Who shoots 22s up up and away

I realize what the original thread was about, but just for poops and giggles I thought I'd mention that "Myth Busters" did an episode on bullets shot straight up. As mentioned the impact (fps) of a 180 grain bullet falling to the ground was, at best, negligible, even at substantial heights.
 
H4831 said:
...........As has been mentioned, there were milions and milions, or hundreds of milions or thousands of milions of machine gun bullets shot in the air from aircraft dogfights in WW2. I never heard of anyone recount of even one person ever being injured from these.....
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Talk to some British people that lived through WWII. Dogfight bullets and anti-aircraft bullets routinely fell on houses and property causing damage, fire and injury. My father (too young initially to join the air force at the time) was recruited to the fire department during WWII. His job was to ride his bicycle on a prescribed route and do damage/fire/injury assessments after air raids and attacks. At one point, he was knocked off his bicycle by stray bullets from a dogfight impacting on the back of his bicycle. Fortunately, he was OK.

Story #2

I live in SWOntario and most of the radio stations I listen to come from Detroit Michigan. It is not uncommon to hear radio reports after Devils Night and New Years Eve of incidents of injury from celebratory gunfire after people shoot their guns straight up in the air.

Hunting bullets in the great outdoors might not be too much of a problem, but I can see the potential in more built up areas.
 
I don't personally shoot up at anything but I know a fellow who does.

What scares me the most is when I was out coyote hunting with the guys. he came across the radio and told me to "wang a scare shot to get the coyote out. point toward the tree tops, it really echoes that way." :mad: :mad: :mad:

I though he was joking, but then he was backed up by another hunter. I am not being prejudice but both were guys in their 70's, and I am supposed to look up to them for guidance. I think not.

Whether or not a bullet has much energy returning back to the ground, it don't matter. You are still responsible.
 
I had a 410 for things up in a tree.
Then I sold it, used a 12ga once on a squirrel and he exploded.
Not a fan of exploding squirrels, so I leave em alone for now.
If they're in the barn I use a pellet gun on squirrels/rats.

Might use a .22 on raccoons up in a tree if I ever bother hunting them.
 
zenmagic said:
Talk to some British people that lived through WWII. Dogfight bullets and anti-aircraft bullets routinely fell on houses and property causing damage, fire and injury. My father (too young initially to join the air force at the time) was recruited to the fire department during WWII. His job was to ride his bicycle on a prescribed route and do damage/fire/injury assessments after air raids and attacks. At one point, he was knocked off his bicycle by stray bullets from a dogfight impacting on the back of his bicycle. Fortunately, he was OK.

Story #2

I live in SWOntario and most of the radio stations I listen to come from Detroit Michigan. It is not uncommon to hear radio reports after Devils Night and New Years Eve of incidents of injury from celebratory gunfire after people shoot their guns straight up in the air.

Hunting bullets in the great outdoors might not be too much of a problem, but I can see the potential in more built up areas.
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I have talked to English people about it and also talked to Europeans who were on the other side.
It is the shrapnel from the anti aircraft fire that causes the fires and property damage.
Also, I quoted the results of tests that showed that FMJ 50 calibre bullets falling could be lethal to a person hit. A great many of the bullets fired in the air fights were indeed, FMJ 50 calibre.
 
When I was younger my brother and I were on some thick ice with our 10/22's. Calm day in the winter. We shot the ice about 10 ft in front of us, appox 45 degree angle and where talking when we heard something hit the ice, we looked and it was the .22 bullet's landing within a foot of the place the bullets hit the ice. We enptied out mags and had similar results. I have tried it since then and had it work again.
 
I'm with H4831 on this one. While one must always consider where the bullet will end up, a bullet shot upwards - close to vertical is a non-issue, and will cause harm to no one. Eagleye.
 
Ever shoot an arrow straight up? Kind of gives a guy the willies.

No problem shooting squirrels up in trees though, just know your area and if the shot is at a lower angle make sure there is a good patch of bush or nothing in the general direction you are shooting.
 
I am changing my name to dancing with bullets! I have done it with everything from arrows, pellet guns, 22's ,243's, 303 fmj, and a box of tracers, But I stopped after using the 12 gauge rilfed slug gun! after six of those in the sky! You feel the thumps in the ground when they come back!

Hey, anyone want to go for tree rats, I got a new 410 sxs I want to try!
 
A long time ago I advertised a 30-06 for sale. An RCMP member called on it and after some talk, wanted to see it. So he came to the house, in full duty uniform.
After very close examination of the rifle, a little Savage bolt action, he said he wanted to buy it, but wouldn't buy it unless he saw an empty it had shot. Then he said, "Give me a shell." We lived on the edge of Prince George, where it was not legal to shoot anything. He walked out the door, loaded my rifle, pointed it up about 45 degrees in a direction away from town, and let fly!
I thought this may turn out to be interesting, but nothing happened, except he paid me asking price for the rifle.
 
Yes but shoot that same 30/06 round a a 20 degree up angle it it is lethal for several miles. People have been killed from just such a scenario. I doubt very much that a 22 round would have the necessary energy to inflict much harm though.
 
At one time, 3 quick shots in the air was a type of distress signal. Has that been safety-nazied out of existance?:confused:

shmelmafinga said:
Stats, stories and opinions aside, it is simply irresponsible (and illegal) to shoot a bullet if you don't have absolute certainty it will land safely. When you shoot it upward it gets difficult to be certain where it will land.
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Unless you are in a bullet proof box, you never have absolute certainty where the bullet will land. You are alway playing the odds, some are better than others.
 
lone-wolf said:
I still beleive it to be.
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NO, NO, NO. If you are hurt, or in some other dire straight, you must just lie there and quietly die, because if you signal for help by shooting in the air, you are putting people in so much danger!
 
shmelmafinga said:
Stats, stories and opinions aside, it is simply irresponsible (and illegal) to shoot a bullet if you don't have absolute certainty it will land safely. When you shoot it upward it gets difficult to be certain where it will land.
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In Ontario you can hunt raccoon at night with dogs. The only caliber allowed is .22LR or a smaller .22 (no .17 hmr etc. tho) ... so not exactly illegal ... here anyways.

joe-nwt said:
At one time, 3 quick shots in the air was a type of distress signal. Has that been safety-nazied out of existance?:confused:
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That's what they told me when I took my hunting course. Wasn't 20 years ago either. 3 gunshots is the equivalent of SOS, if you don't have a good backstop, can't move (ie. broken leg) etc. shooting in the air is the safest option.
 
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