Hold over/under at extreme angles - what is the distance to the target

[k_h_d]

I use StrelokPro and I am confused on hold over/under for targets that are at extreme angles. If I am shooting upward at 45 degrees is the distance to the target the actual distance or is it the closer horizontal distance?

Strelock has input fields for both distance and angle. Not sure which distance to input for an extreme angle target.

 

[Buckshutr]

I believe it is the horizontal distance.

 

[ironlion269]

As I recall, Ted Bier and others have said that a shooting angle of 30 degrees begins the need to adjust your POA by including holdover. This is true whether the angle is inclined or declined. Has to do with a reduction in the influence of the force of gravity on the pellet's flight. At 30 degrees or more you need to consider the horizontal distance to a point on the ground directly beneath the intended target (or a point in the air directly over the tatget)

 

[Paulcat]

Try watching this.

 

 

[outdoorman]

"ironlion269"At 30 degrees or more you need to consider the horizontal distance to a point on the ground directly beneath the intended target (or a point in the air directly over the tatget)

This requirement begins at much lower than 30°. I've had to use holdunder on targets at 20° at distances of about 40-50 yds direct distance to target. 

 

[Trailryder42]

After playing with Strelok Pro, it appears you would lase or estimate the range along your line of sight to the target, whatever the angle, and use that figure in the app, then inputting the shooting angle, Strelok makes the required calcs for hold over/under. Part of that calculation most likely being what the 0* horizontal distance along the ground is.

And the app shows changes in hold with as little as 10* angle for my rifle/ammo configuration.

 

[k_h_d]

Line of site being strictly the horizontal distance to the object if it where not above you, or the actual distance?

So for example. If I rangefind the target to be 45 meters away up in a tree but the tree is only 20 meters away, do I enter 20 meters and then the angle, or 45 meters and the angle?

 

[Trailryder42]

I'd say the actual distance to the target as you're looking at it. Your line of sight. It seems to me that the app would do the trigonometric calculations once you input the true distance and angle. It already knows your pellets ballistics, your zero, etc..

I don't see it being the other way around, as in, you having to estimate the true horizontal distance along the ground, to the point below your target and then inputting angle and the app doing the trig calc from that. Seems to me that would be much less accurate, because you're trying to estimate a range to a point in empty space directly below your target.