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Thread: Shooting at targets on the ground seems trickier

  1. #1
    Senior Member Aggressive Perfector's Avatar

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    Shooting at targets on the ground seems trickier

    Not sure if my eyes just play tricks on me or what, but I set some 2 liters of diet pepsi out on the ground since we took off without our table. Shooting at them with a rifle seemed a little weird, but I was able to hit them at 100 yards. Moved in close with my Glock (roughly 20 to 30 feet) and had a real hell of a time hitting them. It seemed to me that none of the corrections I made to my aiming really helped, as I was essentially hitting every blade of grass around the bottle, but not the bottle itself. I as shooting Tulammo 9x19, but even with that my shooting is never THAT bad hitting targets roughly level to my torso/ head. What gives?
    "Never take pity on a blind man. He may not be able to see, but he saves a fortune by getting the butt ugly hookers".

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    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Impossible to say. With a handgun grip and trigger finger placement is everything. Rifles are much easier to shoot accurately given the distance between sights and the ability to hold the weapon against your body.

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    Senior Member NAPOTS's Avatar

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    I've noticed this too. It seems shooting the same sized target at the same difference is harder if it is on the ground then if it is at chest height.

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    Team Guns Network Silver 04/2013 alismith's Avatar

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    I can't remember exactly, but I had a hunting book that showed when the angle of the target changes, in relation to the gun, you have to raise, or lower, your sights to correct for it. It's no longer the same angle when you sighted your gun in on a level-angle target.

    The guy was shooting from a deer blind and the article referred to shooting downwards at a steeper angle (almost underneath the blind). I do remember that if you aimed straight at the target, you would miss. What I don't remember is whether you hold higher, or lower.

    Even though the angle isn't much different (in the situation you described above), I'm pretty sure there is a correction you have to make. Windage should not change, but you have to correct for elevation. I just don't remember how it changes.

    Try holding your handgun sights higher, or lower, on the target, and see if one of those holds helps.
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    Contributor 02/2014 FunkyPertwee's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by alismith View Post
    I can't remember exactly, but I had a hunting book that showed when the angle of the target changes, in relation to the gun, you have to raise, or lower, your sights to correct for it. It's no longer the same angle when you sighted your gun in on a level-angle target.

    The guy was shooting from a deer blind and the article referred to shooting downwards at a steeper angle (almost underneath the blind). I do remember that if you aimed straight at the target, you would miss. What I don't remember is whether you hold higher, or lower.

    Even though the angle isn't much different (in the situation you described above), I'm pretty sure there is a correction you have to make. Windage should not change, but you have to correct for elevation. I just don't remember how it changes.

    Try holding your handgun sights higher, or lower, on the target, and see if one of those holds helps.
    I believe you aim high whether the target is above or below you.

    Shooting objects on the ground is more difficult. I recommend you keep practicing though in case you ever have to waste a rapidly approaching ground animal.
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    Team Guns Network Silver 04/2013 alismith's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by FunkyPertwee View Post
    I believe you aim high whether the target is above or below you.

    Shooting objects on the ground is more difficult. I recommend you keep practicing though in case you ever have to waste a rapidly approaching ground animal.
    Yeah, those chipmunks can be aggressive little bastards, sometimes...fast, too.
    "Valar morghulis; valar dohaeris."

    Commucrats are most efficient at converting sins and crimes to accidents or misunderstandings.-Oswald Bastable

    Making good people helpless won't make bad people harmless.

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    My Spirit Animal has rabies.

    I'd rather be an American than a Democrat.

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    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by FunkyPertwee View Post
    I believe you aim high whether the target is above or below you.

    Shooting objects on the ground is more difficult. I recommend you keep practicing though in case you ever have to waste a rapidly approaching ground animal.
    Actually not quite right. If the target is uphill you are fighting gravity so you need to aim higher. If your target is down hill you benefit from firing in the direction the bullet will fall anyway, down. So you aim lower assuming you have fixed sights. This is nearly irrelevant unless you are 100+ yards away from the target. The further away, the further the effect magnifies if you don't correct, (under or over shooting).

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    Senior Member Aggressive Perfector's Avatar

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    So whatever the case, Shooting toward a lower objectwill have a different trajectory... Sounds like I just need to practice.
    "Never take pity on a blind man. He may not be able to see, but he saves a fortune by getting the butt ugly hookers".

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    Team Guns Network Silver 04/2013 alismith's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Aggressive Perfector View Post
    So whatever the case, Shooting toward a lower objectwill have a different trajectory... Sounds like I just need to practice.
    I think I've found the answer to your shooting problem. You're concentrating too much on your avatar and not enough on your shooting.

    See? Problem solved.
    "Valar morghulis; valar dohaeris."

    Commucrats are most efficient at converting sins and crimes to accidents or misunderstandings.-Oswald Bastable

    Making good people helpless won't make bad people harmless.

    Freedom isn't free.

    "Attitude is the paintbrush that colors our world." TV Series, Haven.

    My Spirit Animal has rabies.

    I'd rather be an American than a Democrat.

    "If you can make a man afraid, you can control him" Netflix Series, The Irregulars

  10. #10
    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Aggressive Perfector View Post
    So whatever the case, Shooting toward a lower objectwill have a different trajectory... Sounds like I just need to practice.
    How far away were the targets on the ground? Unless 100 yards or more out, not the issue IMO. Yes, you need to practice .... a lot.

  11. #11
    Senior Member Aggressive Perfector's Avatar

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    Call it 25 feet. Ain't gotta tell me twice to practice, I just love to find a reason to shoot.
    "Never take pity on a blind man. He may not be able to see, but he saves a fortune by getting the butt ugly hookers".

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    **Team GunsNet SILVER 12/2014** skorpion's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by FunkyPertwee View Post
    I believe you aim high whether the target is above or below you.

    Shooting objects on the ground is more difficult. I recommend you keep practicing though in case you ever have to waste a rapidly approaching ground animal.
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