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The average police sniper shot is 51 yards.
The selection of long-range rifles for the department's snipers is a bit different than the process for selecting duty pistols, if for no other reason than there are so many options and capabilities to consider. Some features are must-have, some are nice to have, and some frankly are not necessary or even counter-productive for the police sniper task. Solid research is paramount.
Caliber
The so-called police sniper 'caliber wars' are mostly senseless debates of one cartridge's superiority over another. The 308 Winchester (7.62 x 52mm) has been the standard American SWAT sniper caliber for decades. However, there is growing favor for the 300 Winchester Magnum, the 260 Remington, and several variations of the 6.5mm cartridges. Many, if not all, of these cartridges are unequivocally the ballistic superior of the 308 Win in terms of extreme long-range shots.
That said, the American Sniper Association did a study of 219 law enforcement long-range rifle engagements over a 20-year period. They found the average police sniper shot was only about 51 yards. That is not the average patrol rifle shot, but the average police sniper shot. About 95 percent were closer than 100 yards. There will be zero realistic difference between these calibers at that distance.
The argument could be made that a police sniper may have to take an extremely long shot and it is best to have the most powerful and flat-shooting caliber available. However, wouldn't it be more beneficial if the officer behind the rifle had more training and practice? A successful long-range shot is "more about the man than the machine" as a mentor of mine once told me.
Ammunition budgets are not measured in the number of rounds that may be purchased. They are measured in the number of dollars that may be spent. The 300 Win Mag, for example, is about 40 percent more expensive than similar match-grade ammunition in 308 Win. That is 40 percent fewer rounds the police sniper has for training. Ammunition for the 260 Rem is priced close to the 308 Win, but is not nearly as widely available, nor is it offered in as many different configurations. For the police sniper, anti-barrier bullets matter.
Along those same lines,...