The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2 ... ipers.html


Hmm! Turns novices into "expert snipers" - not just good shots, then? :roll: :cool2:

I saw something on this a few months back before it went on general sale. It seem's like it's applications should be based on military type platforms in my opinion however there's nothing that can be done to stop it being made available to the public. Let's just hope it doesn't lead to more shooting accidents as a result of very novice shooters thinking they can go long distance without having some sort of good grounding.

"Novice" shooters parting with $22K for a rifle? Sounds likely

A bit like spending a similar amount on a tricked up track bike, but not knowing how to ride a moped.

The idea that a lunatic is going to spend that amount of money to go on a killing spree is a GCN wet dream. Washington sniper aside (who was ex military) - what percentages of civilian murders in non-war countries come from "snipers"? Normally it's up close with a concealed weapon or with a rapid fire weapon in an enclosed space.

Anyone who bought one in the UK would have to go through the standard FAC process anyway. So they would have to have done probationary for a club.

And there is a lot more to being a sniper than just being a good shot - does this rifle teach you fieldcraft and concealment to?

As for the stalkers bemoaning it - how can anything that helps the chances of a clean kill be bad?

Lots of hysteria over nothing in my opinion.

Smart weapons analyst Noel Sharkey at the University of Sheffield in the UK is concerned. "This new smart rifle puts too much power into the civilian world," he says. "Being a sniper is a very specialised role and requires a great deal of training - but now anyone can be an accurate assassin and at long ranges, too."

Typical hysteria about new technology, bet they said that when the first gun was invented.

And WHY do they always call these potential murderers "snipers", they are not and never will be "snipers", at best they would be opportunist killers, even the police have marksmen not snipers.

No loonytune is going to spend $22000 on a weapon when he can buy a pressure cooker and fertiliser for a few dollars.

Anyway, where would be the fun in target shooting with THAT set up, kind of removes the skill and the whole point for doing it.

Books - they corrupt the mind and turn you from God!
Radio - It'll rot the mind and turn our children into heathens!
TV - It will turn all of us into zombies and give us all eye cancer!
Video Games - it causes violence in children and shouldn't be allowed!

See where I'm going here? It's just fear over new tech, and also, I've read that review, and all it does it allow you to fire when it thinks it should be fired. It doesn't self-aim at all.

And, as above, just because you have a scoped rifle does NOT mean you're a sniper. Shooting is about, what? 40% of what a sniper does. The rest is concealment, field craft, survival, etc, etc, etc.

Ok, owning one may make you a killer, if you so choose, but owning a car may make you a killer, if you so chose. And, as above, what potential killer will fork out £22,000 on one?

Anyway, where would be the fun in target shooting with THAT set up, kind of removes the skill and the whole point for doing it.

Bench-rest shooter would love it! :lol: If they can rig up a finger-presser, electronic firer to fire the thing, too, all the better.

Blackknight1974 wrote:
As for the stalkers bemoaning it - how can anything that helps the chances of a clean kill be bad?

Thats what i thought too, the expert guy saying it would be great for target shooting (er, not really it would take the skill required out of the competition), but no good for stalking - surely you want a clean kill each and every time!? I can only think he was thinking that it might allow daft people to take excessively long shots at animals?