• Long Range Sniping
• Rounds are Light
• Weapon is Light
• Very Powerful

Here is all the info on the Sniper:

The following are examples of semi-automatic anti-personnel military sniper rifles. The cartridge used in each weapon is in parenthesis:

• Dragunov (SVD), used by former Soviet-aligned states (7.62 × 54 mm R)
• Mk 12 Mod 0/1, used by special operations units of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy (5.56 × 45 mm NATO)
• SR-25:
  • Mk 11 Mod 0 Sniper Weapon System, used by the USSOCOM and U.S. Marine Corps (7.62 × 51 mm NATO)
  • XM110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System, adopted by the U.S. Army (7.62 × 51 mm NATO)

The following are examples of bolt-action military sniper rifles. The cartridge used in each weapon is in parenthesis:

• Remington Model 700 rifle:
  • M24 Sniper Weapon System, used by the U.S. Army (7.62 × 51 mm NATO)
  • M40, used by the U.S. Marine Corps (7.62 × 51 mm NATO)
  • Mk 13 Mod 2, used by U.S. Special Operations Command forces (.300 Winchester Magnum)
• Accuracy International Arctic Warfare bolt-action rifle:
  • SR-98, used by the Australian Army (7.62 × 51 mm NATO)
  • L118A1, used by the British SAS (7.62 × 51 mm NATO)
  • PSG-90, used by the Swedish Army (7.62 × 51 mm NATO)
• Accuracy International AWM rifle:
  • L115A1, used by the British Army (.338 Lapua)
  • G22, used by the German Army (.300 Winchester Magnum)
• L42A1, formerly used by the British Army was a modified Lee-Enfield sniper rifle (7.62 × 51 mm NATO)
• Våpensmia NM149 (a modified Mauser design), used by the Norwegian Army (7.62 × 51 mm NATO)
• 7.62 TaK 85, used by the Finnish Army (7.62 × 54 mm R)

[edit] Law enforcement

Heckler & Koch PSG1

Police/law enforcement (and, more recently, counter-terrorism) scenarios require the sniper or sharpshooter to hit a particular part of the aggressor’s body (such as the head). For this reason, sniper rifles used by police forces are generally required to have greater accuracy over military rifles, but at shorter ranges—often less than 100 metres.

Some of the first examples of sniper rifles designed specifically to meet police requirements were those designed to meet West German police requirements following the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics. The Heckler & Koch PSG1 is one of the rifles designed to meet these criteria, and is often referred to as an ideal example of this type of sniper rifle. The FN Special Police Rifle is another example of a rifle aimed at law enforcement rather than military agencies.

Some of the main differences of police sniper rifles when compared to military rifles are:

• Shorter overall length for increased manoeuvrability in urban areas
• Heavier weight
• Superior accuracy and tighter tolerances in construction
• Extreme outdoors durability is of less concern
• Higher price since budgetary restrictions on police departments often allow more expensive rifles to be acquired

[edit] Distinguishing characteristics

Sniper rifle features can vary widely depending on the specific tasks it is intended to perform. Features that may distinguish a sniper rifle from other weapons are:

• The presence of a telescopic sight
• Unusually long overall weapon length^[1]
• Stock designed for firing from a prone position
• Fitted with a bipod
• The range of accessories carried with the rifle
• Improved accuracy
• Not specifically designed for sporting use

[edit] Telescopic sight

Looking through a telescopic sight

Main article: telescopic sight

The single most important characteristic that sets a sniper rifle apart of other military or police small arms is the mounting of a telescopic sight, which is relatively easily distinguishable from smaller optical aiming devices found on some modern assault rifles and submachine guns.

A telescopic sight allows a person to see targets more precisely by virtue of the magnified image it offers, and therefore aim the rifle more accurately. The telescopic sights used on sniper rifles differ from other optical aiming devices in that they offer much greater magnification (more than 4x and up to 40x) and much larger objective lens (40 mm in diameter), resulting in a brighter image. Most telescopic lenses employed in military or police roles have special markings to aid the shot with the judgement of distance, which is an important factor in accurate shot placement (due to the curved trajectory of a bullet’s path).

The flight time of the bullet, combined with the limited field of view of a sniper peering through a scope may allow an innocent victim to cross into a bullet’s path, similar to what happened in the Ruby Ridge incident.

[edit] Action

A Marine manually extracts and chambers a new round in his bolt-action M40A3 sniper rifle. The bolt handle is held in the shooter’s hand and is not visible in this photo

French Mountain Infantry firing his bolt-action FRF2. Note the manually operated bolt handle near the sniper’s trigger-finger

A U.S. Army soldier holding his semi-automatic M14 (or M21) rifle. Note the absence of a manually operated bolt handle

The choice between bolt-action and semi-automatic actions (more commonly recoil or gas operation) is usually determined by specific requirements of the sniper’s role as envisioned in a particular organisation, with each design having advantages and disadvantages.

For a given cartridge, a bolt-action rifle has the following advantages:

• Cheaper to build and maintain
• More accurate, since there are fewer moving parts
• Manual case ejection, allowing for greater discretion
• Versatile fire-positioning, since there is no need for a large magazine
• Reliable, with fewer components that may fail or become jammed
• Lighter weight, once again due to fewer components

For semi-automatic actions, the following advantages are available:

• Cross-purpose use as both a battle rifle and a sniper rifle
• Greater volume of fire when needed in a suppressing support role
• Faster follow-up shots due to higher rate of fire
• Commonality of operation with issued service rifle, depending on system

A bolt-action is the most commonly used in both military and police roles due to its higher accuracy and ease of maintenance. Anti-materiel applications such as mine clearing and special forces operations tend to see a higher usage of semi-automatics.

