Shotgun blasts into the air... threat to others?

One of my officers handled an odd shooting call. Young gal laying by a pool took a round to the leg but clearly the bullet wasn't going at top speed. It was a 380 pistol round and the closest we could determine was fired off about 1/4 mile away... I think that a lower trajectory is very dangerous for pistol or rifle rounds. Birdshot, very low hazard unless you're in close quarters.

I'm sure the young lady wounded by that pistol shot wouldn't want to experience it twice....

Check with a prof from a physics campus BUT
A bullet and shot are different because a bullet is spinning and has angular momentum i.e retained spinning energy which it retains as it falls to earth.
Shot because of its shape and size will quickly lose its angular momentum
Also the terminal velocity of shot and a bullet are different because of the shape of each, and the variation in the mass/frontal surface area- may be ? the (check this with someone) this is the sectional density.
In any case small shot and bullets from a rifled barrel will behave differently.
This seems to be born out from the thread- those who had small shot got a sting- those with a bullet got a nasty penetrating wound.
So not only is the conversation to potential and back to kinetic energy important, but the retention of angular momentum means that the bullet (not shot) will rend to "drill" into what ever it hits.
Still should check with a prof of physics Not myth busters

My pistol practice bays are in the fallout zone for the shotgun fields at our club, so I get hit by falling birdshot hundreds of times or more in any given year. Long as you've got your eye pro, I don't consider it to be any kind of hazard.

Bigger projectiles like a 9mm bullet, buckshot pellet, etc, heck no, I do not want to be hit by one of those at any velocity, falling or otherwise.

If you just want to make noise, what is wrong with blanks into the air? You can buy shotgun "popper" loads for retriever training.

What is the maximum speed at which it can fall? What is the weight and density of the projectile(s)? What are the requirements of these variables to cause physical damage to infants up to an average-sized man and where are those softest body areas? Those are what count but don't ask me to look up that info and do the math.

With my luck I'd shoot in the air to scare the attacker and accidentally hit a bald eagle. I'd then be charged with both brandishing and killing an endangered species…all while being a victim in my own home.

Shotgun blasts into the air are barely a threat anyone, including the shooter. Bird hunters have been making overhead shots for hundreds of years.

It's just not an issue, relax

I've had a profuse amount of shot fall on me, at first I thought it was starting to rain.

Anyway, one of the scariest things to experience is getting peppered with a fellow hunter's shot.

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I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with you. I had a bullet hit the dirt about 3 ft. in front of me during deer season. Terrifying. But birdshot from the sky? Just turn your back on it you'll be fine.

Just the fact that Joe Biden suggests it as a course of action proves it's a dumb idea.

There's the little matter of the 20 year mandatory penalty for warning shots in Florida. At least one person is serving now, and another will get a new trial after having served three years of his term

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Which means I can shoot and kill someone and it's legal, but a warning shot gets me 20 years??

FWIW..I think Indiana is the same, but it seems pretty foolish unless I'm seeing something wrong. Dunno.

Anybody that thinks falling bird shot is overly dangerous needs to spend less time behind the keyboard and more time behind a trigger. I've been sprinkled dozens of times. This is the reason most sporting clays/trap/skeet type ranges demand eye protection and limit shot size to something 7 1/2 or smaller

At one time I had a link where the author figured the absolute maximum range of projectiles based on shape, initial velocity, and fired at 45 degrees (or whatever is optimum). IIRC, absolute maximum range of something like #6 shot was maybe +/- 150 yards or so. Don't remember exactly. There are guys that duck hunt across the lake from me, range 450 yards. Never had any shot hit anything here.

^^^ Yes, but what about a 00 buckshot pellet falling at maximum speed to the top of your unprotected head?

I've had bird shot rain down on me more times than I could possibly count, it stings sometimes, but I've never had them break the skin. I've also been peppered from 50 yds or so with bird shot, that's a different story altogether. Picking #7-1/2 out of your legs or back can be very painful, and infectious as well, been there, done that.

But I would bet that 00 buck wouldn't be as easy to brush off, and I wouldn't want to find out.

