Sniper case in the troops of the anti-Hitler coalition

28
After the entry of Great Britain, the USSR and the USA into the Second World War, it became clear that they would have to fight with the strongest armies of the world in the face of Nazi Germany and militarist Japan. Despite the stronger military potential of the anti-Hitler coalition, Germany had some odds in certain areas of military affairs, such as the sniper case. Just due to the fact that Germany began to fight before most of the Allied countries, she quickly realized the importance of such a specialty as a sniper. Therefore, during the war, the Allies had to quickly catch up with the Germans and the Japanese, which they successfully did.

Sniper case in the troops of the anti-Hitler coalition

Sniper Marine with a Springfield 1903A1 rifle and 8-and Unertl multiple sight. Pay attention to the length and size of the lens.


USA

The United States entered World War II without any special pre-war sniper program. However, they had at their disposal well-trained shooters who practiced shooting at various shooting events and, in general, by virtue of armory Traditions Americans have always fired well.


Sniper rifle Springfield Model 1903A4


As a result, the first American snipers were well-trained servicemen, who received the necessary sighting equipment and were able to practice using it for a very short time. The main indicator of the training of the first American snipers was the ability to get from a prone position with 200 yards (180 meters) and into the body from a distance of 400 yards (360 meters). While most of the infantrymen were armed with the Garand M1 self-loading rifles, the M1 carbines and the Thompson and M3 submachine guns, snipers used the Springfield sliding rifle.


In the US Army, Garand М1 saturated with self-loading rifles, military personnel with sniper rifles stood out against the background


The U.S. Army used the Springfield M1903A4 version, which was the standard weapon of World War II with a milled safety bracket, 4 threaded and a modified loading handle allowing the installation of an optical sight. The army chose Weaver No. 330 civilian optical sight directly from store shelves and, adapting it for their own needs, assigned it a new designation M73B1. It was an 3-x adjustable sight, which, however, did not allow the rifle to be charged with a clip, only one cartridge each. In addition, if the optics were damaged, the rifle was no longer equipped with optics. For what reason it was not equipped, it is not specified. Nevertheless, American soldiers quite successfully used M1903A4 against the Nazis in North Africa and Europe.


Sniper Marine with a Springfield 1903A1 rifle and a Winchester A5 sight. Somewhere in the Pacific


The preferences of the American marines were somewhat different from those of the army. The marines preferred the Springfield М1903А1 rifle, the era of the First World War with the 8-and Unertl multiple sight on an aluminum bracket. In addition, Winchester A5 sights were used at an early stage of the war. But no matter what type of sight and mount, the M19031 was used as the main weapon of American snipers in the Pacific in the confrontation with Japan.


The Garand M1C sniper rifle continued to serve during the Korean War. Pay attention to the scope shifted to the left, which made it possible to charge the weapon with a clip


Later, the famous self-loading rifle M1 Garand with the M82 scope of 2,5 and left-side mount was used for sniper needs. Today in the US, any of the above sniper rifles in good condition with optics and accessories can be sold at a price not lower than 10000 dollars.


This M1903A4 rifle plays an unforgettable role in Saving Private Raina


United Kingdom

The British, like the Americans, also did not have any kind of pre-war programs to equip and train snipers, and during the war, they promptly tried to catch up on what they had done rather quickly. Carefully selected shooters from other branches of the military underwent two-week training, received a waterproof camouflage Denison overalls, a veil for the face and a Lee-Enfield Rifle No.3 magazine rifle with an optical sight mounted on it.


Canadian sniper with a Lee-Enfield Rifle No.4 rifle in overalls and a veil hat


Not very pleased with their era of the First World War rifle, the British created a No.4 Mark I sniper rifle based on it. Equipped with the 3's multiple optical sight No. The 32, which was originally intended for the BREN machine gun when used in fortifications, this rifle weighing just over 6 kg was probably one of the most accurate rifles of the 20 of the 20th century.


Lee-Enfield Sniper Rifle No.4 Mark I


To ensure the convenience of aiming, the rifle was equipped with a podschechnik on the butt and quick-release fastening for the preservation of optics. To ensure compatibility of all elements of the sniper rifle system, the slat and sight had one serial number and were issued to the sniper in one set. Britain and Commonwealth troops used these rifles in World War II and the Korean War. In particular, this rifle was used by Joseph Gregory (Joseph Gregory) who passed both world wars and the most successful Australian sniper Ian Robertson.


