Sniper Conference 2024 is an annual event addressed to sharpshooters of various uniformed formations from Poland and abroad, organized by the Association of Security Experts of the Republic of Poland. The 9th edition of the event took place on June 4-7, hosted by the Military Institute of Armament Technology in Zielonka near Warsaw. During those four days, lectures and presentations of the latest equipment solutions intended for snipers and secret service officers were held in the conference room and at long distance open air shooting range.
The event's program was scheduled over four days. The day of lectures was followed by a day of presentation of the event partners' equipment at the shooting range.
Hubertus Pro has presented the latest scopes made by the American company Nightforce, including this year's new product presented during the SHOT Show in Las Vegas (USA), and available in the store's offer since March, the CFS (Cofigurable Field Spotting) Scope 6-36x50 F1. They are available in three versions with reticles in the first focal plane: MIL-XTs™, MOA-XTs™ and Horus TREMOR4.
During the second day at the shooting range it was possible to try out the Steyr Arms SSG08 M1 .338 Lapua sniper rifle equipped with the Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56 scope with the Tremor3, available at the Hubertus Pro stand. The set is intended for uniformed services. The M1 version was created in close cooperation with Austrian gunners from Jagdcommando Bundesheer. The rifle is designed to shoot a distance of at least 1200m. It is made mostly of aircraft grade aluminum (receiver, forestock and stock), and its design allows for quick replacement of the barrel together with the 10-round magazine. The rifle is equipped with a right-folding stock equipped with a wide range of adjustments. The rifle itself weighs 6.82 kg, but with optics, bipod and additional accessories it can weigh considerably more. The M1 version is distinguished from the SSG08 by a flap closing the ejection port known from the AR design, a polymer shell deflector and thumb safety levers on both sides of the weapon. The current version of the SSG M1 presented during the conference also had an M-LOK standard handguard. Hitting a target (gong) at a range of 800 m, even in the hands of an intermediate shooter (like myself), was not a problem.
An interesting novelty in the Hubertus Pro offer, also presented during the conference, is the Leica Geovid 10x42 PRO AB+ binoculars with a rangefinder working up to 2,950 meters and a built-in ballistic calculator. When measuring the range, the built-in computer processes the data in less than 0.3 s, providing the observer with the result along with the hit probability thanks to the use of ballistics software provided by Applied Ballistics Elite.
The Leica Geovid 10x42 PRO AB+ binoculars were also presented at the Polsecure 2024 trade fair
The Hubertus Pro stand also showed new American MTM storage and transport boxes for ammunition, accessories and weapons. They are characterized by optimal durability in relation to very low weight, and are also offered at a very competitive price compared to the leading brands of transport boxes available on the market. This makes them a good alternative when there is no need to drop the box from a plane... They are available in many sizes, usually compatible with each other within a given system.
For some time now, during events addressed to for uniformed services the Mildat company is presenting an advanced Israeli sights with the Smartshooter target acquisition system. A few years ago, we had the opportunity to take an overall look at this technology, but during the Sniper Conference 2024 everyone had the opportunity to check the effectiveness of Smartshooter sights in practice, this time using the mode of eliminating moving targets in the air. These sight has a targeting mode and supports the shooter in effectively destroying a moving drone (Dron Mode).
The idea behind the creation of the system was to increase the effectiveness of soldiers on the battlefield in shooting at moving targets, which was presented on the first day during a lecture on the entire Smartshooter ecosystem. Smartshooter is intended to eliminate basic human errors that affect the effectiveness of shots, such as vibrations of the weapon in the shooter's hands, incorrect aiming, jerking the trigger or pulling the trigger in a wrong moment. After installing the system on a rifle, the shooter tries to aim at a target using a button and confirming it. From that moment on, the trigger pulled by the shooter is blocked with a special stopping mechanism until the rifle is aimed at the target again, when the trigger is released and a hit is almost certain. In the case of the drone combat mode, the computer, based on the necessary data collected by the system (including from a built-in laser rangefinder), tries to suggest how far in advance and where the shot must be fired for the bullet to hit the moving target. Smartshooter also helps fire an effective shot at a moving ground target or one that appears irregularly in a window. The manufacturer calls this process Lock-Track-Hit. The IDF currently has two Smartshooter sights per section. The technology has already been appreciated by the British, Germans, Dutch and Americans. Will it be the same in Poland?