A designated marksman rifle (DMR) is less specialised than a typical military sniper rifle, often only intended to extend the range of a group of soldiers. Therefore, when a semi-automatic action is used it is due to its ability to cross-over into roles similar to the roles of standard-issue weapons. There may also be additional logistical advantages if the DMR uses the same ammunition as the more common standard issue weapons. These rifles enable a higher volume of fire, but sacrifice some long-range accuracy. They are frequently built from existing selective fire battle rifles or assault rifles.

A police semi-automatic sniper rifle may be used in situations that require a single sniper to engage multiple targets in quick succession.

[edit] Cartridge

The cartridge determines some of the capabilities of a sniper rifle, and sets limitations on how it can be used. The following is a short list of only some of the issues that are affected by the calibre chosen:

• Effective range
• Ballistic peformance
• Types of targets that can be effectively engaged
• Cost, and consequently, the number of rifles purchased and employed

In a military setting, logistical concerns are the primary determinant of the cartridge used, so sniper rifles are usually limited to rifle cartridges commonly used by the military force employing the rifle. Since large national militaries generally change slowly, military rifle ammunition is frequently battle-tested and well-studied by ammunition and firearms experts. Consequently, police forces tend to follow military practices in choosing a sniper rifle cartridge instead of trying to break new ground with less-perfected (but possibly better) ammunition.

Before the introduction of the 7.62 × 51 mm NATO in the 1950s, standard military calibers utilised were the .30-06 Springfield (United States), .303 British (United Kingdom) and 7.92 × 57 mm (8 mm Mauser) (Germany). The .30-06 Springfield continued in service with U.S. Marine Corps snipers during the Vietnam War in the 1970s, well after general adoption of the 7.62 × 51 mm. At the present time, in both the West and within NATO, 7.62 × 51 mm NATO (.308 Winchester) is currently the primary cartridge of choice for military and police sniper rifles.

Worldwide, the trend is similar. The preferred sniper rifle in Russia is another .30 caliber military cartridge—the 7.62 × 54 mm R, which has similar performance to the 7.62 × 51 mm NATO. This cartridge was introduced in 1891, and both Russian sniper rifles of the modern era, the Mosin-Nagant and the Dragunov (SVD), are chambered for it.

Certain commercial cartridges designed without the logistical constraints of most armies and only performance in mind have also gained popularity in the 1990s—these include the .338 Lapua and .300 Winchester Magnum. These cartridges offer better ballistic performance and greater effective range than the 7.62 × 51 mm NATO. Though they are not as powerful as .50 calibre cartridges (e.g. the .50 BMG), they also do not suffer any weight penalty as is the case for rifles chambered for .50 calibre ammunition, and, as such, offer a significant improvement over rifles chambered for the 7.62 × 51 mm NATO.

M82A1 SASR (Special Applications Scoped Rifle), a high-powered .50 caliber sniper rifle used as a military anti-materiel rifle

Snipers (mostly military) may also employ anti-materiel rifles in sniping roles against targets such as vehicles, equipment and structures, or for the long-range destruction of explosive devices. Although designed and employed primarily as anti-materiel rifles, they may also be used against personnel.

These rifles tend to be semi-automatic, and of a larger calibre than anti-personnel rifles, using .50 calibre (12.7 mm, such as the .50 BMG and Raufoss Mk211) or even 20 mm cartridges. Due to their considerable size and weight, snipers operating in 2- or 3-man teams becomes a necessity.

Examples of anti-materiel military sniper rifles:

• M82 SASR (Special Applications Scope Rifle) and M107 (.50 BMG)
• Denel NTW-20 (20 × 83.5 mm or 14.5 × 114 mm)

[edit] Barrel

Main article: Gun barrel

Rifle barrels employed in sniper rifles are normally of precise manufacture and of a heavier cross section than more traditional barrels in order to reduce the change in impact points between a first shot from a cold barrel and a follow-up shot from a warm barrel. Unlike many battle rifles and assault rifles, the bores are usually not chromed to avoid potential inaccuracy due to an uneven treatment.

When installed, barrels are often free-floated or installed so the barrel only contacts the rest of the rifle at the receiver to minimize the effects of pressure on the fore-end by slings, bipods, or the sniper’s hands. The end of the barrel is usually crowned or machined to form a rebated area around the muzzle proper to avoid asymmetry or damage and therefore innacuracy. Alternately, some rifles like the Russian SVD or Walther WA2000 provide structures at the fore-end to provide tension on the barrel in order to counteract barrel droop and other alterations in barrel shape.

Another trait sometimes seen with sniper barrels are external longitudinal fluting that contributes to heat dissipation by increasing surface area while simultaneously decreasing the weight of the barrel.

Sniper rifle barrels may also utilise a threaded muzzle or combination device (muzzle brake or flash suppressor and attachment mount) to allow the fitting of a sound suppressor. These suppressors often have means of adjusting the point of impact while fitted.

