LONG, DUNCAN — Modern Sniper Rifles

Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 1988. 1st Edition; 1st Printing. Paperback. ISBN: 0873644700. B&W Illustrations; This is an oversized paperback book. The book is in Near Fine condition and was issued without a dust jacket. The book and its contents are in clean, bright condition. The text pages are clean and bright. "The Whitworth rifle was arguably the first long-range sniper rifle in the world. Designed by Sir Joseph Whitworth, a prominent British engineer, it used barrels with hexagonal polygonal rifling, which meant that the projectile did not have to bite into the rifling grooves as was done with conventional rifling. His rifle was far more accurate than the Pattern 1853 Enfield, which had shown some weaknesses during the recent Crimean War. At trials in 1857, which tested the accuracy and range of both weapons, Whitworth's design outperformed the Enfield at a rate of about three to one. Also, the Whitworth rifle was able to hit the target at a range of 2,000 yards, whereas the Enfield could only manage it at a distance of 1,400 yards. During the American Civil War, the Confederate sharpshooters equipped with Whitworth rifles were tasked to eliminate Union field artillery crews, and were responsible for killing Major General John Sedgwick — one of the highest-ranking officers killed during the Civil War — at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. " (from Wikipedia). Near Fine .