'When' you mess up. Not 'if'

[Roedeer 1962]

It’s surprising how much the bullet drops going down hill we all zero on level ish ground never downhill to see what happens , a good lesson learnt

 

[Mungo]

You bought a Blaser?

You cut me deep, sir.

I may be hard of thinking at times, but I still have some self respect!

 

[Nickb]

rather than a 30 degrees 110yrds making much difference.

Yep it's neglible at 110 yds.

 

[jthyttin]

Like said theoretical POI difference is negligible, but the incline might affect the shooter in addition to the terminal path of bullet.

 

[Hatch]

Using the cosine value of .87 for a 30deg shot, you multiply the line of sight distance by the cosine value. So the corrected range for 110yds with a 30deg angle is 96yds.

...and they say you'll never use trigonometry after you leave school!

 

[VSS]

With the bullet placement isnt it a case of the impact it has on the bullets path through the deers body? Therefore if your shooting steeply downhill the bullet needs to go in high so passes out low rather then passing through flat? This way it goes through the vitals (heart and lungs) rather then going through low and missing them. Or am I missing something (pardon the pun)

Yes. But the range is foreshortened too, so you've got a combination of things going on.
But primarily it is as you say.

 

[Lateral]

30 degrees at that distance would make the shot in ballistic terms circa 10-15% less than the actual range so ballistically it becomes circa a 90-95 yard shot. The basic principle is that shooting at angles up/down the round will hit “high” due to the way gravity is pulling on the bullet at those angles

But then, what is the average bullet drop between 95 & 110yds ? Looking at "Ballistic AE", there's under 1/4" difference in drop on my 6.5cm. Can that be right, I was expecting it to be much more ?

 

[jall55]

A very honest account. I'd probably be more inclined to think the rifle was off myself, rather than a 30 degrees 110yrds making much difference.

I agree - especially with 2 subsequent misses

Worth checking @Quixote

 

[Tazz]

But then, what is the average bullet drop between 95 & 110yds ? Looking at "Ballistic AE", there's under 1/4" difference in drop on my 6.5cm. Can that be right, I was expecting it to be much more ?

It will be a sub 1inch difference. The more important thing to remember when shooting game at high/low angles is to visualise the bullet path through the animal at that angle in the same way you compensate for engine room shots when the animal is standing quartering on or away

 

[Mike1979]

But then, what is the average bullet drop between 95 & 110yds ? Looking at "Ballistic AE", there's under 1/4" difference in drop on my 6.5cm. Can that be right, I was expecting it to be much more ?

Im going out after muntjac later this week and typically they are likely to be at much shorter ranges then I normally shoot. My 6.5 Creed is zeroed at 150 yards so I checked it on paper at 50 yards and 100 yards. Shot about 1.5 inches high at 50 and about an inch at 100 so 1/4'' that you mention sounds about right.

 

[User00056]

I agree - especially with 2 subsequent misses

Worth checking @Quixote

I'll most definitely be checking zero before I use the rifle again. I'm pretty the cockup was entirely on myself though.

Thanks for the responses everyone! This sport can humble you at times, that's for sure

 

[Camdig]

We are humans we get excited and desperate at times which can lead to decisions that we might not of taken in different circumstances.
The true test of a hunter is his actions when it doesn't go to plan and it sounds as if you did everything you could have to sort the situation.
Over the years I've had a couple of instances that I wasn't proud of rushing shots on last light etc with shots clipping the rumen or taking out brisket, you definitely learn from times when it doesn't go to plan.

 

[KentCountryGent]

At more extreme angles, whether it is uphill or downhill, your POI will always be higher than your POI on horizontal ground.

Hence, if you had not made the relevent adjustment, your shot would impact high, so you would need to aim low, whether uphill or downhill.

 

[JockStalk]

I think you’ve cocked up the first shot and under duress the second and third were no better.

Only saying that as I’ve experience of doing the same. Thought it had to be the gun or ammo, but no, it was just my cock up.

Deep breath. Quick range check to rebuild confidence and back at them.

No shame or embarrassment - in the real world we all make mistakes. It’s only the keyboard warriors that are perfect.

 

[User00056]

I think you’ve cocked up the first shot and under duress the second and third were no better

Absolutely this. My fault entirely. I'm just extremely relieved that it was rectified swiftly

 

[JockStalk]

What I have yet to understand is that when I make mistakes like that, it’s always with someone with me. On my own, I have yet to have such spectacular failures as I do accompanied

 

[75]

I shot 2 reds through the stomachs at 100 yards yesterday morning. 1st off sticks, second 10 mins later off bipod. New(ish) Alpex scope and POA looked good on playback but both bullets went through stomachs and diaphragms (only discovered on gralloch). All I can think is that zero has shifted but it's too wet and windy out there to check today. Very p'd off!

 

[zambezi]

Honesty and candour in regard of lessons learnt in the field are to be applauded. I definitely believe that any lesson learnt should be shared with fellow shooters.

However, this is a public forum. The optics of reduced competence, however transient or mitigated, [but on view to an uniformed public for critique] could potentially create a rod for those who declare sub-par outcomes online. And possibly the wider community too.

 

[Sheamus]

At 110 yards with an up hill shot or a down hill shot @30° should of still been effective at stopping the target. There's a large room for error even for beginners.
I like the lung shot, aim lower for a heart shot there's an increasing chance of a ruptured a diaphragm.

 

[KentCountryGent]

I shot 2 reds through the stomachs at 100 yards yesterday morning. 1st off sticks, second 10 mins later off bipod. New(ish) Alpex scope and POA looked good on playback but both bullets went through stomachs and diaphragms (only discovered on gralloch). All I can think is that zero has shifted but it's too wet and windy out there to check today. Very p'd off!

There has been an issue of a shifting zero with the Alpex after the firmware is updated - worth checking. There is a thread on here somewhere and I had the same issue.