In addition to the Smartshooter system installed on various rifles and on the remotely controlled SMASH HOPPER base, the Smartshooter SMASH X4 sight was also presented, successfully installed on the domestic MSBS GROT A2 carbine. Thanks to the modular design of the weapon, the installation did not require any modifications apart from adapting the Smartshooter set dedicated for the SIG MCX, i.e. changing the direction of the wires by 180 degrees (originally they collided with the bolt catch) and arranging cable holders so that they did not interfere with the ejection port and charging handle.
The GROT carbine is also equipped with manipulators dedicated to this platform, and made by Deftar, a Polish manufacturer present on market for some time. The company was involved in the constructor of the MWS rifles included in the offer ofPGZ ZMT Tarnów - Roman Uznański. It also offers very good-looking mounts for optical sights (scopes and rd dot sights). Deftar's offer also includes AK mounts and accessories. Everything made in Poland.
A new direction in the development of a plate carrier platform for the Polish Army was presented for the first time by PGZ PSO Maskopol. Following global trends, the rigid polypropene Curv material will be used as the framework of the vest, cummerbund, selected other structural elements of the webbing and the belt.
The Incorsa company, which offers both weapons, ammunition and accessories addressed to the civilian market and uniformed services, has presented suppressors made by the Finnish manufacturer Ase Utra and also Lapua ammunition.
The RWS Cetus company has presented, among other things, UTM inserts for MSBS GROT carbines, VIS 100 pistols and Milkor Supersix grenade launchers. A new feature was the Lancer L5AWM 30 Train-Safe training magazine, which prevented loading even a single round of live ammunition.
New thermal imaging sights (including the prototype DATS-3U - specifications were not provided) were presented by Brolis from Lithuania. One of the models showed was the HTR-5U, which is the successor of the LW75U. While maintaining the same durability, the same highly sensitive sensors and DRI, the company managed to reduce the size and weight by 30% (<700g), while increasing the battery lifetime and offering additional functionalities. The HTR-5U can be powered by AA batteries (up to 4 hours of operation), an external 12-24V module or a 5V power bank (USB-C). The image is recorded on an SD card.
Brolis HTR-5U
Prototype Brolis thermal imaging attachment with tilting mounting
Brolis LP5X Laser Pointer
During the two days of lectures at the conference, apart from exhibitors' presentations, technology for making suppressors was discussed on the example of B&T products, types and maintenance of ASE UTRA suppressors, Lapua ammunition for various purposes (special armor piercing, armor piercing incendiary, non-fragmenting and semi-auto), presentation of Brolis thermal imaging devices, and interesting thematic panels were also conducted. Among other things, an interesting lecture on the functioning of the human eye was given by Anna Szkulmowska, and Marek Habior gave a lecture on the impact of visual impairments on the aiming and shooting process.
“Łasuch” from Target Creators shared his thoughts from the conducted test of the effectiveness of hitting targets with a rifle with an Eotech holographic sight and a Delta Optical Stryker HD 1-10x28 SDOG-1 LPVO scope. Conference participants could also learn about the conclusions drawn from the current war in Ukraine and the Israeli operation against Hamas, where UAVs and methods of combating them play such a far-reaching role in conducting military operations for the first time.
Two Polish weapons manufacturers also presented their offers: Weapons Factory "Łucznik" Radom and Zaklady Mechaniczne Tarnów
Association of Security Experts of the Republic of Poland
The organizer of the Sniper conference is the Association of Security Experts of the Republic of Poland, which consists of former or current employees, officers or soldiers of the uniformed services protecting public safety and order or protect the state, or the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland, in particular - special forces units of the Police or the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland - as we can read on the association's website . The organization's portfolio includes, among other things: numerous activities related to increasing awareness of broadly understood security for companies (legal, cybernetic, physical). The offer includes, among other things, courses devoted to cybersecurity management in an organization, regarding analysis, security and management of information and legal security, building resistance to terrorist threats of an organization, building an organization's capabilities against threats in the area of state defense, as well as postgraduate studies in the area of Security management in the organization. Soldiers who would like to use their recuperation funds in this way are offered discounts allowing them to complete three courses after completing 15 years of service, two courses after 9 years of service and one after completing 4 years of service. Soldiers' families can also receive a 15% discount. Certified courses are carried out in cooperation with GMP Defense.
Representatives of the Military Institute of Armament Technology supervised the smooth and safe run of the event at all times
