While visiting the Accuracy International Booth, I happened to meet British sniper Sgt. Craig Harrison, who is officially credited with the world’s two longest sniper kills: 2,475 m (2,707 yd). Sgt. Harrison now works for AI and was at the show promoting a new rucksack (aka “bergen”) and sniper drag bag that he designed based on his experiences in Afghanistan. He was also promoting his highly anticipated new book, “The Longest Kill: the Story of Maverick 41.” According to Wikipedia, the events of November 2009 went down like this . . .
Harrison consecutively struck two Taliban machine gunners south of Musa Qala in Helmand Province in Afghanistan at a range of 2,475 m (2,707 yd) using an [Accuracy International .338 Lapua] L115A3 Long Range Rifle. In a BBC interview, Harrison reported it took about nine shots for him and his spotter to initially range the target successfully. Then, he reported, his first shot “on target” was a killing shot followed consecutively by a kill shot on a second machine gunner then a third which disabled the machine gun.
Sgt. Harrison’s book will recount the story in detail, but I learned a few interesting details from talking to him.
First, he was using a Schmidt & Bender 5-25 scope set on 15 power. Because that scope has a FFP reticle that covers up the lower half of the reticle’s stadia when the scope is set to 25x, he had to dial it back to 15x in order to use the full range of the stadia.
Second, contrary to what you might have otherwise assumed, Sgt. Harrison was standing when he made the shots, and was resting the rifle up against a wall of a building.
Third, the flight time of the bullet was about six seconds, and so he fired the second kill shot before the first had even reached its target.
In any event, here are some photo’s of the new rucksack. It is based on the classic British military issue bergen, but has key modifications to make it easier to combine it with a sniper drag bag. Its a rugged piece of kit that appears to much better built and padded than anything I had ever seen for military use.
The Bergen and drag bag both feature the “Maverick 41” logo, as well as the Accuracy International identification:
In this photo, you can see how the drag bag connects to the bergen without having to remove the shoulder straps. It wasn’t until I processed these photos did I notice that the tattoo on Sgt. Harrison’s trigger finger says “Fate don’t fail me now!”:
And, finally, for those of you that are curious about what his tattoo on his left hand states, here you go:
“Reach, out… Reach out and touch someone…”
Not bragging or anything but….
I once hit a 2-liter soda bottle offhand with my 10/22 at 25 yards….. and it fizzed!
Assistance from a distance.
Holy cow. The flight time of the round!
Yeah no kidding. Second shot on the way before the first hit. Wow.
2,707 yds that’s for amateurs! I regularly drop guys with headshots at over 4000 yards on my PS4 while playing call of duty. Impressive, I’ve never shot at more than 1000 yds and lets say it took me more than 9 shots to hit the target.
Dumbass kid 😛
BAMF.
‘Nuff said.
Michael Moore would say he’s a coward. But, he would never say it to his face.
it would be hard for Moore to get the words out with a mouth full of doughnuts.
Michael Moore wouldn’t say it within 2707 yards of the man..
Are we sure he is british? His teeth are strait and intact..
Are you sure English is your first language? Because you spelled “straight” wrong…
Strait is spelled correctly, its just the wrong context for that strait.
Yeah, I know. Since he meant “straight” the adjective and not “strait” the noun, he spelled it incorrectly for the situation.
It’s still a moderately funny “British Teeth” joke.
If you read his book, or know him as I do, then you will be more surprised at his teeth given the amount of punch ups Craig was involved in.
Can I simply say what a comfort to find somebody that truly knows what they’re discussing
over the internet. You definitely realize how to bring a
problem to light and make it important. More people really need to
read this and understand this side of your story.
I was surprised that you aren’t more popular given that you most certainly possess the gift.
With his scope at 15x magnification and the target 1.5 miles away, wouldn’t the intersection of the horizontal and vertical reticles be larger than the target? How does one have any chance of placing an accurate shot in that situation?
