Which factors cause bullet trajectory to drop over distance and how is the drop typically compensated?

Which factors cause bullet trajectory to drop over distance and how is the drop typically compensated?

• A. Gravity and air resistance cause downward drop; wind and drag; compensation via sight adjustments or holdovers.
• B. Only wind drift affects the trajectory; compensation with wind hold.
• C. Gravity is negligible at typical rifle ranges; compensation by raising sights for all distances.
• D. Barrel harmonics are the primary factor; compensation by changing ammo.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that bullet drop grows with distance because gravity pulls the bullet downward and air resistance (drag) slows it, increasing the time of flight and how far gravity can pull it down. Wind mostly affects sideways movement and can change the perceived drop through changes in time of flight, but the vertical drop itself is driven by gravity and drag. To compensate, shooters zero the rifle at a chosen distance so the sights align with the point of impact there, or they use holdovers—aiming above the target for longer-range shots. This approach matches how ballistic sighting is done: establish a reliable zero and then rely on ballistic data to estimate the required hold or adjustment at other ranges. The other options misstate the factors or the way we compensate (for example, gravity isn’t negligible, and barrel harmonics isn’t the primary cause of drop).

The key idea is that bullet drop grows with distance because gravity pulls the bullet downward and air resistance (drag) slows it, increasing the time of flight and how far gravity can pull it down. Wind mostly affects sideways movement and can change the perceived drop through changes in time of flight, but the vertical drop itself is driven by gravity and drag. To compensate, shooters zero the rifle at a chosen distance so the sights align with the point of impact there, or they use holdovers—aiming above the target for longer-range shots. This approach matches how ballistic sighting is done: establish a reliable zero and then rely on ballistic data to estimate the required hold or adjustment at other ranges. The other options misstate the factors or the way we compensate (for example, gravity isn’t negligible, and barrel harmonics isn’t the primary cause of drop).