7 Longest Confirmed Sniper Kills: When Man And Rifle Become One
Long-distance shooting has always amazed me. Accounting for every single variable that could affect the bullet makes my head hurt, so I have ultimate respect for the longest confirmed sniper kills. Shooting a paper or steel target is one thing; shooting a living being is an entirely different scenario; just ask Viacheslav Kovalskyi of Ukraine, who currently holds the longest sniper kill record.
1) 2.36 Miles: Viacheslav Kovalskyi of Ukraine
In November of 2023, Kovalskyi was said to have dropped a Russian officer from 4,156 yards (2.36 miles) away with a custom-built Horizon’s Lord 12.7x114mm HL Wildcat. The rifle is a unique Ukrainian design chambered for the re-compressed cartridge case from a 14.5x114mm cartridge.
Viacheslav, who was 58 years old then, was a member of the Special Group “Alpha” Security Service of Ukraine. There is a video taken by soldiers showing that the 12.7mm (.50BMG) bullet took about 9 seconds to reach the target.
2) 2.199 Miles: Unnamed Canadian Sniper
In May of 2017, an unnamed member of the Joint Task Force 2, CANSOFCOM, Canadian Armed Forces, was confirmed to have killed an ISIS insurgent from over 3,871 yards (2.199 miles) away, potentially saving many nearby civilians.
The Canadian sniper used a McMillan TAC-50 sniper rifle (.50 BMG) that’s capable of penetrating trucks, parked aircraft, radar units, and enemy combatants.
3) 1.75 Miles: Unnamed Australian Sniper
In April of 2012, an unnamed member of the 2nd Commando Regiment, SOCOMD, Australian Defence Force used a Barrett M82A1 (.50 BMG/ Raufoss Mk 211) during the War in Afghanistan to get a confirmed kill of an enemy combatant from 3,079 yards (1.749 miles) away.
4) 1.68 Miles: Unnamed Ukrainian Sniper
In November of 2022, a Ukrainian National Guard member got a confirmed kill of a Russian soldier from 2,707 yards (1.68 miles) away using an XADO Snipex Alligator (14.5x114MM).
5) 1.54 Miles: Craig Harrison of the United Kingdom
In November of 2009, Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison of the Blues and Royals, Household Cavalry used an Accuracy International L115A3 (.338 Lapua Magnum/LockBase B408) to take out two enemy combatants from 2,707 yards (1.538 miles) away during the War in Afghanistan.
Harrison had two consecutive shots at 2,707 yards that killed Taliban machine gunners; then, he proceeded to fire a third shot to destroy their machine gun.
6) 1.51 Miles: Rob Furlong of Canada
In March of 2002, Corporal Rob Furlong of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, used a McMillan TAC-50 (.50 BMG) to get a confirmed kill from 2,657 yards (1.509 miles) away during the War in Afghanistan.
7) 1.44 Miles: Arron Perry of Canada
In March of 2002, Master Corporal Arron Perry of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, used a McMillian TAC-50 to take out an enemy combatant at 2,526 yards (1.435 miles) during the War in Afghanistan.
Master Corporal Perry was a member of a six-man team alongside Corporal Furlong during Operation Anaconda. Perry held the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill for only a few days until Furlong one-upped him with his longer confirmed kill.
Other Notable Snipers & Stories
You might wonder, “Where are all the US Snipers?” I thought the same thing. Americans are supposed to be some of the top shooters in the world. Don’t worry; eight of the top 20 longest-confirmed kills were made by American snipers, but only two of the top ten.
A couple of American names you might recognize in the top 20 are Chris Kyle (American Sniper) and Carlos Hathcock.
During the Iraq War, Chris Kyle was a U.S. Navy Seal Sniper with SEAL Team 3. His longest confirmed kill was in August 2008 from 2,100 yards (1.19 miles) away. He used the McMillan TAC-338 (.338 Lapua Magnum). He’s also credited with the most kills as a sniper of any American service member (160).
Carlos Hathcock was a United States Marine Corps sniper during the Vietnam War with 93 confirmed kills. His farthest confirmed kill was in February of 1967 from 2,500 yards (1.42 miles) away using an M2 Browning machine gun (.50 BMG). Though he’s only credited with 93 confirmed kills, he believed he had at least triple that number.
His confirmed kill number is much lower due to the strict guidelines for confirming a kill during the Vietnam War. US Marine Gunnery Sergeant Hathcock completed many missions, one of which was a through-the-scope shot of an enemy sniper that was hunting him, and another was a multi-day solo stalk and kill of an enemy general. After his deployments to Vietnam, Hathcok helped establish the Marine Corps Scout Sniper School.
Snipers from South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Norway, and the Soviet Union also make the top 20 longest-confirmed kills list.
Parting Shots
Getting the longest confirmed sniper kill takes skill and a lot of luck. Few snipers are allowed to take such long-distance shots, and when granted permission, the stars must perfectly align to hit a human-sized target, even if they have multiple chances.