Best Sniper

[Osceola]

Which sniper or sharpshooter, from any era, any war, any country has the most recorded kills?

[removeduser_426582376423734]

I don't really know if that can be answered. The typical marine has around 30 kills a day, thats all I know.

[Xen]

I don't really know if that can be answered. The typical marine has around 30 kills a day, thats all I know.

This is a pretty bs statement.

[Rootsie]

I don't really know if that can be answered. The typical marine has around 30 kills a day, thats all I know.

lol

[therussian]

There was one finnish sniper, but I can only remember Vasilly Zaitsev, and this other Soviet woman who killed like 50 more people than he did.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Which sniper or sharpshooter, from any era, any war, any country has the most recorded kills?

I believe the one with the most recorded kills was from Finland. I think he killed something like 400 - 500 Russians during the Winter War.

Meh...sorry its a bit vague, but I dont remember all the specifics, nor can I recall his name.

[Marcus Trajan]

This is from Wikipedia.

Simo Häyhä (December 17, 1906 – April 1, 2002) of Finland is regarded by many as the most effective sniper in the history of warfare. Using a relatively primitive Mosin-Nagant Model 28, Häyhä sniped 542 Soviet Union soldiers in the Winter War between November 30, 1939 and March 6, 1940, before he was seriously wounded. Sulo Kolkka was also a Finnish sniper during the Winter War who killed approximately 400 Russians with his rifle and a further 200 with a submachinegun. Finnish snipers were called cuckoos by Russians, because they thought that all Finnish snipers were located in trees.

Vasily Zaitsev was a Soviet sniper who burst into fame during the Battle of Stalingrad, credited with sniping 225 German soldiers. He became a folk hero for his bravery at Stalingrad and for killing the German master sniper instructor Major Thorvald, in an extended sniper-counter sniper duel; however, the veracity of the Thorvald story is debated. Zaitsev's exploits and his battle with Thorvald were the subject of the film Enemy at the Gates, a fictionalized account of sniper warfare in the Battle of Stalingrad. In the film, the German sniper, presumably Thorvald, is known as "Major König".

Lyudmila Pavlichenko was a female Ukrainian sniper with 309 confirmed kills during World War II.

[therussian]

Also from Wiki

Ivan Mikhailovich Sidorenko (Russian: Иван Михайлович Сидоренко) was the arguably the greatest Soviet sniper during World War II, considered to have shot 526 enemies.

and

Vasiliy Ivanovich Golosov (Russian: Василий Иванович Голосов, died July 1943) was the best Soviet anti-sniper, reputed to have shot 70 snipers during World War II. 422 enemies were shot by him in total as of July, 1943.

[Ecclesiastes]

I am intregued by the art of sniping and wish to become one (for a very long time). Perhaps it is the isolation that fits me the most. But I am afraid sniping is dying out because who needs a sniper when you can throw a missile at someone from your backyard 3000 kilometers away?

Anyway this Simo Häyhä sniped 542 Soviet Union soldiers in about 6 months that's "amazing".

[therussian]

Well, he are some excellent Soviet snipers.

Vassily Zaitsev, Ivan Mikhailovich Sidorenko, Nina Alexeyevna Lobkovskaya, Lyudmila Mikhailovna Pavlichenko, and Vasiliy Ivanovich Golosov

[Peter]

In my opinion the best sniper isnt the one that got the most kills. Often are snipers or sharpshooters attached to a squad of soldiers who sees way many more engagements (easy kills) than a specialised sniper who spends more time on hiding and tracking his target (important kills)

Or i may have seen way to many movies

[the_mango55]

hah, 400-500? that's nothing. Paul Tibbets laughs at 400-500 people.

But anyway, who keeps these records? When you are done with the war, are you proud of yourself?

"I killed more people than anyone, I'm so awesome."

[René Artois]

hah, 400-500? that's nothing. Paul Tibbets laughs at 400-500 people.

But anyway, who keeps these records? When you are done with the war, are you proud of yourself?

"I killed more people than anyone, I'm so awesome."

I'd feel pretty awesome if I knew i'd helped that much in defending my country after being outnumbered heavily. (In the Finnish case)

[Norge]

I'd feel pretty awesome if I knew i'd helped that much in defending my country after being outnumbered heavily. (In the Finnish case)

You're responding to a 4 year old post.

[invictus]

If i was a sniper i would be proud of being #1 or #2. Perhaps its not the fact that you killed mor epeople, but that you were the best or one of the bests. -Leon

[Farnan]

Sergaent Alvin York rates as one of the better snipers of all time, because he wasn't officially a sniper. Sergaent York, in one engagement with his standard issue Springfield and a pistol killed 25 German soldiers and captured the rest of the battalian. In that engagement it is said he didn't miss a single shot.

Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964) was a United States soldier, famous for his heroism in World War I.


Sergeant Alvin YorkYork was born in Pall Mall, Tennessee, the third of eleven children born to William York and the former Mary Elizabeth Brooks. As was typical of the area and times, his family subsisted by farming and hunting. As a result, young Alvin became an expert marksman in the area woods.

York was something of a "nuisance" as a youth, frequently getting into drunken brawls. In 1914 his best friend was killed in a bar fight, prompting York to change his ways. He became a devout Christian after that incident, which supposedly led him to file as a conscientious objector at the start of WWI (though there are disputes as to his exact technical status).

York eventually was drafted into the 82nd Infantry Division in 1917.

At some point York experienced a change of heart and decided he would fight, but he would never be proud of his war time statues.

