The word "Sniper" comes from the English snipe - snipe. This is a cautious bird, the hunt for which requires good masking and shooting from a long distance. The first snipers appeared with the invention more or less accurate weapons.
The purpose of a sniper rifle is to kill, and kill efficiently, that is, preferably with a single shot, regardless of visibility and at a great distance. Sniper rifles are necessary and military, and police, and anti-terrorist special forces.
Mostly armed with most armies are shop (non-automatic) sniper rifles. Equipped with optical sights, they are particularly heaped battle. The very same optical sight not only allows you to see the goals that are not accessible to the naked eye, but also to conduct aimed shooting even at dusk or under the moon. These include, for example, Austrian SSG69, English L42A1 and М82, Belgian FN30-11, West German SP66, French F1, American Remington М40.