The 20 Longest Recorded Sniper Shots of All Time

On the battlefield, every warrior has his role. The infantry might be the tip of the spear, thrusting forward to claim ground, and the artillery the hammer, smashing defenses into dust. But the sniper is the scalpel—surgical in his precision, capable of decapitating an enemy's command structure with a single shot.

Whoever coined the term “sniper” is unknown, but it is suspected to have originated during the British occupation of India in the 1800s. There lives a small, fast-flying bird called the snipe, known for its tricky turns, making it an incredibly challenging target. As the story goes, English soldiers hunted the speedy little snipe in British-occupied India. Due to the difficulty of the hunt, shooting a snipe was considered quite the feat and meant that the shooter had exceptional abilities. If the story is to be believed, this is how the term “sniper” was born.

Commanders know the value of a good sniper like a chess player values their queen. A well-placed sniper can turn the tide of a battle without the need for an all-out offensive, neutralizing key threats before they even know they’re in danger. Whether it’s taking out a high-ranking officer, disrupting enemy movements, or simply pinning down the opposition, making them too scared to peek over the horizon, snipers are force multipliers in every sense. Their precision and patience make them one of the most respected (and feared) assets in any combat unit. 

Here, Sightmark has collected data over the longest recorded sniper kills to illustrate the talent behind some of the most skilled snipers in history.

 The longest-ever recorded sniper kill of all time was performed in 2023 by Viacheslav Kovalsky, a then 58-year-old former businessman turned soldier in the Security Service of Ukraine, with a distance of 3,800 meters or 2.56 miles during the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. He used a Ukrainian-made rifle called Volodar Obriyu, which translates to Horizon’s Lord. Kovalsky and his partner, a spotter responsible for calculating distance, wind speed, air humidity, and other crucial measures, noticed a Russian officer across the bank in the distance and made the decision to fire. The first shot was missed due to miscalculations of the wind speed, but the second bullet was recalculated and hit the officer in the chest or abdomen.

The second longest sniper kill was recorded in 2017 by the Joint Task Force (JTF) 2 sniper, a Canadian soldier whose name was withheld from the public, at 3,540 meters or 2.2 miles during the War in Iraq. This sniper was part of an elite team of four that set to take out an ISIS fighter during one operation. As Canada’s most specialized task force, it is also its most secretive. Therefore, not many details of this operation have been made known to the public. To achieve this distance, it is confirmed that the sniper used the McMillan TAC-50.

In third place is the 2^nd Commando Regiment sniper, an Australian soldier whose name was also withheld from public domain, with a snipe distance of 2,815 meters or 1.75 miles in 2012 during the War in Afghanistan. As a member of the 2^nd Commando Regiment, this sniper was part of a special forces unit that focused on direct-action strikes in raids, ambushes, and other similar tactics. The sniper used the Barrett M82A to complete this operation, an Australian semi-automatic rifle with an effective firing range of 1,800 meters.

A Ukrainian national guard, whose identity remains private for the sake of protection, made the fourth longest-recorded kill at 2,710 meters or 1.68 miles in 2022 during the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. This sniper used the XADO Snipex Alligator sniper rifle to complete this mission, surpassing its effective firing range of 2,000 meters.

Craig Harrison, Corporal of Horse in the British Army’s Household Calvary, made the fifth longest-recorded snipe at 2,475 meters or 1.54 miles in 2009 during the War in Afghanistan. From 2009 to 2017, Harrison held the record for the longest-recorded sniper kill of all time. During an operation in Afghanistan, Harrison and his spotter killed two Taliban gunners consecutively using the British-made Accuracy International L115A3. His first nine shots reportedly missed, but after they could narrow in on their targets, it took only two more shots to accomplish their mission. The bodies of the Taliban members were later discovered by the Afghan National Police.

The Use of Snipers in Armed Conflict

 Snipers are trained to excel in long-range marksmanship, and their biggest advantages lie in their concealment and distance from the target. This has put them in a unique position in armed conflict and warfare. Some people make the mistake of believing that snipers have an outdated role in modern conflict. When utilized effectively and trained well, snipers are an incredible asset to have on your side. For example, they can provide a unique perspective in intelligence collection that satellites could not deliver.

A sniper can have a devastating effect on enemy targets. This is not just because of their ability to hit personnel, equipment, and other targets with precision; the existence of a sniper on the battlefield can influence enemy decisions, lower the morale of the opposition, cause confusion in enemy actions, and slow down or disrupt their movements. The advancement of weapons means that even longer sniper records are likely to be made in the future. Rifle scopes, night vision, thermal imaging, and other technologies continue to be improved upon for hunters, sharpshooters, and gun savants alike.

The Longest Sniper Kills in History