He was smart enough to anticipate it and had it pointed up into the air. He never used the rifle again.
Just like to point out, that round had to come down somewhere.... the "air" is not a safe place either.
He was smart enough to anticipate it and had it pointed up into the air. He never used the rifle again.
Just like to point out, that round had to come down somewhere.... the "air" is not a safe place either.
Okay...so what's a better alternative?
and while unloading it in the field, where would you have pointed it?
In my mind, that's worse. There could easily be a rock under there that would ricochet that round anywhere, or cause it to frag and cause multiple injuries.....
Besides, when it comes down through the roof of someones hose or car and into them or their kids or even directly into someone skull with more velocity that it had leaving the barrel, it'll be miles away and no one will know I shot a round off into the air so all is good.
Besides, dirt my fly up and get in my eyes.
I'll take my chances and keep it contained in a safe direction at the ground. It just take a little common sense to aim in a way that it'll be safest. Like NOT straight down 3" from the muzzle at my feet or in someone elses direction.
Sorry - but unless you allow a trajectory that'll provide a plunging shot rather than a falling one, chances are actually quite slim of significant damage. And I'd rather have it after a mile of travel than a few feet!!
Better to know where the bullet goes than have it go off into oblivion.
jfrey said:Just to clarify things a little, there were only 3 of us in camp. My dad and I were both watching him unload the rifle at a safe distance. We were also in the middle of several thousand acres, in Texas. In many cases here, hunting camps are on large ranches and there was no chance of the bullet coming down on a house or car any where in the area. The gentleman had many years of safe hunting and shooting under his belt, so I think his decision to point the rifle up to unload it was certainly reasonable. I can tell you, my dad was old military and would have done the same thing.
Just to clarify things a little, there were only 3 of us in camp. My dad and I were both watching him unload the rifle at a safe distance. We were also in the middle of several thousand acres, in Texas. In many cases here, hunting camps are on large ranches and there was no chance of the bullet coming down on a house or car any where in the area. The gentleman had many years of safe hunting and shooting under his belt, so I think his decision to point the rifle up to unload it was certainly reasonable. I can tell you, my dad was old military and would have done the same thing.
I'm gonna have to side with TexasRedneck on this one.
I think everyone has had their say.
I think that's code... We'd better behave!