Sharpshooters and Snipers a Brief History

By John Farnam

By John Farnam

Ft Collins, CO –-(Ammoland.com)- “Your body won’t go where your mind has never been” ~ Training Axiom

Sharpshooters and Snipers:

The American Revolutionary War pitted Colonial frontiersmen against British Regulars.

“Regulars” in all armies of the day were issued smooth-bore muskets. Projectiles were round balls, not very accurate (at least by today’s standards), but reloading was much faster than was the case with rifles.

Period infantry tactics dictated that individual initiative on the part of infantryman was never allowed. You fired muskets only in volleys, and only when directed. Your target was not an individual enemy soldier, but rather a “rank” of soldiers, and ranges were short, always less than fifty meters. Muskets were “leveled,” not “aimed.” Such volleys, sometimes several in number, where followed by bayonet charges, because reloading could often not be accomplished before the enemy closed the distance and was upon you.

This mantra was pretty standard for European land battles, which had been more-or-less continuous since Roman times. Europeans got lots of practice!