 In addition, the snipers did not have the proper equipment for this hostage rescue operation.The Heckler & Koch G3 battle rifles used were considered by several experts to be inadequate for the distance at which the snipers were trying to shoot.The G3, the standard service rifle of the Bundeswehr at that time, had a barrel; at the distances the snipers were required to shoot, a barrel would have ensured far greater accuracy.