Saturday, February 6, 2010

Workshop of the Telescopes

According to this here wikipedia page, telescopic sights come in a variety of reticules. I suppose the idea is that if you carry them around in a silk embroidered lady's handbag, people will mistake you for a Jane Austen character rather than a sniper. Unaccountably, this fascinating detail was omitted from Enemy at the Gates, and I look forward to its inclusion in the inevitable remake.

I further learned that people have been experimenting with telescopic sights since the early 17th century, with Robert Hooke inventing the idea of cross-hairs for sighting; any number of designs were tried.

In this test from 1674, the 'omega' design provided a neat body-shot, the horned-circle-cross design was too high, and the others were all over the place. Judging from the burning tower in the background, that bird has been up to no good so don't waste your sympathy for it.

Now they're testing the same designs with night-sights in a cave, in a hostage-rescue scenario. This time the horned-circle-cross pattern is the one that takes out the feral baby. Several of the other patterns are bad luck for one or other of the hostages. But you can see from the bones on the ground that it's already too late for two of them so let's hope someone does something quick.

10 comments:

Hamish Mack said...

Mrs Bennett scurried from the house. "Eliza, Mr. Darcy approaches" she vouchsafed.
"Thankyou mama" said Eliza and dropping to one knee raised the Mannlicher Deerstrafen to her right shoulder.
"I venture to suggest that there is a crosswind of 2-3 knotts" Mrs Bennett indeed, did venture.
"Thankyou Mamma" said Eliza as quietly as possible "I am firing uphill too, so will use the Cross hair without horns"
"As you see fit, dear" Mrs Bennett observed politely.

mikey said...

Oddly, in neither of the illustrations is the right tool in use. Against aerial targets, the purpose of the reticle is to a.) determine the range and b.) assist in determining the proper lead. Typically, there are gradients with which the wingspan is measured to develop a crude estimation of the range, and tics to hold in front of the target, allowing for deflection, of course, in order to place a stream of lead in the space that will be occupied simultaneously by the target.

Indoors, low light conditions, optical sights have minimal value. A reflex type sight or the more dramatic laser sights are an option, but it is training and practice that allow for shooting with accuracy at eyeball range with friendlies in the target area...

Unknown said...

I know a guy who has some of them symbols scratched on him, not only is he biblically screwed (thou shall not mark thy body), it now appears he is targetted by tetchy time travellers.

coveti, thou shalt not...

Smut Clyde said...

Oddly, in neither of the illustrations is the right tool in use.

I would go back and tell them, but the Riddled time machine is currently in the workshop after AK rolled it into a ditch on his way back from a hadrosaur hunt.

mikey said...

Yer killin me!

tigris said...

I would be reticent to carry reticles in anything other than a reticule.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

that's reticulous.

Substance McGravitas said...

That's a gigantic fuckin' cave if you need a telescopic sight in it.

Smut Clyde said...

Blame that Plato dude. Typical philosopher, creating a cave to make a metaphor, then just walking away and taking NO RESPONSIBILITY about what happens there afterwards.

Hamish Mack said...

Well no one was complaining at the Riddled Office BBQ and Papier-mâché party as far as I can remember.
"Send AK back to get dino steaks" everyone said and chortled.
A 125 yard long Hangi pit is not a ditch anyway, it is just greed.That's all I have to say
Hmmmph