Black powder? 1.5 mi?
Sounds unlikely
Believe me, I’m reading every single comment, trying to sort all this out. It’s amazing the level of expertise FReepers bring to such subjects.
I still find it hard to believe the guy fired in the air, or whatever, w’out knowing where the round might go. I was raised by a huge, massive, mega-gun loving/owning father, and he would have kicked this guy’s butt so bad he’d need pillows to sit down on for a month.
Under normal circumstances it is a bit unlikely. But we don't know if he was using black powder of the recommended load, or over-cooking it, possibly even using smokeless powder with too heavy a load. A .22 LR will travel about a mile at the right angle of elevation.