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Old January 5, 2020, 08:09 PM   #26
big al hunter
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What I think several of the folks posting are forgetting about the other factors involved when they shoot a handgun.

1. The sights and barrel are usually not parallel, so the bullet is not leaving the gun in a path parallel to the sights or the ground.

2. When you shoot a handgun recoil affects the barrel alignment with the ground. Heavier recoil equals sights that are further out of alignment with the barrel.

3. The bullet is traveling upward as it leaves the barrel. Therefore it crosses line of sight 2 times, once close to the gun and again far from the gun. Every gun, load, and shooter will have various results at different distances.

4. The math equation used to calculate the OP question is for a barrel anchored level with the ground, no recoil, no sights used.
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Old January 5, 2020, 08:29 PM   #27
TunnelRat
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Originally Posted by big al hunter View Post
What I think several of the folks posting are forgetting about the other factors involved when they shoot a handgun.



1. The sights and barrel are usually not parallel, so the bullet is not leaving the gun in a path parallel to the sights or the ground.



2. When you shoot a handgun recoil affects the barrel alignment with the ground. Heavier recoil equals sights that are further out of alignment with the barrel.



3. The bullet is traveling upward as it leaves the barrel. Therefore it crosses line of sight 2 times, once close to the gun and again far from the gun. Every gun, load, and shooter will have various results at different distances.



4. The math equation used to calculate the OP question is for a barrel anchored level with the ground, no recoil, no sights used.
If you want to add an angle of elevation to the shot there are equations for that as well. There are also equations to take into account the ballistic coefficient of the bullet. You have to start somewhere and some simplistic assumptions will get you at least a pretty good initial guess if you don't have the practical experience to draw from.

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Old January 5, 2020, 09:05 PM   #28
Aguila Blanca
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Quote:
Originally Posted by big al hunter
What I think several of the folks posting are forgetting about the other factors involved when they shoot a handgun.

1. The sights and barrel are usually not parallel, so the bullet is not leaving the gun in a path parallel to the sights or the ground.

2. When you shoot a handgun recoil affects the barrel alignment with the ground. Heavier recoil equals sights that are further out of alignment with the barrel.

3. The bullet is traveling upward as it leaves the barrel. Therefore it crosses line of sight 2 times, once close to the gun and again far from the gun. Every gun, load, and shooter will have various results at different distances.

4. The math equation used to calculate the OP question is for a barrel anchored level with the ground, no recoil, no sights used.
Which is exactly what was specified in the original question -- bullet fired horizontally, over level ground.
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Old January 6, 2020, 10:22 PM   #29
big al hunter
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Which is exactly what was specified in the original question -- bullet fired horizontally, over level ground.
Yes, which is why someone shooting at a target at any given distance can't compare it to the OP.... Sometimes real life doesn't compare directly to the math of a hypothetical question.

Quote:
.If you want to add an angle of elevation to the shot there are equations for that as well. There are also equations to take into account the ballistic coefficient of the bullet.
Math is fun, isn't it. Gives us a way to determine what should happen, if all the variables are accounted for.
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