Russian Snipers of World War Two

Pavlichenko

Pchelintsev

Stalin's Sharpshooter's Tool

The Soviet Russian Sniper rifle model M1891/30 Victor of Stalingrad, Warsaw

The Mosin-Nagant was adopted in 1891 by imperial Russia. The action of the rifle was developed by Colonel Serge Mosin of the Imperial Russian Army and the magazine by the Emile Nagant of Belgium. It was manufactured chronologically in France, Russia, the United State, Finland, China, and North Korea where it is still in production. The rifle, by nature of its 30 inch barrel, was the longest carried on the European battlefield of the First World War. It stood as tall as the men who carried it and was tipped with a 23 inch steel spike bayonet (which most modern armies of the time took to be an inefficient design). The rear sights were graduated in Arshins, an old Tsarist imperial measure of roughly 0.75 meters that was phased out in the twentieth century. Mosin-Nagant rifles are characterized by their massive action whose simplicity of design and operation almost completely soldier-proofed the weapon. It was an excellent design and would serve the Russian peasant soldiers of world war one and the subsequent Russian civil war well. It would continue on in the service of the winner of that war, the Red Army, for decades to come.

With the modernization of the Soviet Red Army in the 1930's the old reliable M1891 Mosin design was modified and designated the 1891/30. This redesign shortened the barrel to a more manageable length and changed the sights to a much better design graduated in meters. With the concept of having dedicated snipers assigned down to the platoon level, the Soviet Army needed a supply of sniper rifles. The 1891/30 was further redesigned to produce this creature. During the test firing steps of the manufacturing process used in making the standard 1891/30, rifles that shot particularly well were set aside for further conversion into the Soviet Army's first dedicated sniper rifle. The rifle was expected to shoot 10 shots into 3.5 cm (1.38") at 100m, 7.5 cm (2.96") at 200m, 18 cm (7.09") at 400m, and 35cm (13.79") at 600m. A special machining and tapping process permitted the installation of an ingenious scope mount that is rock solid and preserves the use of the iron sights. The bolt handle was lengthened and bent nearly strait down to prevent it from hitting the attached scope. Two different scopes (the PU, and the PE/PEM) were used by these rifles, with the PU being the most prevalent.

Both the PU and PE scopes were issued from the 1930's through world war and remained in use postwar. The front and rear iron sights of this rifle are not removed when the telescope is attatched and these sights may still be used with the PU scope at ranges up to 2000 meters (2200 yards). The PU scope is 3.5 power fixed, with a 4 degree field of view at 30 feet, a 2.8 inch eye relief, is 6.59 inches long and adds 0.59 pounds to the weight of the rifle. A thumbscrew for lateral corrections (windage, drift and lead) is located on the left side of the scope. It has a thumbscrew on the top of the scope for setting angles of elevation. The elevation thumbscrew has 13 graduations, each one for 100 meters, allowing the PU scope to be dialed in anywhere from 100 to 1300 meters (110-1420 yards) for accuracy. The PE scope was much the same as above, being constructed with a tube that was some four inches longer, having a diopter adjustment added, and a slightly higher magnification (4 power rather than the 3.5 of the PU). Some 54,160 of the PE design were made 1932-1938, with the PU design numbering some 220,034 being produced 1942-1958. The original design of both scopes was by the German firm of Zeiss although actual production was by no less than 12 different Soviet firms. They both used a three bar 'German' reticle instead of the duplex reticle most modern scopes have.

The Russian M1891/30 Sniper rifle was issued down to the platoon level. The top twenty ranked soviet snipers (by number of confirmed 'kills") of the Second World War have 7400 confirmed kills. The weapon was a favorite of these 'sniper aces' of the Soviets with Noble Sniper Ivan Nikolayevich Kulbertinov of the (23rd separate ski brigade -499 kills) Fyodor Matveyevich Ohlopkov (of the 1243rd rifle regiments-424 kills) and Vasiliy Grigorievich Zaytsev (1047th rifle regiment-248 kills) almost always being shown pictured with either PU or PE equipped M1891/30's. The recent

Hollywood hit 'Enemy at the Gates' portrayed Zaytsev during the Battle of Stalingrad. The Soviet army arguably had the most snipers in history with more than a hundred thousand carried on their roles, including over a thousand female snipers who were credited with a total of 12000+ confirmed kills during the war. The highest ranking female sniper (in history of any army) was Ludmila Mihaylovna Pavlichenko (of the 54th rifle regiment) with 309 kills while mainly using a Mosin 91/30 sniper. It was used by the Communist Chinese Forces in the Korean conflict with Sniper Zhang Tao fang allegedly scoring 214 hits on UN troops in 32 days in 1952.