Military sniper rifles tend to have longer barrels of around 23.5 inches (600 mm) to allow cartridge propellant to fully burn and attain the optimum combination of accuracy and bullet velocity. This reduces muzzle flash, helping to keep the sniper concealed. Police sniper rifles may use shorter barrels to improve handling characteristics. The shorter barrels’ velocity loss is less important at closer ranges where projectile energy remains well in excess of that needed to reliably perform.

[edit] Stock

USMC DMR showing adjustable cheek piece.

The most common special feature of a sniper rifle stock is the adjustable cheek piece, where the shooter’s cheek meets the rear of the stock. For most rifles equipped with a telescopic sight, it is necessary to have this area raised slightly, because the telescope is positioned higher than iron sights, and the shooter should steady his cheek against a rifle while aiming. A cheek piece is simply a section of the stock that can be adjusted up or down to suit the individual shooter. To further aid this individual fitment, the stock can sometimes also be adjusted for length, often by varying the number of butt pad inserts at the rear of the stock where it meets the shooter’s shoulder. Sniper stocks are typically designed to avoid making contact with the barrel of the weapon.

In 1975, Gale McMillan, founder of McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, worked directly with the Marine Corps and developed the first synthetic rifle stock for the USMC M40A1 sniper rifle. This allowed snipers to take advantage of a light weight and infinitely stronger stock than traditional wood rifle stocks. By using glass bedding, armorers could allow the barrel to free float without wood swelling in humid conditions, ensuring accuracy. This procedure is now the standard in the sniper community.

In 2003, McMillan conducted a test group of working snipers and developed the fifth generation sniper stock, designed by snipers for snipers. Since that time, McMillan has developed sniper stocks for the US M14 rifle, now being used by squad designated marksmen and snipers alike as the M21 and M25.

A permanently fixed or removable bipod attached to the rifle’s forearm is another non-standard, but important piece of equipment. It acts as a steady and level object on which to rest the rifle which aids in accuracy.

[edit] Sling

An adjustable sling on the rifle is often employed. It is used by the sniper to achieve better stability when standing, kneeling, or sitting. The sniper uses the sling to “lock-in” by wrapping their non-firing arm into the sling forcing their arm to be still.

[edit] Other accessories

• A laser targeter is somtimes added. this is mainly used in police opperations not covert operations, as the ‘dot’ caused by the laser can betray the marksman’s position.

This section is a stub. You can help by expanding it.

Sniper rifles often have specialised accessories, such as variable length gas-strut bipods.

[edit] Accurising and maintenance

This section is a stub. You can help by expanding it.

Main article: accurizing

In the case of rifles designed specifically for sniping, the same techniques applied to any rifle to achieve long-range accuracy are used. Some of these techniques are described in the article on accurizing a firearm and may include the following:

• A free-floating barrel, where the barrel is attached to the rifle at a single point, screwed into the action without touching the forearm — this prevents the barrel from being deflected when pressure is applied against the forearm.
• Heavier barrels to increase the resonant frequency and slow the rate of heating, which reduces thermal distortion of the barrel as more rounds are shot. This also increases the weight of the rifle, thus reducing the felt recoil.
• Fluting on heavier barrels helps maintain the desired characteristics of a heavy barrel, but reduces the weight of the barrel.
• The end of the barrel may be counter-sunk a few millimetres to protect the critical exit-end of the rifling from damage.

When standard rifles are adapted for use as a sniper rifle common improvements on the action or internals include:

• Polishing the trigger sear to improve the feel of the trigger pull and therefore the shooter’s trigger control.
• A low-mass (often titanium) hammer and firing pin reduce the time between the trigger pull and the primer ignition (called lock time). By reducing the time between the trigger being pulled and the bullet release, it reduces the distance that a human being’s irreducible quiver can move the point of aim.

[edit] Capabilities

When examined individually, the capabilities of a sniper rifle may not seem unique, or even particularly extraordinary compared to other types of firearms. Certainly, on the face of it there is little to differentiate a specialist sniper rifle from a garden-variety scoped hunting rifle.

When taken as a whole, the subtle advantages possessed by a sniper rifle can allow a sniper to dominate an enemy who possesses far greater fighting capability. However, since sniping is a specialised role, it must be noted that the success of a sniper depends more on skills and training than on the particular rifle used.^[2]

[edit] Accuracy

Comparison of 0.5, 1, and 3 MOA accuracy levels against a human torso at 800 m (left) and a human head at 100 m (right)

Contrary to popular belief, sniper rifles are not necessarily characterised by exceptional accuracy—especially when compared to civilian sporting rifles, though they nearly always match or exceed the capabilities of other rifles in the military and police categories.^[3]

The United States military standards call for only 1 MOA,^[4] accuracy from a standard issue sniper rifle since accuracy is sacrificed in favor of low cost and reliability in harsh environments, as well as ease of operation and maintenance. This level of accuracy roughly translates into a variance in the bullet’s point of impact of 8 inches at 800 yards, which is considered sufficient to ensure a high probability of hitting a human shape at that distance.

Although accuracy standards for police rifles do not widely exist, they are frequently seen with accuracy levels from 1.5 MOA to as high as 0.5 MOA^[5] — and occasionally as high as .25 MOA in the most expensive models.

