills (nearly double that by some accounts) during his four tours in Iraq. Texas hardman Chris Kyle became a household name after his autobiography, American Sniper, was adapted into a movie by Clint Eastwood, starring Bradley Cooper. Confirmed hit! they said in a call to the shooters. All Rights Reserved. Here's his account of the achievement, which . [6], Routh was a 25-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Lancaster, Texas. With this kind of shooting, nobody has yet figured out how to get first round hits. Texas introduced hunting, religion, and gunery to Chris Kyle in his early life. Kyle said that he was on a house's second floor, scanning the village with his rifle scope. Kyle, 38, was shot to death Saturday - by a former Marine, police say - while shooting for fun on a Texas gun range. "The things they would do - beheadings, dragging Americans through the streets alive, the things they would do to little boys and women just to keep them terrified and quiet That part is easy. Also, questions were raised about the true number of medals he'd been given for his military success. [21][22], Littlefield's funeral was held on February 8, 2013, at the First Baptist Church of Midlothian, Texas; he was buried at Mount Zion cemetery. The Cutting Edge MTAC bullet that hit the target was hand-lathed, and weighed just under an ounce (422 gr. The actual death toll from his sharpshooting probably exceeds 200. The records for the longest sniper kills among the armed forces began to be published in 1967 during the Vietnam War by the US Military. For comparison, legendary sniper and American hero Chris Kyles record for a combat kill was 1.2 miles with a single shot in 2008 against an Iraqi insurgent, according to History.com. He described the killing in his book, American Sniper. This example ignores all other factors and assumes no-wind shooting conditions, identical muzzle velocities, and identical ballistic performance for each shot. The release of the film American Sniper . 6,000: Approximate number of calories Cooper was eating per day while training for the film. American Sniper was about his military service from 1999 to 2009. For comparison, legendary sniper and American hero Chris Kyle's record for a combat kill was 1.2 miles with a single shot in 2008 against an Iraqi insurgent, according to History.com. Chris Kyle was the deadliest sniper in U.S. history, both for the total number of confirmed kills, and for the longest shot resulting in a kill: 2,100 yards. Chris Kyle, a former U.S. Navy SEAL credited with the largest number of confirmed kills, was one of two people fatally shot at a North Texas shooting range Saturday, Texas Highway Patrol confirmed . The actor has said he phoned Kyle and told him, Hey, I know its Hollywood and you probably have a lot of trepidation, and you dont know me, but Im telling you, Im giving you my word, were gonna do everything we can and were gonna work with you., 80,000: Bounty, in dollars, that insurgents in Ramadi put on Kyles head. 300 Winchester Magnum for most of deployments, his most famous and longest shot was taken with a McMillan-built TAC-338. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, US hero Chris Kyle was a sharpshooter who served in Iraq, He was nicknamed the Devil of Ramadi by terrified Iraqi insurgents, Chris Kyle pictured with with his wife, Taya, in 2012. Jesse Ventura $500,000 for defamation and $1.3million for unjust enrichment in a trial over a passage in Kyles book that Ventura claimed was a complete fabrication. But then again, as Kyle showed us, some of the most important shots are those that beat the odds. The kill was one of . 4: Thats the number of biopics opening on Christmas Day, and while the others (Selma, Unbroken, Big Eyes) reach into the more distant past, American Sniper tells a contemporary story. As weapons, ammunition, and aids to determine ballistic solutions improved, so, too, did the distance . With his "boys" approaching, Kyle aimed and killed him with his McMillan TAC-338 sniper rifle from about 2,100 yards (1.2 miles) away. He joined the Navy in 1999, and in . Lt. Jackie Pau, a Navy spokeswoman, told the AP that Kyles military personnel file stated he received one Silver Star and three Bronze Stars with valor. At that distance, Kyle could only estimate his calculations. The Longest Sniper Kills in History. Kremer served as a member of the 2nd Ranger Battalion in the Iraq War, and he took this record-breaking shot approximately a year after it began. He described the killing in his book, American Sniper. It wasnt the first time something in Kyles book was questioned. This list is not exhaustive, as such data is generally not tracked nor managed under any official procedure. We were taught snipers were cowards. Headteacher sacked 'after sending parents a list of striking teachers' as school launches probe, Isle of Innisfree ferry: Blaze breaks out on boat carrying 183 people in English Channel as lifeboats scramble to scene. Wind direction and speed can vary dramatically along the path of the bullet. Henderson . 20: Number of months it took Cooper and the production to close a deal with Kyle. Actor Bradley Cooper, who portrayed U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle in the Oscar nominated film 'American Sniper,' has revealed that he and Taya Kyle, the sniper's widow, are engaged to be married. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Kyle later downplayed the long-range kill as a really, really lucky shot". This especially holds true when it comes to details of personal identity and how the task was carried out. This article first appeared in December 2020. Lewis Capaldi handled himself like a true pro, simply backing away from the mic and hanging on to the stand while his fans took the lead. By the end of his first deployment Hathcock's life was worth $30,000 to the North Vietnamese . He killed near Sadr City in 2008 at a distance of 2,100 yards. Hathcock held the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill for 35 years. sniper Chris Kyle's (Bradley Cooper's) pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. His skills with a rifle were . Even the most basic of sniper kills are impressive feats, and things get progressively more difficult with targets who are further away. After a trial in which jurors heard . Chris Kyle was a Navy SEAL marksman whose autobiography 'American Sniper' became a bestseller and was made into a major Hollywood film. How far was Chris Kyle's longest sniper kill? [15] Forensic psychologist Randall Price, a witness for the prosecution, suspected Routh was faking schizophrenia. The soldier shot an IS militant dead from 3,540 metres, which is just over two miles away, in Iraq . The rifle used was made by Accuracy