British sniper pair. Pay attention to the observer armed with a telescope

Today, the No.4 Mark I sniper rifle in good condition with optics can be purchased for 7000 dollars.

the USSR

In the 1930s in the USSR, quite a lot was done to develop small-scale business among young people through Osaviakhim. Already during the war with Finland in the USSR, actions were taken to create a sniper rifle on the Mosin 91 / 30 magazine rifle platform. In combination with the 4-x multiple aiming PE or more popular PU precisely these rifles were destined to play an important role in the fight against invaders.


The Mosin 90 / 31 rifle with a PU sight became a classic Soviet sniper rifle of the Great Patriotic War


With the beginning of the war, the sniper movement in the Red Army assumed a large scale, which ultimately led to the fact that Soviet snipers became the most productive and effective snipers in stories. Ural hunter Vasily Zaitsev during the only battle for Stalingrad destroyed the 240 Nazis. And Lyudmila Pavlichenko, who had been studying at the university before the war and who had been shooting during the war, destroyed more than three hundred Nazis.


Soviet sniper Vasily Zaitsev with a sniper rifle equipped with a PE sight


At the end of the war, at least 80 Soviet sniper scored 100 and more Nazis. Most of them were armed with a Mosin rifle, although some snipers used the Tokarev SVT-40 self-loading rifle.


In the course of the war in the USSR, women were actively involved in sniper activities, who very effectively destroyed the Nazis.


In recent years, a significant number of Mosin rifles have arrived in the United States, where they can be purchased at prices ranging from 400 to 2000 dollars.
Our news channels

Subscribe and stay up to date with the latest news and the most important events of the day.

28 comments
Information
Dear reader, to leave comments on the publication, you must sign in.
  1. +1
    12 June 2014 07: 48
    Good article. I read on the forum that the price for Mosin in the USA is from 110 to 155 dollars, depending on the state.
    1. +2
      12 June 2014 15: 30
      I read on the forum that the price for Mosin in the US is from 110 to 155 dollars

      in Germany it’s also possible to take a normal one from 100 euros, a sniper version is more expensive, SVT from 250 Jews.
  2. +12
    12 June 2014 08: 32
    It seems so, the article is normal, but the beginning of the article raises doubts, so to speak, especially in the place where Germany quickly realized the importance of such a specialty as a sniperBelieve me, the Soviet Union realized much earlier and prepared snipers at times more .. the Wehrmacht suffered significant losses from our snipers in 41-42 .... German snipers often took our sniper rifles because there were none! that's how they first realized everything ......
    1. Alex_Popovson
      0
      12 June 2014 09: 21
      No, everything is correct, the Germans were really more "sniper", and their schools were certainly not like Soviet ones. But our schools were still able to supply snipers in large quantities, and although the mortality rate among them was high, those who survived ate Germans for breakfast.
      1. +1
        12 June 2014 10: 28
        Quote: Alex_Popovson
        No, that's right, the Germans really were more "sniper"

        The Germans were the first to use snipers in WWI. At the same time, initially they supplied their snipers with motley weapons of a hunting type - a fitting, carbines and the like, most importantly with optics.
        1. +13
          12 June 2014 11: 58
          Quote: bazilio
          The Germans were the first to use snipers in the PRC.

          Dear!
          The topic of the article is "Snipering among the troops of the anti-Hitler coalition."
          That is, this is not about trenching sniping from the First World War.
          In those days - YES, AGREED: the Germans in some companies had five to seven snipers.
          Because of them, even had to introduce field epaulets for junior officers.
          But after the end of the First World Germans, their sniper schools covered up.

          The Russian army received optics just before the revolution itself: at the end of 1916.
          On the other hand, in the late 20s, both sniper courses at Shot and courses at OSOAVIAKHIM were organized.
          By the way, in the first months of the war, our arrows interfered so much with the advance of the German troops,
          that the command of the Wehrmacht was forced to re-organize the sniper courses, closed after the end of the First World War.
          1. Garin123
            0
            15 June 2014 01: 34
            Judging from all the wars - we were one step or even two behind
      2. -3
        12 June 2014 10: 28
        Quote: Alex_Popovson
        No, that's right, the Germans really were more "sniper"

