Secret Service counterstrike snipers

[MotoMan]

Saw this on CNN and was curious what sort of round you think they're using here. The barrell opening seems awful small for a large caliber.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/01/20/inaugural.security/art.snipers.cnn.jpg

[DOHCTR]

tacticool 17hmr :006:

[Pokulski-Blatz]

.223???

[BP]

You don't exactly want someone's head exploding like a watermelon on national TV. They could take someone out and it'd look like they fainted.

[Pokulski-Blatz]

You don't exactly want someone's head exploding like a watermelon on national TV. They could take someone out and it'd look like they fainted.

there is a valid point there. could just be a .22

[MotoMan]

Hmm... interesting, but are they trained to aim directly for the head?

[David]

That guy doesnt look secret service to me.

If so, the govt has some shitty as expenditures on some ear protection.

EDIT: I watched the video and it's definitely not a .22LR. Definitely sounds and kicks like a 7.62 or other large caliber round

[BP]

Hmm... interesting, but are they trained to aim directly for the head?

It is the fastest way to stop someone. Probably more specifcially the base of the skull in the spinal cord region. We aren't talking about Dallas Swat, these are the best marksmen available within all branches of the US Government.

[ALLAN]

He bought his hearing protection from Harbor Freight?:haha:

[03trubluGT]

It is the fastest way to stop someone. Probably more specifcially the base of the skull in the spinal cord region. We aren't talking about Dallas Swat, these are the best marksmen available within all branches of the US Government.

Several years back I went out to Alpine with my Remington 700 PSS .308 with Nightforce scope.

This guy came up and set up the next table down with his high speed/high dollar sniper rifle with Leupold scope.

I didn't say anything, just started plugging my 3/10" groups at 100 yards. I had one of the man holding a knife to a hostage targets down range and was taking out pupils, nostrils, base of neck, etc, when the guy looks through his spotting scope and asks "who do you work for?". I told him and asked who he worked for. It turned out he was a counter sniper for the Dallas FBI office. I let him set up a target and we both started shooting. Either he was an average shot, or his setup was not tuned in right. He couldn't hold a 1" group to save his life.

I just quitely laughed to myself and packed up my gear.

There are more "expert" marksmen out here than anyone probably realizes. I was an expert rifleman in the Corps, and have loved precision shooting for almost 20 years. Even though I'm not on a Tac Team, I still keep my gear up and running, and my skills honed.

[5.0_CJ]

Several years back I went out to Alpine with my Remington 700 PSS .308 with Nightforce scope.

This guy came up and set up the next table down with his high speed/high dollar sniper rifle with Leupold scope.

I didn't say anything, just started plugging my 3/10" groups at 100 yards. I had one of the man holding a knife to a hostage targets down range and was taking out pupils, nostrils, base of neck, etc, when the guy looks through his spotting scope and asks "who do you work for?". I told him and asked who he worked for. It turned out he was a counter sniper for the Dallas FBI office. I let him set up a target and we both started shooting. Either he was an average shot, or his setup was not tuned in right. He couldn't hold a 1" group to save his life.

I just quitely laughed to myself and packed up my gear.

There are more "expert" marksmen out here than anyone probably realizes. I was an expert rifleman in the Corps, and have loved precision shooting for almost 20 years. Even though I'm not on a Tac Team, I still keep my gear up and running, and my skills honed.

Cool story. But, what happens if you're attacked by a man with fruit?

[03trubluGT]

Cool story. But, what happens if you're attacked by a man with fruit?

If it's a fruit I like (not a fan of mango), I'd eat it.....

[03trubluGT]

Saw this on CNN and was curious what sort of round you think they're using here. The barrell opening seems awful small for a large caliber.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/01/20/inaugural.security/art.snipers.cnn.jpg


That's got to be a .223 or smaller. I'm HUGELY surprised there does not appear to be a suppressor on it. I'm also amazed at the cheap sunglasses he's wearing. When you shoot precision, it's all about the optics. That's like putting a Pep Boy's special tire on a ZR1 Corvette.

Or a SunPak lens on a Nikon D3x.

[Hass]

Possibly a 5.7x28mm?

[David]

That's got to be a .223 or smaller. I'm HUGELY surprised there does not appear to be a suppressor on it. I'm also amazed at the cheap sunglasses he's wearing. When you shoot precision, it's all about the optics. That's like putting a Pep Boy's special tire on a ZR1 Corvette.

Or a SunPak lens on a Nikon D3x.

It's bigger. Like I said, 7.62+ or something.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2009/01/19/meserve.real.men.in.black.cnn?iref=videosearch

[Yale]

Possibly a 5.7x28mm?

Now THAT, is an overrated round.

