.22 skyline shots?

[Uncle Mike]

HAHAHA iced tea through the nostrils....



A one eyed Wood Nymph... I'm going to have dreams about that...

 

[ambidextrous1]

If you can't find bottle rockets:

How about bird bombs? They're about as loud as an M80 (also an option) and labeled "for use in protection of crops from birds"; a local farmer can tell you where to buy them; and it's an easy matter to plant them in the tree and detonate them electrically when the birds gather.

 

[Gryffydd]

I have a very accurate Marlin .22 LR bolt action. The Super Colibris group about 6" at 50'. CB Shorts group < 1/2" Plus, the thing holds 25 CB Shorts

I can literally watch the Colibris wander off course through my scope. Some people seem to report good accuracy from them though, so they're worth at least a try. But start with a box of 50, not 500. The CBs are louder, but not by a whole lot.

 

[Maverick223]

I can literally watch the Colibris wander off course through my scope.

I agree they are not the most accurate loads, but they are minute of little birdy at 10yds.

 

[dmazur]

I don't take "skyline" shots at grouse in trees with a .22, due to the concern of where the round goes if I miss.

Because so many of the durn things fly up from the edge of the road and land in a nearby tree, I've switched to hunting them with a .410 with #9 shot. I'm reasonably sure this isn't going to carry as far as a .22LR...

(It is legal to hunt forest grouse with a rifle in Washington State, but that doesn't mean every opportunity you get is a safe shot to take. Especially if you're trying to shoot one with a deer rifle.)

 

[Maverick223]

The optimal angle is about 22 degrees if you're shooting for distance.

Your off a digit...but correct in concept...it's 32 degrees...trust me on this I'm still an Engineer.

 

[22-rimfire]

I understand how tempting the target is. I would not do it unless I was sure of my backstop. I feel the same way about squirrel hunting and shooting out of tree tops with a 22. Better to use a shotgun even though it is a different kind of fun.

 

[CZguy]

I understand how tempting the target is. I would not do it unless I was sure of my backstop. I feel the same way about squirrel hunting and shooting out of tree tops with a 22. Better to use a shotgun even though it is a different kind of fun.

I agree with this completely. Plus 1.

 

[scythefwd]

IF they are anything like the crows at my old mans farm... you will just end up breeding a smarter and more annoying bird He has trained the birds to take off after he comes out of the house the second time.

First time he comes out (or gets out of the car) they sit in the yard and caw at him.

Second time... some fly away, the others meet Mr. Mossberg and his little friend birdshot.

The smarter ones survive, the idiot ones die. I'll have to tell him about the bottle rocket solution

 

[Maverick223]

First time he comes out (or gets out of the car) they sit in the yard and caw at him.

Second time... some fly away, the others meet Mr. Mossberg and his little friend birdshot.

Solution: Carry Mr. Mossy out with you.

 

[scythefwd]

Maverick,
He lives in IL. He would have cops problems if he went to get his mail with a shotgun (neighbors are prats). He usually doesn't just step out of the house without a purpose. When he does surprise the crows by taking Mr. M out on the first trip, he gets more of them... but they are starting to recognize the shotgun now

He does live on a farm, but the mailbox is on the road that serves as the city line. It wouldn't be illegal, but it would be a hassle to get the mail with Mr. M. The "neighbors" already throw fits when he shoots in the yard.

 

[woof]

Mythbusters did a segment on whether bullets fired into the air could kill you when they fell. The answer is no. A bullet fired up into the air will climb until its momentum is exhausted then fall. Its speed of all will be limited by terminal velocity. Test showed that being struck by a bullet (and these were much larger than .22s) would certainly hurt but not produce a serious wound. The exception is a high velocity bullet fired up at an angle and which strikes a target BEFORE its initial momentum has been exhausted and therefore before its velocity is limited to terminal velocity due to gravity. They cited a man who was killed by a stray .30-06 round from 2 miles.

