A Movie Guns Question (Corriea, Where Are You?)

[Chuhhuniban]

Proving once more that I have way too much time on my hands, I got to thinking last night about action/spy movies I had seen and the weapons in them. I can't name the movies right off-hand (and am way too lazy to try and look them up), but it seems to me that I have seen many, many movies over the past few years where some guy (good or bad) climbs up on top of a building, looks over the edge to the ground below where the bad (or good) guy is going to be and then takes out a case, opens it up, and assembles a take-down sniper rifle — locks the barrel group into the receiver-stock group and then snaps a scope on to the top of the thing. Then, after suitable theatrics, makes some kind of amazing shot with it. No sighting in, no zeroing, no nothin', just slop it together and go bang. Cold, clean barrel every time.

Now, way back in the day, when I was in the Green Machine, I hung out with some pretty good shooters — Post marksmanship team guys and I even messed around with three-position service rifle shooting a little myself (so long ago that the ranges were measured in "yards"). Some of the guys I knew were real live snipers, combat proven. A few were AMTU trained. I know they didn't take their rifles apart between shots and when they did do more than drop the bolt out of the back to clean them, they spent a fair amount of time afterward making sure their rifles actually shot where they were pointed.

My question is, therefore, are there really take-down rifles that you can haul around in an attache case, put together at the last minute, and then make a head shot at 500 meters without re-zeroing the scope and rifle? Or is this just another triumph of entertainment over reality?

 

[mgregg85]

I would think that you could make a rifle to do just that if you used a cantilever mount that kept the scope on the barrel. Assuming it was a high quality piece, I think it would be possible.

 

[highorder]

My question is, therefore, are there really take-down rifles that you can haul around in an attache case, put together at the last minute, and then make a head shot at 500 meters without re-zeroing the scope and rifle?

the HS Precision take down rifles are among the best; but head shots @500m are out of the question for many non-take-down rifles...

http://www.hsprecision.com/new_ttd.htm

 

[Deanimator]

In almost every case the "take-down sniper rifle" you see in the movies is a sporterized parachutist's version of the Japanese Arisaka Type 99 rifle. The airborne versions (of which there are two) have an easily removeable barrel/forend assembly with an interrupted screw thread, kept in place by a key.

The Type 99 rifles have [except for the 1945 "last ditch" models] a reputation for fine workmanship. Many of the non-takedown version have been sporterized into more than adequate hunting rifles. If I remember correctly, one of the airborne guns was "Scorpio's" gun in "Dirty Harry". I think one might have been featured in "The Manchurian Candidate" as well. I can't speak to the inherent accuracy of this version versus the standard infantry gun.

 

[Kind of Blued]

Of course. I've seen a few before. The name of the company is on the tip of my tongue, I'll see if I can google it.

It's the same company that makes those revolvers that chamber 10-12 rounds and the Beretta mags they used in Die Hard that hold 25 rounds but fit flush.

To be honest though, I don't see why it wouldn't be possible. Angle of trajectory (from atop the building) would seem to be the hardest part.

 

[serrano]

Or is this just another triumph of entertainment over reality?

Movie Magic