How many military snipers are there?
 

In the last 2 weeks I've been to 5 gun shops/counters and have made 2 trips to the range. The results are .........

Two guys who know a guy who was a military sniper.
One guy who knows a guy who is a military sniper.
One guy who knows a guy who was a sniper on the "RCMP SWAT team".

So my question is; are there
a) a whole swack of military snipers here in Canada
or
b) just a few military snipers and they know a lot of guys?

I just think there's a lot of liars

b
 

b

Curious if anybody actually knows the answer to the number in the Armed Forces. My guess would be around 200, but that's mainly based on movies I've watched.

:bad_boys_20::bad_boys_20::bad_boys_20:

There were only about 10 in the battalion cell when I got out in 2003,but there were more that were qualified. I worked on a course in 95 and there were only 3 graduates out of a class of 20.

Everyone knows a guy who knows a guy [emoji6]

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Active duty? Who knows, that would be regarded as sensitive info not likely to be released. Probably in the hundreds. Former military/LEO/retired/guys who passed a course and like to talk guns - a lot more.

I know a few shooters from my days in. A former colleague was Master Sniper Western Area. He says there were less than 100 when he retired in 2011. There are a couple of different classifications now so that population could be around 200 spread out between the battalions, JTF, and CSOR.

Don't you love it when they tell you something there friend in the military said like its gospel and it represents the opinion of everyone serving.

A new a sniper once. He could free hand pie plates at 500yards. :)

Wow must be a legend...I bet that wasn't his only accolade.

LC

Not liars just folks that want to be the centre of attention, oh well maybe a little bit of fibbing along the way to get the attention. Would make a good fisherman/woman...truth be said:)

Not so sure about the number of military snipers, but it's not too difficult to know a LE sniper.
Through work I've become friends with a few EPS snipers. They practice at the SPFGA range. They have a couple of tactical teams of about 5 members each. All their tactical guys get sniper training and train regularly at Sherwood Park and Edson (for the longer distances).
So...say at least 10 with EPS. There's going to be that many in Calgary and then add what the RCMP have.
These guys tend to not be your regular cop...they are all hunters and gun enthusiast.
So it is by no means out of the realm for someone to 'know a sniper'.

I've only met one actual sniper. He served in WW2 in the same unit as my dad. He was well into his 80's when he and my father crossed paths once again in a seniors complex in Edmonton. The gentleman did have an air about him, they went well with his steel grey eyes. He told no horrid stories of the war, much like my father, they only mused about individuals, and some of the lighter hearted moments they encountered.

There is one other fellow which whom I served in the reserves with, he went Reg force after I left the unit. He had topped the Basic Reece Patrolman Course(first time they allowed reservists to take the course) last heard he was allegedly a sniper in JTF2, but given the years I'd say that he's now a civilian or flying a desk.

Then there's the ex military sniper and somewhat disgraced EPS member(my best friend did his selection interview for the EPS) doesn't everybody know this guy?

Then there would be people who cannot differentiate between a squad designated marksman and a sniper. BTW, do the CF have a position of squad designated marksman (or equivalent in whatever it might be named)?

Probably just lots of guys that took the course and never got posted to an actual sniper position.

A lot like the jump course. Just because you get jump wing doesn't mean you are a paratrooper.

I always had sniper trainees coming into the shop asking me to make gear for their course. Not sure how many actually passed it though.

Closest i know to a snipe would be my grandfather who got to do some 1 km shooting during his time is the swiss army. He said the only guy who was any good was the known poacher. Seeing as how his job was to take care of horses i think it was just a lucky chance to try to shoot that far

Isn't everybody in the army a sniper ? :lol:

Grizz

There is one well known gunsmith in this province that has made that claim. However, a bit of quick math makes his claimed assignment a stretch if not completely impossible.

I would have no idea...but..a guy I know... :)

Kidding aside, a fellow Ontario groundhog shooter I'm friendly with is in the process of leaving the military, and a good friend of his is a sniper currently deployed. (based on the last time I asked) I don't "know" the guy, but have had a number of email exchanges with him as he's a varmint hunter too, and an experienced rifle builder. I'm a small-caliber fan (.20 cal/.223) and a huge rimfire enthusiast...and he seems to be neither, but the input is welcome nonetheless.

Anyhow, while I have a fascination with the military and probably have 100 dumb questions to ask, I avoid the temptation.

So yeah..I guess I'm "one of those guys"...sort of. :)

I know a guy- well three actually, all retired however.:medium-smiley-035:
Cat

I have heard people making accusations of someone allegedly making that claim but I have never heard the claim made, seen the claim in writing or screen capture or any other evidence to that effect. As one accuser is a disgruntled former employee that lends me to cast some doubt on that claim. Without proof I'd call it hearsay, a rumor repeated by third parties who heard that so-and-so's best friends third cousins step-uncle heard the person make the claim. I don't have a dog in the race but when I see people spreading such rumors I cast equal or greater doubt upon them as I do on whomever they're targeting. Sure, people can have a beef with someone if they had a bad interaction with them, but don't go slandering them on unrelated grounds unless it can be backed up or unless they've personally witnessed their claim.

Considering how much misinterpretation ones sees by the masses online, I tend to be cynical. On that rumor I challenge people to either lay out their evidence or forever hold their peace.

The same applies to you.

I agree, but it seems there is an insinuation there: In what regard, where have I made unproven claims? When your response to a request of proof is to go after me and redirect it means you have none....

Ask him.

Fair enough, that would certainly constitute first-person.

When I first met him many, many years ago, he told me right to my face so I know it's not a rumour.

I had a Course Warrent Officer who was a Master Sniper, that was in 1998. The only one I new personally.

My dad started a new job recently (couldn't handle retirement) and had a driver that had everyone in the office convinced he was a military sniper. He even had to take time off to go do some sniper work over seas. Stickers plastered all over his truck, sniper this sniper that. Dad called him out his first day there. He couldn't even tell him what calibre the rifle was.

Matt