Thread: Angle Compensation

Minor point but the method based on horizontal distance gets worse the further out you get. It works fine at "normal" hunting distances out to 400 or 500 or so but after that I would recommend you estimate the angle and put that into you ballistic data.

I would have tried to explain angle shooting as gravity deflection is always the same regardless of angle but with angle some of that deflection is along the line of sight instead of perpendicular to it i.e. vertical. The portion of gravity deflection along the line of sight you don’t see so you are simply left with less vertical deflection. (i.e. what Gadgetman said!)

Couple of other points though about hold over. As Dougie's data shows, a 300m shot with a 30 degree angle (quite steep) changes your point of impact about 3 inches. Typically this would not result in a clean miss on a good central shoulder shot. The other consideration is the angle you are looking at the animal at. If you are above an animal you want to hit it a little high to angle the projectile through the vitals. If you are below an animal you need to aim a little low on the shoulder for the same reason.

Lastly @Dougie, I suggest you sight your 223 in at 200m and re-run those deflection numbers. You will see, with a 200m zero, it is quite easy to hold over on animals out to 300m or so at typical 223 velocities.

Originally Posted by Gillie

Lastly @Dougie, I suggest you sight your 223 in at 200m and re-run those deflection numbers. You will see, with a 200m zero, it is quite easy to hold over on animals out to 300m or so at typical 223 velocities.

But I don't like hold-over, that's the point

Sorry slightly off topic but one of the reasons I love my .223 so much is that it doesn't lie. It's been a great learning tool for me to have often subtle factors with a big calibre come glaring down at me with the small, light bullet. Wind..doesn't lie. Distance...doesn't lie. I've had great fun learning to dial with my little Weaver scope on this rifle. You'll see the other day when I shot my first deer with it, I dialled! 179 yards, 2.07inches drop, 1.1MOA - I sure did click those four clicks!!!

(also at 300yards I have only 448fpe and 1914fps so probably not happily hitting bigger deer out there! I like +500fpe)