[5.0_CJ]

If it's a fruit I like (not a fan of mango), I'd eat it.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piWCBOsJr-w&feature=related

[That_Is_My_El_Camino]

Now THAT, is an overrated round.Fuckin' A, word!

[03trubluGT]

It's bigger. Like I said, 7.62+ or something.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2009/01/19/meserve.real.men.in.black.cnn?iref=videosearch

I was going on the OP's picture. The video clearly shows what looks to be the 7.62 (.308) round.

I was under the impression that the pic was taken from today, not from a story done some time ago hence my other comments.

[03trubluGT]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piWCBOsJr-w&feature=related

OK, I was wondering what obscure reference you were making.....

[JP135]

This guy came up... with his high speed/high dollar sniper rifle with Leupold scope... and asked who he worked for. It turned out he was a counter sniper for the Dallas FBI office... Either he was an average shot, or his setup was not tuned in right. He couldn't hold a 1" group to save his life.




It cracks me up that everyone automatically assumes that because some guy is a fed, he's bound to be the best there is. It aint the agency; its the training and experience. When I went thru the three USMC swat sniper schools, the people the feds were sent couldn't hold a candle to the local PD guys.

[03trubluGT]

It cracks me up that everyone automatically assumes that because some guy is a fed, he's bound to be the best there is. It aint the agency; its the training and experience. When I went thru the three USMC swat sniper schools, the people the feds were sent couldn't hold a candle to the local PD guys.


My rationale on this was the goverment has deep pockets to pay for training.

Local PDs don't allocate that much to training, just look at our pistol range. It's 25 years old and worn out. We can't shoot any rifles because it can't handle it. We have to go to Dallas PD's range to shoot rifle.

The stupid thing is our department will spend more on training ammo (SRTA stuff) over 5 years than it would cost the city to upgrade the range to accomodate shooting the cheaper FMJ ammo, but the city council doesn't care.

[momo stallion]

maybe this guy is just for a stock photo?

his scope looks stupid too.

[J&T's 82]

Could be a .220 Swift or .223 WSM....Those are some bad to the bone .22 rounds.

[BP]

It cracks me up that everyone automatically assumes that because some guy is a fed, he's bound to be the best there is. It aint the agency; its the training and experience. When I went thru the three USMC swat sniper schools, the people the feds were sent couldn't hold a candle to the local PD guys.

You don't think a sniper on a presidential security detail (actually two presidents in this case) would be one of the best shooters in the country's armed forces? There is a good chance the guy is ex or possibly even current special forces. It was Bush's security detail, for all we know he might be a blackwater shooter.

[exlude]

That's got to be a .223 or smaller. I'm HUGELY surprised there does not appear to be a suppressor on it. I'm also amazed at the cheap sunglasses he's wearing. When you shoot precision, it's all about the optics. That's like putting a Pep Boy's special tire on a ZR1 Corvette.

Or a SunPak lens on a Nikon D3x.

The weapon's report is going to be one of the first indicators to the guys on stage to get the POTUS the fuck out of there.

Of course, radios will be used to identify possible threats, but if that sniper sees something and absolutely has to shoot without sending it through the CoC, he wants people to hear his shot.

[MireFire 2.0]

I watched Vantage Point too... :)

[AL P]

Just a hunch but there is little point in trying to analyze exactly what that weapon is. Some of the better known gunsmiths will make totally off the wall shit. Sometimes for shooting in one particular instance only. For example, when I toured Knights Armament's factory in Florida they had more than a few oddball one-off pieces and they mentioned that they specifically machine these guns to work in a certain environment with a certain round. I remember several guns that looked like nothing I had ever seen before, revolvers that fire rifle cartridges, etc. Once they are used they are returned to the manufacturer by the government agency along with feedback so the manufacturer can further change their engineering. The gun is probably custom, the round may even be a custom one-off round. The guy at the Knights factory said they will make whatever they think will fit that scenario the best based on what they know.

[BP]

He's a sound guy from Al Jazeera and that's a microphone, nothing to see here.

[03trubluGT]

The weapon's report is going to be one of the first indicators to the guys on stage to get the POTUS the fuck out of there.

Of course, radios will be used to identify possible threats, but if that sniper sees something and absolutely has to shoot without sending it through the CoC, he wants people to hear his shot.

I figured the spotter would alert any threat via radio, and it's not like the SS will stand there to find out if it's friendly or not.

ANY threat of a sniper nature would be SOP to get the target GONE.

[Pokulski-Blatz]

OK, I was wondering what obscure reference you were making.....

Obscure? I thought it was super obvious, god bless Monty Python and his Flying Circus.

Nicely done CJ, very nicely done .... now im spending my time watching Monty Python

[03trubluGT]

I watched Vantage Point too... :)

I still need to see that..

