Safe backstop

Bestman

Well-Known Member
One aspect of the 'In the bag not' thread that surprised me was posters questioning the backstop.

Since doing my DSC1 most of my stalking has been alone and thus not subject to peer review. Maybe I'm not being sufficiently cautious?

Assuming the rifle was positioned somewhere near the camera why was the large rising bank of earth above the animal not considered to be sufficient backstop?
 
One aspect of the 'In the bag not' thread that surprised me was posters questioning the backstop.

Since doing my DSC1 most of my stalking has been alone and thus not subject to peer review. Maybe I'm not being sufficiently cautious?

Assuming the rifle was positioned somewhere near the camera why was the large rising bank of earth above the animal not considered to be sufficient backstop?


I.M.H.O...It's probably a camera related image foreshortening issue. i.e. In the photo you refer to it maybe didn't immediately look like there was much rise to the ground behind the deer (to some people).
 
If you take the time to look at the pylon, & in particular the steel sections, you should have a good idea how much room was or was not available.............. I certainly would not have hesitated in doing my thing!
 
If it was 250yds to the deer I am guessing a further 300yds or so to the skyline. 200+yds therefore of rising ground beyond the deer for the bullet to drop into? Safe as houses IMO. But there I go again speculating...
 
I'd be happy to send a bullet into that backstop. Not so sure about shooting at a Deer off of sticks at 250m. It's not a shot I would take that's for sure. I'm happy to admit it would not be within my ability. A bipod yes, assuming the rise of the ground would be suitable from that position.
 
Bestman, I think very few of us on this site would not have taken a shot from that position if the deer were in range and standing right
 
Bestman the shot was safe the distance was even off i bipod a very long way at a active target. I think the fact that one poster thought the ground might be a bit hard with frost was his take on it not being safe but were i am the ground is soft right through and we have had a thaw for more then 4 days.;)

So if you see a shot and the ground rises that high above your deer shoot it but make sure it is in your comfort zone.
 
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Well said 6pointer, you are completely right in the fact that as long as it is within your comfort zone. We all have limits and should be aware of them. The gentleman in the other thread who said the backdrop was not very good picked up on a point and to him indicated a clear danger. This may have not have been the case on that particular ground but at least he was thinking. As for shooting a dear of sticks at 250yards, maybe this gentleman is a very capable shot and has numerously take beasts at such a range in such a position. Again we should all act within our capabilities and comfort zone.

aliS
 
Thanks for the replies.

I'm glad that the general consensus is in line with mine, namely that the backstop was more than adequate.

I've never factored in frozen ground so still learned something. Does a full bore ricochet sound like a .22? Do you know when it happens?

I have ordered a few boxes of ammo to try in my new 7mm 08 barrel, one is Federal Barnes which I believe may be more prone to ricochet than lead, anyone have any experience?
 
I've never factored in frozen ground so still learned something. Does a full bore ricochet sound like a .22?

full-bore rifles don't ricochet oh and if you shoot rock solid ground that angles away from you at a low gradient then they have less chance of doing so.

I said i would consider my position before taking the shot in that picture referred to.
I still would, seeing that you may hit the animal and will the round then travel straight through or exit at 5 degree rise and fly on over that huge hill.
i also understand the potential of my round ricocheting and bear that in mind every time i shoot.
having taken someone out one day to demonstrate how a round reacts when striking the ground they where amazed at how a round reacts when it strikes and how far it travelled despite us been twenty feet higher than the round at 100 yards.

f.

I don't know if everyone understands the range and traveling potential of the round once it leaves the barrel.


bestman sorry read post again and i was not digging at you mate so please dont see it that way.
also for those with an axe to grind the first line is me been a cynic
 
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Thanks for the replies.

Does a full bore ricochet sound like a .22? Do you know when it happens?

I would think that if the ricochet happens while you are still hearing the boom then no I suppose you would no hear it. But if it is after the bang I can assure you it sounds just like a 22

It scared the sh1t out of me I can tell you.

Mark
 
You can hear plenty of differing calibres,& how they sound when you are down in the butts,also how different stuff sounds when going into the sand, plus the odd one that does turn into a ricochet.
 
Full bore rifles don't ricochet ????????????????????????????????? AFV's projectiles can ricochet, so do rounds from Naval guns, same for Anti aircraft stuff, anything thrown out of a barrel or other throwing / launching device can ricochet!........... way back in the days of cannon ball, they were launched deliberately short to do just that! Why should a centre fire "full" bore rifle be any different?
 
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Centrefire rounds can and will ricochet, not very often i'll grant you but they can deffinately do it. I have shot a fair amount of 22cf and the only one i had bounce was fired at a fox that was in a field full of sheep. the sheep were 200 yds plus away from charlie but my bum was going like a camera shutter for a little while ( i even walked the sheep up to make sure they could all still move!!!!) I had a 129gn SST bounce a couple of years ago, no frost just a normal evening. My take on it is as the bullet slows down it's more likely to bounce. It's one reason i like fast calibres.

Ezzy. (forgot to say 22cf round was a 55gn V Max out of a .223 and passed through a fox before it bounced, SST was out of a 6.5 and sped over the head of a fox before it bounced)
 
I could only see the clip where the deer didn't get shot and to be honest if you are going to wait around for a better back stop that that you are not going to shoot many deer!!

The back stop I saw was perfectly safe.

Dave
 
Centrefire rounds can and will ricochet, not very often i'll grant you but they can deffinately do it. I have shot a fair amount of 22cf and the only one i had bounce was fired at a fox that was in a field full of sheep. the sheep were 200 yds plus away from charlie but my bum was going like a camera shutter for a little while ( i even walked the sheep up to make sure they could all still move!!!!) I had a 129gn SST bounce a couple of years ago, no frost just a normal evening. My take on it is as the bullet slows down it's more likely to bounce. It's one reason i like fast calibres.

Ezzy. (forgot to say 22cf round was a 55gn V Max out of a .223 and passed through a fox before it bounced, SST was out of a 6.5 and sped over the head of a fox before it bounced)


When the fast calibre slows down, doesn't it mean it's just going to bounce further away.
 
Not really, just sooner (if ive got this right) it depends on lots of things, the amount of deformation in the bullet, the angle it strikes the ground, the weight of the bullet. it's all conjecture really, what looks like a really good soft bank of earth could actually be solid rock just below the surface. as long as you are happy then it's up to you.

Ezzy
 
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