FFP Scope. With a first focal plane scope (FFP), the reticle shrinks/grows with the adjustment of magnification (Mils always read true). With a second focal plane scope (SFP), the reticle stays the same size while what you are looking at shrinks/grows with magnification. (Mils are only true under one magnification setting).
Proving once again, you often get what you pay for.
Thank you. I was wondering the difference in FFP and SFP but have been WAAAAAAAY too lazy to look it up.
Wesley, your reply to the question, wouldn’t the recticle cover up the target at 1.5 miles, seems to indicate that FFP recticle is the answer, but isn’t that backwards? FFP is convenient for tactical ranging, but isn’t it a disadvantage in the context of the question that was asked? If the question is, does the rectricle entirely cover a head size target at 1.5miles and 15x magnification, I’m thinking the answer is yes regardless, because even with SFP the recticle would have to be so thin you’d lose it in low light, but If it’s FFP and the recticle grows with the target as magnification is increased, the situation is worsened, not improved. I’m too lazy to dig scopes out of the safe and test, and I’m certainly not accustomed to looking at anything 1.5 miles away, but even with SFP scopes the center of a target at just a few hundred yards is obscured by the recticle, so . . .. Where am I going wrong?
And people wonder why I lust after a .338L
I’ve decided, though, that I have to earn it in more than just the “I have the money sitting here” sense by getting tolerably good with a .308 first.
Good advice. I’m still trying to master the .308.
Yeah, but could Sgt. Harrison do it again using a $400 hunting rifle with a cheapo $70 scope and hand-loaded 30-06 “match” ammo that cost a mere $0.72 a shot?
Nice get, Joe. I hope you offered to buy him as many drinks as he could consume. He’s earned them, from all of us.
Hickok45 could, .22plinkster could do it with a MKIII facing backwards and demolition ranch could do it with a petrified rattle snake crammed down the barrel of a shotgun.
You’d think the tattoo artist would do a once over for typos before inking something permanently into a customer’s hand.
I don’t know whats you’re talking about.
“WHATS it’s like…”
I suppose.
Why is the bag in regular Multicam instead of MTP? I’d like to see more commercially-available MTP stuff, especially if they could combine Crye’s alternative Multicam pallets with other DPM pallets (Desert, Blue, Black, etc).
MOD does not like the ‘baddies’ to get their hands on current Brit uniforms of any sort, for obvious reasons
I’m sorry, I get that the guy is skilled and all, but why do we praise people who murder for politicians?
Ever serve dude? We kill to protect our brothers in arms. And the likes of your craven self. Your misplaced morality, and misguided attempts to demonize those who serve, illustrate your lack of knowledge. Go in peace and may you never be called upon to serve or protect another. It might disturb your ingrained prejudice.
I suppose you’d like them better if they “Murdered” for you, personally?
BTW chum have you seen what Jihadists do for fun lately?
Mr Grime needs to read the book first then re-write this piece.
Also book pic is different.
Pity he was treated like shit by the MOD and the Officers of the highly class conscious Blues and Royals who seem to think its still 1800
Most appalling conduct by his CO and officials of the MOD
We should not need Help for Heroes!
A decent government would look after our soldiers properly not have them needing to rely on charity.
Do snipers load there own or are they special factory ?
First of all, Thank you Mr Harrison for your service on the war against terrorism. Know that your sacrifices and seevice is appreciated throughtout the world.
OK, nobody answered my silly post about the recticle covering the target at 1 1/2 miles. Maybe it was kindness. But with second focal plane the relative size of the rectangle and the target stay the same when you zoom. That’s the answer. Yes, the recticle gets bigger as you zoom out, but so does your target. If the target isn’t covered at low magnification it won’t be covered at extreme magnification either.
There doesn’t seem to be a way to edit a post, so: In my post from 7:43 this morning, second should read first (focal plane).
Comments are closed.