Definition
A preliminary artillery round fired to determine accuracy and adjust aim before firing for effect. The test shot that tells you whether your calculations work or if you're about to embarrass yourself by missing an entire grid square.
Example Usage
Fire a ranging shot first—let's see where that lands before we commit to the full fire mission.
Origin
Traditional artillery gunnery practice dating to early modern warfare
Fun Fact
Precision-guided munitions have largely eliminated ranging shots for some targets, but physics and ammunition costs still make the old method useful for area bombardment.
Source: Field artillery fire direction and gunnery procedures
Related Terms
Translate This Term
See “Ranging Shot” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
Try the Translator