Slug Distance

[StickersNKickers]

This may have been asked on here before, but just wondering how far you guys think a slug could fly if it doesn't hit anything. Same for a muzzleloader bullet. Obviously there are a lot of factors involved, but just in general.

Should go without saying, but watch your backdrop!

 

[Broot]

Are you looking for the theoretical maximum distance a given bullet can travel, fired at the optimal angle?

Back in the early 90’s, a forensic scientist was of the belief Billy Dixon’s Adobe Walls shot was impossible, since, he believed, a .50-90 was incapable of traveling that far. He, another fellow, and Shiloh Sharps set out to find out if this assumption was correct. They found out that a .50-90 could travel a little over 3,600 yards, fired at 35°. Bullet was 675 grains, propelled by 90 gr FFg black, at just over 1,200 fps.

Granted, most people ()aren’t shooting massive cast lead bullets out of their .50s, so we aren’t quite comparing apples to apples - but those tests just go to show how far even old big bore BP rifles can go.

Shotguns, generally speaking, will loose energy a little faster; but they are still capable of going way farther than one might think.


Might not be exactly the information you were looking for, but food for thought anyway

 

[Bowtech84]

Opening weekend of gun 1 a friend of mine father in laws house got shot. A family friend was out back behind the house and shot a deer. Friends father in law took the ranger out to help him get the buck out. Got back to the house and later found a broken window in the laundry room but didn’t know what happened. The next day his wife went to do laundry and the control board on the washer was cracked and a knob was missing. While looking for the knob she found the deer slug on the floor. They confronted the youngster about it but he said he only shot twice and both slugs were in the deer. The homeowner then drove back out to look over the area where the deer was killed and pieced it together. With the new found evidence the kid confessed to shooting a 3rd slug that may have hit the house. They figured the house was probably 5-600 yards away from where he shot but the kid was shooting up hill and the house was located down in a bowl on the other side.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[StickersNKickers]

Are you looking for the theoretical maximum distance a given bullet can travel, fired at the optimal angle?

Back in the early 90’s, a forensic scientist was of the belief Billy Dixon’s Adobe Walls shot was impossible, since, he believed, a .50-90 was incapable of traveling that far. He, another fellow, and Shiloh Sharps set out to find out if this assumption was correct. They found out that a .50-90 could travel a little over 3,600 yards, fired at 35°. Bullet was 675 grains, propelled by 90 gr FFg black, at just over 1,200 fps.

Granted, most people ()aren’t shooting massive cast lead bullets out of their .50s, so we aren’t quite comparing apples to apples - but those tests just go to show how far even old big bore BP rifles can go.

Shotguns, generally speaking, will loose energy a little faster; but they are still capable of going way farther than one might think.


Might not be exactly the information you were looking for, but food for thought anyway

Yeah, theoretical distance given perfect conditions/angle, etc. Was just wondering as I know it is probably farther than most people think. Just didn't know how far tho. Obviously, best advice is to have a good backdrop and only shoot if you are certain of the shot. I passed up a shot the other night, partly because the deer were too near the ridge top for my liking. However, I had some sort of projectile come in from somewhere. Don't think it got real close, but heard it flying and going thru the tops of trees. I was the only one hunting the farm that I know of (if anyone else was, they were tresspassing). Next property in the direction of the shot is at least 800 yds from where I think the bullet/slug was hitting tree tops.

 

[Broot]

According to JMB Ballistic’s calculator, if a 12 ga Hornady SST were to be fired at an initial angle of 30°, one could expect the bullet to travel 2,600 yds, give or take a little.

People do some crazy things, so I wouldn’t be surprised if a carelessly fired bullet flew over your head from 800 yds, or even more.

Did you hear a shot?

 

[StickersNKickers]

According to JMB Ballistic’s calculator, if a 12 ga Hornady SST were to be fired at an initial angle of 30°, one could expect the bullet to travel 2,600 yds, give or take a little.

People do some crazy things, so I wouldn’t be surprised if a carelessly fired bullet flew over your head from 800 yds, or even more.

Did you hear a shot?

Sorry, been a few days since I was on. Yeah, I heard the shot, then the slug/bullet flying, then breaking branches between me and the direction of the shot (not sure it was directly at me as I never heard the slug/bullet fly directly overhead).