Math Folks Inside Please

Status
Not open for further replies.
This reminds me of explaining how much you have to move the rear sight on a gun with a sight radius of 8 inches to move the point of impact four inches at 100 yards (3600 inches).

It's just like using a lever.

It's simple if you draw it out so you can see the proportions:

4 at the target is to 3600 inches as X at the gun is to 8 inches.

Remember proportions in grade school, "this is to that as the other is to so and so?"

4(at the target) ÷(is to) 3600 =(as) X(sight movement) ÷(is to) 8(sight radius)

4/3600 = X/8

transposing the 8 to the other side,
4 x 8 ÷ 3600 = X

x= 0.0088 inches, call it 9 thousandths.

With a rifle with a sight radius of 20 inches, you would have to move the sight

4 is to 3600 as X is to 20

4 / 3600 = X / 20

transposing the 20,

4 x 20 / 3600 = 0.022 inches.

Look at it this way. If the sight radius were 100 yards, to move the point of impact 4 inches at 100 yards, you'd have to move the sight 4 inches as well.

Sort of like a see-saw with the front sight as the pivot point.

And that's why sight radius (on iron-sighted guns) is so critical to accuracy.

If you make a 0.001" eyeball error in aiming a handgun it will mean a much bigger error on target than making that 0.001" eyeball error with a rifle.

Terry, 230RN
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top