For typical policing situations an accuracy level of 1 MOA is usually all that is required. This is because police typically employ their rifles at very short ranges.^[6][7] At 100 yards or less, a rifle with a relatively low accuracy of only 1 MOA should be able to repeatedly hit a 1 inch target. One inch is approximately the size of a man’s thumb, which is smaller than the brain stem, the most prized target of a police sniper.^[8] However, a higher degree of accuracy is required for the rare occasion where a target needs to be engaged at a longer distance.^[9]

The following is a list of typical accuracies, for comparison:

• A common pistol may be capable of between 15 MOA and 30 MOA accuracy
• High end pistols may be capable of shooting 4 MOA.
• A military-issue battle rifle or assault rifle is usually capable of between 3 MOA and 6 MOA accuracy
• Civilian or police semi-automatic rifles are typically capable of less than 1 MOA to 4 MOA accuracy
• A common hunting rifle may be capable of 0.5 to 3 MOA accuracy
• A standard-issue military sniper rifle is typically capable of 0.5 to 2 MOA accuracy
• A police sniper rifle is typically capable of 0.25 to 1.5 MOA accuracy
• A competition target rifle may be capable of accuracy levels of 0.1 MOA or higher^{[citation needed]}
• Rifles designed for scientific testing of ammunition may be so accurate that sophisticated computer equipment is required to measure their accuracy^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Maximum effective range

Sniper rifles are characterised as having exceptional range capability compared to other small arms. This is true when properly maintained and employed by a trained marksman able to compensate for ballistic factors like crosswind and range estimation for long range engagements. Sniper rifles suffer the same line-of-sight limitations all direct fire weapons do and are often more subject to changes in ammunition than weapons designed for automatic fire or rapid semiautomatic fire.

Unlike police sniper rifles, military sniper rifles tend to be employed at the greatest possible distances so that range advantages like the increased difficulty to spot and engage the sniper can be exploited. However, machine guns, battle rifles, counter-sniper rifles and designated marksman rifles can reach or even exceed the range of a sniper rifle if the sniper or his position is identified.

The most popular military sniper rifles (in terms of the numbers in service) are chambered for .30 calibre ammunition^{[citation needed]}, such as 7.62 × 51 mm NATO (.308 Winchester). Since sniper rifles of this class must compete with several other types of military weapons with similar range, snipers invariably must employ skilled fieldcraft to conceal their position.

The recent trend in specialized military sniper rifles is towards larger calibers that have greater range, such as .338 Lapua and .50 BMG. This allows snipers to take fewer risks, and spend less time finding concealment when facing enemies that are not equipped with similar weapons.

In January 2007 McMillan Tactical, the third generation of McMillan Rifles, introduced a new line of sniper rifles designed by a mixed group of special operations snipers that center around the future of the .338 Lapua for U.S. military snipers. The new sniper rifles are all equipped with muzzle brakes to help control recoil, while being capable of switching to a sound suppressor. Most of the McMillan Tac338′s are equipped with folding stocks, reducing overall length by 9 – 10 inches, and built in low-profile mounts for the UNS PVS22 nights vision scope.

Approximate maximum effective ranges of common ammunition when used in a sniper rifle (lower figures are typical, higher figures are under ideal conditions):

[edit] Range vs. accuracy

A 1 MOA sniper rifle’s small 8-inch target circle at 800 m, and a single bullet strike

A 6 MOA machine gun’s large 66-inch target circle at 1,100 m, and multiple bullet strikes

Sniper rifles are considered ineffective beyond the distance a carefully-fired shot is guaranteed to strike the target. At longer ranges, a miss could occur that might endanger the shooter’s mission. In those instances, other small arms may be preferred over sniper rifles, even though the situation may otherwise be an ideal job for a sniper rifle.

For example, in counter-sniper roles a sniper might spot a target that is out of range for a sniper rifle, and so the sniper may need to call upon a machine gunner to attack it. A machine gun using the same ammunition as the sniper rifle can be effective at a much greater range due to lower accuracy requirements for effective use.

Here is a simplified example to illustrate why, counter-intuitively, a less accurate weapon of the same calibre may actually have a greater effective range than a sniper rifle:

For human targets in military sniping, snipers do not aim at the person, instead they aim at a target circle^[10] on the person (see the illustrations in this section). The circle is typically about 8 inches in diameter, corresponding to an imaginary circle on the vital area of a man’s chest. For a common sniper rifle capable of 1 MOA accuracy, the maximum effective range (the range at which the bullet impact point is guaranteed to be within an 8-inch circle on the first shot) is about 800 metres.

In contrast, a machine gun using the same ammunition with a low accuracy of only 6 MOA will typically have a greater maximum effective range of about 1,100 meters. At that range and accuracy, a machine gun can have a larger target circle of about 66 inches. The machine gun’s target circle is much larger than the human target due to its rapid fire capability, which allows a machine gun to strike with one or more hits and numerous misses at random locations within the target circle.

While a machine gun’s large target circle means that its effective range can be longer than a sniper rifle’s,^[11] the corresponding disadvantage is that the machine gun may need to fire dozens, and perhaps hundreds of rounds before scoring a hit.

• ActionAction is the term for the operating mechanism of a gun. There are many types of shotguns, typically categorized by the number of barrels or the way the gun is reloaded. For most of the history of the shotgun, the breech loading double barreled shotgun, with two barrels, was the most common type. In this case there are several “subtypes”, the “over and under” shotgun puts the two barrels one on top of the other, while the “side by side” shotgun puts them beside each other. Another class of break open shotgun is the combination gun, which is an over and under design with one shotgun barrel and one rifle barrel (more often rifle on top, but rifle on bottom was not uncommon). There is also a class of break action guns called drillings, which contain three barrels, usually 2 shotgun barrels of the same gauge and a rifle barrel, though the only common theme is that at least one barrel be a shotgun barrel. The most common arrangement was essentially a side by side shotgun with the rifle barrel below and centered. Usually a drilling containing more than one rifle barrel would have both rifle barrels in the same caliber, but examples do exist with different caliber barrels, usually a .22 Long Rifle and a centerfire cartridge. Although very rare, there were some three shotgun barrel drillings made.

