The 21st Century Sniper [Kindle Edition]

No, I did not get the buzz words backwards. Supposedly a practical guide, this book makes use of a large font and copious whitespace to fill it out. There is a lot of general background information that may be of interest to someone unfamiliar with firearms, but again is primarily padding to cover up the paucity of usable information.

For example, there is a chapter on optics. We learn valuable information like the reticle should look like a 'T' and not an 'X' and if you shake the rifle and the scope rattles around, it probably won't be accurate. Mil dot reticles are mentioned, but if you are interested in using them for range estimation, look someplace else. There is no discussion of other reticle types like the BCD versions or why different patterns may be useful in some situations. Other than a suggestion to make sure they are tight, no information is provided on mounts or such details as lapping the rings to avoid distorting the optics tube. Want to know the advantages or disadvantages of variable power scopes and fixed power, go someplace else. Should you have a question about what a 20 MOA base is and why you might want to use it, ask elsewhere. Confused about 40 or 50 mm objectives? Good luck. Want to know how to come up with a solution and dial it into your scope? Yeah, right.

The other topics in the book get the same gloss. If you want a book to give to your Aunt Mary who has expressed a mild interest in what snipers do, this is it. If you are interested in practical advice for long range precision shooting, save your money.

This book proposes to be a "complete practical guide" but really is fluff. I am so sorry I bought this book. I am sure the authors have had lots of combat experience but don't relate any of it. They offer no information about the field-craft of sniping or actual shooting techniques. The majority of the first part of the book is quotes from other authors about the history of sniping clear back to King Richard in the crusades and follows up to modern day. There are numerous, like pages and pages, of quotes from other books on sniping. Lots of the photos in the book are computer scans and don't give reasonable resolution. DON'T BUY THIS BOOK.

I'm not a soldier or a sniper, but I've had around 35 years of shooting experience. The 21st Century Sniper taught me more about sniper technique, weapons options and ballistics than any other book or range experience I've encountered. The logs, formulas and zero data sheets in the Appendix alone are worth the price of the book if you want to truly become an accurate shooter. More importantly, the book is written in such a way as to explain the fundamentals without getting too preachy or boring. The initial chapter on the History of Snipers is one of the most interesting that I've read. This book contains critical information concerning action and rifle types, caliber selection, optics, ballistics and gear in a pretty concise package that is amply illustrated with photos and tables. While there are some more technical manuals out there, The 21st Century Sniper is the most interesting, comprehensive and balanced shooting book that I've read. It is truly a practical guide that is the product of experience rather than theory. Now that I'm teaching my children to shoot, this book is destined to become a well-used tool in my kit.