Do you know where your muzzle is pointing?

dev110

Saw an interesting article on AccurateShooter.com about how a small change in the elevation of your muzzle could have your round impacting 3000 yards downrange.

Over-Shooting the Berm — When a Mere 5 Degrees Can Be Deadly

In our Shooters’ Forum, there was an discussion about a range that was threatened with closure because rifle over-shoots were hitting a farm building over two miles from the firing line. One reader was skeptical of this, asking “how’s that possible — were these guys aiming at the stars?” Actually, you may be surprised. It doesn’t take much up-angle on a rifle to have a bullet land miles down-range. That’s why it’s so important that hunters and target shooters always orient their barrels in a safe direction (and angle). Shooters may not realize how much a small tilt of the barrel (above horizontal) can alter a bullet’s trajectory....

Rest of the article here

How careful are you?

The Big Fella

dev110 wrote: »

Saw an interesting article on AccurateShooter.com about how a small change in the elevation of your muzzle could have your round impacting 3000 yards downrange.



Rest of the article here

How careful are you?

This is all common sense in my opinion.

It wasn't me!

Yeah, it's also worth knowing that 5 degrees (sounds like a very small number, right?) is over seven metres at a hundred yards, so you'd need to miss the target seven and a half metres high to miss the backstop in that case. Our own requirements are for at least seven degrees of safe cone of fire too as far as I recall. Still, while the number sounds smaller than it is, on a range, my personal rule is that the bolt isn't closed while the rifle is pointing anywhere other than the target board.

recipio

Saw a programme a few years ago investigating the death of a boy in the US who was hit with a pistol round to the head.
The shooter ( on a range in a shooting complex ) had 'double tapped' his pistol by mistake, the round travelled a few inches over the berm, through a window and into an enclosed airgun range.
The boy was sitting, just observing the action.Talk about' wrong place 'etc ...
Ya gotta know your backstop when shooting.

EWQuinn

The investigation revealed the range was not constructed according to proper standards and there was a serious gap in the line of protection. The place was an accident waiting to happen. The investigators found holes where other bullets had escaped the rifle range prior to the fatality but had not struck anyone. Had it been constructed properly the fatality probably would not have occurred.

In the US for the most part we have outstanding hunter safety training programs, largely staffed by NRA and other volunteers and/or state agency staff. That training and the teaching of my father is where I learned never, ever take a shot unless I had positively identified the target. Equally important, the safe backstop behind the target. That is why I have never have a problem with appropriate training and licensing programs. If done properly they work.

meathstevie

recipio wrote: »

Saw a programme a few years ago investigating the death of a boy in the US who was hit with a pistol round to the head.
The shooter ( on a range in a shooting complex ) had 'double tapped' his pistol by mistake, the round travelled a few inches over the berm, through a window and into an enclosed airgun range.
The boy was sitting, just observing the action.Talk about' wrong place 'etc ...
Ya gotta know your backstop when shooting.

There's only one thing you'll ever need to know about a backstop and that is will it stop my bullet. If you can't answer yes to that question it's a shot you shouldn't take. There's no point in over analysing the matter it's really a simple black or white answer.