Sniper suits from around the world

I posted some photos of a Canadian Arid cadpat sniper suit on the Canadian forum and was asked to post them here as this area is a bit sparse , so here they are below. I will add photos of the Cadpat temperate suit and of the prototype plain green Canadian sniper suit from 2002 in the next few days. It is interesting to see how the features on the prototype evolved into the cammo production models. I will also add photos of the British, Belgian and other odd sniper suits in the next week or so.

Brilliant many thanks fortycoats

GR

AS promised. here are some photos of this suit. When I got it, it was new but had not been totally finished. Some buckles and poppers had not been put on and you can see the chalk marks where the foliage loops should have been sewn on. It is beautifully made and I have slightly modified it to use for competitive target rifle shooting as the plain green is more acceptable on some ranges than cammo would be.

This is identical in construction to the Arid version shown above. It is clearly descended from the prototype with only small alterations made to the sleeve pockets and the padding at knees and elbows made thicker with restraing straps to ensure the correct location.

This is the classic sniper suit design that has been copied all over the world. The cloth is heavy and the padding on shoulders and elbows is also heavy. Hooks are used on the arms to retain a shooting sling(single or double point). It was developed from the British para smock, with the lower front pockets moved around to the side to make shooting in the prone position more comfortable. and retains many of the original features like the front zip and wooly cuffs.




Just for contrast, here is what would be worn on parade or a dinner! The mess dress is dated 1939 and was made for an officer in the 13th Frontier Field Force, otherwise known as Coke's Rifles. This was a Regiment of the British Army in India which served on the borders between what is now Pakistan and Afghanistan. Nothing has changed!

This is almost identical in design and construction to the British version. The only major difference is that the sling retainer is a canvas loop as opposed to a metal hook.

Awesome stuff you've got there!

Lovely collection Fortycoats, would appear your interests are similar to mine!!! I use to collect anything Rifles or Light Infantry orientated and I think I've got a couple of pics somewhere which I'll scan and upload, Ive still got a set of RGJ No1's to a Sergeant with a Standard 1 Signallers & Anti Tank qualification badges, I'll take some pics and post them.

GR

By the way the Tunic with the Seal skin busby is that a bugle Majors? Isnt that what the red plume denotes?

GR

Hang on is the busby Astracan or seal skin difficult to tell........think we're goinh a bit off topic here although these regiments were the original "Snipers"

The left hand jacket is a bugle major's uniform from the expanded Rifle regiment. The red plume and sleeve endings are a throw back to the KRRC red decorations as opposed to the plain black that the 95th used. The right hand photo is from the 13th Frontier field force(Coke's Rifles) which ahd been influenced by the KRRC back in the latter part of the 19th Century when it was formed. The busby and the whole bugle majors uniform in fact, is of recent manufacture. We are not really off topic because snipers are allowed to wear other clothes when not shooting!

Nice Canadian contacts, eh? The OD version is quite interesting. All kinds of strange features. I wonder how functional all of them are.

Also, nice find on the Belgian sniper jacket. Only a few hundred of those were made. I got mine around 2003 or 2004 timeframe. I'm not sure if they continued to make them or if it was a limited run (which is what I suspect).

Steve

Agh so the BM's is Rifles? How did you manage to get that? Are you a serving Rifles Bugle Major?
Yes indeed the facings are red from KRRC originally, but maybe now a bit from the D&D's and RGBW's too and not forgetting the old Ox & Bucks who although were red coats too were proudly light infantry, in 3RGJ we always had a very proud Black & Green tradition, so much that when we changed from 3to 2 and a red line appeared on our black and green signs people black the red lines out signs were stolen etc etc
snipers are indeed allowed to wear other clothing .....spot on

GR

sniper jacket from the dutch army

Really well made with all sorts of features.

Really lovely smock you got there buddy

G

Damn, that Dutch smock is something isn't it ?!! Very much based on the original Arktis and later KSK smocks with the French FELIN also similar and coming out only this year.

I am very jealous !

Dave

i didn't know how well made those smocks are, now i see why they sell for so much money...

Canadian military items are really hard to get! Love the CADPAT temperate sniper suit. Buddy of mine has the coat but not the pants. Still kicks ass even though it is not a complete set. Been trying to get my hands on one forever!

Whilst wandering through stalls in the recent War and Peace show in the uk, a bit of cammo caught my eye sticking out of a box of metal items. I picked it up and examined it for a while before realising what it was. To begin with, I thought it was a badly cut up commando smock but I then recognised the basic shape and what was missing. It was a "new" sniper smock which had the shoulder pads, both arm pads and one arm sling pad removed. Also removed was  most of the rear lower pocket and flap leaving a ragged hole 30cm across. I bought it for what it was worth as a rag and took it home to ressurect. I had a spare set of UK army sniper pads, shoulder and sleeve, and some spare Belgian cammo material from later uniforms so I got busy with the sewing machine. The new pads were installed, the hole in the back patched up and the sling pad from the right arm was laterally inverted and put on the left arm so as to be used by a right handed shooter.  As you can see, it is now a working shooting smock which is used on the range. The purists will have to forgive the placing of insignia from 3 other countries on it to spice it up!

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An interesting Pencott green Zone sniper oversuit from the Ukraine. Interesting design incorporating a large zipped flap on the front which enables LBE to be carried inside the suit but still be quickly accessed. Also, the pants have PALS/MOLLE webbing on the legs instead of pockets. Not sure this is a good idea.


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The new MTP sniper smock. Appears to be the same cut and construction as the previous DPM version. Based on the para smock with the lower pockets moved to the side and padding added on the sleeves and shoulders.

This is the most purpose built and detailed sniper suit I have seen. Made by NFM but never seen on any of their literature or web sites. Labelled a "sample". I will post more detailed pics in due course but it was well thought out. The front of the pants and the lower front and side pockets are made of cordura. All pockets are zipped and with flaps. It was designed to be used with a cloak so the foliage loops are on the bits that would be outside the cloak,i.e., the back of the legs and  the sleeves. The right hand shoulder is padded and there are sling  retaining loops on each shoulder. The downside to this detail is that the suit is heavy. 4.3 Kg.


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Here are some pics  of the interesting details built into this sniper suit. Firstly , the left hand sleeve with a covered waterproof panel for range cards etc..Also showing the inner sleeve cuff with thumb hole to cover most of the hands for concealment and warmth



Next the Right hand shoulder with a panel to insert padding to cushion recoil
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The Left hand shoulder showing the ports for comms cables.



The inside of the front and side pockets with velcro panels for holding sub divisions such as ammo magazines or pouches.


The top of each sleeve has a tape to hold in position a single point rifle sling used to steady the hold in the unsupported prone position.


Two views of the back showing pocket layout and another port for a cable or hydration tube.




Padding on the elbows of both sleeves.


Trouser pockets and strapped cuffs.