I think every firearms enthusiast understands that Hollywood usually gets guns (and how they’re used) wrong. Magazine capacity, reloads, recoil, and impact (you know, when a guy is blown back 10 feet after getting hit by a 5.56 NATO round…very realistic) are usually inaccurate, misleading or just plain dumb.
However, there are the occasional glimpses of reality. Movies like John Wick, HEAT, Sicario, Black Hawk Down, The Way of the Gun, Lone Survivor, and others get it right. Most of the time, the creative team brings on experts as advisers (in many cases, former Special Operations personnel) to ensure the weapons and tactics are used correctly (or, in the case of Act of Valor, hires real-life SEALs as actors).
One of my favorite realistic depictions of weapons and tactics is the popular Paramount Show SEAL Teams, which not only had on-set advisers but also cast former operators as characters. Tyler Gray, who played Trent Sawyer, is a former Army Ranger and Delta Force member (he appeared in 107 of 114 episodes). But even though I think Hollywood has gotten better, I’ve always felt it still hasn’t really figured out snipers.
Hollywood Usually Gets Sniping Wrong
Maybe the most famous movie sniper is Private Jackson, played by Barry Pepper in Saving Private Ryan. The left-handed sniper awed audiences with his distinctive prayer ritual as he picked off Nazis on the battlefield.
Unfortunately, it’s a very inaccurate depiction. Early in the movie, after the Rangers scale Point du Hoc, they engage an enemy machine-gun position. To make the shot, Jackson calmly swaps riflescopes, like switching from a pitching wedge to a 9-iron for an approach shot on the green.
Nothing like that ever happened. First, 1940s optics were very fragile—you wouldn’t carry a spare unprotected in your pack. Second, there’s no world where switching an optic under fire is a practical solution. Finally, what was wrong with the rifle’s first scope?
More often, in B or C-level action movies, you see “sniper” rifles with traditional hunting scopes (sometimes mounted backward or on see-through rings). Or — one of my favorites — the rifle has what looks like a “tactical” riflescope, but once the camera switches to a view supposedly through the optic, the reticle is either a standard duplex or an old German 3-post reticle.
That doesn’t mean sniper depictions in more recent movies, such as Lone Survivor and American Sniper, are inaccurate. They are. That’s because those films bring on advisers with real-world experience.
In addition to the advisers, prop houses like Xtreme Props and Weapons Rentals provide firearms ranging from the historic to the latest models available. That gives directors and showrunners the ability to use realistic options (assuming they care enough) including sniper rifles.
One of the best recent depictions of sniper rifle use came in episode 7 of the recently released season 2 of Terminal List.
Real-World Weapons and Tactics On the Small Screen
Amazon Prime’s Terminal List series adapts the popular Terminal List book series by Jack Carr (the pen name of George Petersen). The books are New York Times bestsellers that have sold millions of copies worldwide, propelling Jack Carr to superstardom.
The Terminal List books offer highly accurate depictions of weapons and tactics. That’s because Carr is a retired Navy SEAL sniper and team leader, so the weapons use and tactics have to be right. That realism shows up in the show, where Jack, Jared Shaw, and others offer insight.
Chris Pratt, who plays the titular character James Reece (a former SEAL sniper), underwent rigorous training. As a precision rifle enthusiast, I think all that work paid off in season two’s penultimate episode, “Every Bullet Has Its Destiny.”
The Sniper Rifles
While I won’t rehash or spoil the episode — or the season for that matter — episode seven depicts a sniper engagement. Not only do the snipers use MILs for wind and elevation calls, but we also see a sniper draw up a ranging card and demonstrate the thought process for spotting an enemy hide. We see a weather spotter at the target relaying real-time information to the sniper team (the bad guys) who are two miles away. The details are highly accurate, and so are the rifles.
First up, on the opposing side, they’re attempting a two-mile shot with CheyTac M200 Intervention rifles. Presumably, these are chambered in .375 CheyTac. And if you’re wondering whether it’s possible to hit at two miles, the .375 CheyTac cartridge has dominated the King of 2 Mile competition—so yes, it’s a realistic expectation.
The enemy combatants are using Nightforce optics. I can’t say for sure which optic, but I’d guess the ATACR 7-35 F1 with the MIL-XT reticle. If I were setting up a 2-mile rifle, that’s the optic setup I’d choose. But the rifle setup depicted in the show has another cool feature: it has a Vortex Impact 4000 mounted on top. This is a weapon-mounted laser rangefinder that also provides the shooter with ballistic and environmental data, crucial information when making a two-mile shot.
Now, for the good guys. Freddy Strain, a former SEAL and current CIA ground branch member (played by Gabriel Luna), engages enemy snipers with a Secret Service-issued rifle featuring a custom Remington 700-style barreled action in a Cadex Defense Chassis (the rifle could be a complete Cadex build). My guess is these rifles are chambered in 300 Win Mag, or possibly 300 Norma Magnum (which would make more sense for the distances Freddy is engaging).
Based on the barrel’s unique pattern, I’m guessing it’s carbon-fiber. Cadex lists Bartlein carbon fiber barrels as an option. On top is a Kahles K328i (my best guess), which is an interesting choice. I’m not aware of many agencies “officially” using a Kahles optic.
Whether the rifle setup reflects what the Secret Service counter snipers use is another story. Most of that information is tightly held. Internally, the bolt guns are known as JARs (just another rifle) and are all custom guns, possibly reflective of the individual sniper.
One interesting note: the rifle has a ballistic (DOPE) chart on the side of the stock, a very common practice. Unfortunately for Freddy, the ballistic information doesn’t extend to the distance he’s attempting. But Freddy is a gun guy and uses Kentucky Windage to great effect.
Sadly, not quite everything depicted in The Terminal List is accurate. See if you can spot the problem here . . .
Enhance… enhance… oh no no no https://t.co/ssEIddW4P6
— Louis vil LeGun (@LouisvilleGun) October 24, 2026
This is as Good as it Gets
As a lover of precision rifles, you’ll find this episode the best Hollywood has to offer. From the rifles to the actors’ skills, it all feels very true-to-life. Even the sniper craft is top-notch. But that should be expected for a show based on the Terminal List series.
If a book is written by a former Navy SEAL and a firearms enthusiast, the details need to be right. While the average fan might not notice the inconsistencies, many viewers are from this world or know about it. For them, the details give the show credibility.
If you haven’t yet, check out The Terminal List series on Amazon Prime. And if you haven’t, the books are worthwhile, too.