Stopping point (weapons technology)

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The breakpoint is used to correct the deviation from the actual target when shooting . This deviation can come about, for example, due to de- adjustment of the weapon and aiming device, scattering or weather influences such as wind.

The stopping point is an imaginary point at which the shooter's eye looks over the sighting device in order to hit the actual target. The sighting device can be both a rear sight and a front sight , a telescopic sight or technical sighting brands such as an infrared telescopic sight or a thermal imaging device .

The so-called line of sight is not only influenced by the weapon , but also by peculiarities of the shooter such as squinting , holding the weapon, etc.

Determination of the breakpoint

The determination of a personal stopping point for a shooter with a certain (hand) weapon is very important for hitting. With larger weapon systems such as the Leopard 2's on- board cannon, the marksman's peculiarities have significantly less effect.

A holdover point can be determined by firing several shots with a weapon with the same holdover point and the same sight settings at the center of the target. The breakpoint can then be determined from the middle point of impact of these shots. If a shooter hits the top left uniformly, he would have to select the bottom right with this weapon as the stopping point or readjust the weapon. Errors of the shooter can be determined by shooting with several people. If a shooter scatters hits over or around the target, serious shooting errors or a defect in the weapon can be assumed.

When choosing a specific stopping point, the shooter must take the following things into account - sometimes also while shooting:

  • the difference between target distance and sight distance (e.g. when changing targets quickly),
  • the movement of a target in order to give a corresponding lead in the direction of movement,
  • Weather influences,
  • Deviations of the weapon (spread),
  • Target size and vulnerability.

The lead must be taken into account when choosing the stopping point, for example to compensate for a transverse movement of the target during the flight time of the projectile. While you usually point the weapon in front of the target in the direction of movement with moving targets, you can choose the stopping point for cluster weapons such as a machine gun and then let the target run into the fire of a sheaf of bullets. In the case of such automatic weapons, it must also be taken into account that a sheaf of bullets without a mount usually migrates due to the construction of the weapon.

When improving the holdover point while shooting, the shooter can use the observation of the effect in the target, or if no observation is made, he can shoot intentionally in front of the target (into the ground) in order to then adjust the holdover point. Such aids may be necessary if, for example, other wind conditions prevail in the target area.

application

As mentioned above, the breakpoint is created from the characteristics of the weapon, the shooter and the environmental conditions. It is important for shooters to know these three components exactly, as they - at least as far as environmental influences are concerned - cannot be corrected by adjusting:

  • Hunters have to be prepared for the wind and the range of the shot with their own weapon,
  • Police officers and soldiers must be able to hit precisely with foreign weapons in combat situations.