Sniping video on youtube

[Evil Monkey]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghzbo90YMn4

It shows what appears to be a large sniper team engaging enemies from up high in a building.

It doesn't seem like the typical sniper/spotter combo, rather one guy has a bolt action M24 SWS sniper rifle, another has an M107/M82 50 cal (can't tell difference), another has an M4/M203, and 2 Iraqis with AK's (they wear chocolate chip desert camo).

I've always thought that these sniper rifles, especially the 50cal, are crew served because they require a spotter with a range finder and what ever other gadgets to use the weapon system optimally. In the video, it appears as if they were nothing more but individual weapons.

Would that be a possibility, that a prior crew served sniper rifle can be used as a individual weapon in some cases, just like GPMG's? If so, what would the load of ammo be for that soldier (mainly for the 50cal)?

 

[Big Boomer]

I'm just curious how much hearing loss they got after firing that 50 inside a small room! Looks like the muzzle blast was crumbling the walls!n

 

[Jaenak]

Each soldier is given a pair of earplugs to use. When not in use they're kept in a small, translucent, plastic case that is usually hung from one of the two shirt pockets. They more than likely were using those earplugs.

Snipers do typically have spotters when in the field but in urban environments usually the sniper is sent out on their own to find and hold a commanding position over the area the rest of their team is in so they may be used as scouts and squad support. If the squad wants to dominate a particular field of fire than sometimes (especially in urban settings) they will deploy multiple snipers together so they can precisely eliminate any threat that comes into the area. Kinda like several machine guns holed up in a bunker to keep an area clear of hostilities, only cleaner and more accurate. The bullets though are the same whether in the city or in the wild.

If you want to know what the M82A1M shoots, look for the terms ".50 caliber BMG" and "12.7x99mm Nato". The round is a mild armour piercing round designed to be able to shoot through the armour of a jeep, humvee or even a Russian BMP type vehicle. When the round hits it's target it fragments and explodes like a small grenade. (3 foot blast area)

 

[doberman]

I see two AK's and one M-4? Are we supplying our guys with AK's as well now?

Not that I think it's a bad thing, I just don't understand who gets what.

 

[Wolfgang2000]

Did any one else notice that 2 of them were shooting AK's?

 

[HorseSoldier]

It doesn't seem like the typical sniper/spotter combo, rather one guy has a bolt action M24 SWS sniper rifle, another has an M107/M82 50 cal (can't tell difference), another has an M4/M203, and 2 Iraqis with AK's (they wear chocolate ship desert camo).

TTPs for employment of snipers has changed a lot since 2001, though I'd feel like specific details of how they've changed is probably not appropriate for discussion on an open internet forum.

I've always thought that these sniper rifles, especially the 50cal, are crew served because they require a spotter with a range finder and what ever other gadgets to use the weapon system optimally. In the video, it appears as if they were nothing more but individual weapons.

Would that be a possibility, that a prior crew served sniper rifle can be used as a individual weapon in some cases, just like GPMG's? If so, what would the load of ammo be for that soldier (mainly for the 50cal)?

All sniper weapons work best with a spotter and sniper combo, in kind of the same way a tank turret works better with a commander and a gunner.

But, that depends, at least in part, on the range to the targets. Snipers engaging bad guys at traditional 0-300 meter kind of ranges are pretty much making chip shots with their weapons' capabilities, and if there are enough bad guys that close in, an "all hands on deck" sort of scenario is easy to imagine.

As for the .50 Cal -- it can be a one man carry, though breaking it down into two loads is preferred for any real major movement. As for an ammo load out, my guess would be the guy shooting it has an M4 or something assigned that he carries and the .50 Cal is in a drag bag or deployment case for use in static overwatch kind of scenarios. Probably with a couple cans of ammo with it. If I were in an urban fight with a Barrett, I'd definitely want something a bit more suited for quickly reacting to unexpected threats.

Did any one else notice that 2 of them were shooting AK's?

Like someone noted above, two of the guys in the video are Iraqi military.

 

[elmerfudd]

It's not the noise or the recoil that affects you when you shoot a 50 with a large brake nearly as much as the concussion. You can feel that kind of concussion in your eyes and your sinuses and it's more than a little unpleasant.

 

[George Hill]

TTPs for employment of snipers has changed a lot since 2001, though I'd feel like specific details of how they've changed is probably not appropriate for discussion on an open internet forum.

That's exactly right. We don't need anyone showing off what little they really know by spouting off something that could get back to the enemy. Loose Lips and all that.
Keep confidential information in check please. The game is on and I have friends and loved ones over there.

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

That Barrett .50 does some damage... to the target and the building they were in...

 

[TimboKhan]

Did any one else notice that 2 of them were shooting AK's?

I didn't even watch the video and I knew that because the OP specifically said it in his first post...

 

[manicmarauder]

The Barrett truly brought down the house

 

[loki.fish]

another has an M107/M82 50 cal (can't tell difference),

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I believe the M107 and M82 are the same thing. The military just renamed it for there lingo or whatever they call it. I've never been in the military so I could easily be wrong.

 

[possum]

Each soldier is given a pair of earplugs to use. When not in use they're kept in a small, translucent, plastic case that is usually hung from one of the two shirt pockets. They more than likely were using those earplugs.

we have acu's now with no brest pocket buttons, so our sop is on the belt loop on the left side of the button up fly. though that is something that we have on us in the rear as it is a inspectable item but here in the sandbox we, as in we i mean most of us don't use earplugs they might be n our gear somewhere just so we come across someone that we to do a dog and pony show for but other than that i and most of the guys that i am with on the groud don't wear earpro when on patrols etc, and operations.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

It shows what appears to be a large sniper team engaging enemies from up high in a building.

I don't think the guys banging away with the AKs, M16, and the grenades are snipers or are a sniping team per se, not by the definitions of what many folks here want to call "snipers." However, had they been Iraqi and the folks on the ground been the ones shot at, they would have been reported as snipers.

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I believe the M107 and M82 are the same thing. The military just renamed it for there lingo or whatever they call it. I've never been in the military so I could easily be wrong.

The M107 and 82A1 are very similar but not the same. The M107 is supposed to have a more accurate barrel (1 MOA versus 1.5 MOA) and then has a few different parts including part of the bolt assembly to make it less likely to go off if a loaded one with the safety off is dropped and to allow for full trigger reset when the trigger has not been depressed fully and the shooter opts not to take a shot and removes his finger from the trigger.