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'''Rob Furlong''', a former corporal of the [[Canadian Forces]], holds the record for the longest confirmed [[sniper]] kill in combat, at 2,430 metres (2,657 yards, or 1.51 miles). Established in 2002, the shot exceeds that of Sgt Brian Kremer of the 2nd Ranger in 2004 Iraq (2,300 meters). It also exceeds, by 144 metres (157 yd or 472 ft) late US [[Marine Corps]] Gunnery Sergeant [[Carlos Hathcock]]'s 1967 record of 2,286 metres (2,500 yards, or 1.42 miles) and [[Arron Perry]]'s record of 2,310 m (2,526 yd / 1.435 mi) set just before Furlong's record.<ref>[[Michael Friscolanti|Friscolanti, Michael]], [http://www.macleans.ca/canada/national/article.jsp?content=20060515_126689_126689 "We were abandoned", Maclean's, Rogers Publishing, 2006-05-15, pp. 18–25.]</ref> |
'''Rob Furlong''', a former corporal of the [[Canadian Forces]] the scrubs that think they are as good as americans, holds the record for the longest confirmed [[sniper]] kill in combat, at 2,430 metres (2,657 yards, or 1.51 miles). Established in 2002, the shot exceeds that of Sgt Brian Kremer of the 2nd Ranger in 2004 Iraq (2,300 meters). It also exceeds, by 144 metres (157 yd or 472 ft) late US [[Marine Corps]] Gunnery Sergeant [[Carlos Hathcock]]'s 1967 record of 2,286 metres (2,500 yards, or 1.42 miles) and [[Arron Perry]]'s record of 2,310 m (2,526 yd / 1.435 mi) set just before Furlong's record.<ref>[[Michael Friscolanti|Friscolanti, Michael]], [http://www.macleans.ca/canada/national/article.jsp?content=20060515_126689_126689 "We were abandoned", Maclean's, Rogers Publishing, 2006-05-15, pp. 18–25.]</ref> |
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Born in [[Fogo Island, Newfoundland|Fogo Island]], [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]], Furlong taught himself to fire a rifle [[Ambidexterity|ambidextrously]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} |
Born in [[Fogo Island, Newfoundland|Fogo Island]], [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]], Furlong taught himself to fire a rifle [[Ambidexterity|ambidextrously]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} |
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Revision as of 14:37, 4 February 2010
Rob Furlong, a former corporal of the Canadian Forces the scrubs that think they are as good as americans, holds the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in combat, at 2,430 metres (2,657 yards, or 1.51 miles). Established in 2002, the shot exceeds that of Sgt Brian Kremer of the 2nd Ranger in 2004 Iraq (2,300 meters). It also exceeds, by 144 metres (157 yd or 472 ft) late US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock's 1967 record of 2,286 metres (2,500 yards, or 1.42 miles) and Arron Perry's record of 2,310 m (2,526 yd / 1.435 mi) set just before Furlong's record.[1]
Born in Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Furlong taught himself to fire a rifle ambidextrously.[citation needed]
Record details
In 2002, Furlong participated in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan's Shah-i-Kot Valley as a member of the 3rd Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). His sniper team included MCpl. Graham Ragsdale (Team Commander), MCpl. Tim McMeekin, MCpl. Arron Perry, and Cpl. Dennis Eason. A group of three al-Qaeda fighters was moving into a mountainside position when Furlong took aim with his Long Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW), a .50-caliber McMillan Brothers Tac-50 rifle and ammunition loaded with 750 gr Hornady A-MAX very-low-drag bullets.[2] He began firing at a fighter carrying an RPK machine gun. His first shot missed and his second shot hit the knapsack on the target's back. The third struck the target's torso, killing him. The distance was measured as 2,430 metres (2,657 yd / 1.509 miles). With a muzzle speed of 823 m/s, each shot reached the target almost four seconds after Furlong fired.
This feat is not typical for the effective range with a high first-hit probability of the employed rifle on non-static targets (see maximum effective range). What helped is that the ambient air density in the Shah-i-Kot Valley where Corporal Furlong operated is significantly lower than at sea level due to its 2,743 meters (9,000 ft) mean elevation.[3][4][5]
Later career
Just days after Furlong's record-making shot, a member of his unit became the subject of a military police criminal investigation into inappropriate conduct of Canadian snipers during their deployment in Afghanistan. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (NIS), the major crimes unit of the Canadian Forces Military Police, also became involved in the investigation. As the months wore on, there emerged so many conflicting accusations and supposed explanations that no charges were ever laid. During the investigation, Furlong and his fellow snipers were questioned. The experience made Furlong and a number of soldiers decide to leave the Canadian military. After his resignation from the military, Rob Furlong became a police officer.[6]
References
- ^ Friscolanti, Michael, "We were abandoned", Maclean's, Rogers Publishing, 2006-05-15, pp. 18–25.
- ^ Hornady A-MAX information
- ^ "World longest distance kill - 2,430 metres (1.5 miles)". Stupid Beaver. April 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
Canadian snipers in Afghanistan after September 11th made the longest recorded kills in history with this weapon. On a March afternoon in 2002, Cpl. Furlong of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) squinted through the scope of his McMillan Tac-50 and successfully killed an enemy combatant from 2,430 m.
- ^ Canadian Forces Sniper Rob Furlong CBC Sunday Report #1
- ^ Canadian Forces Sniper Rob Furlong CBC Sunday Report #2
- ^ Friscolanti, Michael. "We were abandoned", Maclean's, Rogers Publishing, 2006-05-15, pp. 18–25.
Video
Further reading
- McMillan Tac-50 article including a photo of the actual rifle Furlong used.
- Mention in Dispatch
- 'We were abandoned': Story of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Snipers
See also
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