GS

bobinoregon said:

It's just not an issue, relax

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No quite.

Bird shot? You're likely correct unless someone is looking straight up. Buck shot? No, that has potential to injure. Slug? That can kill traveling in a high arc or falling at terminal velocity.

Anyone who has been on an opening day dove hunt can tell you that falling birdshot is not going to hurt anyone. Inside 100 yards, & shot toward someone is another story. It can penetrate the skin.

It has to come down someware. If it hits some person in the eye, it could blind them. Firing any gun into the air for no reason is a bad idea.

The answer is no, falling shot is not a big deal.

Telekinesis said:

You mean you intentionally shot at people just because you didn't like where they set up to hunt? That has to be the dumbest thing I've heard in a long time. You're lucky none of those guys pulled out a rifle and decided to return fire!

OP: I wouldn't think that most bird shot would harm someone in the majority of cases, but you only have to get one lucky pellet to actually do some damage (hitting the eye etc.). Even though I don't think it will hurt someone the majority of the time, that doesn't mean its a good idea to count on the shot being "less than lethal" at range. We are responsible for every round we fire and we are liable for any and all damage caused by our actions.

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+1 I thought the same thing when i read that.

Are you serious KleanBore? Firing a warning shot carries a mandatory 20 yr sentence? Im no lawyer but does that mean that some people in Florida have probably served more time for a warning shot than another person has for shooting someone? That would suck.

About the physics side of the question only: As everyone else has said, falling bird shot is no big deal at all, and part of bird hunting. I use my full choke, 28" barrel 12 gauge with #7 shot to take out tree rats (squirrels) all the time. Works pretty good for trimming fir tree branches too. I would never use my 22 to shoot a tree rat in a tree unless there was an earthen backdrop, like a close hill. At 100 yards standard velocity #7 in my gun will not break a clay bird sitting against a bank and will barely put holes in paper. This is why shotguns don't necessarily require a backstop. In an open area you can see farther than you can seriously hurt anything or anyone. That's why we use shotguns for activities that involve shooting into the air.

Terminal velocity is achieved pretty quick with bird shot. Once a shotgun is fired it has a source of energy driving it way part terminal velocity so it will do big damage at that point. But the air quickly slows down the round shot balls. A round object has about the world shape for maintaining speed of any object. Terminal velocity bird shot isn't likely to hurt anyone unless they catch a pellet in the eye or maybe the ear. So firing bird shot into the air will not often lead to problems unless of course you're talking about shooting at something close with a shotgun.

I've been peppered by bird shot many times from the shotguns of the people who came to our backyard trap range. We just turned our heads and kept walking. I remember worrying about it the first time until my older brothers told me not to worry. I still did some but it was over pretty quick with no harm.

Like many here, I too have been peppered in the field. Many times the shot was not necessarily falling straight down, but coming down in it's arc. Even the stoutest of bird shot loads loose the ability to penetrate skin after 80-90 yards. This is bird shot...not buckshot or slugs. Even when shot at 45 degrees maximum range pellets will travel with the wind behind them, is what....200yards? If brush and trees(even corn stalks) are so thick you can't see what is downrange for the 100 yards bird shot will fly when shot parallel to the ground, those same obstacles will stop those pellets. That's why shooting a shotgun in the air is so safe and with millions of rounds of shotgun shell shot in the air, you never hear of anyone dieing or even wounded from falling pellets. I do not agree with the idea since it won't hurt them to intentionally rain shot down on someone you feel is invading your hunting spot. If it's private land and they don't have permission, call the authorities. If it's public land, grow up and get over it or stay outta the woods. You have just put yourself at a level lower than them. I also am not saying one needs to be reckless and careless because you can't hurt someone with a shotgun. I'm not saying it is safe to shoot in the direction of your hunting buddy 10 rows over during a pheasant drive. The basic rules of gun safety apply to every firearm. It is still dangerous pullin' a Dick Cheney and shooting someone at close range.

Any projectile be it big or small can be lethal. Its the stroke of luck to escape harm..