  Non break open designs use a single barrel, and are magazine fed. In pump-action shotguns, a sliding forearm handle, the pump, works the action to reload the single barrel. Lever-action shotguns, while less common, were popular in the late 1800s with the Winchester Model 1887 and Model 1901 series lever-action shotguns being prime examples. Lever-action shotguns have seen a return to the gun market in recent years with Winchester Repeating Arms producing the Model 9410 series lever-action shotgun (The Model 9410 shotgun utilises the .410 bore shotgun round and the action of the Winchester Model 94 series lever-action rifle) as well as a few other gun companies re-producing and making modern versions of the Winchester Model 1887 and Model 1901 shotguns. Gas, inertia, or recoil operated actions are other popular methods of increasing the rate of fire of a shotgun; these actions are generally referred to as autoloaders or semi-automatic shotguns. A small number of guns are available with a bolt action, but this is uncommon. Some shotguns, such as the Franchi SPAS-12, Benelli M3, and Benelli M4, are capable of switching between semi-automatic and pump action.

  Some of the more interesting advances in shotgun technology include the versatile NeoStead 2000 and fully automatics such as the Pancor Jackhammer or Auto-Assault 12 . These combat shotguns, while popular in movies and computer games due to their exotic nature, have yet to make a noticeable impression in the real world.  RATING-7/10

Gauge

Soldier armed with a shotgun

Main article: Gauge (bore diameter)

The caliber of shotguns is measured in terms of gauge or bore (the British English term). The gauge number is determined by the number of solid spheres of a diameter equal to the inside diameter of the barrel that could be made from a pound of lead. So a 10 gauge shotgun has an inside diameter equal to that of a sphere made from one-tenth of a pound of lead. By far the most common gauges are 12 (0.729 in, 18.5 mm diameter) and 20 (0.614 in, 15.6 mm), although 2, 4, 8, 10, 14, 16, 24, 28, 32 gauges and .410 (10.4 mm) 9mm (.355 in.) rimfire and .22 (5.5 mm) rimfire calibres have also been produced (although 10, 12, 16, 20, 28, .410, and .22 are the only legal hunting gauges/calibers in most U.S. states). To further complicate matters, typical handgun chamberings such as 9 mm Luger, .45 ACP, .38 Special/.357 Magnum, .44 Special/.44 Magnum, and .45 Colt have been brought to market by CCI/Speer and others bearing a “shot” load–either crimped in or in a plastic casing that takes the place of the bullet. These are not generally considered “shot shells” by shotgun users, and the patterning performance is questionable since they are fired through rifled barrels. Thompson/Center makes special pistol barrels in .38/.357, .44 and .45 Colt that have “straight rifled” chokes in them to reduce the spin of the shot column and produce better patterns, but they are still suitable only for pest control at very short ranges. Larger gauges, too powerful to shoulder, have been built but were generally affixed to small boats and referred to as punt guns. These were used for commercial water fowl hunting, to kill large numbers of birds resting on the water. Although relatively rare, single-shot and two-shot derringers have also been produced that are capable of firing both .45 Colt (also known as 45 Long Colt) and .410 shotgun shells in the same chamber; they are commonly known as ‘snake guns’, and are popular among some outdoorsmen in the South and Southwest regions of the United States.

The .410 bore is unusual in that it is measured in inches instead of gauge, and is approximately 0.410 inches (10.4 mm) in diameter—this would be approximately 67 gauge using the traditional measuring scheme. The .410 bore was created to impose maximum handicap upon skilled shooters in the game of skeet, by throwing a relatively small charge of shot. The .410 bore was not created for hunting, but some people do use it for that, especially in expensive side by side and over/under models for hunting small bird game such as quails and doves. Inexpensive bolt-action .410 shotguns are a very common first hunting shotgun among young pre-teen hunters, as they are used mostly for hunting squirrels, while additionally teaching bolt-action manipulation skills that will transfer easily later to adult-sized hunting rifles. Most of these young hunters move up to the 20-gauge shotgun within a few years, and move up to 12 gauge shotguns and full-size hunting rifles by their late teenage years. Still, many who are particularly recoil-adverse choose to stay with 20-gauge shotguns all their adult life, as it is a very suitable gauge for many popular hunting uses.RATING-7/10

Ok, so now you know what shotgun types are available, but you still need ammo, right?

