“Tag: The Genesis Of Sniping”

Without a suitable sniping rifle, and with no training organization in place, the Allies struggled against German snipers early during the Great War. That changed—and then the Americans arrived.

After the American Civil War, repeating rifles and smokeless powder revolutionized shooting. Accurate rifles that didn’t give away a sniper’s position, combined with optical sights, made the stalemate of the Great War’s trenches ideal conditions for the sniper’s work.

During the Civil War, sharpshooters brought marksmanship skills to bear, dispatching generals and influencing battles.

The biggest advancement in precise, aimed fire before the American Civil War wasn’t made to the rifle itself—it was made to the bullet. Ever heard of the Minié ball?