Bullet Deflection and Livestock: Cautionary Consideration

[Brian Shaffer]

I saw a video several years ago that showed some pretty radical bullet deflection through a hog that I thought was interesting. Skip to about 3:30...

I had something similar happen with the last hog I shot. I was surprised that my downward shot was deflected upwards and fairly radically to the right. Had this hog been forward of livestock, even forward and off to the side, the livestock may have been at risk. Keeping in mind about target, backstop and beyond safety rule, 'beyond' can mean off to the side as well.

 

[FrankT]

That is why I do not shoot around livestock or anything I don't want to shoot. After the bullet leaves the barrel you have an idea where it is going but never a certainty.

 

[rob072770]

Brain great point and excellent video. even roads behind hogs could be a problem.

 

[Ratdog68]

Not even the hard part of the skull either. Might "expect" it off the forehead, but a bit more of a surprise at the ear. Good capture there Brian (slo-mo).

 

[theblakester]

I have shot a feeder leg bc of that. I was shooting at a hog in the 11'oclock position. The bullet exited the hog and took an angle about the 1'oclock position and hit the feeder leg. I was surprised the bullet deflected back to the right that much.

 

[Ratdog68]

Come to think of it, I once shot a caribou bull with my .22-250 that was a front on head shot. The 55 gr. bullet entered the top of the snout where the black part of the nose meets up with the hair. The bullet struck the spine at the base of the skull, took a right turn and exited the left side of the neck, severing the carotid artery in the process. The ol' boy's bladder let loose as all four legs sprawled a different direction as he dropped in place. Distance was about 50yds. I was bedded on the tundra, behind a knoll. I was a little surprised to see such a dramatic change of direction with that type of a hit.

 

[Oso Grande]

I've always been under the impression that lighter bullets can "bounce" around more than heavier bullets. Curious if this is being seen with 30 cal projectiles or if the 20 cal are seeing it more so.

 

[Schneeky]

I've always been under the impression that lighter bullets can "bounce" around more than heavier bullets. Curious if this is being seen with 30 cal projectiles or if the 20 cal are seeing it more so.

There's a crap-ton of variables in "post target" ballistics. Big differences in what happens then based on the speed and construction of the projectile(s) and what they actually hit prior to exit/impact.
Lighter frangible bullet @ "varmint" speeds= fewer small "chunks" flying past/thru target with low-ish energy shedding velocity quickly.
Heavier bullet around the high 2kfps= bigger "chunks" more likely to pass thru and with more velocity, maintaining more energy.
Local deer dog hunt clubs generally have rules of "buckshot only" cause they hunt on those long, straight logging roads thru timber company land. Personally, I don't really know if I'd prefer the 12(00buck)-41(#4buck) big, slow richochet-prone "knuckle balls" over the 1 fast mover headed in my general AO.
If that makes sense.
Either way, ya gotta know your backdrop. d:^)

 

[rgilbert]

Guilty as charged Brian. I've shot way to close to livestock before and will not do it again unless it is to protect them.

 

[theblakester]

The incident I was referring to happened with a 12 ga 300 grn SST sabot slug at 2000 fps at the muzzle. Pigs were less than 50 yds away shooting at a slightly downward angle.

 

[Oso Grande]

The incident I was referring to happened with a 12 ga 300 grn SST sabot slug at 2000 fps at the muzzle. Pigs were less than 50 yds away shooting at a slightly downward angle.

I missed that it was a round that big. That's a whole lot of mass being deflected.

 

[Jake]

Great video Brian, thanks for the warning.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Yeah Jake, I figured most experienced shooters probably already know the basic concept, but sometimes a graphic reminder is also nice. It may not be something you see every day, but it probably happens more than we realize as we usually don't see where the bullet goes. For some people, it happens at very inopportune times. I posted this on another forum and a guy there posted pics or a $3500 per kill Oryx hunt he was one where the shooter shot a big male who was broadside and the bullet deflected off to the side some 40 yards and hit a younger Oryx. The hunt then became a $7000 hunt. Ouch.

 

[Schneeky]

I posted this on another forum and a guy there posted pics or a $3500 per kill Oryx hunt he was one where the shooter shot a big male who was broadside and the bullet deflected off to the side some 40 yards and hit a younger Oryx. The hunt then became a $7000 hunt. Ouch.

Yup. Ouch. That's gonna leave a mark.
And the bad part is the story ya get to tell for-your-duration about the shot ya didn't take is at least as good as the "head-on-the-wall" and that associated story.
Graphics are always helpful. It ain't something that happens every day and that prolly saves a lot of asses and grief. Be careful out there, fellas.

 

[Drift]

Great video as always. For me a straight through-and-through bullet travel is more important then perfect expansion; and as important as accuracy. And there are so many variables. I have found that a SD of .250 or greater in a harder cup and core bullet works best. I've had good luck with the 120gr Remington Cor Loc (built harder then most for the 6.5 Rem Mag) at Grendel velocity meets my needs. The plastic tipped hollow points even at 130 gr can end up anywhere when shooting pigs. Strangely enough, I had bad luck with with Partitions turning at 90 degrees and exiting also.

 

[ZenArchery]

Very informative. I've been guilt of shooting at piggies with cows around.

 

[djones]

... or you could just shoot a 223. if it won't kill a pig it certainly won't kill a cow

 

[gshock]

Thanks for the reminder! Hunting with thermal and stalking hogs is fun and stressful, you can easily forget basic safety rules in the mix.

 

[djones]

i don't have to worry too much about deflections cause i miss most of my shots

 

[theblakester]

On a side note, similar to this subject... The hog I shot last week was in a hay field about knee-thigh high. When I shot, 3 deer that were bedded down and completely undetected jumped up about 25-50 yards behind the hog. Had I known they were there, I wouldn't have taken that shot.

We stalked up to about 75 yards from the boar and could see him very well in the hay.. The deer, not a trace until right after the shot.