How do you guys 'guess' angles ?

[ol mike]

For a guy who doesn't have an angle cosine indicator and exbal -how do you 'guess' the angle of a shot ?

Do you practice shooting downhill-uphill -steep not too steep is there an equation for differing yardage?

I remember remingtonman 25-06 saying he missed a black bear a year or so ago ,and someone ran the numbers on exbal -he had shot at a steep downward angle and shot well over the bear.
I did some longrange practicing from a mountain top down onto the valley floor last fall and at 400-5-600-yards you don't hold over very much at all.

Thanks ME

 

[Ridge Runner]

go to the hardware store and buy an "angle finder" its a magnetic level that has a needle pointing to the angle of your barrel. without a computer though it would take alot of drop charts.
RR

 

[Bravo 4]

The simplest (cheapest) way is to do the ol' protractor/string/weight. It works and is very simple. I just bought the slope doper and it seems like a decent piece of gear, small and simple = KISS.
I haven't seen the angle finder RidgeRunner is refering to, but I think I'll have to check it out as well.

 

[Eaglet]

Or buy something like this for less than 20 bucks, I'm guessing, and you don't have to deal with the string. I had something similar to this one and worked pretty good until I bought the cosine indicator.

 

[Down Under Hunter]

I would personally look at the sniper tools ACI. One hell of a tough little tool !!

DUH

 

[royinidaho]

Ol Mike,

Here's one I made awhile back. Used it for a couple of days in the mountains. After just a bit you end up memorizing the angles of various areas.

I marked the Cosine of each major angle w/sharpie.

It works best on the rifle barrel as the spotter has not reticle.

Rockler has one that is a bunch smaller than the one shown above. I'm going to upgrade to the Rockler when I come across that darn catalogue

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I did some longrange practicing from a mountain top down onto the valley floor last fall and at 400-5-600-yards you don't hold over very much at all.

That depends on your angle. Most angle shots are less than they seem. A 30 degree angle looks more like a 40 or 45 degree angle and a 45 degree angle looks like a 55 or 60 degree angle, almost straight down.

At 30 degrees you want to multiply your straight line distance by .86 to get your horizontal distance which is what you compensate for. and at 45 degrees you multiply the straight distance by .71

For a 30 cal, 200 gr Accubond with an MV of 3200 (typical 300 RUM load)

Your bullet drop difference at:

30 degrees and 300 yds will be about 2.2 inches
30 degress and 600 yds will be about 16 inches
45 degrees and 300 yds will be ablout 4.1 inches
45 degrees and 600 yds will be about 28 inches

And you want to hold under, not over.

These are oversimplified calculations and ballistics programs figure sight hieght into the calculation, and at more extreme ranges elevation differences should also be calculated.

Bottom line, inside 300-400 yds you can guesstimate fairly accurate. Just run some numbers and make a little drop interpolation chart. For farther shots you should get the equipement and software or else you're basically shooting and hoping.

Also you should figure the angle of your shot through the body. When shooting down hill if you aim for mid body you'll actually inpact higher toward the back but your bullet will travel down through the body through the vitals. If your shooting up hill you want to hold well under and catch the bottom of the chest.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

LOL dont remind me...I missed 3 bears that week, the closest being 225 and the farthest 375. Probly my worst week of shooting ever. Not sure what the angles were, but I know they couldn't have been more then a 40 or 45. Was shooting my 7mag/175g Wildcats zeroed at 200 yards. I was hitting what seemed like a foot over every time on every bear at every distance. The first bear was 350-375 and not to steep so I didn't account for much. He was broadside and I shot about 1 foot over his back, crosshairs were on his shoulder. The last bear I missed was 225 yards, probly 45 degree angle or so. He was facing me and I had the crosshairs right on his briskett, figuring if I shoot high I"ll get him in the neck/head area. At the shot, he whirled around and ran like a bad out of heck into the brush. Musta shot over his head cuz I didn't find the bear or blood. I did all the calculations and got like at most 6" of difference, not enough to miss all these bears anyways at somewhat close range...To say I was a little mad would be a total understatment...

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I was hitting what seemed like a foot over every time on every bear at every distance.

That sounds a little odd? Especially on a 225 yd shot. Did you recheck your zero on your rifle/scope after the hunt? Sounds like a little practice would be in order using a 4x4 sheet of plywood to see where your bullets are hitting vs yor calculations. I would put the bullseye about 3' down, crosshairs on bulls eye, and measure the difference at POI. And try it at different distances with a measured angle.

I have never done any angle shooting, but this does make me curious and I think I'll also try it.

 

[tjonh2001]

the cheapest and easiest way to get your yardage distances and angle is to use a mi dot master. they give you angle and what your bullet will do at those angle. you can buy them for about 30 dallors. you have drop charts, ranging and angles all in one and they are light weight.

SWFA Accessories Mil-Dot Master

 

[Bigcat_hunter]

LOL dont remind me...I missed 3 bears that week, the closest being 225 and the farthest 375. Probly my worst week of shooting ever. Not sure what the angles were, but I know they couldn't have been more then a 40 or 45. Was shooting my 7mag/175g Wildcats zeroed at 200 yards. I was hitting what seemed like a foot over every time on every bear at every distance. The first bear was 350-375 and not to steep so I didn't account for much. He was broadside and I shot about 1 foot over his back, crosshairs were on his shoulder. The last bear I missed was 225 yards, probly 45 degree angle or so. He was facing me and I had the crosshairs right on his briskett, figuring if I shoot high I"ll get him in the neck/head area. At the shot, he whirled around and ran like a bad out of heck into the brush. Musta shot over his head cuz I didn't find the bear or blood. I did all the calculations and got like at most 6" of difference, not enough to miss all these bears anyways at somewhat close range...To say I was a little mad would be a total understatment...

Nevermind I misread this quote.

 

[ol mike]

Thanks for the help guys -i've did some reading on most of the equipment you guys use for angle shooting.

The aci looks standard issue -there isn't a whole lot of detailed info. on their website.

If i want to range my shot and do the math myself - I would be best off w/ the ADI model right?
I'm sure it is the right model but want to be sure -sure.
Also i might move up to a palm pilot w/software later.

Do any of the sponsor here at LRH sell these ?
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Remingtonman 25-06 ,didn't mean to bring up your worst day of shooting ever --i'm so stinking sorry =better luck bud !!
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Thanks -Mike

 

[jmden]

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/aci-indicator-31267/index2.html#post214981