The British used elephant guns as a means of getting around the German tactic of having their snipers advance towards Allied lines under the cover of a large , 6-10 millimeter ( 0.24-0 .4 inch ) thick steel plate . The British used elephant guns as a means of countering the German tactic of having their snipers advance towards Allied lines under the cover of a large , 6-10 millimeter ( 0.24-0 .4 inch ) thick steel plates .