[03trubluGT]

Obscure? I thought it was super obvious, god bless Monty Python and his Flying Circus.

Nicely done CJ, very nicely done .... now im spending my time watching Monty Python



Ok, obscure to me. I recall watching the Holy Grail on HBO back in about '77 or so when I was a kid. I can remember it because it was around the time of Star Wars and KISS.

[03trubluGT]

Just a hunch but there is little point in trying to analyze exactly what that weapon is. Some of the better known gunsmiths will make totally off the wall shit. Sometimes for shooting in one particular instance only. For example, when I toured Knights Armament's factory in Florida they had more than a few oddball one-off pieces and they mentioned that they specifically machine these guns to work in a certain environment with a certain round. I remember several guns that looked like nothing I had ever seen before, revolvers that fire rifle cartridges, etc. Once they are used they are returned to the manufacturer by the government agency along with feedback so the manufacturer can further change their engineering. The gun is probably custom, the round may even be a custom one-off round. The guy at the Knights factory said they will make whatever they think will fit that scenario the best based on what they know.

Any decent sniper will take a dark room and shoot from 10' or so back into the room so the sound will be deadened and the rifle and scope will be hard to see.

But I'm sure our SS has the thing that was shown on Future Weapons that can pinpoint a scope or camera.

[JP135]

You don't think a sniper on a presidential security detail (actually two presidents in this case) would be one of the best shooters in the country's armed forces? There is a good chance the guy is ex or possibly even current special forces. It was Bush's security detail, for all we know he might be a blackwater shooter.

All true. Just saying the belief that the feds have the best of the best just because they are the feds is total horseshit.

The stupid thing is our department will spend more on training ammo (SRTA stuff) over 5 years than it would cost the city to upgrade the range to accomodate shooting the cheaper FMJ ammo, but the city council doesn't care.

I hear ya, bud. They don't want to spend a dime until something big happens, then they want to point the finger and blame it on somebody else. We never knew it was this bad... Had we only known... Typical politicians.

[Dacotua]

When looking at the size of the bolt, the shells on the ground, etc...

Looks like he's using a 300 win mag to me.

[Pokulski-Blatz]

Ok, obscure to me. I recall watching the Holy Grail on HBO back in about '77 or so when I was a kid. I can remember it because it was around the time of Star Wars and KISS.

Man your missing out, I enjoy the dead parrot, the lumberjack song and the ministry of silly walks myself. The sit on my face song is pretty awesome as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKeQpeDkoGc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vuW6tQ0218

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zey8567bcg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZlBUglE6Hc

[Hass]

Now THAT, is an overrated round.

Is that what you read on Box O Truth? LOL!

[5.0_CJ]

Obscure? I thought it was super obvious, god bless Monty Python and his Flying Circus.

Nicely done CJ, very nicely done .... now im spending my time watching Monty Python

Hahaha, you and me both, I was laughing my ass off at monty python and the silly walking ministry.

[Yale]

Is that what you read on Box O Truth? LOL!

Hell no! I just think it's a stupid round. Sure, it can defeat armor close up, but it can't deliver the stopping power necessary to knock a dashboard Jesus over, much less someone ready to kill you up close. What the hell was wrong with .45acp carbines? 12ga slugs? So what if they didn't go through body armor? I guarantee you whoever lives through THOSE rounds up close is going to most likely be on the floor trying to catch their breath, rather than charging you through what he perceives as a hail of mosquito bites. If you then need to kill that guy, you can. If you need to arrest him, you can. It's a win-win. You say you need to defeat armor further away? There are all kinds of rounds that already do that, and better. The .22 hornet is around 500-1,000fps faster than the 5.7, and has way more muzzle energy. In comparison, the .22 hornet makes about a third of the muzzle energy, and is around 500fps slower than a .223. Shall I compare it to cartridges that bring a little more to the table? The 5.7 might work better in a 1 in 10,000 chance scenario, but frankly that's when an operator's ability to adapt trumps his selection of accessory.

[Fox466]

I still need to see that..


http://www.watch-movies.net/movies/vantage_point/

[Fox466]

But I'm sure our SS has the thing that was shown on Future Weapons that can pinpoint a scope or camera.


Wha? Sounds cool as hell. Anyone have a link to that episode?

[03trubluGT]

Wha? Sounds cool as hell. Anyone have a link to that episode?



I don't recall which episode, but it's a optical device that you look through and any optics show up as a bright dot. It looks like you're looking through an NVG type device and it turns everything greenish. The binoculars/scope/whatever lights up and shows you exactly where it's at.

It even finds cameras. It has something to do with the way a multiple lens system manipulates light. The device can detect it and show you where it is...