Irish Pat Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 I was watching a British hunting show on TV today, they were shooting woodcock and Jacksnipe. The guide made the comments hunters A two hundred years ago, that could hit the little snipe while they were flying Were nicknamed “ snipers” And the East Indian company and the British army started calling their best shooters Snipers and the name stuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 A bit longer ago than that. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sniper#Etymology Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 The term originated in the early 1900’s and was given to those who could catch the most snipe in a burlap bag, in the wee morning hours around 2:00AM. Cat Brules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 6 minutes ago, Cat Brules said: The term originated in the early 1900’s and was given to those who could catch the most snipe in a burlap bag, in the wee morning hours around 2:00AM. Cat Brules Reminds me of Louisiana Saturday Night.“My brother Bill and my other brother Jack Belly full of beer and a possum in a sack“ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Jackson Turner Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 That's interesting stuff. As I am currently involved in crafting a TV show about snipers and the rifles they use, I will probably incorporate this bit if info. Thanks! Cheers, FJT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smuteye John SASS#24774 Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 12 hours ago, Cat Brules said: The term originated in the early 1900’s and was given to those who could catch the most snipe in a burlap bag, in the wee morning hours around 2:00AM. Cat Brules Don't forget the dip net, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 So, back in the day when I went "snipe hunting" with a girlfriend, I was a sniper? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 17 hours ago, Frederick Jackson Turner said: That's interesting stuff. As I am currently involved in crafting a TV show about snipers and the rifles they use, I will probably incorporate this bit if info. Thanks! Cheers, FJT Hey, Bubba, did you know the Russians used some '95 Winchesters as sniper rifles. had a side mounted scope and a stripper clip guide on them. BTW, Winchester produced just over 400,000 model 95s and over 200,000 of them went to Russia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 Of course the standard sniper rifle of Russia was the Mosin. Remington had a contract with the Tsar for a million rifles. They produced 850,000. A little over 100,000 were delivered before the communists took over in. 1917. They cancelled the contract with Remington and New England Westinghouse. They said the rifles were sub standard. Remington and Westinghouse lost a lot of money on the deal. The US govt bought the remainder of the rifles and designated them the Russian 3 Line Rifle Cal 7.62mm. Some went to US troops but most were sold or given to foreign countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punxsutawneypete Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 37 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: Of course the standard sniper rifle of a Russia was the Mosin. Remington had a contract with the Tsar for a million rifles. They produced 850,000. A little over 100,000 were delivered before the communists took over in. 1917. They cancelled the contract with Remington and New England Westinghouse. They said the rifles were sub standard. Remington and Westinghouse lost a lot of money on the deal. The US govt bought the remainder of the rifles and designated them the Russian 3 Line Rifle Cal 7.62mm. Some went to US troops but most were sold or given to foreign countries. I had a chance at an auction to buy one of these made by Westinghouse that had Finnish capture marks on it. I figured nobody else had an interest in Finnish captured pieces like I did. Boy was I wrong. Fifteen seconds into the bidding the bid was over $400 and climbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 25 minutes ago, punxsutawneypete said: I had a chance at an auction to buy one of these made by Westinghouse that had Finnish capture marks on it. I figured nobody else had an interest in Finnish captured pieces like I did. Boy was I wrong. Fifteen seconds into the bidding the bid was over $400 and climbing. The Finnish Mosin market is very ......robust. $$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamus McGillicuddy Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 The snipe hunting references remind me of an instance in John Masters excellent memoir “Bugles and A Tiger” about his adventures as a young subaltern in the old Indian Army in the 1930s. During a snipe hunt while his fellow officers were shooting dozens of birds he shot terribly and went through boxes of shells but only hitting a couple of birds. Naturally his fellows made him and his marksmanship the butt of many jokes after that disaster. Shortly after that the battalion was deployed to the frontier while he was left behind with a few men to watch over the base. At that time a man eating tiger showed up in the local village and killed several people. Masters heroically set out with an issue .303 Enfield to slay the beast and was successful, killing it just as it was trying to strike again. He was lauded and celebrated by the villagers as a true hero and basked in the glory. News of his feat quickly found its way to the frontier and his battalion. Instead of receiving congratulations he was immediately bombarded by a series of anxious sounding messages from fellow officers expressing concerns about the state of supply of .303 ammunition at the base and whether any might still remain following his recent successful hunting expedition. Soldiers of every army have a lot in common and this story illustrates one trait rather nicely. Masters by the way is an outstanding writer and this memoir and his WWI trilogy beginning with “Now God be Thanked” are my favorites. Seamus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 16 hours ago, Seamus McGillicuddy said: The snipe hunting references remind me of an instance in John Masters excellent memoir “Bugles and A Tiger” about his adventures as a young subaltern in the old Indian Army in the 1930s. During a snipe hunt while his fellow officers were shooting dozens of birds he shot terribly and went through boxes of shells but only hitting a couple of birds. Naturally his fellows made him and his marksmanship the butt of many jokes after that disaster. Shortly after that the battalion was deployed to the frontier while he was left behind with a few men to watch over the base. At that time a man eating tiger showed up in the local village and killed several people. Masters heroically set out with an issue .303 Enfield to slay the beast and was successful, killing it just as it was trying to strike again. He was lauded and celebrated by the villagers as a true hero and basked in the glory. News of his feat quickly found its way to the frontier and his battalion. Instead of receiving congratulations he was immediately bombarded by a series of anxious sounding messages from fellow officers expressing concerns about the state of supply of .303 ammunition at the base and whether any might still remain following his recent successful hunting expedition. Soldiers of every army have a lot in common and this story illustrates one trait rather nicely. Masters by the way is an outstanding writer and this memoir and his WWI trilogy beginning with “Now God be Thanked” are my favorites. Seamus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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