Posted on 12/20/2011 9:38:28 AM PST by TSgt
FREDERICKSBURG, Ohio -- An Ohio sheriff says a man cleaning his muzzle-loading rifle accidentally shot and killed a 15-year-old Amish girl driving a horse-drawn buggy more than a mile away.
Holmes County Sheriff Timothy Zimmerly said Tuesday that the accident occurred Thursday night when a man fired his loaded rifle to clean it. He says the victim, Rachel Yoder of Fredericksburg, was nearly 1.5 miles away when she was shot in the head.
No charges have been filed.
Yoder was shot while traveling to her home in adjacent Wayne County, between Columbus and Akron. She was riding alone after attending a Christmas party for employees, most under 18 years old, who work at an Amish produce farm.
Muzzle-loader does not equal smooth bore, rifled versions have been around for 150 years.
>> “As an aside, I never thought of muzzle loaders as being able to fire that far.” <<
.
So think a little more!
A muzzle loader can use a huge powder charge, and at the optimum trajectory can travel about 3 miles. Especially the long guns.
If I had my .45 auto, and a box of cartridges, how many yards out would you feel safe standing while I emptied magazine after magazine in your general direction?
Strictly hypothetical you understand.
>> “so unless you’re aiming up at a 45 degree angle...” <<
.
37 1/2 degrees is optimum, and a .50 long gun can easily shoot that far.
The Kentucky was first developed in the 1740s to 1750s and was a rifled muzzle loaded weapon. So are you saying that you have only heard of smooth bore muzzle-loaders?
It didn’t say it was a smooth bore.
Caliber Weight/Type MuzzleVelocity (ft/s) Maximum Range (yd) Velocity at Impact (ft/s) .22 Long Rifle 40 gr RN 1255 2000 300 .223 Remington 55 gr SP BT 3240 3875 545 30-06* Springfield 180 gr 2700 5675 800 9mm Luger 124 gr RN 1120 2400 350 45 ACP 230 gr RN 850 1800 330 44 Magnum 240 gr FP 1760 2500 350 http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2002/DomnaAntoniadis.shtml
Try looking up exterior ballistics on that round 230 gr FMJ 850 FPS, and see what the retained velocity is at 100, 300, 500, and 1,000 yds.
Slow moving bullets can be very dangerous when they have enough MASS behind them.
And, yes, I do know what I am talking about. If you are interested in facts instead of bluster, you can start your education on the subject here:
http://www.exteriorballistics.com/ebexplained/5th/36.cfm
It doesn’t say.
Sure they have.
Any reason to rifle for a a ball, LOL.
Well strictly hypothetical, I wouldn’t allow that to happen, but if it did and I had a rifle, you wouldn’t scare me at all:)
Sorry wiki stuff not my style.
Until the breech and cartridge loaders were invented everything was muzzle-loaded, be it cannon, blunderbuss, musket, rifle.
It is based on muzzle velocity, weight, and actual shape of the projectile, in slicing though the air.
So, yeah, if you had a rifle, I could expect indirect harrassment fire from you a couple miles away.
Naturally your odds of actually hitting me would be low, more because of the difficulty in aiming and doping the wind at those diastances, than the ability of the round to travel that far.
Are you drunk?
If I could even see you from that distance, give me a break. Your full of shit. So are your buddies.
You would be correct, I was thinking about the Minie ball round.
Why you ask? Not at all, just comparing notes, that’s all.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.