MD shooting update: Shell found in VA is a .223 caliber, shooting in DC now linked too

CNN

[newsperson999]

A shell was found near that shooting this afternoon in VA that was found to be a 223 cal fired from a high powered rifle..also test confirm that the man that died in DC last night also died from the same type of ammo..

[RightWhale]

to call the authorities if they knew anyone that has, or might have, a rifle

Anybody call yet? LOL

Around here it might be [momentarily] interesting if someone doesn't have a rifle.

[bonesmccoy]

what kind of rifle does the Iraqi army use?

[CreekerFreeper]

I first speculated a 22/250. Basically, a 22 round with alot more punch. Different size shells/grains for varying size of game. Everything from varmits to Elephants can be felled with a 22/250. It's my choice to hunt bobcats, wolves, deer, etc.

[Prodigal Son]

Thanks for the ping.

[aristeides]

Just posted BOLO "2 hispanic" men on another thread . . . may be middle-eastern!

That also from the low resolution tape?

[relee]

Why did the MD police truck all those ridiculous rifles, etc. to show the press

They needed to discuss something on TV this morning, since they would not talk about many details of the crimes. I thought the ATF brought the rifles.

[FormerLurker]

Gee whiz, it must be gun control legislation time...

[FatherTorque]

An exotic possibility is that they're using a Remington Accelerator, a 30-06 or .308 case with a sabot .223 bullet in it.

Not really that exotic a possibility and actually a very good point.  Shooting accelerators would have the cops looking for a smaller caliber weapon and no rifling marks would keep the perps in the clear if they were caught with their rifle.

Excellent point.

[OReilly]

Why did the MD police truck all those ridiculous rifles, etc. to show the press? That's the most idiotic thing I've ever seen.

Could be because they are having an election there soon... and it is interesting to watch the scheduling of the anti-ERLICH for Governor ads that just happen to run before and after the press conferences. They end by saying, "Tell Erlick to stop supporting those Gun Lobbies that are making our neighborhoods unsafe"

[LikeLight]

Upon further review, the source on the other thread appears to be WorldNetDailey, but it includes actual purported quotes from LEO's, so it may be legit . . . no mention as to whether from low-res images . . .

[AnAmericanMother]

I think I just found my theoretical limit in calibers . . .

Of course, my husband wants a .375 H&H . . . (roll eyes)

[CreekerFreeper]

I think it needs to be pointed out to the press that MD/DC has some of the toughest gun control laws in the country and still has the kinda crap goes on. I bet if they had concealed carry like they do here in KY the freaks would have had their asses shot off by now.

[FatherTorque]

Everything from varmits to Elephants can be felled with a 22/250.

Not to pick nits but, .22-250 is an excellent round however using it on anything other than varmints is a stretch.  It has great accuracy and high velocity but not enough knockdown power to guarantee humane kills on larger animals.

As for elephants, I wouldn't even try them with a 30.06.

[tubebender]

I really think they are using a bolt action because 99% of shooters can't resist popping off rounds from a semi or full auto.

Shooting digger squirrels, marmots or jack rabits is most fun with the Ruger 10/22 and it's cheap to shoot. I don't hunt anymore but I get the urge when I am around Klamath Falls etc...

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

So In find it odd that the bullet that passed thru the body of the person in Fredricksberg could be a 223.

Their is anarmor piercing (body armor) .223 (green tip?) and it will go clean through folks not wearing body armor. That is what was happening to our boys in Somalia. Thru and thru.

[relee]

Could be because they are having an election there soon... and it is interesting to watch the scheduling of the anti-ERLICH for Governor ads that just happen to run before and after the press conferences. They end by saying, "Tell Erlick to stop supporting those Gun Lobbies that are making our neighborhoods unsafe"

Next week they'll have the Moose and Squirrel commercials ready (Chief Moose and KKT).

[LibWhacker]

I'm not expert.

Me either. Not by a long shot (pardon the pun). Your understanding of the situation sounds perfectly good to me.

I was addressing only the "size" issue FreeNot raised, and not case pressure. In particular, I was talking only about bullet and bore diameters.

My understanding (and as I've learned so many times here on FreeRepublic, that's often seriously flawed!) is that "caliber" is measured in inches, whereas the other commonly encountered designation is a metric one. So .223 cal = 0.223 in = 5.66 mm > 5.56 mm. Bullets expand in the bore and make contact with the rifling, so you can fire a slightly smaller bullet through a weapon having a slightly larger bore diameter than the bullet (I've often heard people talking about firing a .44cal round through a .45, say, though I don't think I'd like to try it). So I've always thought of .223 and 5.56mm being approximately the same round, at least as regards their diameters, certainly not their muzzle velocities.

Okay, now if I've weaseled enough on that one, I won't be flamed too badly! :-)

[AnAmericanMother]

Accelerator is an interesting idea -- good thought. I have used them for the .308 and didn't think much of them. Accuracy was O.K. but not all that great. On the other hand, I read somewhere that the police are thinking a range of about 150 yards, which isn't all that far and doesn't require that much accuracy. It'll be pretty obvious if there are no rifling marks on the bullets, though we may not hear about that given the lack of expertise in the press.

It is darned odd that the police were waving all those guns about, and that the anti-Ehrlich ads are picking up on this so quick . . . nah . . . I don't want to go there (snatching tinfoil helmet off head).

[FatherTorque]

I think I just found my theoretical limit in calibers . . .

Of course, my husband wants a .375 H&H . . . (roll eyes)

I just know that if it wasn't for the muzzle brake I'd probably never shoot the thing.  Amazingly enough the brake works so good recoil is virtually nil on my .50, the problem is the concussion from all that powder.  You know that tingly feeling you get when you get hit in the nose?  It's the same feeling I get every time I touch off a round.  The shock wave off of that thing is certainly something to be respected.

Course the worst thing that can happen is a dry fire.  First time it happened to me, I left the gun sit for about 15 minutes then went back and VERY quickly recocked it and tried again.  Luckily it went off the second time, I'd have sure hated having to jack a live round out of that thing. ;)

[AnAmericanMother]

Even that grand old man J.A. Hunter wouldn't go after elephant with anything smaller than a .500 Nitro express (he had ugly things to say about the .405, attributed the death of another hunter to being under-gunned).

Frankly, I am happy to leave the pachyderms alone! I met Peter Capstick once, and the tales he told were enough to swear me off elephant hunting for life! I think bear is as big and as dangerous as I want to go (and a friend of mine was once attacked by a whitetail deer!)