Ammunition

Main article: Shotgun shell

Loading 12-gauge shells

The extremely large caliber of shotgun shells has led to a wide variety of different ammunition. Standard types include:

• Shot (also known as Birdshot in the smaller shot sizes) is the most commonly used round, filled with lead or lead substitute pellets. Shot shells are described by the size of the pellets within. Size Eight is the smallest size normally used for hunting, and is used on small birds such as doves. Sizes Two, One, BB, BBB, and T are used for hunting large waterfowl such as geese. In Europe and in other “metric” countries, except Canada; the shot size is simply the diameter of the pellet given in millimeters.
• Buckshot, is larger than birdshot, and was originally designed for hunting larger game, such as deer. While the advent of new, more accurate slug technologies is making buckshot less attractive for hunting, it is still the most common choice for police, military, and home defense uses. Like birdshot, buckshot is described by pellet size, with larger numbers indicating smaller shot. From the smallest to the largest, buckshot sizes are: #4, (called “number four”), #1, 0, (“one-aught”), 00 (“double-aught“), 000 (“triple-aught”) and 0000 (“four-aught”). A common round for defensive use would be a 12 gauge 2 3/4″ length 00 buck shell, which contains 9 balls of roughly .33 caliber. New “tactical” buckshot rounds, designed specifically for defensive use, use slightly fewer shot at lower velocity to reduce recoil and increase controllability of the shotgun.
• Slug rounds are rounds that fire a single solid slug. They are used for hunting large game. Modern slugs are moderately accurate, especially when fired from special rifled slug barrels.

[edit] Specialty ammunition

The unique properties of the shotgun, such as large case capacity, large bore, and the lack of rifling, has led to the development of a large variety of specialty shells, ranging from novelties to high tech military rounds.

• Bean bag rounds fire a nylon bag filled with birdshot or a similar loose, dense substance. The ‘punch’ effect of the bag is useful for knocking down targets and are used by police to subdue violent suspects. These rounds are sometimes used by wildlife officials to non-lethally subdue wild animals. Bean bag rounds are also sold under the trademarked name of flexible baton round.
• Bird bombs are low-powered rounds that fire a firecracker that is fused to explode a short time after firing. They are designed to scare animals, such as birds that congregate on airport runways.
• Blank shells contain only a small amount of powder and no actual load. When fired, the blanks provide the illusion of a real load, with most of the same characteristics, but no projectile leaves the gun barrel.
• Bolo rounds contain 2 round balls connected with wire or 2 flat pieces connected with wire.
• Brenneke and Foster type slugs have the same basic configuration as normal slugs, but have increased accuracy. The hollowed rear of the Foster slug improves accuracy by placing more mass in the front of the projectile, therefore inhibiting the “tumble” that normal slugs may generate. The Brenneke slug takes this concept a bit further, with the addition of a wad that stays connected to the projectile after discharge, increasing accuracy. Both slugs are commonly encompassed by fins, which increase stability in flight.
• Disintegrator or Hatton rounds are designed to blow out deadbolts, door locks and door hinges without risking the lives of those beyond the door. These rounds are packed with a mixture of dense metal powder (often lead) and wax, which can destroy a lock then immediately disperse. They are used by SWAT teams to quickly force entry into a locked room. Amongst police, these rounds are nicknamed ‘master keys‘, and their use is known as ‘Avon calling’.
• Dragon’s Breath usually refers to a zirconium-based pyrotechnic shotgun round. When fired, a gout of flame erupts from the barrel of the gun (up to 30 ft). While it has no tactical uses, the visual effect it produces is impressive, similar to that of a short ranged flamethrower.
• Flare rounds are sometimes carried by hunters for safety and rescue purposes. They are available in low and high altitude versions. Some brands claim they can reach a height of up to 600 feet (180 m).
• Flechette rounds contain aerodynamic darts, typically from 8 to 20 in number. The flechette provide greatly extended range due to their aerodynamic shape, and improved penetration of light armor. American troops during the Vietnam War packed their own flechette shotgun rounds, called beehive rounds, after the similar artillery rounds.
• Gas shells spray a cone of gas for several meters. These are primarily used by riot police. They normally contain pepper gas or tear gas. Other variations launch a gas grenade-like projectile.
• Rock salt shells are hand loaded with rock salt, replacing the standard shot. Rock salt shells were used by rural civilians to defend their property, and were the forerunners of modern less-than-lethal rounds. The brittle salt was unlikely to cause serious injury at long ranges, but would cause stinging light injuries. The use of these charges is mainly anecdotal, though there was a documented case in 2004^[1].
• Rubber slugs or rubber buckshot are similar in principle to the bean bag rounds. Composed of flexible rubber or plastic and fired at low velocities, these rounds are probably the most common choice for riot control. Shapes range from full bore diameter cylinders to round balls of varying sizes, to a patent pending design “star round” that resembles a small koosh ball.

There you have it!

• Semi-Automatic Pistols- Semi-automatic pistols fire one round after each pull of the trigger, without the need to manually cock the hammer. After a round is fired, the pistol will cycle, ejecting the spent casing and chambering a new round from the magazine, allowing another shot to take place immediately. One of the main advantages of semi-automatic pistols is that many of them can hold more rounds than can a revolver, but they are not nearly as poweful.       RATING-8/10
• Machine Pistols- A machine pistol is generally defined as a firearm designed to be fired with one hand, and capable of fully automatic or selective fire.the light weight, small size, and extremely rapid rates of fire of a machine pistol make them difficult to control, making the larger heavier submachine gun a better choice in cases where the small size of a machine pistol is not needed. RATING-5/10
• RevolversRevolvers feed ammunition via the rotation of a cartridge-filled cylinder, in which each cartridge is contained in its own ignition chamber, and is sequentially brought into alignment with the weapon’s barrel by a mechanism linked to the weapon’s trigger (double-action) or its hammer (single-action). These nominally cylindrical chambers, usually numbering between five and ten depending on the size of the revolver and the size the cartridge being fired, are bored through the cylinder so that their axes are parallel to the cylinder’s axis of rotation; thus, as the cylinder rotates, the chambers revolve about the cylinder’s axis. Due to simplicity of construction and operation, revolvers are considered to be more reliable than semi-automatic pistols. RATING-6/10

GOOL LUCK!

