Apologies if this has been discussed before, but the issue of whether to aim high or low when shooting up and down hill was briefly mentioned hererecently with different conclusions. I'm wondering what you guys know about this. I was told that you should aim low - how much depends on several factors-because gravity has the greatest affect ona bullet when it's horizontal. I always have to think about this, but it does seem to make sense: When shooting at an angle, either up or down,the less force gravity will exert on the bullet. In other words, it won't drop as fast. So, shoot lowon all angle shots.Yes?

If your target is at a lower elevation you aim low. - If it's low, shoot low.

If your target is at a higher elevation you aim high. - If it's high, shoot high.

I do not believe that is correct.
Lets just say the path of a bullet drops 10" at 200 yds on flat ground, well 300yds uphill could only be 200 yds horizontal, vice versa for down hill.
You have to pretend your still shooting horizontal whether its up or down.

This will boggle the mind:
Lets just pretend we are shooting on the flatest and levelest place on earth, perfectly flat for miles. If I took a rifle andshot it horizontaly from the standing position and dropped the same grain bullet from the same height, at exactly the same time,both bullets will hit the ground at the same time.

exterior ballistics


Shooting Uphill and Downhill

That's wrong. You aim low regardless of whether your'e shooting uphill or downhill.

You are correct.....in either instance the horizontal distance is shorter than the line of sight distance thus you need to aim lower to avoid hitting high. It's called the Pythagorean Theorem for any math lovers. 'A' squared + 'B' squared ='C' squared.

You are correct with the same grain bullet hitting the ground at the same time...But, you need not use the same grain (weight bullet)...weight has absolutely nothing to do with it.

This means that if no air resistance is present, two objects will reach the ground at the same time if they are dropped simultaneously from the same height.

You could fire you rifle, and if I dropped a cannon ball at the exact same moment, they would both hit the ground at the same time....

Ignoring gravity for a second for steep angle shots do you need to adjust the point of aim for better vital penetration?

For example if you are steeply above an animal the shot could enter the side and exit the belly resulting in a gut shot…or would the angle have to be too steep for this to matter much?

Btw, gravity is a constant. It has the same effect on any mass regardless of angle of travel.

You sir are correct,I stand corrected.