A number of Mosin rifles were captured in enemy hands in Vietnam and the guns are still seen in conflict in the middle east and Africa.

Being put into production in 1932 it was the standard issue sniper rifle of the Soviet Army and its allies until the introduction of the SVD Druganov in 1963.. The Druganov was not fully adopted by all units until as late at the 1980's with scoped M1891's still being carried in arsenals and war reserve stocks until just recently being liquidated. All of the recent imports are of the Soviet manufacture guns. These guns were re-arsenaled than packed away for long-term storage should the situation arise that they be needed again. No doubt many of these old veterans are still held in armories of former Soviet bloc countries. These weapons are available for collectors in the United States. I recently purchased a M1891/30 Sniper with a faithfully reproduced PU scope from Interordanance.

Shanina

Lobkobskaya

Polivanova

Lepskiy , Nikitin

Titov

Antonov

Pavlichenko (top) , Zaitsev (bottom) , Kovshova (right)

Zaitsev (above in white parka)

Zaitsev (alone)

Ohlopkov and Kvachantiradze

More Snipers

German Snipers

Training Soviet Snipers (translated from Soviet Texts)

By candidate in snipers must be assigned the member of the subdivision of the quick response, who showed the special habits of rotation with the rifles. These habits could be acquired by it in the course of competitions, on the hunting or during the appropriate preparation in the army.

Unfortunately, not all subdivisions are guided by these criteria with the selection of candidates in snipers. We met with the candidates, who never in the life held in the hands rifle. In some subdivisions to this post is assigned old, that have the excess weight of colleagues, because they cannot run or they do not manage after the younger and healthier colleagues.

Sniper must be in the outstanding physical form. He must run, climb on the walls and to get down on the rope on the level with the best soldiers; for it it is necessary to bear heavier weapon than in others in addition to standard equipment. A good sniper must also know how to check heart and respiration. If his heart madly stuchit and it does choke after heavy lift to the roof of building, navryad it is worthwhile to expect from it by the marker of shooting.

Therefore very frequently as a result of this poor selection sniper school is converted into the courses of initial military training.

Not one book can learn by marker to shooting from the rifle and it is not possible to find replacement to the long hours of occupations under the indefatigable eye of competent instructor. Those colleagues, who are actually interested in the mastery of sniper skill, must compulsorily participate in different kind competitions in shooting from the rifle. In the course of such competitions the sniper obtains the possibility to meet with the snipers from other departments; to compare outfitting, to exchange experience, methods; for it it is necessary to shoot, it obtains the precise estimation of its level even it sees under the action of stress and after competitions, at how it should work.

The primary training

The school of training snipers for the police subdivisions uses the weekly program, which includes the following objects,:

• role and the place of sniper;

• the selection of rifle and equipment;

• preparation and bringing rifle to the normal battle;

• the ballistics: internal, external and in the final trajectory;

• connection;

• basis by the marker of shooting;

• shooting under the conditions of the limited illumination;

• the tactics of snipers and field habits;

• reconnaissance and the selection of purpose;

• aiming point and fire upon command;

• simultaneous fire/light is sniper ambush;

• assault with the support of snipers;

• observation and the collection of information;

• conducting records;

• storage and the economy of weapon.

All these objects and some others are described in the book "sniper against the sniper"; therefore we will examine one - even two - the day programs, used by us. These programs are intended for the experimental snipers, to which it is necessary to grind its craftsmanship.

Sniper exercises

Snipers are trained and as the separate, independent element, and as the part of the tactical assault team. At first we will discover the special features of preparation specially for the snipers.

