It actually comes from artillery, but it’s the same idea.
Cannons were tapered, so the bore would point slightly upwards compared to the line of sight on top of the cannon. So the projectiles trajectory would rise above and then fall below the line of sight.
Point blank range was the distance at which the projectile drops below that line when the cannon was aimed at zero elevation.
It actually comes from artillery, but it’s the same idea.
I question the accuracy of this statement. Archers existed long before black-powder artillery. At the same time, though, I don’t know if anyone would have been concerned with that measurement, way back when.
EDIT: Wikipedia suggests that the term did, in fact, originate with muzzle-loaded artillery. Good on you for correcting me.
It actually comes from artillery, but it’s the same idea.
Cannons were tapered, so the bore would point slightly upwards compared to the line of sight on top of the cannon. So the projectiles trajectory would rise above and then fall below the line of sight.
Point blank range was the distance at which the projectile drops below that line when the cannon was aimed at zero elevation.
I question the accuracy of this statement. Archers existed long before black-powder artillery. At the same time, though, I don’t know if anyone would have been concerned with that measurement, way back when.
EDIT: Wikipedia suggests that the term did, in fact, originate with muzzle-loaded artillery. Good on you for correcting me.