What is MOA?

[LCpl Kutches]

I just went to the range. Was talking with the range master and he allowed me to shoot his bolt action 6.8 Grendal Rifle.

After placing five shots at 300 yards within 2" inches. He smiled at me and shook my hand. Said I was a sub moa shooter.

I have no idea what sub moa is or moa.

What is moa? How can I learn this?

Thank you.

[decepticon6551]

MOA - Minute of angle

http://nssf.org/video/facts/MOA.cfm

More gun & cgn acronyms here

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=78606

[ExtremeX]

This is also worth a read...

http://www.caprc.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=222

[David13]

Motorcycle Owners of America.
Oh, sorry, wrong forum.
dc

[VictorFranko]

OK, I have to ask, shouldn't a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corp. know what MOA is?
I am seriously not trying to be a smart a**, but isn't this covered in a Marines basic rifle training?

[Scuba951]

Simple answer: MOA = minute of angle.
1 MOA is equal to 1" at 100 yards.

[DeCloaK]

Since we are nitpicking. I'm sure it was a 6.5 Grendel...because a 6.8 is not that accurate.

2013 TT Concrete Gorilla

[760knox]

NOOOOOO, MOA=Moment Of Action!

[xrMike]

Take a circle and cut it into 360 equal slices.

Take ONE of those slices and cut it into 60 more equal slices.

One of those slices = 1 MOA.

Oh, and good shooting!

[CrippledPidgeon]

Take a circle and cut it into 360 equal slices.

Take ONE of those slices and cut it into 60 more equal slices.

One of those slices = 1 MOA.

Oh, and good shooting!

For a bit of clarity:

Take a circle, and cut it into 360 equal slices. Each slice is 1 degree.
Take one of those slices and cut it into 60 more equal slices. One of those slices is 1 minute of angle.

When it comes to shooting, 1 minute of angle is about equal to an inch at 100 yards. A group smaller than 1 inch in diameter at 100 yards is called sub-moa, or is less than 1 MOA in diameter.

Etymological trivia: "sub" is a latin preposition meaning "under." So submarine is a vessel that goes under the water. Subterranian literally means underground. Subsonic is an object travelling slower than the speed of sound. Submachine gun is a machine gun that is smaller and shoots less powerful cartridges than a regular machine gun. And sub-moa is less than a minute of angle.

[ExtremeX]

Simple answer: MOA = minute of angle.
1 MOA is equal to 1" at 100 yards.

Just to be accurate 1 MOA = 1.047" @ 100 yards.

Most people just round to 1" for the sake of simplicity.

At extended ranges the full value holds more importance.

[Manolito]

Azimuth and Azimuth Micrometer Scales.

(1) The azimuth scale (Figure 4-3) is located below the magnetic compass housing. It is graduated in 100-mil increments from 0 to 6,400 mils and is numbered every 200 mils. The portion of the azimuth scale from 3,200 mils through 6,400 mils has a second 0-3200 scale numbered in red from the black 32 through the large black 0 on the azimuth scale.

Could be tthe corporal is in artillery but then again every Marine is a rifleman?

[JMP]

100 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 3600" = 1.047"
200 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 7200" = 2.094"
300 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 10800" = 3.142"
400 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 14400" = 4.189"
500 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 18000" = 5.236"
600 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 21600" = 6.283"
700 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 25200" = 7.33"
800 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 28800" = 8.378"
900 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 32400" = 9.425"
1000 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 36000" = 10.472"
1100 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 39600" = 11.519"
1200 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 43200" = 12.566"
1300 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 46800" = 13.614"
1400 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 50400" = 14.661"
1500 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 54000" = 15.708"
1600 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 57600" = 16.755"
1700 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 61200" = 17.802"
1800 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 64800" = 18.85"
1900 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 68400" = 19.897"
2000 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 72000" = 20.944"
2100 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 75600" = 21.991"
2200 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 79200" = 23.038"
2300 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 82800" = 24.086"
2400 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 86400" = 25.133"
2500 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 90000" = 26.18"
2600 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 93600" = 27.227"
2700 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 97200" = 28.274"
2800 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 100800" = 29.322"
2900 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 104400" = 30.369"
3000 yards Tan(pi/180/60) x 108000" = 31.416"

[SonofWWIIDI]

"Mother of anchovies!"

"Mall of America"

"Museum of art"

[64physhy]

OK, I have to ask, shouldn't a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corp. know what MOA is?
I am seriously not trying to be a smart a**, but isn't this covered in a Marines basic rifle training?

It's not. I'm sure Snipers learn about it in Sniper school, but it isn't covered in boot camp. We just learn sight alignment, sight picture, safety, trigger control, breathing, etc and how to make windage/elevation adjustments to get the rounds center mass. I don't remember learning anything about MOA when I was a recruit 23 years ago, and I know it wasn't taught when I was a D.I.