Stealing from Wikipedia:
The term point blank range is of French origin. The center of a target was once a small white spot and the French for white is blanc, and aim is point. So the term literally means, "aim at the center of the target." [2]
The term originated with the techniques used to aim muzzleloading cannon. The barrels of the cannon tapered down from breech to muzzle, so that when the top of the cannon was held horizontal, the bore actually sat at an elevated angle. In addition, the firing of the gun caused the muzzle to elevate slightly due to recoil, and this would result in an upward movement by the shot even in a cylindrical cannon. This caused the shot to rise above the natural line of sight very soon after leaving the muzzle, and later dropping below the line of sight due to the curved trajectory of the shot.
A muzzle loading field gun. Notice the taper of the barrel.
Just the tube. Notice that, due to the taper, when sighting along the top of the barrel, the bore will point slightly up.
The term point blank range is of French origin. The center of a target was once a small white spot and the French for white is blanc, and aim is point. So the term literally means, "aim at the center of the target." [2]
The term originated with the techniques used to aim muzzleloading cannon. The barrels of the cannon tapered down from breech to muzzle, so that when the top of the cannon was held horizontal, the bore actually sat at an elevated angle. In addition, the firing of the gun caused the muzzle to elevate slightly due to recoil, and this would result in an upward movement by the shot even in a cylindrical cannon. This caused the shot to rise above the natural line of sight very soon after leaving the muzzle, and later dropping below the line of sight due to the curved trajectory of the shot.
A muzzle loading field gun. Notice the taper of the barrel.
Just the tube. Notice that, due to the taper, when sighting along the top of the barrel, the bore will point slightly up.
