With Indiana changing the hunting laws to allow some rifle cartridges this year, what is the safe distance for shooting a 243 from an elevated stand? For instance if you are shooting at deer under 200 yards is it dangerous if there is a house 600 yards away? Half mile away? 1 mile away? Trying to get an idea for safe ranges. Obviously shooting torwards a house is a bad idea but there are few places in central Indiana without a house or barn within a reasonable distance.
Safe distance to others/homes when hunting with 243
- Thread starter newguy07
- Start date
- Status
243winxb
Member
Bullet construction.
Tough question. Shooting down is good. But the longer the distance, more change of a bullet taking off. Bullet construction would matter. The Sierra 85 gr hpbt #1530 would be my choice. It seems to blow up when coming in contact with the ground, when groundhog hunting. If shooting a deer at 200, from elevating, i would feel safe with a house 400 yards away. I hope you dont have to use an all copper or other non-lead core bullet. That may not be good???
Rule of thumb i use is if i can SEE a clear line to anything i dont want to put a bullet in im very leery of shooting.
Ive intentionally skiped .22 bullets from pond to pond as a kid growing up on a shrimp farm, why will go surprisingly far.
Ive intentionally skiped .22 bullets from pond to pond as a kid growing up on a shrimp farm, why will go surprisingly far.
greyghost01
Member
If you do not have a hill or dense forest behind your target a 243 will go along way, A regular 22 LR will go a mile or more so a 243 is a lot more velocity than that, 1 of the 4 rules of shooting is to know what's beyond your target and have a safe backstop, I'm from Illinois originally a lot of flat land with NO backstop, But I've shot high power rifles there for years you just need to be carefull, You are responsible for that bullet accident or not!
X-Rap
Member
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2006
- Messages
- 6,657
IMO you need a backstop behind your target, at a minimum your target should be well below the horizon (which is a backstop of sorts).
From a stand you should be able to accomplish this, if in doubt pass on the shot.
Take the time to know the area around your stand and walk over those hills and see what's on the other side.
Google earth is also a good resource.
There is probably no way you will find a place to hunt that has a clear radius under maximum range.
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
From a stand you should be able to accomplish this, if in doubt pass on the shot.
Take the time to know the area around your stand and walk over those hills and see what's on the other side.
Google earth is also a good resource.
There is probably no way you will find a place to hunt that has a clear radius under maximum range.
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
Well written laws on hunting range safety zones say 25% greater than maximum range of cartridges allowed. That protects animals and property should accidental discharged firearms sending bullets a few miles away before they fall back to earth.
If laws don't say that, obey this simple rule yourself. Put yourself down range from some errant hunter and think about it.
If laws don't say that, obey this simple rule yourself. Put yourself down range from some errant hunter and think about it.
Sunray
Member
"...without a house or barn within a reasonable distance...." This part of Ontario is the same. Some kind of farm building with a couple hundred meters/yards in every direction.
Like I said over on the other forum, think in terms of miles behind what you're shooting at. 600 yards is nothing, however, it's highly unlikely you hit anything shooting down. A ricochet can go an astoundingly long way, but not that far.
An HP will blow up when coming in contact with a thistle stalk. It was a 75 grain HP for me.
Like I said over on the other forum, think in terms of miles behind what you're shooting at. 600 yards is nothing, however, it's highly unlikely you hit anything shooting down. A ricochet can go an astoundingly long way, but not that far.
An HP will blow up when coming in contact with a thistle stalk. It was a 75 grain HP for me.
In states that have allowed rifles for hunting for decades they usually regulate that you must be at least 1/4 mile (440 yards) from occupied dwellings. Shooting down from a tree will cause the bullet to impact that ground within a few yards or less of the target (depending on the angle). I doubt if the bullet will ricochet and if it did it would be pretty torn up after impacting the ground (rocks, roots, etc.). Regardless of what the bullet hits in the ground, if it did ricochet, it would be a torn up shred of the original bullet which sure wouldn't have much energy to travel very far so I wouldn't worry about how far it would go after it impacted the ground.
splattergun
Member
Basic shooting safety is your guide here! Be certain of your target and what lies beyond. If you are shooting from a tree stand, your background is the earth and low growth, so your safety zone is relatively small. Shooting from the ground, your safety zone is dramatically larger.
In Utah, the rule is shooting within 600 yards of an occupied building is prohibited, unless you have written permission from the owner. Check with your state's hunting regs to be within the law.
Look on your ammo box. There is a warning that centerfire ammunition can be lethal up to 5 miles. So I repeat, be sure of your target and what lies beyond!
In Utah, the rule is shooting within 600 yards of an occupied building is prohibited, unless you have written permission from the owner. Check with your state's hunting regs to be within the law.
