Review (PDF)

Sniper Rifles: From The 19th To The 21st Century (Weapon)

A technical outline of the history of the sniper rifle, from its introduction in warfare during the Napoleonic wars, through the US Civil War to its current apogee as the most frequently used combat rifle in Iraq and Afghanistan. This book details the development of ammunition, different weapons types including single shot, magazine loading and semi-automatic, as well as the introduction and use of optical sights. Martin Pegler, a leading expert on the history of sniping and former Senior Curator of Firearms at the Royal Armouries Leeds, also details the current advances in technology, such as laser range-finding sights and night vision devices. Using first-hand accounts, the book brings the dangerous world of the sniper to life revealing their training and concealment techniques as well as their mastering of their weapon of choice.

File Size: 1975 KB

Print Length: 80 pages

Publisher: Osprey Publishing; 1 edition (January 1, 2011)

Publication Date: January 1, 2011

Sold by:  Digital Services LLC

Language: English

ASIN: B01DPPQ1OA

Text-to-Speech: Enabled

X-Ray: Not Enabled

Word Wise: Enabled

Lending: Not Enabled

Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #1,301,999 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store) #107 in Books > History > Military > Weapons & Warfare > Conventional > Firearms #315 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Firearms & Weapons #597 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > History > Military > Special Forces

The book states clearly how the military strategy employed in each war was at least one war behind technology. A similar theme in other books on the subject, this book detailing that premise with the sniper rifle as the main subject. This theme is still currently present in Iraq and Afgan. An excellent book going back thru the history of wars on this very premise and very current as well. The author made one major error however, on the cover is a picture of an M21 rifle in Iraq based on the M14. He mis-labeled it almost at the end of the book (page 73) labeled a M24 which is based on the slightly more modern Rem 700 (1962). Two completely different rifles. This diminished his central point of how we have had to scramble to try and catch up with the correct strategy to mate with the available technology. Because it was not thought we needed to place a high degree of importance on sniping in Iraq or Afgan we had to scramble and modify the old M14 (1957) to such duty when more current and better suited sniper rifles were already developed but not necessarily available in the U.S. military arsenal. Never the less this is still an excellent book.

A well done book in the "Weapons" series by Osprey Publishing. The volume opens by noting that the first firearms were not good candidates to be sniper weapons. Handgonnes and arquebuses were simply not accurate enough nor had the range to serve effectively as sniper or sharpshooter weapons. With the rifling of weapons, possibilities emerged for sniping.The book explores the development of weapons--and those who could use them--for sniping in the 18th through 21st centuries. Part of this was the development of optics to allow for spying upon the target from afar. Also, better rifles and better ammunition. The story of sniping begins in detail with Civil War sharpshooters. Then, the use of snipers in World War I and World War II is described. Finally, the modern sniper--from Korea to Vietnam to the Falklands and even Afghanistan. The evolution of technology--from weapons to optics--is discussed.The book's conclusion begins with a summary statement (Page 75): "In a little over a century, the sniper has emerged from the shadows to become the most highly trained and extensively equipped frontline specialist, second only to Special Forces." An appendix lays out preferred sniping weapons from the Civil War(Berdan Sharps Rifle Model 1859) to the M82A1 Barrett rifle (with a range of nearly a mile).A really nice analysis of these specialist warriors. . . .

i read this book before reading reading Mr Pegler's out of nowhere. I would suggest that reading this book is ok if you are doing it as a beginner to help familiarize w/ sniper rifle & bullet technology but you should read the out of nowhere. it is amazing & informative.

A very good, if brief, compendium of the major steps that took place in the development of military sharpshooting through all of the major conflicts from the time gunpowder facilitated hand carried weapons on the battlefield. True, deadly sniping came into being really in WW1 as a regular if not even industrial part of trench warfare but it took on a completely different form with the advent of battlefield mobility in the next great conflict. I recall Korean vets telling me of their accounts of using locally prepared 0.55" Boys rifles across huge distances on the now DMZ and the immediate retribution it prompted by Chicom artillery - all of which made such teams using these rifles very unpopular with all other UN forces in the immediate neighbourhood. Today, big point five BMG rifles are widely deployed where vast open stretches of landscape are involved and these are about at the practical limit of what any man can reasonably operate what with the need to manage recoil and the limits of optical sighting systems - as well carrying all of this stuff around. These rifles are all much less portable than what the lone or twin man WW2 sniper carried and what he did on the battlefield but whatever develops from now will be dictated by the nature of the conflict and the marrying of technology to suit whatever mobility or theatre characteristics that are required.

An ok book.Tells what i need. Good pictures. Easy to read. Good explainations. New knowledge to me. I got wiser.

This book is a complete waste of money. How can you trust anything this author writes? John M Browning inventing the M1 Garand (page 50)? Thats why it is called the Garand apparently. The 338 Lapua Magnum is a converted big game cartridge?(page 71) Sorry, purpose designed sniper cartridge by NSWC to stay supersonic at long range and almost completely unsuitable as a big game cartridge, in fact only very recently available in sporting rifles...this list of dumb mistakes goes on...as I said save your money

Interesting to those who collect and enjoy shooting rifles. Interesting to those who like details of military technology. Some typographic errors.

Great history and a good read. Good stories of the men behind the rifles. Gives a full account of the firearms and their development.

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