The fly is made of buttons, because Velcro and zippers can get dirt and debris stuck in them and become unusable.
On top of the pants in the front is Cordura 500, a versatile nylon fabric known for its durability and resistance to abrasions, tears, rot and mildew. It’s sewn into the front all around the edges, double-stitched on the “high-traffic points” and reinforced on the crotch.
Silicone that acts as a strong adhesive sealant is then run over top of the stitching to protect the threads, helping with durability. Then it’s painted to takes the shine out of the silicone. I installed zippers on the sides of my pants up to about the thigh so they were “easy on, easy off.”
On the cuff of the pants, I installed a strap that goes under my boot like a stirrup so the pants don’t ride up when I’m crawling backward.
I removed the side cargo pockets and put them on the back of the thigh so my spotter – not me – can access maps, face paint or equipment – anything one of them might need on a mission.
Right below the butt we sew in netting, which is also covered in silicone and then paint. You want to make it nice and strong so you can pull on it all the way around. I run the netting all the way down to the bottom, although that’s not required.
Hair ties are then installed throughout to hold natural vegetation from whatever environment you’re in. We run this 70-30 rule – 70% natural vegetation, and 30% jute, which is the burlap artificial vegetation you see hanging off the pants. Some people also install padding on the knee area.
The front is also covered in Cordura 500. The stitches are also covered in Shoe Goo and paint. All buttons instead of a zipper or Velcro, again, because of the dirt that can gum those things up.
Pockets from the shoulders have been turned upside-down and installed on the forearm so that when you’re laying down you can easily access them from an opening that’s at your wrist, not elbow.
Loops are installed on the sleeves so you can hook your thumb in. That way, when you’re crawling, your sleeve doesn’t pull up. Netting is installed all over the Cordura, sewn, siliconed and painted. The netting comes up over the shoulder. Hair ties also are installed for vegetation. I also installed two Velcroed map pouches around the rib cage.
The back, like the pants, is also covered in netting, burlap jute and hair ties. But there’s no actual [battle dress uniform] in the back – just the netting. It can be either rubber or cloth netting, but it’s meant to be breathable. They can get hot and heavy. More pockets are installed on the inside.
It’s a typical “boonie” hat, as they call it – the wide-brimmed bucket hats that are camo.
Netting is sewn at each point on the top side, glued and spray-painted. Jute and hair ties go on the top, too, like the rest. They want the netting and jute to be long, but not past the middle of the back. If it’s too long, it can catch on stuff when you’re walking and/or crawling. You want it long, though, so it can be lain across your rifle and block the shadow on your face.
I also put a hair tie toward the end of the netting so I can hook it on the end of my rifle scope to hold it in place.
Sometimes, soldiers will cut the top of the hat out to allow more ventilation, but depending on the environment and the hair (or baldness) of the soldier, that head can sometimes be seen.
FAQs
A professional will always have a connection with his teammates. However, at the moment of shooting the sniper does not say a word. Once he has the green light to fire, he fires without a word. Talking could disrupt his concentration, his heart rate, his breath, and therefore the shot.
Can you survive sniper headshot? ›
There is no room for the brain to move and the shock waves often cause irreversible damage. For some lucky people, if the bullet velocity is high and there is no side to side movement (wobble) and it passes through non-critical parts of the brain, less damage occurs and survival is possible.
How long do snipers stay in one spot? ›
Snipers teams often have to stay completely still for hours or days at a time to avoid detection, waiting for the right moment to take the shot.
Why do snipers keep their mouth open? ›
"The shooter's mouth is open because they are slack jawed. Literally. "A school of thought states that you should be in a position of almost going to sleep before you break a shot. "Relaxing your body is the key element here.
Why do snipers keep both eyes open? ›
Shooting with both eyes open² significantly increases repeatability and allows you to move on to the next target quickly without possibly disorienting yourself from making rapid switches between one eye being open and both.
Why do snipers keep their feet flat? ›
When shooter adopts this position, they kneel on one knee, and the other foot is kept flat on the ground. The knee on the ground is a support platform, making them more stable and allowing them to aim and hit the target more precisely.
What does pig mean in snipers? ›
In the Marine Corps, students in Scout/Sniper school are called PIGs (Professionally Instructed Gunmen), which is what regular troops who've undergone basic marksmanship training are known as. Upon graduation, every new certified Scout Sniper is presented a Hog's tooth as a symbol that they're now considered a HOG.
Why do snipers call each other Pork? ›
They remain PIGs until graduation , At which time they become Hunters Of Gunmen - HOGS. So the people in the Scout Sniper Community affectionately refer to former students or subordinates as PORK - from their time as PIGs and then HOGs… not all Marines are Pork-qualified.
Can a helmet stop a sniper bullet? ›
20th century steel helmets have very poor resistance to small arms threats; the PASGT, ACH, and most “IIIA”-rated helmets will stop virtually all pistol caliber threats, but will not stop rifle rounds; the ECH and IHPS will stop some rifle threats, but will not reliably stop all or even a majority of them, and helmet ...
How long can snipers go without sleep? ›
It is extraordinarily difficult to be "on the gun" for long periods of time. Your combat effectiveness dwindles. My personal record for being awake was around 72 hrs.
Yes, the job requires excellence in shooting, but snipers also need stellar land navigation skills, discipline, maturity and intelligence.
Who is the #1 deadliest sniper? ›
Simo Hayha was a Finnish military sniper in World War II during the 1939–1940 Winter War against the Soviet Union. He is the best sharpshooter and deadliest sniper in history as he killed over 500 men during the war. He used to carry Finnish-produced M/28-30 and Suomi KP/-31 submachine guns.
How do snipers sleep? ›
At home: They are probably sleeping in their beds/on a couch, perhaps on a hammock if they feel like taking a snooze in the sun. In barracks: They sleep on their militarily assigned bunks. In the field: It really depends. Some might commandeer beds in the houses they're sniping from.
What does DM mean in military? ›
A designated marksman (DM), squad advanced marksman (AD) or squad designated marksman (SDM) is a military marksman role in an infantry squad. The term sniper was used in Soviet doctrine although the soldiers using the Dragunov SVD were the first to use a specifically designed designated marksman rifle.
Do snipers aim for the chest? ›
Sniper instructors teach their students to aim for two triangular-shaped areas on the body – from the chest to neck, and the hip bones to the pelvis.
Why is double tapping a war crime? ›
Double-tap strike
A Florida Law Review article argued that the practice likely is a war crime since it grossly violates the Geneva Conventions of 1949, which prohibit targeting civilians, the wounded, or those no longer able to continue fighting.
Why do snipers fire between heartbeats? ›
“Because our target is so small, the tiniest movement, even a heartbeat, can make you miss. So generally we shoot between one heartbeat and the next, which is very hard, because even though we're standing still, our heart rate gets up to 160 beats per minute, due to the tension.”
Why do snipers stop breathing? ›
All breath control does is pause the shooter's respiration while executing shot(s), thus helping to minimize move- ment. That's it! Pause breathing while pressing the trigger and breathe normally at any other time. These are part of the Functional Element called Control.
