[303tom]

Originally Posted by therewolf

Oh, yeah, for one thing, the Springfield, through the WWII timeframe hadn't

been formally matched to a really good, dependable scope, for use in

mass numbers.

Compare a standard '03 to a standard 91/30, with iron sights, yes, the

Springfield comes out on top.

But if you remain in the period questioned, before the A304, (which still

had a crappy scope) the specific Mosin sniper rifle selection process,

and combination of bolt and well-made, if simple scope, made it a

better choice, IMO, as a premier sniper rifle of WWII...

Don't believe the cold-war "all things Russian are bad" dogma they

spoon-fed you in school. If Russia's army and weather hadn't consumed

75 entire Nazi Divisions, we could have lost WWII.

O you got that right..............

[Trez]

What about the Type 97 Arisaka? Longer barrel and it even has a 'pod

[m72law]

Anyone know if the 1903/M1 Garand rifles where ever used/issued surplus ''sniper ammo'' in battle, like the Mosin had?

[m72law]

Or no such thing back in WWII

[jpattersonnh]

As far as ammo, Soviets used heavy ball, 180..182gr for snipers, but within a city light ball 148..152gr worked fine. The Germans made ammo, 196..198gr for snipers, but again at close range 147gr light ball worked fine.
Soviet heavy ball has less felt recoil then the light ball counterpart as it uses a slower burning powder driving the bullet around 2400fps. German heavy ball has a pretty stiff smack as the drove the 198gr bullet to over 2700fps. German light ball or Ss sent a 147gr to 2900fps. M2 ball put a 150gr at 2700fps. The German ammos' ballistics combined w/ better optics and superb rifles made there rifles 800 yard killers while the soviets were closer to 700 yards and everyone else 600 yards.

[FALPhil]

Originally Posted by jpattersonnh

The Israeli's used the 10/22 in Lebanon.[/IMG]

I don't think this is true. Every photograph I have examined of the Second Intifada in which .22 rimfire rifles were present contained Sabattis, not Rugers. From a distance, they look similar, but they are different, the Sabatti being a superior weapon by any measure.

Originally Posted by performer21

and with that long barrel it could easly be accurate at a thousand yards. giving it the reach and acuracy at distance that the springfeild couldn't match. so even though the springfeild was supperior as a rifle when matched up against those nagants designated for sniper use they are no match.

FAIL.

All other things equal, shorter barrels are more mechanically accurate than longer barrels. Google "barrel harmonics" to understand why. What a longer barrel does is offer a longer sight radius for iron sights, which, from a human factors standpoint, may offer enhances accuracy by mitigating human error. However, we must keep in mind that in WWII, there were many designated snipers who were not issued glass optics, and therefore a longer barrel would indeed enhance human accuracy.

As to "reach", that's debatable. Check the ballistics. From a 24 inch barrel, the muzzle velocity of standard issue 30-06 is about 100 fps faster than issue 7.62x54R from a 28 inch barrel for 150 grain bullets. So, it comes down to bullet weigh and design. Russkis tended to issue heavier bullets as a rule, but US bullet design was much better, so in terms of "reach", it is probably a wash.

[gegun64]

This is academic the '03-A3 was the better rifle. But when you take into account the target rich environment of the Battle of Stalingrad the Moisin Nagant in the hands of Vasili Zaytsev and his fellow snipers was the most succesful. Both weapons are excellent. If they judge Optics the Germans and Russians were superior.

[phreddy]

I would have to put the 6.55 Swede up at the top. Excellent firearm, excellent at long range, and was and still is scopeable.

[phildenton]

now for the correct answer: British no.1 mk.4 T sniper rifle was the best, most accurate sniper rifle in ww2. the nice thing about mosins is that their simplicity.

[billt]

Originally Posted by FALPhil

All other things equal, shorter barrels are more mechanically accurate than longer barrels.

Tell that to my 30" barreled Savage .308, or my 28" barreled .338-378 Weatherby.