As a corporal in its 328th Infantry, in the Battle of Meuse River-Argonne Forest on 1918 October 8, he assumed command of his detachment after three other NCOs fell. While he is sometimes described as acting single-handedly, his official citation says he led seven others in a charge on an active machine-gun nest. They killed 25 German soldiers and captured 132, including four officers. (He is said to have explained this feat by saying they had surrounded the enemy.) His chain of command honored this accomplishment by awarding him the Distinguished Service Cross. France, whose forces he was directly aiding and whose territory was involved, added its Croix de Guerre and Legion of Honor. Italy and Montenegro, also allies, awarded him their Croce di Guerra and War Medal, respectively. At the time of his heroics, he was in fact only a corporal; his promotion to sergeant was part of the honor that he received for his valor but resulted in his becoming known to the US (and much of the world) as "Sergeant York".

Maybe he didn't kill as many soldiers as the Finns (they had an advantage with a lot of targets) or some Russians, but that feat should give his some recognition as a sniper.

And then there is the man who started the proud sniping tradition of the United States, Daniel Morgan...

11th Virginia regiment
When he rejoined Washington early in 1777, Morgan was surprised to learn that he had been promoted to colonel for his efforts at Quebec. He was assigned to raise and command a new regiment, the 11th Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line, and by April, Morgan had recruited 400 men to fill its ranks.

His recruiting test for riflemen became a campfire legend. He got several broadsides printed with a picture of the head of a British officer (some versions said King George) and only recruited those who could hit this target with their first shot at 100 yards. Word of this even reached England, where Morgan was regarded as a war criminal, since aiming at individuals was considered unsporting, and aiming at officers was viewed as downright treacherous.

On June 13, 1777 Morgan was placed in command of an assembled Light Infantry Corp of 500 riflemen, including his own. Washington assigned them to harass General William Howe's rear guard, and Morgan followed and attacked them during their entire withdrawal across New Jersey.

[edit]
Saratoga
Morgan and his regiment were reassigned to the army's Northern Department and on August 30 he joined General Horatio Gates to aid in resisting Burgoyne's offensive.

Freeman's Farm
Morgan led his regiment, with the added support of Henry Dearborn's New Hampshire 300 man infantry, as the advance to the main forces. At Freeman's Farm, they ran into the advance of General Simon Fraser's wing of Burgoyne's force. Every officer in the British advance party died in the first exchange, and the advance guard retreated. Morgan's men charged without orders, but the charge fell apart when they ran into the main column, under General Hamilton. Benedict Arnold arrived, and he and Morgan managed to reform the unit. As the British began to form on the fields at Freeman's farm, Morgan's men continued to break these formations with accurate rifle fire from the woods on the far side of the field. They were joined by another seven regiments from Bemis Heights.

For the rest of the afternoon, American fire held the British in check. But repeated American charges were repelled by British bayonets. Eventually, low on ammunition, the Americans withdrew. The British claimed victory, since they held the field, but they had twice the casualties of the Americans.

[edit]
Bemis Heights
Burgoyne's next offensive resulted in the Battle of Bemis Heights on October 7. Morgan was assigned command of the left (or western) flank of the American position. The British plan was to turn that flank, using an advance by 1,500 men. This brought Morgan's brigade once again up against General Fraser's forces.

Passing through the Canadian loyalists, Morgan's Virginia sharpshooters got the British light infantry trapped in a cross fire between themselves and Dearborn's regiment. Although the light infantry broke, General Fraser was rallying them, when Benedict Arnold arrived to remark that that man was worth a regiment. Morgan reluctantly ordered him shot by a sniper, and Timothy Murphy obliged him.

With Fraser mortally wounded the British light-infantry fell back into and through the redoubts occupied by Burgoyne's main force. Morgan was one of those who then followed Arnold's lead to turn a counter-attack from the British middle. Burgoyne retired to his starting positions, but about 500 men poorer for the effort. That night, he withdrew to the village of Saratoga, New York (renamed Schuylerville, New York in honor of Philip Schuyler) about eight miles to the northwest.

During the next week, as Burgoyne dug in, Morgan and his men moved to his north. Their ability to cut up any patrols sent in their direction convinced the British that retreat was not possible.

[Tiwaz]

Regarding Simo Häyhä. He never used a scope, but took out an enemy from range of about 500 meters at one point. Good eyesight the guy had.

[Panzerbear]

Regarding Simo Häyhä. He never used a scope, but took out an enemy from range of about 500 meters at one point.

how the hell can you possibly take out a human target from 500 meters away without a scope? with regular Mosin sights it is more like pure luck. quite frankly, I highly doubt you can even see a human target from that far away in Karelian woods.

[Old_Scratch]

I was under the impression that modern snipers spent more time observing and scouting than actual sniping. I thought they just sneak, hide, watch, and report back. Sometimes they will have a specific target to eliminate, but otherwise they mainly gather information. If this is the case, then the best sniper would be the one that can move within sight of the enemy and still remain hidden.

[Yorkshireman]

how the hell can you possibly take out a human target from 500 meters away without a scope? with regular Mosin sights it is more like pure luck. quite frankly, I highly doubt you can even see a human target from that far away in Karelian woods.

Quite easily if your not bog-eyed. When I was in the services during the 1980's we had to qualify upto 600 metres with our weapon using only iron sites. This with an SLR. It just takes practice/experience to learn how to aim-off etc when its windy.

For a good marksman with experience thats not really a long shot.