scope line of sight and bullet trajectory

[Tight Lines]

I didn’t say gravity chooses. It does affect everything all the time in the same way but the force of gravity is only straight down, nothing else. Gravity’s effect is reguardeless of horizontal velocity. That’s why the two bullets hit the ground at the same time.

The two bullets will not hit the ground at the same time, unless in a vacuum. The reason is air resistance differences between the dropped and fired bullet. I agree with you, gravity is always affecting everything all the time, even objects moving horizontally.

 

[Tight Lines]

That’s a little tricky to do at the range.

Fair point! It only works in a vacuum anyway...

 

[Dub]

That’s a little tricky to do at the range.

No trickier than this 6-page thread in convincing you of what is scientific fact.



It’s about like arguing if a spaceship banks its turns in space or just vectors.

 

[BriarPatch99]

The vertical component is the verticle distance the bullet gains from the end of the barrel to the peak of the arch

There is no gain ....the bullet starts falling the instant it exits the barrel ....
The bullet is always falling away from where the barrel is pointed

 

[Dub]

 

[Tight Lines]

There is no gain ....the bullet starts falling the instant it exits the barrel ....
The bullet is always falling away from where the barrel is pointed

It is a hard concept to follow because the bullet gains elevation. It is the flightpath relative to the bore of the barrel that tells you what is happening. You are spot on.

 

[Tight Lines]

Ok, I got to go get some stuff done...moral of the story...a bullet is always going to depart from the line of sight of the bore along a known and laws of physics defined trajectory. This is based on the angle of the bore, the velocity, mass, and BC of the projectile, and elevation of where you are. Gravity is a constant that acts on everything the same way. The effect of gravity is not a constant due to the other variables mentioned (why a .338 Lapua is different from a .22 LR) but the constant of gravity is just that, constant. Pointing the muzzle up does not eliminate gravity it just changes the vectors in the x and y direction that define the trajectory. Gravity is still doing it's same old thing.

 

[NCMTNHunter]

There is no gain ....the bullet starts falling the instant it exits the barrel ....
The bullet is always falling away from where the barrel is pointed

Again yes the bullet immediately starts falling way from the barrel line 100%. But there can be and is a gain in elevation. Not above the barrel line but above the sight line and above the earth. If a bullet can’t move with an upward component you couldn’t shoot a squirrel out of a tree or sight your rifle in 2” above a level sight line. A bullet can absolutely gain elevation above the earth and while it’s doing so gravity is working against it slowing that gain until the gain stops and gravity continues to drive the bullet down. All while also traveling horizontally (slowing down) at the same time.

 

[280 Man]

No trickier than this 6-page thread in convincing you of what is scientific fact.



It’s about like arguing if a spaceship banks its turns in space or just vectors.

Or if they are ghosts, spirits or haints...LOL

 

[nmurph]

View attachment 1053784

Jimmy wholeheartedly agrees with this^^^^^^

 

[Tight Lines]

Jimmy wholeheartedly agrees with this^^^^^^

I'm pretty sure Ol' Jimmy understands physics and firearms quite well...but I'm just spitballing...

 

[NCMTNHunter]

I say we can this thread and when Covid is over we all get together and have a ballistics discussion over a beer. My thumbs are sore!

 

[Dub]

I say we can this thread and when Covid is over we all get together and have a ballistics discussion over a beer. My thumbs are sore!

Better yet a fun range session....save the beer for later.

 

[Tight Lines]

Better yet a fun range session....save the beer for later.

I'm game for that!

 

[nmurph]

I'm pretty sure Ol' Jimmy understands physics and firearms quite well...but I'm just spitballing...

I'm not about physics, but he understands ladders and chainsaws.

 

[JustUs4All]

After one last try I'm going to give up.

Any gun capable of firing a projectile with enough force to overcome gravity for a little while is capable of firing a projectile that is not falling from the moment it is touched off if it is fired at an upward angle. This does not repeal any laws of gravity It just means that the projectile is able to overcome the force of gravity for a little while. It will eventually succumb to the force of gravity and fall. Millions of dead squirrels and doves will attest to it.

 

[Tight Lines]

After one last try I'm going to give up.

Any gun capable of firing a projectile with enough force to overcome gravity for a little while is capable of firing a projectile that is not falling from the moment it is touched off if it is fired at an upward angle. This does not repeal any laws of gravity It just means that the projectile is able to overcome the force of gravity for a little while. It will eventually succumb to the force of gravity and fall. Millions of dead squirrels and doves will attest to it.

So when you fire a weapon say at a squirrel 25 feet in the air is the bullet an arc or a straight line? Granted at 25 feet it might be minimal arc but we all agree it isn't a straight line correct? That is because the bullet is "falling" away from the line of sight due to gravity. Yes, it is gaining elevation because it is angled up, and it isn't actually falling down out of the sky, but it is "falling" away from the bore the instant it leaves.

Your statement is absolutely correct it's just semantics that are tripping folks up I suspect.

Gravity is the reason the bullet moves in an arc over it's trajectory. The point isn't that it is actually"falling" so much as it is that it isn't "rising" above the line of the bore, ever. Hence using the word "falling" because gravity is acting on it the instant it leaves the bore. Maybe a better way to say it is that even while the bullet is rising in elevation, gravity is pulling it down to earth, hence the reason it arc.

 

[JustUs4All]

Your statement is absolutely correct it's just semantics that are tripping folks up I suspect.

We are using two different definitions for the term falling just like earlier in the thread when posters were using two different definitions for the term rising.

You are absolutely correct that except in one theoretical instance the bullet is falling away from the line of sight from the instant it is shot however if it is fired on an upward angle it is not falling relative to the center of the earth until the bullet has reached the topmost part of its trajectory, At that point the bullet will be both falling away from the line of sight and also falling relative to the center of the earth.

I am really done now. Gots important things to do like feed the dogs and me.

 

[bullgator]

Millions of dead squirrels and doves will attest to it.

Unless they’re Democrats, they won’t be able to attest to anything.......

 

[JustUs4All]

I'll get you up an affidavit. Just you wait right there.