The dawn of a new day is on the horizon. You alarm clock rings at 6:30 a.m.  Another day, another 2 hour commute to work. Walking into the kitchen, you turn the T.V. on. Nothing much is new, but you notice odd stories that grip your intuition. A murder was reported, but not a normal murder. Apparently, the victim had been bitten many times and flesh was missing. Immediatly, your alarm should go off! DO NOT lose your mind and prepare for war, but keep tap of the news. If more of the same is reported in the days to come, get ready. If you need a plan, I suggest to read, “How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse”, by Max Brooks. It is much more in depth than my blogg is.

The day has come, you wake up at 6:30 again, this time to police sirens outside. Your heart starts to pound, the curtains are opened and you see civilians running around. SO IT BEGINS.

The first thing I would recommend is it STAY CALM. Sit in your kitchen and turn on the news. See if the outbreak is in your city only, or all over the world. Based on common sense, your plan should already be intact. Call your family and meet somewhere safe. Grab your gear and GET THE HELL OUT!!!

Ah, the good ol’ machete. The 2nd best overall melee weapon. ( katana is #1)

A machete is perfect for fighting the undead in all aspects. You can use it in close- spaced areas and large-open areas. When buying a machete, try to buy a black-bladed one, it conceals your identity better at night!

Advantages: Cheap( $5 @ wal-mart), Sharp, Extremely Light

Disadvantages: Not as durable as larger swords- Requires very close combat that should be avoided at all costs

A machete is simple to attain at a very cheap price and is a very useful zombie killing machine. Remember to buy a sharpening stone and pack it with your machete when youre on the run!

INFO & HISTORY

The machete (International Phonetic Alphabet: /məˈʃɛti/) is a cleaver-like tool that looks like a very large knife. The blade is typically 50–60 cm (18–24 in) long, usually with a thin blade under 3mm thick. In the English language, an equivalent term is matchet (though the name ‘machete’ enjoys greater currency).

The machete is normally used to cut through thick vegetation such as sugar cane or jungle undergrowth but it can also be used as an offensive weapon. There are many specialized designs for different regions, tasks, and budgets. In Central America it is not uncommon to see a machete being used for such household tasks as cutting large foodstuffs into pieces — much as a cleaver is used — or to perform crude cutting tasks such as making simple wooden handles for other tools.

The modern machete is very similar to some forms of the medieval falchion (a type of sword), differing mainly in the lack of a guard and a simpler hilt, though some machetes do have a guard for greater protection of hands during work.

Ah, the good ol’ machete. The 2nd best overall melee weapon. ( katana is #1)

A machete is perfect for fighting the undead in all aspects. You can use it in close- spaced areas and large-open areas. When buying a machete, try to buy a black-bladed one, it conceals your identity better at night!

Advantages: Cheap( $5 @ wal-mart), Sharp, Extremely Light

Disadvantages: Not as durable as larger swords- Requires very close combat that should be avoided at all costs

A machete is simple to attain at a very cheap price and is a very useful zombie killing machine. Remember to buy a sharpening stone and pack it with your machete when youre on the run!

INFO & HISTORY

The machete (International Phonetic Alphabet: /məˈʃɛti/) is a cleaver-like tool that looks like a very large knife. The blade is typically 50–60 cm (18–24 in) long, usually with a thin blade under 3mm thick. In the English language, an equivalent term is matchet (though the name ‘machete’ enjoys greater currency).

The machete is normally used to cut through thick vegetation such as sugar cane or jungle undergrowth but it can also be used as an offensive weapon. There are many specialized designs for different regions, tasks, and budgets. In Central America it is not uncommon to see a machete being used for such household tasks as cutting large foodstuffs into pieces — much as a cleaver is used — or to perform crude cutting tasks such as making simple wooden handles for other tools.

The modern machete is very similar to some forms of the medieval falchion (a type of sword), differing mainly in the lack of a guard and a simpler hilt, though some machetes do have a guard for greater protection of hands during work.

The two-handed claymore was a large sword used in the Medieval period. It was used in the constant clan warfare and border fights with the English from circa 1300 to 1700.^{[citation needed]} The last known battle in which it is considered to have been used in a significant number is Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. It was somewhat smaller than other two-handed swords of the era. The two-handed claymore seems to be an offshoot of Early Scottish medieval swords which had developed a distinctive style of a cross-hilt with downsloping arms that ended in spatulate swellings. The spatulate swellings were frequently made in a quatrefoil design.

The average claymore ran about 55 inches (1.4 m) in overall length, with a 13-inch (33 cm) grip, 42-inch (1.07 m) blade, and a weight of approximately 5.5 lb (2.5 kg), the blades are most similar to the type XIIIa, using the Oakeshott typology. Fairly uniform in style, the sword was set with a wheel pommel often capped by a crescent-shaped nut and a guard with straight, down-sloping arms ending in quatrefoils and langets running down the center of the blade from the guard. Another common style of two-handed claymore (though lesser known today) was the “clamshell hilted” claymore. It had a crossguard that consisted of two downward-curving arms and two large, round, concave plates that protected the foregrip. It was so named because the round guards resembled an open clam.

