Shot question

[Sutty]

I shoot a Benneli with a rifled barrel (sabot slugs). The ballistic research I have done (and practiced) shows that generally if I will be just under 2 inches high at 50 yards just over 2 inches at 100 yards and right on at 150 yards. It will be about 7-8 inches low at 200 yards.

Anyway I have always hunted without a scope in the past and the last couple of years I have only had long shots that I passed up. So this year I put a scope on and was talking with the range boss about my stand and the shots that I have. My main shot is down in a ravine at a pretty good angle. He said my bullet will shoot low while shooting at a down angle. Can anyone tell me if this is accurate and why? I have in the past shot low on a buck and left a burn trail across his belly (I did get him with my next shot)

[DooWap]

It is true to some extent, though with a gun and depending what distance it may not be that big of a factor. Physics comes into play, with the bullet having two independent velocity components to it, x(forward and back) and y(up and down). To simplify the explanation, when you're shooting at a downward angle or upward angle you're reducing the x component so you're actually not shooting as far as you think. I'm not sure how much this comes into play with guns but archery it can be a significant factor.

[xedge2002]

DooWap you just gave me flashbacks of physics class . I think i need a drink now to settle myself back down .

[Piker]

I just read an article in Field and Stream or Outdoor Life or something. I can't remember, but the guy was pretty knowledgeable and he said that if you are shooting downhill you should aim low. The part I thought was strange was that he said if shooting uphill you should also aim low. Seems odd, but when he explained it I thought it made sense, but now I'm still confused I guess.

[shae1986]

It really matters on the angle of the shot. If its really sharp then yeah there will be a difference and you should aim a little low. Now not a lot but when i use to hunt a place where i had a steep shot so i put it where i believed the bottom of the heart is and i would drop deer with no problem.

[JDM]

Low for both up and down hill. Your choice of weapon and the actual grade of the incline or decline have a lot of effect on what you should do. It takes experience as the are many variables.

Most of the misses I have ever seen are from shooting over the animal, even on flat surfaces.

[BobT]

Personally, unless you're taking really long shots down a mountainside, I wouldn't be too concerned. How many of us can really claim the kind of precision it would take to matter in firearms deer hunting when you consider all the variables. Such as, how many of can hit a quarter at some unknown distance or angle repeatedly? Shooting out of a deer stand at a deer 50 yards away won't be a problem. The amount of change in your bullet impact isn't going to be noticeable. Most of us first don't have the equipment that could hold that kind of tolerance anyway not to mention that most of us just aren't that precise.

Truly, how many of us believe we could actually hit a quarter repeatedly at varying unknown distances and elevations?

Bob

[Sutty]

The thing that gets me is when I have missed deer in the past I have missed low.... But that was before I put a scope on so that should fix things. Good luck this weekend hope everyone's meat pole breaks due to too much weight.