There's no such thing as a "silencer", only a "suppressor".

And you can fit a suppressor to a bolt-action like you would a semiauto.

I don't really see the advantage of semi-automatic in an anti-personnel sniper weapon...granted the M-16 SPR variant is a semiautomatic weapon, but that's more of a squad-based marksman weapon than an actual sniper rifle.

With a sniper rifle, the idea is you only need one shot, therefore rate of fire is irrelevant.

Bolt action for a dedicated sniper team and semi auto for a designated marksman.
the DMR's are all semi-auto's for the simple fact that it is much faster to acquire and fire the weapon at multiple targets in a combat situation. snipers use single shots on single targets, then disappear - they don't hang around behind a squad and take down targets of opportunity (although that is changing nowawdays).

The reason why everyone thinks of the Sniper rifle as a Bolt Action is because of the little thing called Hollywood. Yes, Sniper Rifles were at one point in time Bolt Action only rifles. But During the later stages of WWII, the USA, USSR, and Germany all made semi-auto sniper rifles. THere is the M1 Garand D model, the Ghewer 43, and the SVT-40 Sniper model. Also, after the war. The soviets made their standrad issue sniper rifle the SVD Dragonov. They took the Ak action and chambered it for the 7.62X54R cartridge. Which also holds the record for the longest serving military cartridge. It was designed in 1891. Anyways back to topic. The Israelis used a accurized version of their Gali Rifle. And the US now uses the M25 and the M82. The M82 is made by Berret. It's the Fifty Caliber rifle that all the liberials in the US want to ban from civilian ownership. BACK TO TOPIC. Mostly the main reason why the bolt action is still used is because the action makes no noise. If you put a suppressor on a semi-auto. The action still makes noise. You would still hear the metal bolt hitting the reciever. You can turn a bolt slowy so it doesn't make noise. The H&K PSG1. Which everyone thinks is the coolest thing since sliced bread is nothing more than a specialy built H&K G3/91. Which was the standard issue rifle before that plastic G36.

Having used both I prefer the semi automatic rifle because you don't move off your aiming spot so far. One all rifles should be zeroed in for your eye sight. The British Enfield rifle was a wow for this as you change your fore sight with a small tool until you fired spot on each time, but any rifle is just as good as the person that uses it. It is case of doing what you have been taught and doing it well. One of my favourite weapons for shooting is the British LSW, this can be fired on single shot or automatic and is based on SA 80 design but it has longer and much heavier barrel on it plus a bi pod on single shot it makes a first class sniper weapon especially with that optical sight they come with.

In comparing a bolt action to a semi-auto.

Semi-auto: Mag fed, easy to maintain, don't need match ammo

Bolt action: Like the Model 700 M40A1 you need match ammo, chambers only five rounds, and need constant cleaning.

And yes Hollywood played a big roll in calling bolt actions "sniper rilfes" but you pretty much snipe with anything. Put a scope on an M60 and put the fire selector on semi and your good. As long as you can get a long range, controled shot.

Why in the world would you need more than one shot? One shot is hard to locate. Successive shots are begging for machine gun and mortar fire.

Exactly. If you can't kill with one shot, you are not going to be a sniper.

Originally Posted by Cadet Seaman

And yes Hollywood played a big roll in calling bolt actions "sniper rilfes" but you pretty much snipe with anything. Put a scope on an M60 and put the fire selector on semi and your good. As long as you can get a long range, controled shot.

It sounds more like Hollywood gave you this idea. In reality, this is not so.

Actualy during WWII. The Browning M1919 had a scope mount for it. Same thing during Korea. And a heavy weapon like the M2 Browning, M1919, and the M60 make great sniper platforms. They are large enough for the person not a effect the rifle during slight movement.

Sniper - Designated Marksman....sniper=1 shot one kill, designated marksman =take down as many as possible, as fast as possible at range...

Make sense? The PSG1 is a DMR. The .50 Barrett is an anti-materiel rifle, not sniper.