Essay re: snipers

[The Big D]

Found this very interesting and thought provoking essay in yesterday's Washington Post. Sending it along for your collective viewing and thoughts... Technical criticism is welcomed, too. Sniping and the weapons associated with it are not in my personal skill set.

Be safe.

PS: Don't let the fact it was in the Post scare you away...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/...AR2009041302583.html

 

[The Big D]

Found this very interesting and thought provoking essay in yesterday's Washington Post. Sending it along for your collective viewing and thoughts... Technical criticism is welcomed, too. Sniping and the weapons associated with it are not in my personal skill set.

Be safe.

PS: Don't let the fact it was in the Post scare you away...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/...AR2009041302583.html

 

[pbslinger]

Sounds believable to me. The author seems to be knowledgable about sniper gear and tactics, as well as being a good writer.

 

[mississippi revolverman]

I think very well written and factual. The Washington Post I am now impressed with them

 

[Racegunner]

Originally posted by pbslinger:
Sounds believable to me. The author seems to be knowledgable about sniper gear and tactics, as well as being a good writer.

That's because it was written by Stephen Hunter, author of a few well researched, fiction novels on the subject.

 

[Amici]

If there is a more cost-effective, target-specific, collateral damage-free weapons system than a sniper ("designated marksman," if you insist) in our military, please tell me what it is.

The legacy of Hathcock, Gordon and Shugart continues. Thank God we still have men like that serving.

 

[Muley Gil]

Stephen Hunter, author of a few well researched, fiction novels on the subject.

And he is pro-gun.

 

[Firehouse]

Excellent article. I have great admiration for their "craft".

 

[Bullseye Smith]

Very good writing and a good story. The Navy Seals are the best of the best. Re-con and the rest are great themself and we couldn't do without them. Godspeed to all of them.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Stephen Hunter is the author of the Bob Lee Swagger novels. Excellent reading & highly recommended.

 

[gr8AmericanBash]

Originally posted by Captain Crunch:
Stephen Hunter is the author of the Bob Lee Swagger novels. Excellent reading & highly recommended.

+1 I'd recommend both the Bob Lee Swagger novels and the Earl Swagger novels. Great books.

 

[okie john]

I give it a C-minus, since Hunter missed the most important point:

No one is born shooting this well, and anyone who starts in adulthood will always be second-rate. The best shots begin learning how to shoot as children. Most of them perfect their skills by hunting. By the time they enlist, they have been shooting for blood for years. They usually outshoot their marksmanship instructors in boot camp. Training them as snipers is like polishing fine silver.

And this is only possible because Americans keep and bear arms.


Okie John

 

[Onomea]

Excellent article. And I am glad to see it in the Washington Post.

I liked Dirty White Boys best. Read his latest -- was it called Samurai ? -- on my last airplane ride where Swagger winds up in a samurai sword duel in Tokyo. It was, uh, just a tad farfetched.

 

[m657]

the Post lets their writers say those kinds of things?

 

[Guest]

The man knows his subject well and tells it like it is. It is a bit surprising to find it printed in the Post but it was printed for reasons to promote the actions of the New President B.O. and I'm sure the Post would like us to "believe" that these men were trained and qualified by the President himself.

 

[ncy54]

the Post lets their writers say those kinds of things?

Last I heard, Hunter (also a Pulitzer Prize winning film critic-read "The Voilent Screen", a collection of his reviews of some of our favorite films) was working for the Post after a long career as critic at the Baltimore Sun.
Seems like he would have jumped at the chance to write this, especially after writing the great Bob Lee Swagger novels (I agree that the early ones were the best, combining a page turning plot with an examination of the inner turmoil of his Carlos Hathcock inspired hero.
Hunter is too good a writer for the Post to ignore in this case, IMO.

 

[ACP230]

Hunter was one of the few good things about the Washington Compost.

 

[Bandersnatch]

While I personally appreciate, respect and strive for that type of skill and accuracy, as a former grunt who had to walk through open terrain and perform MOUT, I %#^%&&* hate snipers.

they're cowardly.

Go ahead flame away, you can't change my mind or bring back my friend that took a head shot from a sniper.

 

[ElToro]

No one is born shooting this well, and anyone who starts in adulthood will always be second-rate. The best shots begin learning how to shoot as children. Most of them perfect their skills by hunting. By the time they enlist, they have been shooting for blood for years. They usually outshoot their marksmanship instructors in boot camp. Training them as snipers is like polishing fine silver.
And this is only possible because Americans keep and bear arms.
Okie John

excellent point John, I dindt get into shooting until my teens in boy scouts with a .22 trainer, and didnt kill anything until about 10 more years later.

as soon as my almost 1 year old son shows interst, I plan to teach him shooting skills hopefully around 7 or 8 ?

 

[7003006]

Originally posted by Bandersnatch:
While I personally appreciate, respect and strive for that type of skill and accuracy, as a former grunt who had to walk through open terrain and perform MOUT, I %#^%&&* hate snipers.

they're cowardly.

Go ahead flame away, you can't change my mind or bring back my friend that took a head shot from a sniper.

While I can understand why you might not like snipers I would think that they are far from being cowards,working nearly by yourself you could be in big trouble in the event you were discovered.I would also immagine during the legnthy training process one of the things they look for is courage and the ability to stay calm under stress.Disaggreable to someone who lost a brother in arms to a sniper-yes.Cowards-I doubt it.