Bullet Deflection Article

[Osprey78]

Interesting tips to maybe keep in mind about shooting through the brush.

http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/huntin ... SOC&dom=fb

 

[DrMike]

These studies are produced and reproduced with a fair degree of regularity. I find myself always drawn to them, though I question whether I really learn much from them.

 

[Osprey78]

These studies are produced and reproduced with a fair degree of regularity. I find myself always drawn to them, though I question whether I really learn much from them.

I know. They were talking about shooting through red willow etc. Don't know if I would do that. A bit of grass...probably.

 

[truck driver]

I've had real life experience with bullet deflection while hunting and can tell you to wait for a clear shot. While deer hunting I took a shot at a doe that was with in 50yds in a fairly open stream bottom. I hit a twig that wasn't seen in the scope and the deer ran at the sound of the shot. I couldn't believe I had missed that deer. the scope was turned down on it's lowest power setting since I was still hunting and prepared to have to take a close off hand shot.
A 165gr Hornady inner lock at around 2900fps out of my 30-06 struck a twig which I found the impact upon investigating the area looking for clues as to why I missed. The twig deflected the bullet and caused it to tumble striking the deer where I had aimed. We had had alight snow and I found a few drops of blood and started tracking the deer, at times I would find big splashes of blood and then nothing. I tracked her for 200yds and found her dead where she had crawled under a multiple rose bush. After dressing her out and getting her home I skinned and cut her up during which I dissected the wound cavity to follow the bullet path. The bullet entered the left side behind the shoulder taking out the left lung struck a rib on the right side and tumble the length of the body coming to rest in the left hind quarter where I found it in a classic mushroom shape. That bullet left a wide wound cavity threw that deer and it still traveled 200yds. It has been the only deer I've had to track to date that I have shot with a rifle.

 

[Guy Miner]

Was a real eye-opener for some of our cops when I set out cardboard IPSC targets behind a modest layer of sage & bitterbrush and had them go ahead and shoot the targets they could see, using our 5.56 mm AR-15's.

A lot of ammo was expended, and very few hits were made. These guys were good shots, they just didn't understand what brush does to rifle bullets...

Guy

 

[sask boy]

I was Elk hunting a number of years ago when I stumbled across 5 cow elk and they were behind a red willow bush. I did not think it was to thick for my 375 H & H and I was shooting 235 sierras I was less than 10 yards so I knelt down and thought I found the path when I shoot the Elk disappeared so I checked and found that I hit a small branch and it went almost at a right angle and struck a small popular tree.
After that I have always waiting for a clearing :wink:>

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Osprey78]

Thanks for the real life scenarios guys. Good info!

 

[Dr. Vette]

I think I mentioned it here before, but I took a 45-50 yard shot at a broadside standing 5x5 elk a couple of years ago through thick brush at the urging of the guide. In retrospect I'm not sure I'd take a shot at a grouse in brush that thick given the chance. Even though I aimed right for the shoulder the elk took off and was not hit (we saw it several minutes later). You just can't "bust" brush, and your bullet will be deflected because Murphy says so.

This was 2 days after taking an elk at 450 yards with the same rifle, so it's not like I can't shoot...

 

[pre6422hornet]

Didn't O'Connor do a deflection test way back when using dowel rods? I believe he possibly did this a few times and the 348 always came out on top in regards to deflection off point of aim.

 

[DrMike]

Deflection tests are a staple of gun magazines. I suppose about every writer has done at least one such test at some point in his/her career. They keep coming out with pretty much identical results each time. To nobody's particular surprise, big, slow bullets are deflected less. The operative word being "less." It simply is not a good idea to attempt to shoot through willows, grasses or other obstacles is precision is desired.

 

[nvbroncrider]

Two nights ago my friend was over shooting squirrels with me and lined one up and pulled the trigger on my 22-250 hit the barb of the barbed wire fence and the 55BT did exactly as it was suppose to exploded I saw 6 dust clouds and he asked how he had missed. We inspected the fence and saw a barb missing on the top side pretty neat to watch!!

 

[SJB358]

Pretty interesting stuff. Seems like brush is harder on the bullets than a direct hit to a tree most of the time.

I remember as a kid seeing an old 4" piece of oak on the wall at our hunting cabin in the Adirondacks. Story was during a drive the fella was shooting a 348 with 250 Silvertips and blew right through the tree and deer as well. Didn't even know he hit the tree till my grandpa walked up and asked if he saw the bark fly off of it. Poleaxed the buck though.

Since then, I strived for a 348 Winchester, not for shooting trees though, more for deer! :lol:



I found that bullet on the ground behind a 14-16" hunk of firewood I tacked a target up on to do a hasty zero on the Guide Rifle. Dang bullet burrowed through the tree and was on the ground. Couldn't believe it penetrated so far.

 

[DrMike]

I can believe your experience, Scotty. I've witnessed on several occasions extreme penetration with my .356. All that mass is hard to stop; there is a lot of energy stored up in it so that when it does impact, something has to give.