From Kraig Stuart

Because I have a bit of experience in both sniping and competition I was asked my thoughts on this.

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 Alaska National Guard 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