Richochet damage ?

[Quist]

A sub is just that and a richochet is unfortunate but not necessarily dangerous since its range is limited.

A sub doesn't travel very fast or very far come to that. If it hits the ground and spins away off axis, it is going to travel less distance not more.

I think you have to weigh up the the benefits as well as the risks. Its a matter of chosing the right tool for the job.

Rejecting using a sub just because of the possibility of a richochet means rejecting the possibility of taking multiple discreet shots and clearing a good bag of rabbits

[Billy.]

i shoot both 22lr and17hmr,the 22 is just waiting for an excuse to bounce,yet the only time ive had the hmr bounce was using fmj s which i consider a waste of time as they provide no advantage if you use headshots.the 17hmr is an excellent though often misunderstood and maligned round

 

I would never use a FMJ and I do believe it is either illegal or extremely frowned upon to kill an animal with a FMJ. I have fired about 300 rounds from my .17 and I've had 2 ricochets, so the 17 isn't a complete godsend, even if you're using expanding ammo. You have to remember that all rounds will ricochet, regardless of the speed, calibre and energy they exert.

 

Rejecting using a sub just because of the possibility of a richochet means rejecting the possibility of taking multiple discreet shots and clearing a good bag of rabbits

 

Good point. For those who rule out a 22lr for it being a dangerous round, are clearly missing out on a great calibre. It may bounce a bit, but if you think before you take the shot, even a ricocheting round will not be of any risk.

[Billy.]

Sorry to dig this up again, but thought this video would be of interest to the thread.

 

It's not the 50BMG one, don't worry.

 

[Ozzy Fudd]

You have either never used or dont own a .22lr if you think ricochets are a myth or indeed rare.

 

 

"The yellow jackets l use never rick, as they are HV,"

 

Really tommo?

 

BULL!!!

 

i only use yellow jackets and get a lot of ricochets

[Billy.]

BULL!!!

 

I know, I've heard some corkers in this thread!

[Treestalker]

I was lamping one night with the farmer and he wanted a rabbit shot on his front lawn right in front of his house. I said that the bullet could hit his house but he okayed it. The subsonic went through the rabbit's head, richocheted and knocked a scab of cement off his rendered farmhouse about 6' off the ground.

We get quite a few richochets lamping with .22s due to all the flints in my area and quite often have to use an airgun in some places. I even had a 22 sub go vertical and clatter off an electricity pylon one night.

Back in the handgun days my mate was shooting a .22lr handgun over a chronograph and hit one of the support wires. Part of the bullet came almost straight back and hit me just under the right eye. It didn't break the skin but I looked liked I'd had a good right hander.

I've seen centrefire bullets do considerable damage at long range from richochets. I've seen 243 match bullets hit the ground at 1000 yards then go sideways through 1" board. Some of the bullet jackets are recovered squashed flat with the lead squeezed out of them by the impact.

I've also seen softpoints/expanding bullets richochet - I once shot a roe deer from a high seat with a .243 softpoint and saw the bullet go skipping off across the flooded field like bouncing bomb, after exiting the deer.

[Billy.]

For the record, I was zeroing the .17HMR yesterday and the ground had recently been turned over. There were rocks everywhere and about 40% of the 50 shots I took ricocheted.

[Baldrick]

I am an experienced Shot, I shoot my .22s on a daily basis, and I put a huge quantity of .22LR rounds down each year. Mud, dry sand, stony soil, dry or wet grass, puddles, litter, cowpats: any surface or substance can cause a ricochet, and I get a fair few of them, whether it is using HV or subsonics. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar, or is blissfully unaware of what is happening down-range.