So what's the difference between a "sniper rifle" and a "long range hunting rifle"?
Both of them need to have power and accuracy to hit the vitals of a man, or an elk, at several hundred yards.
Both of them need to have a good, light, but safe trigger.
Both of them need free-floated barrels that aren't pressed into the stock's fore-end.
Both of them should be expected to be used from a bipod with a beanbag support for the back end, fired from the prone position if possible. Whatever's the steadiest position the field conditions allow.
Both of them need to be rugged enough to be man-handled, bumped, or even dropped while the shooter crawls through obstacles and narrow passages to get the right location to take the shot from.
Both of them should have non-reflective finishes, to not give away the shooter's position.
Both of them need to be able to make a reliable cold-bore shot with no warm-up, no sighter shots to confirm one's zero.
Both of them will be shot "most of the time" at the range on fair-weather days, but they need to be ready to make the critical shot on a remarkably cold day, rainy day, etc.
Both of them will need to have a scope that is good to use to make first-shot hits at targets placed odd distances and angles to the shooter. We can't count on every shot being level, horizontal, at known distances and at 100 yard (or meter) increments.
Both of them need to have power and accuracy to hit the vitals of a man, or an elk, at several hundred yards.
Both of them need to have a good, light, but safe trigger.
Both of them need free-floated barrels that aren't pressed into the stock's fore-end.
Both of them should be expected to be used from a bipod with a beanbag support for the back end, fired from the prone position if possible. Whatever's the steadiest position the field conditions allow.
Both of them need to be rugged enough to be man-handled, bumped, or even dropped while the shooter crawls through obstacles and narrow passages to get the right location to take the shot from.
Both of them should have non-reflective finishes, to not give away the shooter's position.
Both of them need to be able to make a reliable cold-bore shot with no warm-up, no sighter shots to confirm one's zero.
Both of them will be shot "most of the time" at the range on fair-weather days, but they need to be ready to make the critical shot on a remarkably cold day, rainy day, etc.
Both of them will need to have a scope that is good to use to make first-shot hits at targets placed odd distances and angles to the shooter. We can't count on every shot being level, horizontal, at known distances and at 100 yard (or meter) increments.
