Rifleman Q&A: What Does 'MOA' Mean?

by
posted on August 1, 2021
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
NEWQ&A

Q: I am new to the shooting sports, and my background is in aviation. In my field, the acronym “MOA” means “Military Operations Area.” When Air Traffic Control informs us that MOA is “hot,” we do not fly, and a “cold” announcement means we can. Does this terminology cross over to the shooting sports, and what is “DOPE?”


A: In shooting, “MOA” is an acronym for minutes of angle. The NRA definition is, “An angular measurement method used to describe accuracy capability. A minute of angle is 1/60th of a degree, and subtends 1.047" at 100 yards, which, for practical shooting purposes, is considered to be an inch. A minute-of-angle group, therefore, would measure slightly more than one inch at 100 yards, two inches at 200 yards, etc.”

From a shooter’s perspective, “dope” is a useful and descriptive word when applied to the activity of achieving downrange success. This magazine has used the phrase “Dope Bag” since at least 1921 when Col. Townsend Whelen first titled his column. Even then, it had been in use for years, referring to a sack used by target shooters to hold ammunition and accessories on the firing line. “Sight dope” also was a traditional marksman’s term for sight-adjustment information, while judging wind speed and direction was called “doping the wind.” Some shooters also use it as an acronym for “Data On Previous Engagement.”

—John Treakle, Contributing Editor

Latest

Hopkins & Allen Gunmaker
Hopkins & Allen Gunmaker

Hopkins & Allen: The Armsmaking Giant That Didn't Survive

Founded in 1868 in the northeast U.S., Hopkins & Allen grew from a friendly business venture into a prolific maker of affordable guns for brand names such as Merwin & Hulbert and Forehand & Wadsworth.

Burris Optics Celebrates 50 Years Of Fullfield Riflescopes

Firearms and ammunition ballistics have changed greatly over the last half-century, but one of the biggest leaps in performance hit the scene five decades ago, when Burris Optics introduced its Fullfield line of riflesopes.

I Have This Old Gun: Heckler & Koch P7

In the mid-1970s, the German federal police sought a replacement for its existing World War II-era sidearms and put out stringent guidelines for what it wanted in a handgun. The result was the Heckler & Koch P7.

New For 2025: Smith & Wesson Shield X

Smith & Wesson's new Shield X micro-compact handgun combines elements from the company's M&P Shield Plus with some cues from its smaller Bodyguard 2.0 design.

Review: Tisas PX-5.7 FO

The idea that a faster-moving, lightweight projectile can do the same work as a heavier, slower-moving slug has been around for ages, and the math clearly supports it, even if some in the general public don’t.

NRA Awards Grand Scholarships To 2024 Y.E.S. Students

The Y.E.S. program—which launched in 1996—is held each summer in Washington, D.C., and brings together high-achieving high school students from across the country for a week of immersive learning focused on the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights and American government.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.