Problems with ricochet

[Cyres]

I would say a FAC air rifle if noise is an issue. Otherwise a small high velocity C/F aka .17 Fireball or a .204. If its pure pest reduction then body shoot them if however you will sell them head shots only. Also you will have an effective range further than you can accurately shoot. With a C/F you could put up a high seat and effectively shoot everything within 250 yds either way so could cover a lot of area. In .204 you could go down to the lightest bullet eg a Barnes Varmit grenade and these will all but vapourise, so no chance of any form of ricochet.

Alternatively go completely covert with a PCP/ thermal and N/V a Pard 008 would do very nicely.

D

 

[shbangsteve]

Get a 17 Hornet. You can reload them for similar price to the HMR

 

[MAH]

CCI segmented

I use these. Very impressed. They do work. More than often, the segments don't exit the rabbit. Hoeever, whilst they are not an excuse for carless shots, they will help mitigate a mistake.

 

[Whitester]

As said before chest shoot, reduce ranges,try srgmented ammo and or use an hmr/air rifle.

A decent fac air rifle will be able to stretch out to 80 yards with a similar drip to your 22 lr.

 

[JMikeyH]

Klenchblaize
The air gun just won’t reach the distances I need to reach or not with me behind the scope of carrying enough energy to humanely kill. Do people find the .17 near on elimates the ricochet issue????
I was very confident that sand land would absorb a bullet are near any angle but this just isn’t proving correct. Cheers for replies

I've never had a ricochet with my hmr to my knowledge - they are incredibly rare, but the hmr is damn loud

 

[VSS]

I've never had a ricochet with my hmr to my knowledge - they are incredibly rare, but the hmr is damn loud

So loud that you don't hear the ricochets....

 

[JMikeyH]

So loud that you don't hear the ricochets....

Perhaps! The sound is unmistakabe however, and had there been a ricochet I'm certain I would have heard it. Worth noting that I only shoot off sticks or freehand if I must, don't have a bipod fitted to my rimfire and the ground I shoot does not have rocky surfaces or other ricochet-prone surfaces. Undoubtedly though, the 17hmr is a safer round to use regarding ricochets and if the OPs concern is that, then switching from 22lr to 17hmr isn't a bad idea

 

[TomDeer]

So loud that you don't hear the ricochets....

If only that was the case. I had a ricochet a while back with my moderated 17HMR and could very clearly hear the 'ping and zing'.

 

[Dexter]

If only that was the case. I had a ricochet a while back with my moderated 17HMR and could very clearly hear the 'ping and zing'.

As previously stated, they are incredibly rare with a 17HMR. That's no excuse for not taking care with your shooting.

 

[enfieldspares]

Ricochet can be influenced by bullet profile and an additional thing to be aware of is that after the first ricochet the bullet can often ricochet a second time.

And now some more bad news. By acknowledging that you are aware that it has happened before you may, if you continue to shoot "as before", void not only any insurance but also any defence of accident if you killed anybody as be continuing to proceed "as before" being now aware of a ricochet problem may be interpreted as being "reckless".

However as noted bullet profile can influence the matter so try a semi-wadcutter shaped bullet (Google it if aren't familiar) which might be Remington Yellow Jacket or a more frangible conventional shape bullet with may be CCI Stinger.

I think four others (ALANTOO, ANDYQUADRA, VSS and HORNET6) have also already mentioned trying the CCI ammunition. But you may need to re-zero for both and accept that they may not group as well...or even may well group better....in your rifle.

Elsewise adjust you angle of attack by shooting from a high seat or by shooting from another compass point. The slope of land can increase likelihood of ricochet. Many erroneously believe that shooting into any land that slopes upward stops ricochet. That's a false friend as in fact a shallow slope upward increases the likelihood of it.

Army Manuals on range construction for field firing ranges used to have a drawing of the sort of land that although it sloped upward and so initially appeared "safe" it was in fact more likely to cause richochet.

 

[TomDeer]

As previously stated, they are incredibly rare with a 17HMR. That's no excuse for not taking care with your shooting.

I always do take care with my shooting but I'm sure you weren't suggesting otherwise. That ricochet was the first and last shot fired on a particular piece of land with the 17HMR. Whilst ricochets with 17HMR may be less common than 22LR, they still happen - even with care being taken. It's also the case that the potential outcome of a ricochet could be the same - irrespective of the degree of care being taken by the shooter.

That experience actually took me back to sub-12lb air rifles for that particular piece of land. It also made me question whether we may occasionally reach for the metaphoric sledgehammer in the form of a RF or CF when, for the location, ranges and quarries being dealt with, a sub-12lb or FAC air rifle may be the most appropriate tool for the job - even where a RF or CF might be a completely legitimate choice. In saying that, I know that "most appropriate tool" won't always mean the most convenient!

 

[Dexter]

I always do take care with my shooting but I'm sure you weren't suggesting otherwise.

I certainly wasn't Tom. These things happen. None of us can see a flint 1mm below the surface. It's certainly scary when it does happen though!

 

[TomDeer]

It's certainly scary when it does happen though!

Yep - certainly one of those "Oh s**t!!" moments

 

[25 Sharps]

Gents
Just after a bit of general advice, I’m tidying up rabbits on some land of mine and surrounding neighbours.

Fields are all grass approx 18”-2ft tall

Cut margin of 10ft mown height

Land is soft sand, round large potatoe sized stones approx 18” down but very rarely near surface

Rabbits are shot from sticks or front of quad as no 4x4 allowed.

I’m using cz 452 in .22rf with Winchester 40grn hollow nose small game bullets.

I’m having serious concerns about ricochet of the bullet. I occasionally miss as most rabbits are 80yds plus. Yes it’s better to be closer but the long open strips don’t allow that most of the time. Rifle is zeroed accurately at 80yds. The ricochet issue literally scares me half to death as the horrible zing noise as the bullet dissappears to god knows where. Iv tried different ammo and same effect. I’m aware the .22 is known for this and am wondering if it’s a case of swap to something like .17hmr (already on my ticket but not bought one yet) or if there is a solution I’m blatantly missing. Any usefull suggestions welcomed as iv not stopped shooting it for fear of a stray bullet.
Also, Not that is has any relevance but does anyone have a rough idea how far a ricochet bullet could travel out of pure curiosity and in no way using this to justify pulling trigger just to settle my mind about the 2 bullets that did go astray.
Thanks in advance
Chris w

.25 FAC air rifle sounds perfect for the job

 

[25 Sharps]

I've never had a ricochet with my hmr to my knowledge - they are incredibly rare, but the hmr is damn loud

I had several in the time I had one, more so than WMR on the same ground

 

[Jelen]

Get a 17 then distance wont be as much of an issue either

That's why I got a 17HMR.. Luckily i didn't eat my rabbits, nor did anyone else..