Rob Furlong
Encyclopedia
Rob Furlong is a former corporal of the Canadian Forces
, who held the record for the longest confirmed sniper
kill in combat, at 2,430 metres (2,657 yd, 12.08 furlong
s, or 1.51 miles). Furlong's shot exceeded the previous record of Arron Perry
set in 2001 just before Furlong's record by 120 m or 131.2 yd.
Born in Fogo Island, Newfoundland
, Furlong taught himself to fire a rifle ambidextrously
.
in Afghanistan
's Shah-i-Kot Valley
as a member of the 3rd Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
(PPCLI). His sniper team included MCpl. Graham Ragsdale
(Team Commander), MCpl. Tim McMeekin, MCpl. Arron Perry
, and Cpl. Dennis Eason. Furlong ran out of his Canadian made ammo in a little over a week. Some Americans that were attached to Furlong's unit offered him American made ammo, "and for whatever reason they seemed to go farther" Furlong stated in an interview. Furlong also mentioned that the closest distance he engaged a target from during his tour was 1500 yards. A group of three al-Qaeda
fighters were moving into a mountainside position when Furlong took aim with his Long Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW), a .50-caliber
McMillan Brothers Tac-50 rifle
, loaded with Hornady A-MAX 750 gr very-low-drag bullet
s. He began firing at a fighter carrying an RPK machine gun
. Furlong's first shot missed and his second shot hit the knapsack on the target's back. The third struck the target's torso, killing him. The distance was measured as 2,430 metres (2,657 yd / 1.509 mile
s). With a muzzle speed of 823 m/s (2,700.1 ft/s), each shot reached the target almost four seconds after Furlong fired. This feat is not typical for the effective range with a high first-hit probability of the employed rifle on non-static targets (see maximum effective range). The shot was aided by the ambient air density in the Shah-i-Kot Valley where Corporal Furlong operated, which is significantly lower than at sea level due to its 2,743 meter (9,000 ft) mean elevation. In December 2003, PPCLI snipers Master Corporal Graham Ragsdale, Master Corporal Tim McMeekin, Corporal Dennis Eason, Corporal Rob Furlong and Master Corporal Arron Perry were awarded the Bronze Star by the U.S. Army for their actions in combat during Operation Anaconda, March 2–11, 2002.
became the subject of a military police criminal investigation into inappropriate conduct during their deployment in Afghanistan. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service
(NIS), the major crimes unit of the Canadian Forces Military Police
, also became involved in the investigation. As the months wore on, there emerged so many conflicting accusations and explanations that no charges were ever laid. During the investigation, Furlong and his fellow snipers were questioned. The experience made Furlong decide to leave the Canadian military. After his resignation from the military, Rob Furlong became a police officer.
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, who held the record for the longest confirmed sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
kill in combat, at 2,430 metres (2,657 yd, 12.08 furlong
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....
s, or 1.51 miles). Furlong's shot exceeded the previous record of Arron Perry
Arron Perry
Arron Perry is a former Master Corporal in the Canadian Forces who supposedly in March 2002 briefly held the record for the longest recorded sniper kill in combat at a range of...
set in 2001 just before Furlong's record by 120 m or 131.2 yd.
Born in Fogo Island, Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Furlong taught himself to fire a rifle ambidextrously
Ambidexterity
Ambidexterity is the state of being equally adept in the use of both left and right appendages . It is one of the most famous varieties of cross-dominance. People that are naturally ambidextrous are rare, with only one out of one hundred people being naturally ambidextrous...
.
Record details
In March 2002, Furlong participated in Operation AnacondaOperation Anaconda
Operation Anaconda took place in early March 2002 in which the United States military and CIA Paramilitary Officers, working with allied Afghan military forces, and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization and non NATO forces attempted to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in the Shahi-Kot...
in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
's Shah-i-Kot Valley
Shah-i-Kot Valley
The Shah-i-Kot Valley is a valley located in Afghanistan's Paktia province, southeast of the town of Zormat. The terrain in and around the valley is notoriously rugged, located at a mean altitude of...
as a member of the 3rd Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is one of the three regular force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army. The regiment is composed of four battalions including a primary reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers...
(PPCLI). His sniper team included MCpl. Graham Ragsdale
Graham Ragsdale
Master Corporal Graham Ragsdale of the Canadian Forces was the commander of the Third Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry sniper team attached to the 101st Airborne of the U.S. Army during Operation Anaconda in the Shah-i-kot Valley, Paktia Province, Afghanistan in March, 2002...