Realistic approach is applied from the moment of the arrival of snipers to the shooting-range to their preparation. We begin with 100 - meter direction, where they occupy positions into the line. Several targets are established for each sniper in the field.

Instructors evaluate, as it is rapid, noiselessly and effectively sniper is prepared for the first shot - shot from the cold stem - to the most important shot of day each shot thoroughly is investigated, is evaluated and will be brought in into the sniper book. Targets can be signed and be stored by snipers for the report on the arrival into their subdivisions.

Exercise

Shot from the cold stemShooting is conducted according to two head targets to distance 100 it is meter from the position of lezha/s of support. Sniper can use a belt of weapon, support, sandbags or another property, which he can have during the operation. After command the sniper has the unlimited time for the production of shot to the center of the left target (see figure), the recharging and shot on the right target.

With conducting of operation the sniper does not have possibility to produce ranging or verifying shot, thus, shot from the cold stem checks pointer and its armament and their ability to strike purpose from the first shot. The second shot is intended for the production in the sniper of quality to recharge weapon and to fire a shot automatically, in the case, when purpose did not fall after the first shot.

Shot of the cold stem must not differ from aiming point more than for 2,5 cm. this requirement is not unreal for the contemporary sniper systems and the ammunition. Pointers does not experience stress, has the unlimited time and ideal conditions.

Exercise 2GroupBeing located in the same firing position (lezha/s of support), sniper has the unlimited time for the shooting of group of five shots. Purpose must have the small, but clearly distinguishable aiming point with the fulfillment of this exercise. It is intended for checking the stability of rifle, sight, ammunition and pointer. You remember the aphorism: "accuracy is the result of uniformity".

Group with a radius of more than 2,5 cm must worry good pointer with the outstanding weapon, but for the novice the result of less than 5 cm pointer with the average weapon is completely satisfactory. It is necessary to approach that so that the radius of group would be less than 2,5 cm.

The common reasons for spread are the weakened screws of fastening of sight and mechanisms, the unbalanced state of stem, malfunction fast and well - trigger mechanism and the insufficient habits pointer in the production of shot.

Exercise 3Lying without the support With the fulfillment of this exercise the snipers must produce five shots from the position lying without the support (without the supports and the sandbags) on the silhouette purpose of the reduced sizes. In the course of exercise we control the ability of the snipers of news fire with the use of a belt. With conducting of operation the firing position of sniper always cannot allow the use of a support.

Experimental snipers with the correctly urged belts, that have gloves and rifle jackets in the state to shoot out group with the result of close grouping less than 7,5 cm. less experimental pointers can be satisfied by the result less than 15 cm. convenience in the position and the control of respiration they play important role with the fulfillment of this exercise.

Exercise 4 Shooting upon command Pointers charge five cartridges and one shot on the head target is produced for each command. This exercise is carried out from the position of lezha/s of support, in this case the sniper must shoot during second from the moment of supplying command. At the moment of supplying command the sniper has already been find on the position and aims into his target

Instructor follows the stable defeat of the center of target upon command. And again, good pointers must be packed in the circle 5 cm. At the same time the bullets, which fell into the circle with a diameter of 10 cm, will lead to "death" of enemy.

Exercise 5Salvo fire To each pointer in the line is assigned purpose (paper or three-dimensional head target). Reverse counting from 5 to 1 is given. To calculation 1 all snipers must simultaneously produce one shot. This exercise is repeated five times.

All targets must be struck by five shots into the center and each volley it must sound as one loud shot. Instructor controls shooting for the purpose to determine strelkov, which shoot too early or, on the contrary, it is too late. Such pointers "do not know their descent".

The salvo fire is important with conducting of ambush and in the situations, when several terrorists must be destroyed immediately. Premature shot can warn criminals and they will have time to engage shelters or to begin to kill hostages.

To the exercises "shooting upon the command" and the "salvo fire" must be given additional attention and training time, if we want to prepare professionals.

Exercise 6Shooting to 200 it is meterAfter displacement in the section of shooting to distance 200 it is meter snipers they must as fast as possible to prepare positions for the shooting of lezha/s of support. Using known adjustment of sights or aim-off, snipers produce five shots on the head target. Shooting can be achieved with the time constraint or upon command (see above).

