[PJR]

I live in a rural area and my firearm of choice to dispatch nuisance animals and predators is a Remington 870 loaded with buckshot.

My land is fairly rocky and the nearest neighbors are about 150 yards away. I wonder whether letting loose 25 or so .24 caliber pellets is advisable when one could hit a rock and fly off in the wrong direction. A lightly constructed .22 centerfire bullet is more likely to break up upon hitting a hard object than a soft lead pellet and I have an excellent scoped .223 bolt action rifle. Should I set aside my 12 gauge for my .223 for this reason? Are my concerns valid?

Paul

[Dave McCracken]

Tough call, Paul...

I'd be chary of firing off either with a neighbor or building within 45 degrees of the line of flight.

The buck will lose velocity faster, so it may pose less of a risk.

Also, I've seen and heard some richochets from 5.56mm FMJ. A soft point will probably break up after contact, but there's few universals here...

[Peter Gun]

this is just a guess, but I would think 150yds is an adequate safety margin for buckshot. Even w/out richochet, i beleive the pellets would have lost significant velocity at that distance.

[Double Naught Spy]

You could probably be firing directly at your neighbors at 150 yards without too much worry of actually harming them. It would be like pelting them with small gravel. I would not suggest trying this, but you get the point. Probably more in jeopardy are the sheet metal parts of their cars, and then the windows on their home.

As for ricochets, there seem to be two types, first is the one that simplychanges the direction of the round slightly (hitting at an angle less than 45 degrees), but still continuing forward progress, and the other where there is a significant momentum change where the round actually stops forward progress (as intended by the direction fired) and changes direction completely (>45 degrees). The latter ricochets seem to bleed off a lot more energy in the impact. Shooting a rock angled 90 degrees to the direction of travel can give you direct return bounceback.

Do what you can to shoot in a direction that will not produce direct fire or ricochet strikes on your neighbors property. While at 150 yards you may not truly harm them, there is no reason they should be in fear of the potential risk, even if minimal.

[PJR]

Doublenaught:

You may be right with birdshot but buckshot is an entirely different issue. I believe at 150 yards #4 buck or larger would still carry enough momentum to cause serious damage. I know .22 lr bullets are prone to ricochet

I agree that it is probably better to remain on the safe side.

I've made the decision to use my .223 loaded with very lightly constructed 40 grain V-Max bullets.

Paul

[Clemson]

According to the NRA, OO Buck will travel around 750 yards when shot at about a 30 degree angle. I'd be really leary about that 150 yard distance.

[Double Naught Spy]

My bad. Sorry for that. I had bird shot on the brain. No 'bird brain' comments please even though I may deserve it.

Well then DEFINITELY don't fire any direction toward your neighbors. If their residence isn't to your back then don't fire. Bounceback ricochets still should not be a real problem in terms of danger at that distance to your neighbors, but ricochets where the forward momentum is just altered a little would definitely be a problem.

So this is all open country, or do you have trees and such?

[PJR]

Fair number of trees but not enough that a buck pellet couldn't get through. As much as I love the shotguns the rifle is the better choice.

Another consideration is the ability to put a headshot on a rabid animal at a respectable distance. I've patterned enough buckshot to know that much beyond 25 yards a guaranteed headshot is doubtful even with #4 buck and a modified choke.

This may be my excuse for buying a .22 Hornet although I'm pretty happy with my .223.

Paul

[Gordon]

Be careful with buckshot they don't call then 'blue whistlers' for nothing. I hit a rock a lizard was on in early 60's with 00 buck from 15yds and the buck bounced another 50-60 yds and went into hillbilly girls shack, it didn't hurt any body but she bout kicked my butt and made me make repairs and pay. The upside was we became intimate friends.:D

[Marshall]

I would say nodda problem! Once them babies hit something they ain't gonna do any damage to the second thing they hit at 150yds. You could point stait at em 150yds away, you would be hittin dirt. But, as always safety first! There could always be one of them closer to you without your knowledge!