If your shooting a .308 rifle what distance is best so that the enemy cannot determine where your position is.

Question

Or will they always be able to find you.

Would it be better to use subsonic bullets, I am not allowed to buy a silencer.

Answer 1

The first indication that you have taken a shot will be the "crack" of the round going past or the "smack" of the bullet strike if you hit your target. That lets everyone know you are out there somewhere. This comes first because the bullet is travelling faster than sound at most practical engagement ranges.

The second audible indication will be the "thump" of your muzzle blast that took place when the bullet left the muzzle and the powder gases finished burning at the end of the barrel. A smart individual will have been counting the seconds since the bullet came in until your muzzle blast arrived, and will now have a very good idea of your distance and direction. You can now expect to begin the "two-way-range" aspect of your engagement.

Even without a silencer there are ways to moderate the intensity of that muzzle blast, such as firing from within a room with the muzzle also inside...in other words not sticking your barrel out the window. A 2 liter pop bottle taped to the barrel with a large hole in the bottom so the bullet will not touch anything on the way downrange will trap a great deal of the blast as it gets torn apart.

Your firing position can still be determined to a fairly close approximation by modern technology however. So the goal is to make your exact position a matter of guesswork.

Try to not shoot from the most obvious spot.

A location with several large surfaces which will reflect the sound of your shot can also temporarily confuse your targets with echoes of the blast. High tech gear will determine that the first impulse is the true one...but people can be fooled for awhile.

Make up several decoy positions in advance that will lure your target's attention away from your true location.

A pyrotechnic device rigged to detonate a few seconds after they start looking for you will satisfy their desire for something to respond to as another method of decoying them away.

Never taking a second shot from any one location is the low risk method of target engagement. It's very tempting to shoot just one more....but do it while they are looking your way and your chances of survival will drop like your first target, with the same result for you.

Once you do shoot....move. In time all things will become known, including your exact location and methods of operation. Become enough of a threat and the resources that will be deployed aginst you will make your escape pretty much impossible. Successful snipers have ended up facing artillery barrages, airstrikes, and precision guided anti-tank missiles. Do your thing...drop your target...and get the heck out.

Your mileage may vary.

Answer 2

Look at the Savage lineup; the heavy barrel 110 is favored by police snipers in 308 caliber. If you have the money you can have just about anything. If you are not locked into the 308 and would like to have some fun do this; get a BRNO 98/29 Mauser which is chambered for 8mm Mauser. Drill and tap it for a good scope and you have a thousand yard sniping rifle that really gets the job done. The 196 grain slug has good long distance traveling characteristics that defy all the new and improved stuff.

Answer 3

The mantra of the Marine Corp Sniper Program is "One Shot..One Kill."

Even with only 1 shot a snipers position can be compromised and located. As a result the new tactic's call for "Sniper Teams", consisting of a "Spotter" and a "Shooter"... A large part of the sniper teams intensive training includes training on how to shoot and when to shot to avoid detection. Not only do you have to worry about enemy personnel, but a mortar or artillery barrage could locate and eliminate the sniper team easily and effectively. As a member of a Long Range Rifle Team Member, it is not uncommon to shoot in Matches in excess of 600 yards with a Custom Remington 700 HB Match Rifle in 308 caliber. Military Snipers as well as Law Enforcement Tactical Snipers shoot much further....

Just for the record there is no such thing as 308 Caliber Subsonic Ammunition, it doesn't exist.

Answer 4

Depends on background noise as well as camouflage. Taking a shot while there's a tank driving by should hide the noise from your shot pretty well. If there's someone else shooting you can try and use their report as a noise cover. You'll want to improvise a ground cover or a blind if there's not enough available. Don't make the mistake of putting much foliage in your hat, as the movement will help give away your position. A buddy of mine bought some good camo for duck hunting, and I've heard trying to find him and his blind was pretty hard. You might want to consider a scope wrap, or a Flash-Kill scope cover. They're paintable to make it even harder to see you. If you're hard to see, then even a 300yd shot should be hard to determine your position. 500yd should be safe, and if there are structures for the shot to echo from, it should make it even more difficult. If there are multiple targets, they will probably be able to judge your general direction based on the impact of the round or spatter/spalling from your first shot. As far as using subsonic bullets go, I'd stay away from it. It'd still make about as much noise, but it wouldn't wizz by. You'd have to compensate for so much bullet drop at any kind of distance that it wouldn't be worth it. There you're talking about figuring about five or six feet of drop. As far as bullets go, I'd suggest using Federal 168grn FMJs, they're accurate, have a good ballistic coefficient, and will hit hard at long ranges.

Answer 5

Depends on the terrain. As others have say only one shot is best and if you can't do that you need a lot of practice. All the subsonic bullets don't have much range, so the larger the better---I think .45 auto is subsonic as is .22 long (not long rifle), and .38 Smith or colt. anything slower than the speed of sound--1100 feet per second.

Answer 6

Snipers typically shoot then move. An observant enemy will always be able to eventually poinpoint the sniper if the sniper remains in the same spot, regardless of the distance.

Answer 7

If your firing at only one enemy & you are accurate it doesn't matter how far away you are.* The greater in numbers the enemy the more likely they will locate your position.* One on one should be no problem, however it all depends on your Marksmanship capability.*

Answer 8

Only taking one shot is the key to ensuring no knowledge of your location.

If you shoot more than once from a stationary position, they can use sound to determine the basic location.

Answer 9

With me I like the deer to be no farther than 250 meters, at 300 meters they are too small for me.... I would say 250 and closer for me..... 100 meters would be very nice :)

Answer 10

Ohhh 5 miles or so, with a mountain range between you and your enemy. That ought to do it. Good luck