Image: PeopleImages.com/DigitalVision/Getty Images
About This Quiz
Military snipers have been great fodder for video games and movies, and they're just as interesting in reality. Test out your aim here on Stuff You Should Know's military sniper quiz.
Snipers always work in what?
daylight hours
the dark of night
pairs
Light or dark, it doesn't make a difference. But snipers always work with a spotter.
Advertisement
What is the main battlefield job of the sniper team?
killing the enemy sniper
killing the top enemy commander
recon
The long-range rifle shots of a sniper get all the press, but recon is really a sniper's main job on the battlefield.
Advertisement
True or false: A target of opportunity is usually the enemy's top commander.
True
False
Not true. A target of opportunity is a secondary target when the main target is not around.
Advertisement
What are the non-human sniper targets called?
secondary targets
material targets
Many times the targets are non-human, like ammunition trucks or power generators. These are called material targets.
ghillie targets
Advertisement
What's the name of a soldier or a team that can do the damage of a much larger force?
force multiplier
Also a great band name, a sniper is known as a force multiplier.
super-soldier
max team
Advertisement
What do you call a weapon that takes more than one soldier to operate?
stack weapon
double Joe
crew-served weapon
A weapon that takes more than one soldier to operate, like a sniper team, is called a crew-served weapon.
Advertisement
True or false: The sniper's field partner is called a spot man.
True
False
Everyone knows he or she is called a spotter, right? Well, if you didn't, then you do now.
Advertisement
What is the spotter's main position when a shot is being set up?
lays directly behind the sniper
beside and slightly behind the sniper
An accurate spotter should place him or herself beside and slightly behind the sniper.
beside and slightly ahead of the sniper
Advertisement
How does the spotter track the flight of the bullet?
by watching the vapor trail
Just like in the movies, a high-velocity round actually leaves a vapor trail behind it as it cuts through the air.
by spotting the point the bullet hits and calculating it
the sniper cannot track the flight, only the destination
Advertisement
What is the sniper motto?
"one shot, one kill"
These are all pretty cool, but "one shot, one kill" is the sniper motto.
"absolute kill"
"take only shots, leave only footprints"
Advertisement
What are match-grade weapons?
weapons that have been fine-tuned by a specialist for maximum accuracy
If you're a sniper, only one thing matters -- how accurate your rifle is. Match grade means a professional gunsmith has made it so.
weapons that have been made to be lighter
weapons made from only synthetic parts
Advertisement
Sniper rifles are generally what?
pump action
bolt action
As a result of the limited number of moving parts, bolt action rifles are the most accurate and, therefore, are the weapon of choice for military snipers.
magazine fed
Advertisement
What is the average cost of a match-grade sniper rifle?
$25,000 to $35,000
$10,000 to $15,000
A sniper rifle costs about $10,000 to $15,000 to manufacture and get just right.
$3,000 to $6,000
Advertisement
A targeting reticule is more commonly known as what?
spotter scope
rifle scope
crosshairs
Answer: crosshairs. The scope is basically a small telescope, with crosshairs, or a targeting reticule, laid over the glass.
Advertisement
Generally, what is the maximum range for a sniper shot?
10,000 yards
500 yards
1,000 yards
Snipers generally max out at about 1,000 yards. Anything farther cannot be counted on.
Advertisement
The word ghillie comes from what country?
Africa
Scotland
The heavily camouflaged suits worn by snipers are called ghillies, and the name comes from Scotland.
France
Advertisement
What is main hallmark of a ghillie suit?
the foliage and flora that are sewn into the suit
You've seen them in movies -- suits with twigs, straw and grass sewn into them. It's true!
its ultralight weight
its compactability
Advertisement
Which branch of the U.S. military is known to have the best school for snipers?
U.S. Army
U.S. Marine Corps
The marines do a lot of things right when it comes to training. Their sniper school is the most renowned.
U.S. Navy
Advertisement
What do sniper schools look for most of all in a sniper candidate?
a natural born killer instinct
a great natural shot
a level head
You can improve a soldier's shot, but you can't change his or her temperament. A sniper needs to have a calm, cool head in order to be successful.
Advertisement
True or false: The Marine scout sniper program lasts a full 12 months.
True
False
False. It's only a two-month course.
Advertisement
You Got:
/20
PeopleImages.com/DigitalVision/Getty Images