The “Claymore” originated in the early 1300′s from Scottish Rebels. This sword is huge, about 55 inches long and weight about 5.5 pounds.

I would recommend this sword for stronger people, but it is not my first or even second choice.

Positives: Sharp, Very durable, Cheaper$$,

Negatives: Very Heavy, Hard to Find Authentic, Huge

This sword is not for use in closed space areas at all, you will do as much danger to yourself as others if you use this in closed spaces.

Two-handed (Highland) claymore

The two-handed claymore was a large sword used in the Medieval period. It was used in the constant clan warfare and border fights with the English from circa 1300 to 1700.^{[citation needed]} The last known battle in which it is considered to have been used in a significant number is Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. It was somewhat smaller than other two-handed swords of the era. The two-handed claymore seems to be an offshoot of Early Scottish medieval swords which had developed a distinctive style of a cross-hilt with downsloping arms that ended in spatulate swellings. The spatulate swellings were frequently made in a quatrefoil design.

The average claymore ran about 55 inches (1.4 m) in overall length, with a 13-inch (33 cm) grip, 42-inch (1.07 m) blade, and a weight of approximately 5.5 lb (2.5 kg), the blades are most similar to the type XIIIa, using the Oakeshott typology. Fairly uniform in style, the sword was set with a wheel pommel often capped by a crescent-shaped nut and a guard with straight, down-sloping arms ending in quatrefoils and langets running down the center of the blade from the guard. Another common style of two-handed claymore (though lesser known today) was the “clamshell hilted” claymore. It had a crossguard that consisted of two downward-curving arms and two large, round, concave plates that protected the foregrip. It was so named because the round guards resembled an open clam.

The Japanese Katana is the best “Melee” weapon that you could ever own. 

Positives: Sharpest Sword, Never needs to reload, Light, Durable,

Negatives: $$$$ some cost thousands of dollars, Some are heavy and require 2 hands to wield

Buyers Guide

Whenever buying a katana that could essentialy save your life, do not take the cheap route, ever!!! Isn’t your life worth at least$2000? I sure bet it is. Here are some useful and worthy tips for buying a katana:

• Never buy a Katana off of Ebay- You should always try the weapon out before purchasing it, ALWAYS!!
• Buy a sword cleaning kit
• Beware of the “Decoration Swords”- These are usually made of stainless steel and come with a blade that is dull and bends easily.
• BOTTOM LINE: Do not expect to pay any less than $600 for a high quality carbon Katana.

 Here us a History of the Katana( yes, you should study your sword!)

Use

The tachi became the primary weapon on the battlefield during Kamakura period, used by cavalry mounted samurai. The sword was mostly considered as a secondary weapon until then, used in the battlefield only after the bow and spear were no longer feasible. During the Edo period samurai went about on foot unarmored, and with much less combat being fought on horseback in open battlefields the need for an effective close quarter weapon resulted in samurai being armed with daisho.

Testing of swords, called tameshigiri, was practiced on a variety of materials to test the sword’s sharpness and practice cutting technique. This included prisoners.^{[citation needed]}

Kenjutsu is the use of the Japanese sword in combat. The katana was primarily a cutting weapon, or more specifically, a slicing one. However, the katana’s moderate curve allows for effective thrusting as well. The hilt of the katana was usually held with two hands, though a fair amount of one-handed techniques exist. The placement of the right hand was dictated by both the length of the tsuka and the length of the wielder’s arm.

For cutting, there was a specific technique called ‘ten uchi.’ Ten uchi refers to an organized motion made by arms and wrist, during a descending strike. As the sword is swung downwards, the elbow joint drastically extends at the last instant, popping the sword into place. This motion causes the swordsman’s grip to twist slightly and if done correctly, is said to feel like wringing a towel. This motion itself caused the katana’s blade to impact its target with sharp force, and is used to break initial resistance. From there, fluidly continuing along the motion wrought by ‘ten uchi,’ the arms would follow through with the stroke, dragging the sword through its target. Because the katana slices rather than chops, it is this ‘dragging’ which allows it to do maximum damage, and is thusly incorporated into the cutting technique. At full speed, the swing will appear to be full stroke, the katana passing through the targeted object. The segments of the swing are hardly visible, if at all. Assuming that the target is, for example, a human torso — ten uchi will break the initial resistance supplied by shoulder muscles and the clavical. The follow through would continue the slicing motion, through whatever else it would encounter, until the blade inherently exited the body, due a combination of the motion and its curved shape.

Nearly all styles of kenjutsu share the same five basic guard stances. They are as follows; chudan no kamae (middle guard), jodan no kamae (high guard), gedan no kamae (low guard) hasso (side guard), and waki no gamae (rear guard).

The katana’s razor-edge was so hard that upon hitting an equally hard or harder object, such as another sword’s edge, chipping became a definite risk. As such, blocking an oncoming blow blade-to-blade was generally avoided. In fact, evasive body maneuvers were preferred over blade contact by most, but, if such was not done, the side or the back of the blade was used for defense in many styles, rather than the precious edge. A popular method for defeating descending slashes was to simply beat the sword aside. In some instances, an umbrella block — positioning the blade overhead, diagonally (point towards the ground, pommel towards the sky) – would create an effective shield against a descending strike. If the angle of the block was drastic enough, the curve of the katana’s spine would cause the attacker’s blade to slide along its counter and off to the side