American Sniper: How to Shoot Like Chris Kyle [Video]

In this image released by Warner Bros. Pictures, Bradley Cooper portrays Navy SEAL Chris Kyle in a scene from "American Sniper." Former Navy SEAL and Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, who won $1.8 million in a defamation lawsuit last year against the estate of the late Chris Kyle, says he won’t see the film partly because Kyle is no hero to him. He tells The Associated Press a hero must be honorable, and there’ no honor in lying. Lyle claimed in his “American Sniper” book that he punched out a man, whom he later identified as Ventura, at a California bar in 2006 for allegedly saying the SEALs "deserve to lose a few" in Iraq. Ventura said it never happened. AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures

The most lethal sniper in U.S. history was Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. His ability to make a long-range shot will be the stuff of legends for years to come. But how did he get so good? Navy SEAL sniper training turned him into a soldier that would be remembered.

SEAL stands for Sea, Air, Land teams. These exceptional human beings are trained for virtually every scenario and geographic obstacles known to man. From jumping out of airplanes in the dead of night to being deployed from a submarine and traveling underwater for miles before stealthily sneaking onto a beach.

READ MORE

• American Sniper: What Rifle Did Chris Kyle Use?

SEAL sniper training is the only SEAL program where a candidate will not be looked down on for quitting or washing out. The demands that are placed on the mind and body are so extreme, many would find it hard to imagine how someone would volunteer for such a severe test of their fortitude. For instance, a sniper may have to crawl on his belly for miles or days over searing hot desert sands before finding a proper position to take the shot, according to former Navy SEAL, Brandon Webb, writing in an article posting on Navyseal.com.

The training is divided into two sections, the first being marksmanship, and the second how to stalk a target.

While stalking a target is a huge part of SEAL training, most people are not interested in the incredible details that go into moving silently across great distances and trying to zero in on a target that can shoot back.

Kyle being able to hit his target at 2,100 yards is beyond impressive: the greater the range the more important the atmospheric variables become. A 5 mph crosswind will have little effect when taking a 200 yard shot, but at 2,100 yards, this can cause the bullet to veer off the intended target by several inches. Atmospheric pressure, humidity, and even the curvature and speed of rotation of the earth have to be taken into consideration when trying to hit a target over a mile away, according to former Navy SEAL Richard Machowicz, former host of Future Weapons, a television series produced by Discovery Channel.

 Here are some videos showing how to make a long range shot: