Re: Help understanding Mil/MOA.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Clamber</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: maladat</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sniperaviator</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Obviously there is a tiny error here, and btw there always will be because the value of pi is always aproximate.</div></div>
While this is technically true, it is pretty meaningless. It is mathematically trivial to compute PI to any precision required. It has been calculated to several trillion decimal places.
To give some perspective, if calculating the circumference of the observable universe from its diameter, using PI precise to 40 decimal places will give an error smaller than the diameter of an atom.
As far as ranging calculations go, using 3.14159 for PI will result in a circumference error at 1000 meters of about 5mm. As any ranging calculations will relate to only a tiny fraction of the circumference, actual computation error will be much smaller than that.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Clamber</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Man, this is making me feel dumb. I guess I need to look at this differently.
So just for clarification's sake, say I'm at 100 yards and I am shooting 3 Mils low. That equals 10.32 MOA so then I'd need to go 41 MOA clicks higher, correct?
I just can't seem to understand how it correlates to higher ranges.
Say I was shooting 3 Mils low at 600 yards.
Thanks guys, sorry for being so nooby.
</div></div>
3 mils at 600 yards is still 10.32 MOA. However, now:
3/1000 * 600yards=1.8 yards
1.8 yards*36in/yard=64.8"
</div></div>
Okay so it still 10.32 MOA, yet 10.32 MOA changes depending on your distance.
For some insane reason, I can't wrap my head around what I need to do out in the field when I'm shooting.
I understand it at 100 yards, I can't seem the understand what changes in the formula when I go out to longer distances.
3/1000 * 600yards=1.8 yards
1.8 yards*36in/yard=64.8"
What is the "3/1000"?
I think I'm just looking at this wrong, maybe I need to meet up with someone local and see if they can help me understand at the range.
Thanks guys.
</div></div>
You are really thinking way too hard about this. The picture above is the easiest way to visually see what happens. When measuring an angle, the measurement is always at the base of the angle, not at the end of it. No matter what distance you are at, the angular measure will always be the same whether it's ten feet or ten thousand feet because the measurement started at the beginning. It's only dependent on it's starting point. If you are 10.32 MOA low, then you are 10.32 MOA low, no matter what distance you are at, because the angular measure starts at your scope.
I think what is throwing you off is that if you correct for 10.32 MOA low at 1000yd then you would not be 10.32 MOA low at 500 yd because it is only half the distance. Let's say if your 10.32 MOA low at 1000yd then you would actually be hitting 10 MOA high at 500yd if you aim direct center of your crosshairs. In this case, your bullet is not essentially dropping the same amount of MOA but the amount that you would adjust for your corrections would be 10 MOA because it is a measurement of angle and your Mil-Dots represent the measurement of an angle, not a certain distance. The actual distance (in inches) between your mil dots at 1000yd is twice what it is at 500yd, but you have to remember that your reticle is inside your scope, not at your target, therefore being the beginning of the angular measure, not the end of it.
I really hope your starting to understand...
