Lethal Range

aghoover

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This is a bit of a weird question. When hunting a pheasant release site or a busy duck area, there is always a chance someone could shoot in your direction. My friends and I don't want to do the experiment ourselves so I'm asking here. At what range would bird shot, say BB 3' 12g, be harmless for a human? We assumed 100 yards?
 
For the purpose of the discussion, line drive, straight at you. I'm assuming if the shot is coming down, its lost most of its energy, so getting rained on with shot isn't a big deal.
 
For the purpose of the discussion, line drive, straight at you. I'm assuming if the shot is coming down, its lost most of its energy, so getting rained on with shot isn't a big deal.

It will still sting pretty good. But very unlikely that it will do much damage.
 
Depends on choke and ammo.
100 yards and I do believe with the right series of
events it could hurt.
Eyes don't offer much protection.

If in doubt, don't.
Wear some good eye protection if you have cause for concern.
 
I'm curious more than anything. In 5 years of bird hunting, I've never had a close call. I guess somewhere between 100 and 200 yards, a bb pellet would be slow enough to no longer be dangerous.
 
Big shot at better than 100 yards will feel like big hail hitting you if you are wearing the typical heavy cold weather hunting gear.

At 35 yards, #4 lead will go through Hodgeman rubber waders, L.L. Bean canvas hunting coat, blue jeans, and flannel shirt flattening on a hip bone or rib.
 
I've been raked by large(bb) steel shot on a foggy morning at about 90 yards, while it stung like a bastard and left a bruise where it struck bare skin it certainly wasn't life threatening. Now at 150yards I would be willing to stand sporting nothing but a protective cup and safety glasses and let steel shot upto BB be fired in my direction, In part because I don't think many people could stomach the sight of me wearing such a get up long enough to effectively aim.
 
I have been rained on many times while shooting ducks, never a problem. That was always with lead. Steel is not the same. I shot a coyote at 40yds with a load of #2 steel, it did not penetrate the fur. It did knock it down, I put a load of 00 into it & there was no question. 100yds. with steel would be more than safe (IMHO). Put a coat over a box of newspapers & shot at it, see if there is penetration at 75 &100 yds.
 
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