Shooting Uphill !

[Cedric 132]

Just how much difference does it make shooting off the level?

 

Where I zero my rifles before a trip out, at 100 yards, the target is on a banking about 15 - 20 feet higher than where I'm shooting from. Yesterday I zeroed my Hornet and set off, first two head shots on rabbits at about 95 yards were complete misses (level ground) ! Stuck a target out and found I was a good inch too high, this has happened before with my hmr.

 

Would this slight elevation make that much difference?

[andyf 144]

The horizontal distance between the gun and the target is what determines 'how far' it is

as gravity only works on the horizontal component.

So if your shooting up or down at say 45 degrees the distance to the target will always be

further than the horizontal distance, (draw it on a bit of paper).

Some of the 'clever' rangefinders measure the actual distance, and because they know the

angle up/down they calculate and tell you the distance as though it was 'level'.

[alan81 110]

you should zero on level ground and yes as said above if shooting either uphill or down hill the real distance changes and has to be allowed for. range finders with angle compensators will give you the real distance.

[Coypu Hunter 486]

Have a play with Chairgun. My 97 is zeroed at 33 yards, but if I change the upward angle of shot to 45°, the zero becomes 50-odd yards. Obviously this will be different for an HMR, but the principle is the same.

[Deker 3,450]

Just how much difference does it make shooting off the level?

 

Where I zero my rifles before a trip out, at 100 yards, the target is on a banking about 15 - 20 feet higher than where I'm shooting from. Yesterday I zeroed my Hornet and set off, first two head shots on rabbits at about 95 yards were complete misses (level ground) ! Stuck a target out and found I was a good inch too high, this has happened before with my hmr.

 

Would this slight elevation make that much difference?

It makes the difference of how steep that angle is!

 

This of course is exaggerated by lower powered ammo over long distance shots, compared to higher powered ammo on closer shots!

 

If your quarry is always up this hill stay zeroing there, if not zero on the flat!

Edited August 18, 2014 by Deker

[celticrusader 78]

I've shot two rabbits with the hmr in the past couple of years on the top of a hill dropping into the valley and both at the base, doubt this is the same but it can imagine that with something like an air rifle you would gain in this circumstance but in reverse would loose out.

Don't quote me on that tho!