Saving Private Ryan...that guy with the springfield

[N3rday]

Anyone notice...instead of working the bolt with his shooting hand in a scene he keeps his finger on the trigger, tilts the gun to the side a bit, and works the whole action with his non-shooting hand.

Anyone know why this is? Just a mistake or something? Maybe he's a lefty (? still doesn't make sense!)

 

[ojibweindian]

He was a lefty.

 

[GigaBuist]

If I'm not mistaken this was also taught to Russian soldiers in WWII. The short bolt on the Mosin Nagants seems to actually encourage this. Once my shoulder becomes sore it actually feels better to NOT move the right arm and just cycle it with the left.

 

[alamo]

Been a few years since I've seen the movie, but I recall the only disappointment was when he waits till the German with the sniper rifle points the rifle up towards him so he can shoot one through the German's scope ala Carlos Hathcock. Totally unnecessary bit of fluff for a movie that tried to be very realistic.

 

[VG]

A Captain of Rangers is not typically sent roaming around the countryside for a few days with a squad-sized patrol, if we're hair-splitting.

But snipers are taught to look for the retro reflection from another snipers scope as a means of finding them. And to prevent stry light from entering their scope and giving their position away. In fact, there are a number of counter-sniper systems on the market that use a variety of energy sources to look for a reflection.

So, other than being an amazing shot (and he's a Ranger Sniper, right?) it's not so far fetched.

The current Army SWS is tested in this month's American Rifleman. It is a volume production product without hand tweaking. With the "standard" ammunition, they shoot 1.5" groups at 300 meters.

The IBCT - the Army's new, lighter mechanized units - has a sniper team at each company as well as one at the battalion level. They're equipped with both the 7.62 and .50 cal weapons.

 

[4v50 Gary]

My favorite peeve is the 03A4 sniper rifle (OK Gewehr98, please post a pic of your rifle). It starts out as a normal 03A4 w/Lyman Alaskan (M81) scope and ends the flick as a USMC Unertl scoped sniper rifle.

 

[Detritus]

My favorite peeve is the 03A4 sniper rifle (OK Gewehr98, please post a pic of your rifle). It starts out as a normal 03A4 w/Lyman Alaskan (M81) scope and ends the flick as a USMC Unertl scoped sniper rifle.

in the counter-sniper scene you SEE him swap scopes. so at least it's not a "HEY when did he get that? the thing appeared out of nowhere!!!" type of gaffe.

they actually DO show him carrying the Unertl in the appropriate (for teh scope) case attatched to his pack (supposedly during a beach landing, the soldier/marine would keep the long rather vulnerable Unertl scope in the case to prevent damage). the question(s) are 1. is it legit to have a rifle that accepts BOTH scopes? and 2. if 1=yes then is it possible that an army sniper, attatched to a ranger unit could have gotten one of the Unertl scopes issued along with the standard Lyman alaskan type, and if so why?

 

[DMK]

in the counter-sniper scene you SEE him swap scopes. so at least it's not a "HEY when did he get that? the thing appeared out of nowhere!!!" type of gaffe.

Unless the first one broke, why would a soldier on patrol want to remove a zero'd scope for another that would require re-zeroing?

 

[Detritus]

Unless the first one broke, why would a soldier on patrol want to remove a zero'd scope for another that would require re-zeroing

this IS a question that needs answering....

was just stating that unlike some "equipment changes" seen in other movies this one is on screen

 

[Gewehr98]

I'm working on a new picture of my 1903A4, Gary.

You guys will like it, trust me.

But there's something wrong with those scenes in Saving Private Ryan, regardless.

The U.S. Army used the 1903A4 Remington, with a 2-1/4x Weaver 330C or M73B1 scope. It wasn't really easy to remove the scope in the field, at least one windage screw on the Redfield Jr. base had to be removed. This allowed the front scope ring to pivot out of it's dovetail socket in the scope base. Not a field-expedient maneuver.

Now, looking at the other scoped rifle in the movie...

The U.S. Marine Corps used the National Match 1903A1 Springfield as their sniper rifle, with a 7.8x Unertl scope mounted to the receiver and barrel. They called it the M1941 Marine Corps Sniper Rifle when configured as such. Imagine this 1903A1 rifle:



wearing a scope like this one:



Which is a totally different arrangement than the Army's 1903A4. And even more awkward to remove and replace in the field. Here's a black-and-white pic of the USMC M1941 Sniper Rifle:

So, yeah, there was a good bit of artistic license taken in the production of Saving Private Ryan.

 

[Rebar]

... not to mention that while in the belltower he got 8 rounds out of a 5 round magazine without reloading...

 

[N3rday]

Yeah, Rebar, I noticed that! There was a part in there that looked like he shoved another 5 rd clip in but he did it so fast you couldn't really see it go in at all. Well, a good movie nonetheless.

 

[Rebar]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you have to load it one at a time, the scope would seem to block using a stripper to reload.

 

[Gewehr98]

Rebar, you're correct.

Unless that's why he removed the Unertl scope in the movie, so he had a clear shot at the stripper clip guide...

You can still load 5 rounds into the box magazine, just one at a time by hand instead of the stripper clip.

The U.S. Army's 1903A4 just didn't lend itself to stripper clip reloading, because the scope base covered both the front and rear receiver rings. Even if the scope is removed, the receiver (and stripper clip guide) is blocked:

 

[4v50 Gary]

Ah! There's that photo of Gewehr98's 03A4 that taunts me so much.

 

[Gewehr98]

Gary, you just wait.

When we ever get to a big-time THR reunion, and I hand you that 1903A4 and a box of 168gr Sierra MatchKing loads, then we'll discuss taunting.

(Because I'll be shooting my M14NM in the next lane)