New Sniping Record Set in Afghanistan

In a recent article, the New York Post reports that a British sniper set a new sniping record in Afghanistan by killing two Taliban insurgents at a distance of 8,120 feet — more than a mile and a half! Craig Harrison, a corporal of horse in the British Army's Household Cavalry, made the shots in Helmand Province last November using an Accuracy International L11583 precision rifle. The old record was held by a Canadian sniper, Corporal Rob Furlong, who killed an al-Qaeda insurgent from 7,972 feet in 2002. Harrison cited perfect weather as a contributing factor for his successful shots.

John Plaster, author of The Ultimate Sniper, noted that the latest equipment and technologies also help make such a feat possible: “The reason they are able to make these kinds of shots is they have high-quality lasers that tell them where their target is within one meter.” Plaster also complimented Harrison on his superb marksmanship: “That is about as precise as any marksmen on the planet could shoot.”