Canadian sniper makes record-breaking kill in Iraq

A Canadian sniper in Iraq has shattered the world record for the longest confirmed kill in history at a distance of 3,450 metres.

A member of the elite Joint Task Force 2 has killed an Islamic State insurgent with a McMillan TAC-50 sniper rifle while firing from a high-rise during an operation that took place within the last month in Iraq. It took under 10 seconds to hit the target.

The distance was 3,450m (3,773yd).

“The shot in question actually disrupted a Daesh [Isis] attack on Iraqi security forces,” a military source told the Globe and Mail.

The previous record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in combat, at a range of 2,475m (2,707yd) was Craig Harrison of the Household Cavalry in Afghanistan. Harrison killed two Taliban machine gunners with shots that took the 8.59 mm rounds almost five seconds to hit their targets, which were 900 metres (1000yd) beyond the L115A3 sniper rifle’s recommended range.

A third shot took out the insurgents’ machine gun. The rifle used was made by Accuracy International.

This recent shot by an unnamed Canadian sniper increased the record by nearly 1 kilometre with a 3,450m (3,773yd) shot in Iraq. Similar to the previous two Canadian records, a McMillan Tac-50 with Hornady A-MAX .50 (.50 BMG) ammunition was used.