Project White Feather is a U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM)-sponsored effort to apply advanced sniper weapon fire control technology that will extend range and increase first round hit probability for special operations applications. As envisioned, the fire control will provide the shooter a real-time ballistically corrected aim point with input from a laser crosswind sensor, laser range finder, inertial sensors that measure weapon motion, as well as other sensors.
The Weapons & Materials Research Directorate of the Army Research Laboratory published a white paper of these efforts called Sniper Weapon Fire Control Error Budget Analysis
To establish a baseline, groups of snipers and competition shooters were tested. Weapon Pointing (aiming) Error, the ability of a shooter to hold his or her aim on target, was obviously a key test.
According to their tests, the standard deviation of aiming error for the best, formally-trained operational snipers was three times worse than tested High Power and Long Range competition shooters sufficiently skilled to compete successfully in national level match competition at Camp Perry and the like. In fact, the worst competition shooters tested were as good or better than the best snipers in basic holding and shooting fundamentals.
Sniper Weapon Fire Control Error Budget Analysis
Weapons & Materials Research Directorate, Army Research Laboratory
ARL-TR-2065
Table 4. Sniper’s Approximate Aiming Error
SIGMA (in mils) – Constant Across Range
Page 16
Quality of Shooter: Operational sniper Camp Perry competitor
< .300 Magnum
Best 0.30 0.10
Worst 0.80 0.30
>.300Magnum
Best 0.50 0.20
Worst 1.20 0.50
More comments here:
https://armyreservemarksman.info/shooting-skill-snipers-vs-competition-shooters/
Firearm User Network 
Jul 20, 2013 @ 08:40:16
Very interesting data … good to know that all that service rifle competition might have given me a decent skill set. The great thing about high power competition is that you can start at any level and improve markedly just through practicing for and participating in competitions — all without paying for formal training. The competitors I shot with were always so willing to show me how to improve my scores, and the scores steadily improved as I put their advice into practice.
LikeLike
Jul 20, 2013 @ 11:34:06
It has. This video explains further:
Very true. I suspect this fact is part of the reason why some tactical instructors downplay competition. At $200-$500 per day for tuition alone at a typical class, a shooter can attend a large number of matches, shooting with and learning from better marksmen.
LikeLike
Jul 21, 2013 @ 07:25:55
This data doesn’t surprise me. While checking out shot groups using the Beamhit laser system with thousands of soon to be deployed soldiers, I often had soldiers claiming to be SWAT snipers whose group size was rather poor and obviously in need to some tuning.
LikeLike
Jul 22, 2013 @ 09:35:30
>> claiming to be SWAT snipers
Regardless of claims or reality, and contrary to popular myth, being a member of any particular team doesn’t automatically mean heightened skill levels. There is no “wand of marksmanship” waved over SWAT, spec ops or other elite units. They earn skills the same way as every other human being: By taking part in a solid, organized training program and meeting or exceeding established standards.
Skills are only as high as the training and standards behind them.
Upon being appointed to a local ERT (Emergency Response Team), a colleague of mine found out the team had never established any shooting standards beyond routine police qualification. In terms of actual, measurable shooting skill, members of this particular SWAT team didn’t shoot any better than rookie patrol officers because that was their only established, enforced standard.
LikeLike
Shooting Skills: Sniper vs Competition Shooters
Aug 01, 2013 @ 15:05:10
Aug 01, 2013 @ 15:14:18
Because I have a bit of experience in both sniping and competition I was asked my thoughts on this from a guy on another forum. As I said, I’m not surprised of the results. I’ve ran several sniper schools, the problem is once a person attends the school, they quit. I don’t mean totally, but they don’t practice their craft near to the point of a High Power shooter, both in practice and competition.
A high power shooter will practice several hours for each hour he spends in competition. You just don’t see that with snipers. I’ve had sniper students who “got hooked” and took up High Power, hitting me up for ammo and support ( I was also running the AK NG Marksmanship Unit as I was running sniper schools), Some, should I say most, I never heard of again unless they want to attend another course for “for a refresher”. The HP shooter/sniper didn’t need a refresher.
This only deals with the shooting aspect of sniping, not the observation/scouting aspect, but that too needs practice or its a lost art. I have guardsmen from urban areas and I had guardsmen from the Alaska Bush, mainly Alaska Natives who make their living off the land. Guess which one didn’t need refreshers in observation/scouting.
Kraig Stuart
Distinguished Rifle Badge #1071
USAMU Sniper School, Oct ’78
LikeLike
Oct 03, 2013 @ 09:10:48
Sep 29, 2017 @ 07:17:45
Dec 18, 2017 @ 13:05:54
Being a marksman is just a fraction of the skill set a sniper requires. Field craft, communications, the ability to accurately call for and correct artillery fire or air support, target recognition and Intel gathering, etc, etc.
Not quite apples to apples to compare one group that has proficiency in multiple arenas to a group that specializes in just one.
LikeLike
Dec 18, 2017 @ 13:18:07
The test quoted was a measurement of aiming error between different groups of shooters. Snipers and conventional competition shooters were represented.
It was a measurement of aiming error as it applies to marksmanship. Not a measurement of fieldcraft, stalking, bravery, fitness, camouflage, who has the most MOLLE gear strapped to their kit, good looks, or anything else.
The entire paper is available at the end of a Google search. SOCOM conducted the tests and Army Research Laboratory published the results. Please contact the folks putting the data out if the numbers aren’t to your liking.
LikeLike