Angular relation is a method to measure the height of an object by using your optical sight or a theodolite. In principle, this is the same as MIL relation. The difference is that you manipulate a sight or a theodolite and pan your reticle from the bottom of the target to the top. However, it requires that the target be stationary in nature longer than the Mil Dot method. This is of great use against material targets and increases your range finding resolution. To use this method the sniper must bag his gun under the rear of the rifle and settle the gun well into the bag. The gun must be steady enough so that the sniper can manipulate the elevation knob without disturbing the lay of the gun. This method works better when using the M1A because of its minute of angle settings versus the full minute of angle settings on the M3A. Here are the steps:

1. Carefully bag the toe of the gun and lay the gun on the target. The reticle of the scope does not necessarily have to be dead center over the target. It can offset left or right as much as the operator wants.

2. Turn the elevation knob up or down so that the horizontal crosshair or any horizontal point of reference you wish is at the bottom of the target. Note the value of this setting on the elevation knob.

3. Turn the elevation knob up while looking through the scope at the target. When that horizontal point of reference reaches the top of the target, stop. As you turn, count the clicks that you move the knob.

4. If you were using a BDC scope with 1 MOA clicks, in the above example you would have a 13 Minute or click movement. If you are using a Minute scope, you will have moved the knob 53 clicks.

5. This method uses the same formula that you use when doing Mil Relation using the MIL dot reticle. You must convert your clicks or minutes of angle to MILS before you can run the formula. Use the following formula:

Minutes of Angle divide by 3.375 = MILS

6. Execute the MIL relation formula using the data obtained from this method:

13.25 converted to MILS = 3.92593 MILS
7 meters X 1000 = 7000
3.292593 MILS

=1783 Meters to Target
Now we will study what the effect of a deflection calculation error on the range to the target. This is bounced off of the Danger Space table for that cartridge.

EFFECT OF A DEFLECTION ERROR ON THE RANGE TO TARGET

Effect of a 1 Minute of Angle Error / Correct Measurement = 13.00 MOA or 3.85185 MILS

Danger Space for a 7 meter target @ 1800 meters = 111 meters

13 MOA deflection = 1817.30769 Meters REAL WORLD RANGE
12 MOA deflection = 1968.75000 Meters / Outside Danger Space Specification
14 MOA deflection = 1687.50000 Meters / Outside Danger Space Specification

Effect of a Minute of Angle Error

13 MOA deflection = 1817.30769 Meters REAL WORLD RANGE

12.5 MOA deflection = 1890.00000 Meters / Within Danger Space Specification
13.5 MOA deflection = 1750.00000 Meters / Within Danger Space

This method may seem like a rehash of the Mil relation method that I wasnt too fond of earlier. I dont have a problem with Mil relation. I only have a problem in applying that against human targets that dont seem to sit still too long. Using that method against stationary targets is great as long as the shooters are aware of the problems caused by miss-estimating the height of the target and missing the MIL error on the scope. Using the Angular Relation method allows the shooter to use the finer angle resolving power of the M3A or MOA capable scopes. These are powerful instruments. The finer resolution of high power optics like US Optics allows the shooter to see edges of targets that dont have good contrast on them. These are conditions that other optics cannot live up to, and those low contrast edges become impossible to define.