How many military snipers are there?

[Big Sky]

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?

[st99]

I just think there's a lot of liars

[purgatory.sv]

b

[Trochu]

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.

[pal488]

Originally Posted by st99

I just think there's a lot of liars

[6gunner]

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.

[3blade]

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.

[raised by wolves]

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.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by st99

I just think there's a lot of liars

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

[bobtodrick]

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'.

[Dick284]

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?

[CaberTosser]

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)?

[hilt134]

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

[philintheblank]

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.

[Citrus]

Everyone knows a guy who knows a guy

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[58thecat]

Not enough gauging by the level of terrorist activity world wide.

[fordtruckin]

Snipers like most rangers and sf guys I met & knew when I was in the army didn't talk about their jobs or what they did. Very humble people. If you did get them talking they didn't brag or talk themselves up, generally they would credit other people as having more important roles in the military or say hey if you ever wanna give it a shot you can do it just put your mind to it. even now if I hear someone who says right off the bat they were a shooter or a ranger or sf etc.. I tend to realize they a, washed out of training b, got kicked out c, were a support unit that never were qualified or d, full of bs. Generally all of the above applied.

[BigRedJeep]

My platoon warrant officer on dp1 was us army ranger qualified as well as master sniper. My current platoon warrant is advanced sniper. He's also instructed basic courses as well. They're out there.

Half the guys that claim they know a guy yada yada probly couldn't pass basic recce. It's a real gut check and I can't wait to get onto basic recce course


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[Bushleague]

Heck, these days anyone with a keyboard and a rifle is a military sniper.