(Team Commander), MCpl. Tim McMeekin, MCpl. Arron Perry
Arron Perry
Arron Perry is a former Master Corporal in the Canadian Forces who supposedly in March 2002 briefly held the record for the longest recorded sniper kill in combat at a range of...
, and Cpl. Dennis Eason. Furlong ran out of his Canadian made ammo in a little over a week. Some Americans that were attached to Furlong's unit offered him American made ammo, "and for whatever reason they seemed to go farther" Furlong stated in an interview. Furlong also mentioned that the closest distance he engaged a target from during his tour was 1500 yards. A group of three al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
fighters were moving into a mountainside position when Furlong took aim with his Long Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW), a .50-caliber
.50 BMG
The .50 Browning Machine Gun or 12.7×99mm NATO is a cartridge developed for the Browning .50 caliber machine gun in the late 1910s. Entering service officially in 1921, the round is based on a greatly scaled-up .30-06 cartridge...
McMillan Brothers Tac-50 rifle
McMillan Tac-50
The McMillan Tac-50 sniper rifle is produced in Phoenix, Arizona in the United States by the McMillan Brothers Rifle Company. This long-range anti-materiel/anti-personnel weapon is based on previous designs from the same company, which first appeared during the late 1980s...
, loaded with Hornady A-MAX 750 gr very-low-drag bullet
Very-low-drag bullet
Very-low-drag bullets are primarily a small arms ballistics development of the 1980s–1990s, driven by shooters' desire for bullets that will give a higher degree of accuracy and kinetic efficiency, especially at extended ranges. To achieve this the projectile must minimize air resistance in flight...
s. He began firing at a fighter carrying an RPK machine gun
RPK
The RPK is a 7.62x39mm light machine gun of Soviet design, developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the late 1950s, parallel with the AKM assault/battle rifle...
. Furlong's first shot missed and his second shot hit the knapsack on the target's back. The third struck the target's torso, killing him. The distance was measured as 2,430 metres (2,657 yd / 1.509 mile
Mile
A mile is a unit of length, most commonly 5,280 feet . The mile of 5,280 feet is sometimes called the statute mile or land mile to distinguish it from the nautical mile...
s). With a muzzle speed of 823 m/s (2,700.1 ft/s), each shot reached the target almost four seconds after Furlong fired. This feat is not typical for the effective range with a high first-hit probability of the employed rifle on non-static targets (see maximum effective range). The shot was aided by the ambient air density in the Shah-i-Kot Valley where Corporal Furlong operated, which is significantly lower than at sea level due to its 2,743 meter (9,000 ft) mean elevation. In December 2003, PPCLI snipers Master Corporal Graham Ragsdale, Master Corporal Tim McMeekin, Corporal Dennis Eason, Corporal Rob Furlong and Master Corporal Arron Perry were awarded the Bronze Star by the U.S. Army for their actions in combat during Operation Anaconda, March 2–11, 2002.
Later career
Just days after Furlong's record-making shot, MCpl Arron PerryArron Perry
Arron Perry is a former Master Corporal in the Canadian Forces who supposedly in March 2002 briefly held the record for the longest recorded sniper kill in combat at a range of...
became the subject of a military police criminal investigation into inappropriate conduct during their deployment in Afghanistan. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service
Canadian Forces National Investigation Service
The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service is the investigative arm of the Canadian Forces Military Police.-History:The CFNIS was established in 1997 with a mandate to investigate serious and sensitive matters related to Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces...
(NIS), the major crimes unit of the Canadian Forces Military Police
Canadian Forces Military Police
The Canadian Forces Military Police provide military police services to the Canadian Forces.Canadian Military Police are unusual in that they are classified as Peace Officers in the Criminal Code of Canada, which gives them the same powers as civilian law enforcement personnel to enforce Acts of...
, also became involved in the investigation. As the months wore on, there emerged so many conflicting accusations and explanations that no charges were ever laid. During the investigation, Furlong and his fellow snipers were questioned. The experience made Furlong decide to leave the Canadian military. After his resignation from the military, Rob Furlong became a police officer.
Further reading
- McMillan Tac-50 article including a photo of the actual rifle Furlong used.
- Mention in Dispatch
- 'We were abandoned': Story of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Snipers