Safe backstops

[Cushat]

I've plenty of experience with shotguns but little with rifles - and know the correct answer is "if in doubt don't take the shot" but...

 

Safe backstops - is it possible to define what angle is safe? I know we have some areas of ground around here which are very flinty and the guys stick to air rifles, but in general terms, assuming the shot is taken standing (i.e. approx 6' off the ground)?

 

Zero degrees (i.e. flat field) there is solid ground behind the rabbit when you look at it but not a safe shot. 90 degrees (i.e. rabbit sitting against steep bankside is safe.

 

What point in between does it become safe/unsafe?

 

Apprciate the larger calibres need more solid backstops, but thinking of rimfire.

 

Interested in your thoughts/experiences

[Dunkield]

Well according to many posters on here it isn't even safe to walk in the countyside there are so many stray rimfire rounds flying arround

 

But in all seriousness, I wouldn't even consider shooting at anything that didn't have land above it, and that goes for centrefire or rimfire.

Obviously a nice sand bank would be ideal, but unless you do all of your shooting on the range on into golf course bunkers that isn't very 'real world'

I would be especially careful of flinty ground, that is the worst in my experience.

[al4x]

depends what you are shooting with, my HMR I'm happy shooting down at 25 degrees so straight into soil, obviously not towards houses or roads just in case but generally if you hit a hard lump the round will smash itself to pieces as it it going so fast. However a .22lr even at that angle you get bouncing bullets and can be off grassland not just flints as the lump of lead is going that much slower so you need to be twice as careful

 

p.s Stuart you are getting cynical in your old age

Edited August 14, 2008 by al4x

[bob300w]

Water also causes richochets, try it on the coast, you can see 22rf skipping like flat stones across the water. A local farmer shot at a rat on his duck-pond with a 22rf, the bullet bounced off the water and through a car windscreen 1/2 mile away.

[THEINVISIBLESCARECROW]

I apply a simple rule, where will the bullit go.

If somewhere safe I shoot, unsafe, don't shoot, not sure, don't shoot.

Cutting it down to basics there are things we all have to decide safe or unsafe, when driveing, xing the road & others.

Call it risk assesment.

Take a walk around the land without a gun, every bird, rabbit or whatever, large stone, anything, as you spot it lift your arm as if going to shoot & quickly decide put your arm down or shout bang.

It doesn't matter if a 6ftb airpistol, sub 12ftb air rifle, shotty or powder burner there is an element of risk with every possible hunting type shot.

Common sense rules.

Regard every shot as a danger one & only shoot the 100% safe ones, after a while you will begin to ***** every shot with safety in mind & start to walk the safe areas only & walk with a backstop in mind.

For instance would you walk a hedgrow being 50yds away with the intention of shooting towards it, yes if in the middle of farmland, no if a road is the other side & so on.

Be especially carefull if the ground is stoney or hard ground.