High Angle Shooting
BY Herschel Smith
5 years, 1 month ago
Via WRSA, this piece at SOFREP is presented.
But the paper is just about the so-called “rifleman’s rule.” In other words, multiply the inclined distance by the Cosine of the angle to get the horizontal distance, and adjust your holdover to the horizontal distance. Cos(θ) × Hypotenuse = Adjacent.
Simple enough. But it doesn’t work for large angles of inclination or declination. It doesn’t matter what sniper wherever he is has told you to do that. It’s wrong according to physics. Here is a pretty good layman’s explanation (but somewhat pedestrian).
The recommendation is to multiple Cos(θ) × Holdovers for a better approximation.
Gravity doesn’t act perpendicular to the bullet when it’s travelling at an angle.
Despite all that higher math shit, the key is the bullet is travelling less than what your rangefinder says it is, and gravity is less of an influence than horizontal. Aim a little low and leave the calculator at home.
I could have said that in few words.
Okay, then say it in fewer words, and include the mathematics.