Classification

Modern sniper rifles can be generally divided into two basic classes: military and law enforcement.

Military

U.S. Marine Corps sniper team with an M86 sniper rifle, during sniper training.

Sniper rifles aimed at military service often deliberately sacrifice a small degree of accuracy to obtain a very high degree of durability, reliability, sturdiness, serviceability and repairability under adverse environmental and combat conditions. Military snipers and sharpshooters may also be required to carry their rifles, along with other equipment, for long distances, making weight considerations very important. Military organizations often operate under strict budget constraints, which influences the type and quality of sniper rifles they acquire.

Law enforcement

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Law enforcement sniper rifles are generally required to have greater accuracy over military rifles, but at shorter ranges.

Some of the first examples of sniper rifles designed specifically to meet police requirements were those required by West German police corps after the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics. The Heckler & Koch PSG1 is one of the rifles designed to meet these criteria, and is often referred to as an ideal example of this type of sniper rifle. The FN Special Police Rifle is another example of a rifle aimed at law enforcement rather than military agencies.