A Click ?
by Steve on 05/13/03 at 19:59:16

During coverage of the war, I heard some references to a "click".  As in "The enemy was about 2 clicks away"
What is the distance of a "click"  and where did the term originate ? My only guess is it comes from the clicks of a rifle scope in terms of Minute of Angle and all that stuff. Just curious.

Steve

Re: A Click ?
by Daver on 05/14/03 at 01:20:35

Click is a slang for kilometer.

I lived in Saudi Arabia in the 80's and heard the term used there frequently, ironically by American expatriate workers.

Possibley they picked it up from European expatriate workers, or maybe it is an oilpatch term.

Another possibility would be from racing circles, lots of people there were into gokarts and dirtbikes.

Re: A Click ?
by Robert Fogt on 05/14/03 at 03:51:17

Yes that is correct.  I have both click, and alternate spelling klick on the length/distance conversion page.

I am certain it started in the military, but unsure of exactly how.

My theory is that those big ancient military guns were adjusted by turning knobs or wheels. 1 turn on the knob was a "click" which moved the sights a kilometer.

I see the term on old marine sniper sites, so it may also have something to do with the marines snipers.

Re: A Click ?
by Steve on 05/14/03 at 12:33:33

My first  though was the snipers and high power rifle scopes as well. They do use the terms clicks but the reference is to the "click" of the elevation/windage dial on the scope which is in MOA/inches and changed for yards/meters. A Kilometer is a bit far for a sniper so it probably does not apply

My Father is an old (he says young) military man so he might have some insight on older artillery weapons and field usage

Steve

Re: A Click ?
by kim on 08/08/03 at 22:12:36

In Canada, we call them "klicks".  It's a slang term.  Like how "5 bucks" is 5 dollars.

Re: A Click ?
by John C Studdard on 08/13/03 at 21:09:15

A "click" is an Americanized shortening of kilometer.

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