12g Slug Ricochet, help!

U

urbanassault

New member
It seems shooting at my house has ended, or at least untill we get a huge berm built. Heres the story:
About 3 weeks ago we where shooting (pistols mostly) and the neighbor guy who just built a house behind us called the police on us. An officer came over talked with us a little, we showed him what we where shooting and where he said okay and left. No problem, the next week we where shooting again, this time pistols and an 870 with reduced recoil slugs. We where shooting off my deck at an exterior door that we use to hang targets the door is about 25yds away, the target was about 3 ft below the height we where shooting from causing the lead to hit the ground (sand pasture) about 3 ft behind that. Just yesterday the guy comes over pissed off because he just found a slug stuck in his wall. It seemed far fetched but is it possible? The round would travel 25yds out to the target (4% slope) hit the ground then ricochet from there at a 45 degree angle from what we where shooting, travel about 150-200yds and put a hole throught vinyl siding insulation and sheetrock, is this possible? He brought over "the slug" he pulled out, it had barely any deformation, I dont know much about shotguns and was wondering if this is feesable or if he is taking me for a ride because he is pissed.
 
Yes, it is possible. I need to look at a book at home, but I do think that is within the parameters of a slug ricochet. YOu do need to look at your range template- I think slug ranges should be templated with a no entry zone of 600 metres- I will check and let you know. Use shot in the short term.
 
wow

Well, it certainly sounds possible to me. A slug carries a lot of energy and 150-200 yards really isn't very far. I don't know the topography, but your setup sounds like a recipe for potential disaster to me. If you're shooting without a real backstop and there's a house that close behind you and in the general line of fire, I think you need to be very careful. Any sort of hanging (or fixed) target holder can result in your bullets/slugs getting somewhat redirected, just passing through it. If I were your neighbor, I'd be pretty concerned too. I don't mean to come across as preachy, but it just sounds like a dangerous situation to me.
 
Did you see the hole in the wall? He may be for real or he may be trying to scam you a bit (and stop your shooting).

The huge pit and back stop idea is good anyway.
 
Possible: I'd say so.

Likely to ever happen again: depends on your set up.

Would I be pissed if I was the neighbor: yes

Chances he is BS'ing you: Not much, I wouldn't shoot my own house to prove a point.
 
Yes, they can bounce

I've done it. We went shooting in the father-in-law's wheat field in the fall (all stubble). The field has a very slight slope but is otherwise pretty flat; we were shooting from the low end towards some targets on the ground about 30 yards away, "up" the slope. The wheel-line sprinkler was at the edge of the field, probably another 75-80 yards beyond the targets. (There was nothing beyond that for miles.)

While someone was shooting the 2-3/4 inch slugs I heard a "ping" after it hit the dirt. No one else heard so I didn't think anything of it. Later we saw a couple more bounce, dirt puffing up like a rock skipping on a lake. We were shooting at a box on the ground, so the trajectory was down from horizontal. Then I was shooting the 3-inch magnum slugs and we all heard a loud "PING!". With a worried look we went to check out the wheel line pipe.

Sure enough, there were two distinct dents in the pipe (4-5 inch outside diameter aluminum wheel pipe). The dent from the 3-inch magnum was especially significant. I found both slugs which had bounced back about 10 feet from the pipe. In both cases it looks like the angle after the bounce a bit off from the aimed trajectory. Some spin may have contributed or the slope. The "up-slope" of the land was not the exact direction we were aiming. To shoot directly up the slope we would have had to have turned about 30 degrees to the right, meaning the slug would have bounce a little to the left. It did, but not nearly as much as you mentioned yours would have. A rock or a bump might cause more drastic angles. (Maybe more spin, such as with a rifled barrel?)

So, the answer is "yes" it is very possible for shotgun slugs to bounce or skip. I would definitely try to rearrange the shooting range to prevent it from happening again and repair the damage to show that you are a responsible neighbor.

Let us know how it goes.
Research
 
Absolutely possible.

I would stop shooting before that berm is built... these days, people will sue over ANYTHING, and it sounds like he has particularly strong evidence against you. A judge sees photos of the slug and the hole in his house, and you'll be paying him for years to come...
 
a nice size plate of 1/2 inch steel sitting at a angle will deflect the shot;) anchor it good and pile some dirt behind it at the base then when the neighbor comes complaining youll know if hes bull chittin ya
 
You should be able to get info on maximum range from the maker or SAAMI. When I started using steel shot for geese I checked and found max range for BB steel 3" mag was 300 yds !! Slugs will be a lot more than that. Yes they can richochet !!
 
200 yards? Easy.

Plates are fine, unless you nick them. Then, 200 yards? Easy.

If you enjoy your shooting, I'd made a nice tall dirt hill. But if he's straight downrange of you, perhaps you should limit to lighter projectives (no slugs).

I would visit the hole in his wall too.

Argie
 
ArgieFAL said:
I would visit the hole in his wall too.
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Good idea. Do it soon before he either calls the cops or starts a suit for damages. Apologies and paying for the repair would also be nice.
 
A berm is definately going to be built once the snow has gone, and yes the shooting has ceased since then:( I havent even picked my guns up for 2 weeks.....I dont care to go look at the hole nor do I plan on appologizing, I really do not like the guy but I do plan on paying for the wall. I am waiting on a bill from him. I just got a brand new 1911 and I am not even able to shoot it, thanks everyone for the input I'll let you know what he charges me....


Polydorus: standard, reduced recoil slugs,rifled barrel
 
What?

I don't get it - you accidentally shoot a hole into a guys house and you won't even apologize? Why not? I don't care how much of a PITA the guy is - if you hit his house with a slug, even accidentally, he deserves an apology (and frankly, it sounds like he's been right to be a PITA if you've been shooting guns in the general direction of his home). You should consider yourself lucky that a little property damage is all that happened. Can you imagine if you had actually hit a person? Again, I know it was an accident and you've done the right thing by stopping the shooting until you can make it safe, but what harm would come of apologizing for damaging the guys house?
 
I just really dont like the guy, he has lived next door to us for 18 years. When he was younger he used to have a ton of partys and make a ton of noise, now he calls the police on our parties. His dad burnt down about a half an acre of our property with out so much as an apology and to top it off about 5 years ago him and his buddy where hunting and shot a slug right through the other neighbors house!!!:eek: Through the living room in which the neighbor was sitting, again he didnt pay to fix it and barely gave an apology and was shooting on somebody elses property. I can understand he is pissed but he doesnt have to be an ass about it he acted like a totall jerk when he came over. Its just really hypocritical and I know he is not that hard up for cash (hes a pretty well of chiropractor), if he would have acted different I definately would not be so hesitant to appologize.
 
When he was younger he used to have a ton of partys and make a ton of noise, now he calls the police on our parties. His dad burnt down about a half an acre of our property with out so much as an apology and to top it off about 5 years ago him and his buddy where hunting and shot a slug right through the other neighbors house!!! Through the living room in which the neighbor was sitting, again he didnt pay to fix it and barely gave an apology and was shooting on somebody elses property.
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I think I'd be inclined to introduce him to the back of my hand. :mad:
 
Dang

Sounds like you've got a great neighbor there. Not that you owed me any explanation, but thanks for clarifying. In any case, you're doing the right thing by ceasing your shooting until it can be made unquestionably safe.
 
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