Point-blank Range - History of The Term

History of The Term

The term point-blank range is of French origin. The center of a target was once a small white spot and the French for white is blanc. The term therefore means "aim at the white point in the center of the target". Point-blank range is the distance a marksman can reasonably expect to fire a specific weapon hitting a specific target without further adjustment of the fixed sights. A marksman should be able to hit the target every time at point-blank range, providing circumstances are not that of a damaged weapon, ammunition and/or marksman. Note: It is essential that the point-blank range with designated ammunition be determined by the manufacture by fixed stand testing to have a true determination of a specific weapon's "point-blank range". The military does it by testing and retesting.

The term originated with the techniques used to aim muzzleloading cannon. The barrels of the cannon tapered down from breech to muzzle, so that when the top of the cannon was held horizontal, the bore actually sat at an elevated angle. In addition, the firing of the gun caused the muzzle to elevate slightly due to recoil, and this would result in an upward movement by the shot even in a cylindrical cannon. This caused the shot to rise above the natural line of sight very soon after leaving the muzzle, and later dropping below the line of sight due to the curved trajectory of the shot.

By firing a given projectile and charge in the cannon, the distance at which the shot fell below the bottom of the bore could be measured. This distance was considered the point-blank range. Any target within the point-blank range required the gun to be depressed; any target beyond the point-blank range required the gun to be elevated, up to the angle of greatest range, which happens somewhat before 45 degrees of elevation.

The point-blank range varies significantly with not only the ballistics of the gun, but also its shape, as it is shape that determines the natural line of sight on which point-blank range is based. Various cannon of the 19th century had point-blank ranges from 250 yards (12 lb howitzer, 0.595 lb (0.270 kg) powder charge) to nearly 1075 yards (30 lb carronade, solid shot, 3.53 lb (1.60 kg) powder charge).