With British Snipers to the Reich

Hoping to get better insight on how snipers were trained with the No. 4 T during WWII and how effective they were compared to other nations/rifles.  Might be a way to measure how well I'm able to shoot the T.  I've got Skennerton's book, The British Sniper, but not a lot of info in there regarding training and effective accuracy.

Yes I do.

Its a little disjointed, not being written by a professional writer, but bear with it.

His commentary on the standards & attitudes of "Tommy Atkins" to rifle marksmanship, post Dunkirque is revealing.

Yes!

I'll think you'll enjoy it Geoff, it's possibly not as technical as I think you would wish for but still a good read.

Captain C Shore, (Sea Shore??) I did wonder if this was an alias or a funny coincidence? 

The other "must have" in any shooters library is Sniping in France by, Major Hesketh-Pritchard DSO MC.

The HBSA (Historical Breechloading Smallarms Association) have a sniper shoot named after him as do the Transcontinental Rifle Association. 

The chap who runs the HBSA shoot has become a close friend over the last 25 years and he revealed to me that his first job after university was working for H-P's son.

He said it was  bit too early in his shooting interest to have asked all the right questions he knows he would have liked answers to. 

H-P jnr did give him one of his fathers shooting manuals which he treasures.  

Mick, your full of interesting tidbits of info!  Always enjoy reading your posts.  

That sounds interesting, what is the title of the new book?

I've scanned thru my copy of With British Snipers to the Reich, and agree, does not have much technical information.  There is a short discussion on target accuracy/group size.  He indicates that it's very difficult with the No. 4 T to get 5 shot groups under 2 inches at 100 yards, but can be done, 1.5 inches being exceptional.  And that is with Mk 7 ball ammo which we know has lot to lot variability.  He claims the British Mk 7 ammunition was very consistent and accurate.   I have not come across anything yet that would suggest snipers used "selected" ammo of known good accuracy.  But hard to believe they did not do this. 

  

There was a quite a foofaraw over on Milsurps.com last year when I posted that I had read in David Gordon's excellent book "Uniforms of the WWII Tommy" that some snipers sewed a short length of Vickers fabric machine gun belt onto the forearm of one of their smock's sleeves for, and I'll quote, "special match grade ammunition".  The Old Guard over on that forum was adamant that snipers were never issued anything other than regular ammunition but David's research has been impeccable so  combined with the quote "But hard to believe they did not do this" I remain convinced they did.