Shooting downhill?

Cletus

Cletus

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I have my treestand on a ridge this year with a possible furthest shot of about maybe 150 yards or so (give or take). What is the rule of thumb when aiming downhill. Is it to aim a wee bit lower. My gun is sighted in for about 2 1/2 inches high at 100 yards. The ridge is about maybe a 30 degree angle or so.
 
Aim for the horizontal distance to the target,not the straight line distance.However with the longest shot being 150 yards it won't be much of a factor.
 
stubblejumper said:
Aim for the horizontal distance to the target,not the straight line distance.However with the longest shot being 150 yards it won't be much of a factor.
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What does "the horizontal distance" mean. I have no idea what that is.
 
That is an intersting link, but the fellar is rifle hunting. I read an article years ago that goes something like this: The path which a bullet travels is influenced downward or away from it's path by gravity. Gravity is most influencial in a perpendicular direction to the path of travel (####, I'm trying to explain this when "horizontal" isn't even clear). Therefore the bullet is least pulled away from it's path when shot an any angle upward or downward from horizontal. As you approach a straight up or straight down angle, then the bullet becomes less deflected from it's path (or line of bore). In fact in theory, if the bullet were to be shot either straight up or straight down (don't recommend you try this at home guys), it would NOT deviate from line of bore or path. After having said all of that, and the article I read dedicated three pages including diagrams and all, the final conclusion was that it wasn't significant enough for you to worry about....go figure. I wished I'd kept that article, because I have heard this question deliberated many times over.
 
The bottom line is whether shooting uphill or down, aim lower than you would for a level shot of the same distance. On a shot of the distance you mention, I'd just hold on the lower 1/3 of the body. It's not far enough to notice much of a difference.
 
Aim where you normally would. I would bet a beer that your gun is not accurate enough to reflect the tiny change in elevation at 150yds.
 
joe-nwt said:
Aim where you normally would. I would bet a beer that your gun is not accurate enough to reflect the tiny change in elevation at 150yds.
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Bang on :)

150yd shot at 30* would equate to about a 160yd distance. I really don't think any hunting rifle being shot at a game animal will see the drop dif 10yds would make :) Before some-one corrects me on the distance NO I didn't do the math :rolleyes:
 
True, but depending on the range sighted for , @ 150 your pretty much at the top of the arc , which could be quite a bit. :)
Having done this many times on a smaller scale (in archery) the 1/3 up from the brisket sounds right. :D
 
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Just get a Bushnell Elite 1500 Rangfinder with the AIM feature.... it will do all the math for the angle and tell you what your holdover is for just about any load or bullet.:cool:
 
senior said:
150yd shot at 30* would equate to about a 160yd distance.
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actually I couldn tell you didn't do the math before you even stated you didn't do the math...the golden rule for shooting uphill/downhill is your shot will always impact HIGH......most people follow your way of thinking( the wrong way) because of the hypotenuse(SP?) of the triangel...but however it is wrong......

so infact a 150 yrd shot would equate to a distance LESS than 150 yrds:D

its really simple folks...punch in your numbers...( it doesn't matter if your bowhunting/spear hunting or rifle hunting or up hill or down hill) :D

or you could just buy one of those range finders BR has and it will do it for you:D

just trying to clear up a misconception that so many oldschool guys follow:runaway:
 
grouseman said:
just trying to clear up a misconception that so many oldschool guys follow:runaway:
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YOU ARE CORRECT SIR.

I had the same discussion with folks in my hunting class. My instructor was of the old school and quoted the "myth" as fact.

I'm both an engineer by training and stubborn :D , so I couldn't leave it alone. After wading through a whole bunch of articles and explanations, the bottom line was exactly what you said: you will always shoot higher on an angle, whether uphill or downhill.

The new fangled range finders which take into account angle will thus always show a shorter angle adjusted distance than the straightline distance. So, always aim a little LOW though as others have said, at 150 yards, it won't make much difference!
 
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