Military

World’s Best Shooters Compete in Special Ops Sniper Competition at Fort Bragg

March 22, 2022Matt White
sniper

Snipers from across the US military and seven allied countries are at Fort Bragg the week of Sunday, March 20, 2022, for the annual US Army Special Operations Command International Sniper Competition. US Army photo by Sgt. Patrik Orcutt.

Close to 50 of the best special operations marksmen in the world will fire around 30,000 rounds this week to answer one simple question: Who, in the Army, the US military, or around the world, is really the best shot?


The US Army Special Operations Command International Sniper Competition began Sunday, March 20, and is running every day in the ensuing week at Fort Bragg. The competition, now in its fourth year, hosts 23 two-shooter teams from across the military, US law enforcement, and allied armies competing across 23 shooting events on eight ranges around the sprawling North Carolina base.


Events vary from pistol range shooting to long-distance marksmanship at distances as far as 1,600 meters, which is about a mile. Though marksmanship is at the heart of the competition, events will include a wide range of combat skills, including movement through obstacles and buildings, carrying significant loads over distance prior to shooting, and tactical maneuvering to reach targets.


sniper competition
Sniper teams take out targets from behind obstacles during the 2021 United States Army Special Operations Command International Sniper Competition at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. US Army Photo.

The competition features teams from nearly every special operations unit or branch in the US military, including all seven active-duty and National Guard Special Forces Groups, the Special Forces training group at Fort Bragg, an Army special missions unit, the 75th Ranger Regiment, and two teams each of Navy SEALs and Marine Raiders.


Other teams include shooters from the Coast Guard, a US Secret Service countersniper team, and international teams from France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.


Over the course of the week, the two shooters on each team will alternate between shooter and spotter roles, firing three weapon systems: 7.62 mm sniper weapon system, 5.56 mm carbine, and 9 mm pistol.


A team from Army Special Operations Command won last year’s competition.


The competition runs this week, with both day and night firing events.


 Read Next: Why the Skies Over Ukraine Are a ‘Nightmare’ for Russian Pilots



Matt White
Matt White

Matt White is a former senior editor for Coffee or Die Magazine. He was a pararescueman in the Air Force and the Alaska Air National Guard for eight years and has more than a decade of experience in daily and magazine journalism.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

Ouija Board aircraft carrier
Low-Tech ‘Ouija Boards’ Have Helped Aircraft Carriers Operate for Decades

Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.

Army vs. Navy mascot
The Navy Goat vs. the Army Mule: Mascot Origin Stories

For nearly as long as the Army-Navy football rivalry, the academies’ hoofed mascots have stared each other down from the sidelines. Here are their stories.

ukraine long-range weapon
Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Has Developed a Long-Range Weapon, a Day After Strike Deep Inside Russia

Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel the weapon was produced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries but gave no other details.

ambush
7 of the Best Movie Ambush Scenes of All Time

Ambushes make for great action scenes. Here are seven of the best to ever grace the big screen.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, with his daughter, center right, reportedly named Ju Ae, review the honor guard during their visit to the navy headquarter in North Korea
North Korea Launches Missile Toward Sea After US Flies Bomber During Drills

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the launch occurred Wednesday but gave no further details, such as how far the missile flew.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved