The Keefe Report: Canadian Sniper's Longest Shot

by
posted on June 22, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
tac_50_2.jpg

The Canadian C15 LRSW made an appearance in the movie "Hyena Road." Top image courtesy imfdb.org.

Marksmanship matters
. And a record was set last month and reported this week in military marksmanship. Already well known for the excellence of its snipers—who work in pairs—a Canadian sniper in Afghanistan has set a new world record for the longest shot—a shot fired at 3,450 meters or 11,300 feet. That is 2.14 miles or 3,766 yards. It was remarkable for many reasons, one of which was it took about 10 seconds from the moment of firing for the bullet to impact the target—an ISIS fighter. The shot replaced British sniper Craig Harrison's 2,675 meter hit on a Talban machine gunner in 2009. Harrison, a Corporal of Horse in the Blues and Royals, used an Accuracy International rifle chambered in .338 Lapua adopted by the British as the L96A1.

The Special Forces soldier in the news reports was a member of Canada's Joint Task Force 2, which "protects the Canadian national interest in combat terrorism at home and abroad." The Globe and Mail reported "the shot in question actually disrupted an [Islamic State] attack on Iraqi security forces."

While American military snipers shooting .50 BMG typically use the Barrett M107, the Canadians prefer bolt-actions for long-range sniping work. The rifle used by the JTF2 sniper is a variant of the McMillan TAC-50 adopted by the Canadians as the C15 Long Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW). This is a 26-lb. bolt-action 50 BMG rifle built for the Canadian Armed Forces by McMillan Firearms Mfg. in Arizona. Of course, it has a McMillan fiberglass stock with a pistol grip, an adjustable comb and can be broken down for transport. The C15 is chambered in .50 BMG and is built with a proprietary McMillan action with a fluted, two-lug bolt, and feeds from a five-round capacity detachable box magazine. Barrels for the TAC-50 are made by Lilja Precision, and the 39” tubes are hand lapped. It is unknown whether the JTF2 sniper was using a Leupold Mark 4 4-16X 40 mm LR/T M1 or the newer Schmidt & Bender 5–25X 56 mm PM/IILP.

Likely the round used was the Mark 211 Model 0, which is a 671-gr. armor piercing round that has a tungsten-carbide penetrator. Known as the Raufoss for the ammunition maker in Raufoss, Norway, that developed the projectile, it is favored by Western snipers shooting .50 BMG. This round was used by Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry sniper Rob Furlong in his previous record breaking shot in Shahi Kot Province in 2002, which was 2,675 yards or 1.51 miles.

Major John L. Plaster, USAR, (Ret.) has written about sniping in Afghanistan, and the conditions faced by Allied snipers. Training and technology have made such shots possible. Again, Maj. Plaster wrote about the kinds of ballistic software used in the field by elite snipers. Ever heard of Coriolis Effect?

More details will no doubt emerge, but this remains an impressive feat of military marksmanship.

Latest

Marines are wearing Model 1911 pistols and carrying Winchester 12-ga. “trench guns.”
Marines are wearing Model 1911 pistols and carrying Winchester 12-ga. “trench guns.”

Arms Of The Mail Guard Marines

While difficult to imagine today, brazen armed thefts of the U.S. Mail in the 1920s became all too common and beyond the abilities of mail personnel to handle. Enter the U.S. Marines—armed to the teeth.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 13, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Editor’s Choice: Trijicon MRO SD

As can be sussed out from its name, the Miniature Rifle Optic (MRO) is a sealed reflex sight developed by Trijicon for use aboard carbines and rifles to facilitate lightning-quick target acquisition and smooth transitions between multiple targets.

Preview: MAC 9 DS Duty

Military Armament Corp. (MAC) introduced an affordable 2011-style pistol in 2024 with its MAC 9 DS.

The Chiappa 86 Wildlands: A Modern Take On The Winchester 1886 Lever-Action

Chiappa has updated the nearly 150-year-old Winchester Model 1886 lever-action design with the 86 Wildlands Angle Ejection Takedown, giving it added versatility in the way of accessory-attachment points and optics-mounting.

Preview: White River Knife & Tool Ursus 45

The White River Knife & Tool Ursus 45 offers plenty of hand-filling area that is made all the more comfortable by way of well-shaped, replaceable burlap Micarta scales.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.