Sniping Rifles in World War I

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In 1914, Germany and Austria-Hungary were well-equipped with sniping rifles, while their Allied opponents were not. This illustrated volume explores the rifles used by snipers from all major powers during World War I. Although military sharpshooting dates back to the 18th century, only the German and Austro-Hungarian armies had trained snipers with scoped rifles at the war's onset. Consequently, Allied forces faced a significant disadvantage. The Canadians introduced a dedicated sniping rifle in limited numbers, while the British struggled with sniper training despite quickly settling on a suitable rifle and scope, largely due to the efforts of a few dedicated officers. The French and Italians eventually developed competent scoped rifles and training systems. When the Americans entered the war in 1917, they faced rifle shortages but built on pre-war initiatives to find effective sniping weapons. Russia, however, suffered the most, as its troops had no snipers and faced dire consequences. This volume features full-colour artwork, carefully selected archive images, and photographs of the sniping rifles and accessories used in the trenches, providing an in-depth look at the rifles carried by snipers of all major powers during the conflict.