.22LR Magic Bullets?

Don't sell the 22LR off to short here. That is a very do able shot. Single pane glass would not deflect the bullet very much. And a 22 to the head is most definetly a kill shot. 100 yards is not that far with a good 22.
 
That is a good question.
Here is what I know from shooting 22 LR.
I have no experience with hitting my intended target going through glass.
That I can't comment on.
What I do know is that the 22 LR with a 40 grain bullet at 100 yards is
very deadly.
The 36 grain have shown some weakness at 100 yards.
But even tho the 22 rimfire has always been the rifIle for the next step up from
a BB gun... it is a wonderful and deadly weapon.

My only input to the OP is that I don't shoot anything anymore unless
it is 40 grain.

The 22 LR is a great weapon if used accurately, and of course, 100 yards or
closer.
 
I think most here are confusing glass deflection with tests done on angled automotive "safety" glass. Huge difference than a thin single pane of glass that you can break with a few pounds of force.
It is certainly true that automotive safety glass is a much more daunting obstacle than window panes. However, deflection can be caused by even remarkably insubstantial obstacles and even when the projectile is quite heavy.

Here's a quote from Safari Rifles by Craig Boddington. (Which I highly recommend, BTW)

We picked out a decent (cape buffalo) bull, nothing monstrous, and when he turned broadside I fired a very careful shot from my .470. The herd ran, of course, but there was no sound of the bullet hitting, no reaction, and, on inspection, no blood. I asked Paddy (the P.H.) what happened and he shrugged. "I dunno. I saw a leaf fall.

We walked the ground, and there was a pencil-like vine neatly severed by a bullet just a third of the way toward the buffalo from where I'd fired. It doesn't take much.​

If a half-ounce bullet can be deflected enough by a vine to miss a buffalo, I wouldn't put money on a .22LR bullet flying straight after hitting a window pane at an angle. Straight on I would expect it to fly fairly straight after breaking through.
 
John- not to take this any where but I call BS on that one. I would bet he just missed:D. Now a tree branch and suck I could go with, but a leave....:rolleyes:
I think someone was making an excuse for missing.
 
I agree that a leaf probably wouldn't deflect a 500 grain bullet significantly.
"We walked the ground, and there was a pencil-like vine neatly severed by a bullet just a third of the way toward the buffalo from where I'd fired. It doesn't take much."​
The leaf fell because the vine it was attached to fell. The vine is what the bullet hit and what deflected the bullet.
 
I would also like to point out that while deflection can cause a miss, it is important where the deflection happens (and how much), relative to the target.

The closer to the muzzle (and farther from the target) the deflection happens, the more the likelihood of a miss.

Someone standing a foot behind the window is a different matter than someone several yards behind the window. Likewise the twig a yard from the muzzle and the same twig a foot from the buffalo...
 
The widow pane is the problem as others have said. A scoped .22 has killed many people and animals.

If the shooter is aware of the problem they should be able to reduce the amount of deflection, depending on their level of skill.

44 amp made a very good point. if the target is close to the window the amount of deflection will be less.
 
Interesting question/observation. A friend of mine is the author of a very popular post-apocalyptic zombie/military/EOTWAWKI series and I beta read his books to help keep him consistent and realistic (within the realm of the story line, of course:rolleyes:). This is the kind of thing I would question because you know that some readers will.

I think, as 44 AMP points out, how plausible it is would depend on how far the target is from the window. If they're within a foot or two, like standing at the sink looking out the window, it's doable, especially if the shot is straight or at least on a very small angle.

I have a Savage MKII BV that has been restocked and tweaked for back field sniping games and it will easily put 5rds of subsonic .22lr in a dime at 100yds if there isn't any wind, and you can barely hear it.
 
Sounds like author's "poetic license". But if you can shoot a crow at 100yds with a 22LR, you can certainly hit someone in the head at that range. Whether it would penetrate the skull at that range is another question and the glass does add an element of unpredictability. But it is possible.

I have a Savage MKII BV that has been restocked and tweaked for back field sniping games and it will easily put 5rds of subsonic .22lr in a dime at 100yds if there isn't any wind, and you can barely hear it.

I don't know about a 5-shot dime sized group (consistently). That's about a half inch. At 50 yds, yes. But I will add that it is possible.
 
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If you're ever up this way you'd be welcome to take it out back and see for yourself. As long as you can hold the rifle still and line up the crosshairs it'll drop'em in there one after the other.
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What ammo are you using for that precision with the Savage Mark II BV?

My Savage Mark II American shoots pretty well too. I just don't shoot much 22LR at 100 yds other than to punch some holes in a can or break some clay pigeons. The unfortunate thing with the clay pigeons is that you look at the shot and think... sounds fun. But one shot and the target is broken in most cases. But that is certainly not a half inch group.

On many days, I have trouble shooting half inch groups at 50 yds let alone 100 yds. It is just the right rifle-ammo combination and the right atmospheric conditions.
 
This is a three part question:

Part 1) Can a 22 shoot accurately enough at 103 yards to hit the target?

Yes. I've fired a one inch group at 100 yards using iron sights on a BSA Martini model 12, a club level target gun. It is worth mentioning that at 100 yards a 22 drops enough to require sighting in for that distance or several inches of holdover.


Part 2) Can a 22 penetrate a window pane (NOT automotive glass) at more or less 90 degrees (NOT severely angled like automotive glass) and still hit the target?

Probably. Hitting anything will affect accuracy, but presuming that the target was standing reasonably close to the window, it's likely the bullet would still hit more or less where it was supposed to.

Let's put it this way: I wouldn't stand behind a pane of home window glass and count on it deflecting any bullets enough to guarantee my safety.


Part 3) After traveling 103 yards and penetrating a window pane, would a hit to the temple be capable of inflicting a fatal wound?

Absolutely.
 
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What ammo are you using for that precision with the Savage Mark II BV?

My Savage Mark II American shoots pretty well too. I just don't shoot much 22LR at 100 yds other than to punch some holes in a can or break some clay pigeons. The unfortunate thing with the clay pigeons is that you look at the shot and think... sounds fun. But one shot and the target is broken in most cases. But that is certainly not a half inch group.

On many days, I have trouble shooting half inch groups at 50 yds let alone 100 yds. It is just the right rifle-ammo combination and the right atmospheric conditions.
My rifle likes Aguila Superextra subsonic .38gr HP and CCI Green Tag, I shoot mostly Aguila. It still shoots good with others but prefers those two.
 
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