Range Estimation

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Range Estimation
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Factors Affecting Range Estimation

• Nature of Terrain
• Light Conditions
• Nature of target

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Nature of Terrain

• Upward sloping terrain distance appears shorter
• Downward sloping terrain distance appears farther
• Dead space makes target appear closer
• Smooth and flat terrain makes target appear
  farther

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Light Conditions

• Bright and clear, the target appears closer
• Dull and dark, the target appears farther
• Sun behind viewer, the target appears closer
• Sun behind target, the target appears farther

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Nature of Target

• The larger the target the closer it will appear
• The smaller the target the farther it will seem
• A light colored target will appear farther
• A dark colored target will appear closer

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Range Estimation Methods

• Football Field Method
• Appearance of Objects Method
• Front Sight Post Method
• Visible Detail Method
• Bracketing

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Methods (cont)

• Halving
• Estimating Distance by Sound
• ACOG

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Football Field Method

• Estimate 100 yards, then determine how many of
  these units will fit between you and the target
• This methods accuracy is limited to the ground
  visibility
• Accurate to about 800 yards

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Appearance of Objects

• This method requires the viewer to be familiar
  with the sizes and details of personnel and
  equipment at certain distances
• Limited by visibility and familiarity of target

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Front Sight Post Method

• This method is used by comparing the front sight
  post to the target
• A man size target appears the same size as the
  front sight at 175 yards and half of the post at
  350 yards
• A target larger than the post would be closer
  than 175 yds. and smaller than half would be
  farther than 350 yds.

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Visible Detail Method

• Observing the amount of detail on the target at
  various ranges indicates the distance
• A human target at
• 100 yds- facial features are identifiable
• 200 yds- loss of facial detail, but skin and
  equipment color identifiable
• 300 yds- clear body outline, face color
  visible, but other details blurry

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Visible Detail Method (cont)

• A human target at
• 400 yds- body outline is clear but remaining
  details blurred
• 500 yds- body shape tapers at ends and the
  head becomes indistinct from the
  shoulders
• 600 yds- body appears wedge-shaped
  without the appearance of a head

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Bracketing

• The viewer estimates the shortest possible
  distance, then the farthest possible distance
• The average of those distances is the estimated
  range to the target

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Halving

• The viewer estimates the halfway point to the
  target, then estimates the range to that point
• Double that estimate to get the estimated
  distance to the actual target

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Estimating by Sound

• Sound travels at 1100 feet or 366 yards per
  second
• If the muzzle flash of a weapon can be seen,
  observe the flash and count the number of seconds
  before the report is heard, then multiply the
  seconds by 366 to get the distance

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RANGING with TA01NSN

• The outside legs of the stadia lines equals 19
  inches (shoulder width of average size man)
  starting at 200m.
• Between 200m 600m the horizontal stadia lines
  represent 19 inches at each respective range
  (average width of a man shoulders).

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RANGING with TA01NSN cont.
200 meters
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RANGING with TA01NSN cont.
300 meters
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RANGING with TA31F
Each stadia is 19 at the listed range
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RANGING with TA31F cont.
Target ranged at 300 meters- outside of chevron
legs
Target engaged at center mass using the 300m post
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RANGING with TA31F cont.
Target ranged at 400m
Target engaged at center mass using the 400m line
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What are your questions?