Is this safe?

F

freenokia

New member
Behind my house is a power line right of way. It goes about 800yds across a gully to a hill, then about another 800yds down the other side. Thing is, at the end of the 1600yds is a road.

I would like to try some longer range shooting (500+) but I don't think it's a good idea to be shooting with a road down range.

OTOH There's guys deer hunting that stretch...



I just don't know and don't want to do anything stupid. Is a 30-06 something to worry about @ a mile??
 
30-06 will go 4.5 miles at sea level and 5 plus at 5000 ft elevation. If that distance is over flat ground, very bad idea:eek:. If your target is at the bottom of a hillside that will stop a bullet have fun, but be careful. If there is any chance (no matter how slim ) that a bullet could go where it shouldn't don't do it.
 
That would not be advisable at all!

But off the record, it'd depend how flat and what happens after the road and how busy the road is.
I've done the odd shot where there was a road behind my target, but there has a very sturdy back stop and the road is lucky to get 2 or 3 cars an hour.

Was at a rabbit with a 22lr at about 50yards if that makes it any better.
 
Is a 30-06 something to worry about @ a mile??
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Yes, it is. A 30-06 round can kill or damage property at that range.

Power-line rights of way are just that, not public access land for anyone to use as they see fit, particularly not as a rifle range.

Trespassing issues aside, shooting at such long range on an uncontrolled range is foolish, you have no idea who/what is out there and may possibly be in the path of your bullet.

You are responsible for the ultimate impact of your bullet, and if you can't be sure of what is in between you and the target, or where the bullet may end it's flight, you shouldn't pull the trigger.
 
If it's possible to build a safe backstop and shoot at an angle where an Oops! would go into woods, it COULD be safe. But shooting into the ground could way too easily have a ricochet.

The issue of trespass is not relevant to the safety question.
 
Strictly from the standpoint of safety, from your description it sounds like it all depends on the hill; is it high enough to make a good backstop? Will you be shooting at something near the bottom of the hill? (I would HOPE you're not shooting at anything near the summit! :eek: ) Is the slope steep enough at and around the impact area so that bullets won't be hitting at a shallow angle and ricocheting off?
 
Also remember that if you're squinting through a scope, your field of view will be constricted to a very small area while you are lining up your shot--if there is any chance of something/someone/anything/anyone wandering into the area via woods trail, road, etc, then you may not see them coming until it's too late. Then it's too late.

I like Art's "build a backstop" theory, but as much as you can try to keep the variables under control, sometimes the problems come to you.

just sayin'
 
If it's possible to build a safe backstop and shoot at an angle where an Oops! would go into woods, it COULD be safe. But shooting into the ground could way too easily have a ricochet.
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However, I remember at Fort Knox during basic training, watching .30 cal. Machine Gun tracers that would ricochet back and fourth through the trees. I would conclude that an errant shot into large trees could end up with a ricochet going in an unexpected direction. The pinkish-red tracers would skip along the ground, bounce along, zig-zag through the trees. It was quite the show after dark.
 
Rule # X: Know your target, and what is behind your target at all times.

(I say Rule # X as not everyone has the same order, so it will fit in wherever you have it in your list of the rules.

Being that you don't own the land, you can't know what will be behind your target at all times. Violates 1 of the major rules of safe firearm handling.
 
Never fire a rifle where you do not know where the bullet is going to stop. Never fire at or across a road. If you are firing at game, be sure to know what is behind that game because most bullets travel through the animal and beyond.
 
A range I know has a very active Machine Gunner group. A machine gunner let a 9 yr old girl fire his Mac 10 45ACP machine gun full auto.

Of course the little girl could not control the gun and rounds went over the backstop.

This backstop is the sides of a very old rock quarry, to clear the quarry wall the bullet left at a very high angle.

1500 yards downrange a man was working on his roof. A 45 caliber bullet hit him, penetrated the skin, cut a tunnel across his stomach, but luckily did not penetrate into his abdomen.

The Cops came to the range, confiscated all firearms on the range. I don’t know the resolution but the range had to make more rules and $100k in improvements. Their insurance rates probably got jacked.

I am certain that a 30-06 would have killed the guy.

During WW1 machine gun barrages killed lots of Soldiers behind the line and they were shooting at the extreme range of 8mm, 303, and 30-06's.
 
Most everyone here said no, I will add my $.02, BAD IDEA. Any range you cannot control down to the far side of the last berm and beyond, don't shoot there.
 
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