International. The hero's longest sniper shot was fired while he protected an approaching US Army convoy in Sadr City, eastern Baghdad, Iraq, in 2008. It was the worlds eighth-longest confirmed kill shot by a sniper, reports D Magazine. He said the book ruined his reputation in the Seal community. While Perry got his military career started in the Princess Louise Fusiliers, a unit of the Halifax Militia, he was actually serving as a member of the Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry at the time of his record sniper shot. Later, Kyle called it a "really, really lucky shot." Chris Kyle didn't fit the stereotype of the sullen, lone wolf sniper. While the 1st Squadron is manned by the US Army, it is actually based out of the Tower Barracks in Grafenwhr, Germany. [17] Harrison killed the two Taliban machine gunners with shots that took the 8.59mm (0.338 inch) rounds almost five seconds to hit their targets, which were 900m (980yd) beyond the L115A3 sniper rifles recommended range. This story has been shared 126,899 times. He agreed to take Routh to a shooting range, which Kyle believed had therapeutic value. A thirty-five year old, happily married father of four: Matt was raised in New Jersey and moved to Arizona in 06'. During the interview, Kyle also talks about the $20,000 bounty that was put on his head and the heads of his fellow . Kyle and Littlefield had reportedly taken Routh to the gun range in an effort to help him with his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which he suffered from his time in the military. The masterwork rifle was completed finally in May, about a full year after the original target date, according to the release. [citation needed] Snipers have had a substantial history following the development of long distance weaponry.As weapons, ammunition, and aids to determine ballistic solutions improved, so too did the . "The joke was that President Bush only declared war when Starbucks was hit. [4], In late July 2011, Routh was diagnosed by clinicians at Veterans hospital as having post-traumatic stress disorder and was prescribed antipsychotics and antidepressants. 1.8 million: Dollars awarded to former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, who sued Kyles estate for defamation after Kyle wrote in his book that he punched out a man (later identified as Ventura) for bad-mouthing Navy SEALs. In mid-2017 it was reported that an unnamed Canadian special forces operator, based in Iraq, had set a new record of 3,540m (3,871yd), beating the record previously held by an Australian sniper (also unnamed) at 2,815m (3,079yd). The 2nd Ranger Battalion, the unit that Kremer served in, is one of three ranger battalions that belong to the United States Armys 75th Ranger Regiment. This impressive shot was taken against M23 rebels that had been wreaking havoc throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The shot was nearly 800 yards further than the previous longest sniper shot in history, perhaps aided by the soldier utilizing match-grade Hornady ammunition. Chris Kyle was a Navy SEAL sniper and the most lethal sniper in American history who became famous after publishing his bestselling autobiography 'American Sniper' in 2012. He declined and stopped taking his medication. Showing 1-30 of 310. sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Photo courtesy Polk County Sheriffs Office. If they hit a rock that is 4 feet in diameter, they get more field credibility. Your typical off-the-shelf .416 Barrett just wasnt going to do the job. No name in sniper history is more revered than that of Carlos Hathcock, who in 1967 engaged and killed an enemy fighter from 2,286 meters. At first, the spotters thought the shot had struck the bunker or the camera rigging, but it had struck the target, two thin metal plates on a wooden frame that measured about 10 feet by 8 feet, according to the release. Carlos Hathcock taking aim in Vietnam. [10], In addition to his success as a USMC scout-sniper during multiple deployments to Vietnam, Hathcock competed in multiple USMC shooting teams. [16], Hathcock's record stood until Canadian sniper Arron Perry of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry exceeded it with a shot of 2,310m (2,530yd). As previously mentioned, the finer points of Special Forces military accomplishments are often kept private in order to protect the soldiers. What was Chris Kyle's longest sniper shot? 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, US hero Chris Kyle was a sharpshooter who served in Iraq, He was nicknamed the Devil of Ramadi by terrified Iraqi insurgents, Chris Kyle pictured with with his wife, Taya, in 2012. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Landing a shot at this distance requires not only intimate knowledge of how your weapon handles, but ariflecapable of reliably performing at that level. The name of the Springfield Armory M25 White Feather sniper rifle was based off the name White Feather that the North Vietnamese Peoples Army of Vietnam gave Hancock. The verdict was appealed. Routh was a 25-year-old Marine who had experienced post . Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in American Sniper. Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle, Iraq War; Distance: 1,920 m (6,300 ft) Weapon: McMillan Tac-338 . Theyre just targets. But Kyles discharge paperwork, known as a DD214 form, showed he had received two Silver Stars and at least five Bronze Stars, which is what he wrote in his book. His sole mission in Iraq was to protect his fellow servicemen - his 'boys' who hailed him as "The Legend" for saving countless lives. A Canadian special forces sniper has broken the world record for the longest confirmed kill shot. [11], Eddie Ray Routh was born on September 30, 1987, in Lancaster, Texas, to Raymond and Jodi Routh. Get the latest news delivered right to your email. Regarded as one of the most lethal snipers in US military history, Kyle served four tours in Iraq before he was killed by former Marine Eddie Ray Routh at a Texas shooting range. The Captain who made this record shot is reported to have taken down up to 5 other targets in the same engagement. Chris Kyle with his book, "American Sniper.". In an interview with the defence publication, Kyle said he didn't regret any of his kills in the field. Navy S.E.A.L. A sniper must have the ability to accurately estimate the various factors that influence a bullet's trajectory and point of impact, such as the shooter's distance from the target, wind direction, wind speed, air density, elevation, and even the Coriolis effect. Kyle was also well-known for his incredible shots, his longest being a 2,100-yard kill with a McMillan TAC-338 sniper rifle. 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