        The Germans were the first to use snipers in WWI. At the same time, initially they supplied their snipers with motley weapons of a hunting type - a fitting, carbines and the like, most importantly with optics.
    2. +1
      12 June 2014 15: 33
      believe the USSR realized much earlier and prepared snipers at times more


      we believe that, moreover, the Germans before the war trained their snipers using the Soviet school, during the war they already accumulated their own.
    3. -4
      12 June 2014 18: 23
      I agree one hundred percent))) it was. And comrade Stalin (aka Alex Popovson) is absolutely wrong)))))
      1. Alex_Popovson
        +1
        12 June 2014 23: 58
        You should crap Stalin, nothing sacred
  3. 0
    12 June 2014 09: 49
    Good article, thanks to the author! I read it with pleasure and emphasized for myself ... Thank you! :)
  4. +1
    12 June 2014 10: 06
    The record seems to be the Finnish sniper in the Winter War.
    And the second place at the Soviet Yakut in the Second World War. Both shot
    without optics!
    1. +1
      12 June 2014 17: 12
      Hyayuha, Simo. 705.
      In second place is not the Yakut, but the Russian, Mikhail Surkov, is considered the most effective Soviet sniper of the Second World War. However, there are a number of controversial points there - there is a version that a part of the dead was specifically attributed to him in order to "catch up" with Hayuha. Yakut Fyodor Okhlopkov has a slightly lower score, 429 wounds
      1. +2
        12 June 2014 18: 05
        From 495 to 705, including 150-200 people from Suomi. Do you seriously believe that? For 100 days to beat up so many people? Especially considering that in December there is only 6 hours of daylight? 5,5 people a day at least.
        1. 0
          17 June 2014 15: 55
          505 and 705 are not so many if you take into account the losses of the Soviet troops during this war, the terrain, weather conditions, numerous fortifications, I’m not trying to say that they are great that it wasn’t so, just if you carefully look at how the war was going on, it’s quite possible and yes, plus, not everyone who fell is killed and not everyone who hit the bullet died. The Finns, like the Germans, had enough soot, so the testimonies of several witnesses to confirm the liquidation, while ours, in addition to this, still relied on a survey of prisoners.
          1. +3
            17 June 2014 19: 23
            For a machine gunner in Millionaire, maybe, but for a sniper in 100 days to fill more than 500 people, despite the fact that in December there is only 6 hours of daylight?
            I heard somewhere that his victories began to be checked with magazines of b / d regiments, it does not converge.
      2. i.xxx-1971
        0
        13 June 2014 06: 08
        There is a version that Hyayuha was not at all in the war and that everyone was credited to him so that the Russians were not the first.
      3. i.xxx-1971
        0
        13 June 2014 06: 08
        There is a version that Hyayuha was not at all in the war and that everyone was credited to him so that the Russians were not the first.
      4. 0
        17 June 2014 15: 25
        Fin Simo Khaykh 505 confirmed liquidations for the winter of 39-40; Russian Surkov Mikhail Ilyich 702 confirmed liquidations of 41-45. German Matthias Hetsenauer 345 confirmed liquidations of 42-45 years. Here are the best snipers of three countries.
      5. 0
        17 June 2014 15: 46
        Fin sniper Simo Haihi had 505 confirmed liquidations and 705 was with machine gunner Suko Kolka.
    2. 0
      13 June 2014 01: 32
      Quote: voyaka uh
      The record seems to be the Finnish sniper in the Winter War.
      And the second place at the Soviet Yakut in the Second World War. Both shot
      without optics!

      These numbers do not mean anything, because not everyone killed is recorded in the asset. There the Germans, in order to record +1, it was necessary to confirm the hit from 1 officer or 2 soldiers.