Look on your ammo box. There is a warning that centerfire ammunition can be lethal up to 5 miles. So I repeat, be sure of your target and what lies beyond!
Sav .250
Member
Your state DRN regulations should give you that information.
Interesting max range numbers:
https://www.hunter-ed.com/washingto...r-Rifle-or-Handguns-Range/20105001_700046704/
I don't think a 30-06 will out range a 300 H&H.
https://www.hunter-ed.com/washingto...r-Rifle-or-Handguns-Range/20105001_700046704/
I don't think a 30-06 will out range a 300 H&H.
Last edited:
See that table is why I asked this question. Obviously people don't only shoot when there is nothing within 2 miles even though that's what it says for 243.
Thanks for all the feedback so far
Snyper
Member
Max range figures are calculated based on a firing angle of about 30 degrees above horizontal. They have little to do with hunting in most circumstances.
Just use some common sense when taking your shots and you shouldn't have any problems shooting from any height above 8 feet.
Just use some common sense when taking your shots and you shouldn't have any problems shooting from any height above 8 feet.
Hardtarget
Member
Think more about direction. Get a good topo map. Mine show structures so you can pick your shooting lanes.
Mark
Mark
Swampman
Old Fart
The only time I'll take a shot in an area like you describe is when I have a good backstop. It doesn't have to be a huge hill, a steep sided creek or cutbank six or eight feet high with loam or sandy soil is enough to stop even a .50 BMG AP bullet if you're shooting into the bank from an elevated position. As always, use common sense. The creek bank behind an elementary school isn't a good backstop, no matter how high, steep and sandy it might be.
I'm not familiar with your area, but even land that appears flat usually has cuts, draws and creeks in it. In my experience, deer, especially big bucks, tend to use these low areas as travel routes. Keep this in mind when placing your stand, and if it's legal in your area, use feeders or food plots to draw and hold them into areas where they'll offer a safe, effective shot.
In my opinion, standing timber, no matter how dense, is NOT a safe backstop.
Depending on conditions, I might consider a single large tree as a safe backstop, but never a forest in general.
Last edited:
I wouldn't count on it and wouldn't be in the same woods as someone with that attitude.
Wasn't a HP but my son shot at a buck on the edge of a 5-10 year old clear cut last year. Hit the the buck with shrapnel after completely cutting off TWO 3" diameter trees with a 150gr .308 Sierra Game King.
bhk
Member
That rule might be practical out west, but would pretty well prohibit rifle hunting anywhere east of Kansas City. Just be sure of your backstop and you will be fine. Hunting from elevated stands really helps the safety factor when hunting in farm country.
Double Naught Spy
Sus Venator
It really isn't an issue of distance to houses, but distance to people who may be around those houses. Don't think that just because they are inside a house, that they have the protection of the house.
Woods should not be considered a backstop either.
Thistle should not be considered a backstop, either, lol.
Hardtarget suggested getting a good topomap. Right idea, wrong resource. Some topo maps may be 30 years or more out of date. A better resource is to research the area on Google Earth. Rolling your cursor around will give you elevation changes and as far as structures, the map is likely no more than a few years out of date. The topo might be a good backup for the field, but plot new structures on the map from Google Earth.
Google Earth is free and can be downloaded to your computer. Images from GE can be saved and printed. I custom make images of the properties I hunt to save to my phone. You can also get GE on your phone which can be used in the field, if you have service.
Woods should not be considered a backstop either.
Thistle should not be considered a backstop, either, lol.
Hardtarget suggested getting a good topomap. Right idea, wrong resource. Some topo maps may be 30 years or more out of date. A better resource is to research the area on Google Earth. Rolling your cursor around will give you elevation changes and as far as structures, the map is likely no more than a few years out of date. The topo might be a good backup for the field, but plot new structures on the map from Google Earth.
Google Earth is free and can be downloaded to your computer. Images from GE can be saved and printed. I custom make images of the properties I hunt to save to my phone. You can also get GE on your phone which can be used in the field, if you have service.
Swampman
Old Fart
+10 for The Google Earth suggestion from Double Naught Spy.
Personally, I like using Google Maps. It lets you download maps to your phone before you go to a particular area that might not have phone service.
Earth may have similar or even better capabilities, but I haven't used it enough to figure them all out..
Personally, I like using Google Maps. It lets you download maps to your phone before you go to a particular area that might not have phone service.
Earth may have similar or even better capabilities, but I haven't used it enough to figure them all out..
Hardtarget
Member
Double Naught Spy hit it right. I don't have a smart phone and didn't think about the age/out-of-date problem with a topo map. Need to up-date my thinking!
Newest info is best! Good hunting.
Mark
Newest info is best! Good hunting.
Mark
- Status