This is not to say .22LRs should be shot in the air with no concern, that is crazy. All that has been said about safety and backdrops is true. But if the OP really has nothing within 5 miles, wherever his bullet falls it will be a terminal speed and will not harm anything bigger than a robin and then only if it hits it on the head.

 

[Maverick223]

scythe, I was joking, nobody wants to carry a shotgun out with them every time they step out.

Mythbusters did a segment on whether bullets fired into the air could kill you when they fell. The answer is no.

That is only with the gun pointed straight up, any cant and the bullet will remain stable and retain energy, and therefore it can be deadly when angled, even slightly.

 

[Art Eatman]

Seems to me that if the bullet could leave your property, you don't take a chancy shot. If you know that in no way could the bullet "trespass", do what you think's righteous.

Had a really big bunch of grackles settle into a small oak tree in my front yard, one time. Stepped out with the wife's 20-gauge. Created a rainstorm of falling grackles. Felt smug.

And then, and then, and then: Double that number of grackles came for the eulogies. I figured that what I had was a losing proposition. I went back inside. Who needs the progression of 1-2-4-8? I figured a remake of Hitchcock's "Birds" was not the key to happiness.

But they all left after the funeral service, and via my tactical wheelbarrow I hauled the dozen or so ruined grackles off to the pasture.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Hey... just make sure you hit the damn bird... that'll slow up the bullet, it falls short, no wood nymphs wondering around with one eye put out and your down 1 less aggravating black bird! hehehe

 

[rcmodel]

Your off a digit...but correct in concept...it's 32 degrees...

Actually you are both wrong.

And I'm not an engineer.
But I did read Hatcher's Notebook while staying at a Holiday Inn Express.

Maximum range firing angle depends on the ballistic coefficient of the projectile, and the speed it is fired at.

A large cannon shell will reach it's maximum range at or near a 45 degree firing angle.

A small arms bullet will reach it's maximum range at a firing angle of 29 degrees, up 35 degrees.
The exact figure for a .30 cal boat-tail 174 grain bullet is 34 degrees 42 minutes.

rc

 

[Maverick223]

Actually you are both wrong.

I don't doubt it, that is the optimal distance for a spherical object taking into account the curvature of the earth, wind resistance, gravity. The bullet with the greatest BC will have the lowest optimal angle of departure relative to the horizontal plane.

 

[Uncle Mike]

How in h311 did we go from blastin' grackles to launching cruise missles?!?!
lol hehehe

 

[Maverick223]

How in h311 did we go from blastin' grackles to launching cruise missles?

Good question, I'm going outside and shoot some birdies.

 

[Uncle Mike]

On the way-

 

[Schleprok62]

I'm amazed at how many THR members are blowing off one of the basic rules of gun safety.

Know your target, and beyond.

Well, I have to agree witht this... 100%, no if's, and's, or but's... especially when my dad drove this into my head like a railroad spike... (figuratively).

Now, for the sake of curiosity... how about a .22 Short?? What kind of range do they have? I'm sure they're hot enough to take a bird, but how far will one carry and still be "dangerous" to the Wood Nymphs Soccer team????

RC??

Cheers...

 

[rcmodel]

Hatcher says a .22LR at 1,145 FPS has a max range of 1500 yards, or .85 mile.

No mention of .22 HS Shorts at 1,132 FPS.
However, I would assume at least a half mile or more. Velocity is there but the bullets BC isn't as good.

rc

 

[Maverick223]

how about a .22 Short?? What kind of range do they have?

Here is a chart I stole...The data appears to be old (a lot of popular cartridges missing) but there is enough info to allow you to fill in the details to get a rough estimate for about any cartridge...

 

[frankthetank]

what i do is go to homedepot and get some blank rounds for those ramsets and then just pop off a few of those it sound like a m-1000 firecracker............. trust me i live in the burbs if i can get way with it you can

frank