      And as we have described in the memoirs of S. Nomokonov: "In total, according to confirmed data, in the battles for the honor, freedom and independence of the Soviet Motherland, for world peace, the sniper Comrade Nomokonov destroyed 360 German fascist invaders, and on the Trans-Baikal Front - 7 soldiers and officers. In the moments of counterattacks or in the days of offensive battles, the results of the sniper's work could not be recognized. " That is, in fact, there were more than 367 in fact. And all the rest of our people have the same situation.
    3. 0
      17 June 2014 16: 19
      Fin Hayha shot from optics, I saw several different photos of him on a couple of photos of him with Suomi on it from Lahti and on four or five with the same three-line rifle with a front ring of the box like on the Mauser G-98, this rifle was called M- 39 and the sight on all photos is 4-fold "Ayak".
  5. +3
    12 June 2014 10: 13
    Even now, many issues of training our soldiers in the war and especially the pre-war years are almost a secret sealed with seven seals ... or rather, the lot of specialists. But the preparation was going on, and many of them were training snipers, remember the norms of "Voroshilovsky shooter" and "TRP" - there was someone to choose from. The main difficulty was in equipping the snipers ... especially with sights, even purchased in Germany. But I managed to make a relatively simple and cheap, but quite effective sight, and organize its mass production ... by the way, I use machines bought in Germany.
  6. +2
    12 June 2014 10: 56
    Maybe I don't understand what ... But in the photo from "Saving Private Ryne", the sniper aims with his right eye and shoots with his left hand. I remember he was left-handed ... But is this method of aimed shooting possible?
    1. +3
      12 June 2014 12: 30
      He thinks aiming there ???))) This is a movie, stupidly holding a rifle in front of him, the main thing is a heroic look ...
  7. 0
    12 June 2014 18: 21
    Germany had some head start in certain areas of military affairs, such as sniper business. Just because Germany began to fight before most of the Allied countries, she quickly realized the importance of such a specialty as a sniper. ...WHAT THE HELL? HOW MUCH I KNOW (FROM SUCH THE SAME MATERIALS, AS THIS ARTICLE) THE FIRST SNIPERS STARTED TO APPLY THE USSR - THE TRAINERS OF THE TRP, THE ATHLETES - ARROWS masters and candidates for the master of sports, HUNTERS FROM SIBERIA AND FAR. And only then Germany began to use snipers .. who to believe ????? I didn’t even read to the end ...
    1. +2
      12 June 2014 20: 41
      In the USSR, they liked to rush from one extreme to another: at one time it was believed that it was quite possible for aggressors to enter the territory of the USSR, therefore, much attention was paid to teaching the tactics of partisan actions: they taught saboteurs and snipers. The same BraMite silencers for rifle and revolver fit perfectly into this tactic. Then, either under the impression of a perfectly conducted blitzkrieg in the conflict on the Chinese Eastern Railway, or impressed by the success of industrialization, or for some other reason, they relied on a maneuverable linear battle with a breakthrough of the enemy's defense and its coverage, and the snipers were abandoned, "BraMit" was forgotten. .. It's good that at least the standards remained in the TRP, but accurate shooting is far from the only thing a sniper should be able to do.
      And who was the first to use snipers ... Ask what "snipe" is.
      1. 0
        13 June 2014 11: 36
        No, it was just that during the course of industrialization the capabilities of the troops changed, partisanship was not engaged in a good life.
  8. +1
    13 June 2014 01: 41
    Hello.
    The Mosin rifle can be bought in the United States for 100-180. Sniper for 350-500 and above.
  9. 0
    13 June 2014 07: 36
    The first sniper scope was invented in France, at the time of Louis, it seems. Someone put a crosshair on the lens of a telescope and spanked it to the musket. The Boers began to use en masse snipers, sniper groups, sniper ambushes in the war against the British. It was then that the phrase "gentlemen from one match do not light a cigarette" was born.
  10. 0
    17 June 2014 13: 33
    Some strange article, the topic is not disclosed at all - so, some tips of the general plan of the iceberg "sniper business" are touched upon.

"Right Sector" (banned in Russia), "Ukrainian Insurgent Army" (UPA) (banned in Russia), ISIS (banned in Russia), "Jabhat Fatah al-Sham" formerly "Jabhat al-Nusra" (banned in Russia) , Taliban (banned in Russia), Al-Qaeda (banned in Russia), Anti-Corruption Foundation (banned in Russia), Navalny Headquarters (banned in Russia), Facebook (banned in Russia), Instagram (banned in Russia), Meta (banned in Russia), Misanthropic Division (banned in Russia), Azov (banned in Russia), Muslim Brotherhood (banned in Russia), Aum Shinrikyo (banned in Russia), AUE (banned in Russia), UNA-UNSO (banned in Russia), Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People (banned in Russia), Legion “Freedom of Russia” (armed formation, recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation and banned)

“Non-profit organizations, unregistered public associations or individuals performing the functions of a foreign agent,” as well as media outlets performing the functions of a foreign agent: “Medusa”; "Voice of America"; "Realities"; "Present time"; "Radio Freedom"; Ponomarev; Savitskaya; Markelov; Kamalyagin; Apakhonchich; Makarevich; Dud; Gordon; Zhdanov; Medvedev; Fedorov; "Owl"; "Alliance of Doctors"; "RKK" "Levada Center"; "Memorial"; "Voice"; "Person and law"; "Rain"; "Mediazone"; "Deutsche Welle"; QMS "Caucasian Knot"; "Insider"; "New Newspaper"