It is not surprising, that the majority of police snipers never shot to the distances, which exceed 100 it was meter. Therefore this exercise gives the specific experience to them.

Acceptable result it is possible to consider entry into the center of head with the diameter of scattering 7,5 - 10 cm. some pointers will be satisfied simply by entry into head, whereas others can obtain the group of scattering of less than 5 cm in the diameter.

Exercise 7Shooting to 300 it is meterAfter displacement in the section of shooting to distance 300 it is meter the snipers produce five shots, taking aim into the region of breast. Firing position - lezha/s of support. To snipers must be given sufficiently time for the production of well-aimed shot. The firing distance 300 it is meter it is practically maximum for the police sniper in view of the fact that the identification of purpose on face at the long range is very hindered.

The trajectory of the bullet of caliber 308 Win passes on 38 - 43 cm lower than aiming line with the

shooting to 300 it is meter, if rifle was led to the normal battle to 100 it was meter. Sniper must solidly know the values of the corrections, introduced in sight or arrangement of aiming point with the shooting at distance 200 and 300 it is meter.

With the shooting under the ideal conditions to distance 300 is meter standard it is the group of entries to the center of the breast with a diameter 12 - 15 cm. the wind with a speed of 18 km/h (5 m/s), which blows at the angle of 90 degrees to the plane of file, it slants bullet on 12 - 17 cm from the aiming point with the shooting to distance 300 it is meter.

Exercise 9Shooting after the loadSnipers are advanced by run from boundary 200 it is meter to boundary 100 it is meter they conduct fire according to purpose five by shots rapidly from any position with the use of a support. Instructor evaluates the action of stress and heavy respiration on the results of shooting.

Squeezings, the lifts of housing from the position lying or lifts on the rope also they can be used for quickening of respiration and pulse.

The tactical exercises

These occupations are to a series of the exercises, which include 1 2 shots each, jettisoned in different and unknown distances. Shooting to the unknown distances is the integral part of training sniper. For it constantly it is necessary to define distances both for determining the adjustment of sights and for razveddoneseniy.

Instructor must manifest the maximum of fantasy with the preparation of such occupations, at the same time they must include: shooting at the purposes, which are been located near the hostages, shooting with the large angle of sightings, shooting through the open windows, the shooting at the purposes, which are located in the machines, on the moving purposes, to the turned purposes and shooting under the conditions of human crowd. Each situation must require of the sniper of the selection of position, identification of purpose, transmission of information and then shooting only upon command.Tactical exercises can be carried out by one sniper, pair or subdivision of snipers. You approach that so that the occupations would be interesting, diverse and realistic.

Experimental exercises

The designation of such exercises consists in giving information about the behavior of bullet under the varied conditions to sniper.

This can include: shooting through different types of glass and obstacle at different angles for determining the deflection of bullets. But also the tests of the piercing power of bullets with the shooting at the barricades, the gelatinous blocks, the automobile doors and the wind glass and so forth shooting under the conditions of wind to the long range also can be related to such exercises.All results of such exercises must be documented and photographed on video for the subsequent generations of the snipers, who can not have time or necessary materials for conducting their own

experiments.

Exercises in the composition of the subdivision

Since the sniper is the integral part capturing team, exercise in the composition of subdivision they must be included in the program of training sniper.

The scenario of this exercise can be the following: sniper is present on the preliminary instruction, is selected place for the position, it determines possible purposes, transfers information to the control center and expects command to opening fire. The shot of sniper can serve as signal at the beginning of assault or from it simply it is required to ensure the fire cover outstanding capturing team and to continue the transmission of information.

Capturing team must be completely assured in the ability of the sniper of news fire on the purposes, situated in immediate proximity of the soldiers of group. This confidence can arise only when the colleagues of group see high degree of accuracy and professionalism, whom possesses the sniper.It is necessary to always assign at least two snipers to each terrorist, and this in turn leads to the fact that it is necessary to give considerable attention to the production of the ability to conduct simultaneous fire.

- Deva Priya,

Madurai,

India.