[Kevin Sevcik]

For the record, it is actually possible to use a single or dual axis accelerometer to determine the angle of something, since gravity affects accelerometers as much as any other acceleration. Inclinometers are just special purpose accelerometers that give you feedback in degrees relative to level.

So while using a potentiometer is certainly simpler, an accelerometer or inclinometer would give you the angle of your shooter relative to the ground, which is probably what you actually care about for aiming.