amazing what's considered a sharpshooter nowadays.

[osteodoc08]

So this "eagle eye sharpshooter" takes 150 shots at a rope 75 feet away to finally severe it. Wow. 150...........

Glad the bird was ok and there wasn't any collateral damage from those bullets being launched up in the air.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/07/03/eagle-eyed-army-sharpshooter-frees-eagle-hanging-upside-down-in-tree.html

[fg-machine]

Right .... you can do better ? Go out on a windy day with an average crappy .22 with average crappy ammunition and see how well you can do . better yet gather up a witness or three so it's not all bluster on your part .

Sure is easy to criticise from an armchair

[DLCTEX]

He didn't shoot the rope, he shot down the limb with a 22.

[Kraschenbirn]

Do we know that he was using "an average crappy .22 with average crappy ammo"? Article only states that he was using a .22 rifle. I dunno 'bout your "average crappy .22" but, from the bench, my off-the-rack 10/22 will easily print 1" (or better) groups at 50 yards and my bull-barrel "Chief AJ" custom will cut that by half. And, here in the Midwest flatlands, the wind rarely stops blowing so we've just learned to live with it.

[rondog]

It wasn't even HIS .22, it was borrowed from someone.

[jcwit]

It's my understanding he needed to clear out some branches so as to get a field of view of the rope & branch the Eagle was trapped on.

[Jake70]

Before anyone else jumps the gun on his precision shooting, you might want to watch this.

http://www.kare11.com/news/army-veteran-rescues-an-eagle-in-incredible-way/262062212

He was in fact using a run of the mill 10/22 with regular .22 ammo, used off the tailgate of a truck with a very steep shooting angle. Most of those 150 shots were used to clear decently large branches as JC said. He is a very good shot to do what he did.

And yes, he did shoot the rope after he cleared the limbs.

[fg-machine]

Deleted

[starmac]

All I want to know is, where the heck did he get a hundred and fifty rounds??

[Schrag4]

My stock 10/22 isn't all that accurate. My only question is, where were all those rounds ending up? I remember hearing about a boy shooting at birds in trees with a 22LR and one travelled a mile or so before hitting someone driving a tractor in the head and killing him. I'll have to try to find the story, because it's kind of hard to believe a 22LR would have that much energy a mile away. Maybe the range was exaggerated.

[Jake70]

My stock 10/22 isn't all that accurate. My only question is, where were all those rounds ending up? I remember hearing about a boy shooting at birds in trees with a 22LR and one travelled a mile or so before hitting someone driving a tractor in the head and killing him. I'll have to try to find the story, because it's kind of hard to believe a 22LR would have that much energy a mile away. Maybe the range was exaggerated.

I plugged the info for some CCI Mini Mag .22 LR ammo into a ballistic calc. A 36gr bullet with a muzzle velocity of 1260 FPS will still be chugging along at 270 FPS at a mile, and will have an energy of 6 ft-lbs. Is it lethal? Maybe. It depends on where you get hit. If the gun was fired at a very steep angle, the round might be moving faster when it comes down. I don't think by much though. I read an article awhile back that said that most bullet have a terminal velocity of 200-330 FPS.

(BTW, in case anyone is wondering, the bullet drop on that CCI at a mile would be 694.87 yards if the rifle was zeroed at 100 yards. That's a heck of a drop!)

[big bore 99]

I hope the conservation dept. replaced his 150 rounds.

[jonp]

I sure hope he shot better than that in Afghanistan as if that has some bearing to how bad a shot he is. I could do better with my Single Six from 75ft

[Ole Joe Clarke]

No good deed goes unpunished, or in this case, criticized.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[bullet maker 57]

Good job Jason. Thanks for your service.

[runfiverun]

he needed a bigger gun.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I wonder if this story would have got the same press if the "sharpshooter" was using an AR-15 ?

[montana_charlie]

I watched a video on this incident yeaterday.
There was a closeup of a limb that he 'cut' with rifle fire.
There was a grey streak left as each bullet passed through the wood, and those streaks were separated by only about a quarter inch. That particular piece of wood had five or six 'streaks' in it.

I'd say the guy did okay, and that a lot of gun owners are more accurate when shooting off their mouths than when putting bullets downrange.

[jcwit]

I'd say you are absolutely correct!

[reddog81]

Assuming he was shooting at a steep angle the bullet would be going much slower coming down than when it was shot. A lead .22 sphere would only travel at 20 MPH. A bullet would be going slightly faster but not enough to do much damage.

I'd love to see those criticizing post a video of them doing the same thing. A branch that thick doesn't just snap after a couple of hits.

[bedbugbilly]

Hey . . . the guy was able to do something and save the Eagle as from what the story relates, it was too high and difficult for fire, etc. to get the Eagle down - plus, from what I heard, they thought the Eagle was not alive. I surprised the media even picked the story up since a firearm was involved in getting the bird down but they did. Why bust the guy's chops and question his shooting "ability" or whether he would qualify as a "marksman" or a "sharpshooter"? It amazes me when someone gets their panties all in a knot over the guy's ability at shooting - especially when non of us were there and know the whole story. Yep - there's a video but I'll be honest, I didn't watch it. A "vet" stepped up and "tried" when most of those who usually are assigned the task of saving birds, cats, dogs or whatever ( usually falls to fire or LE - who also should get respect for their jobs and what they do) couldn't get the bird down. I really don't care how many shots the gentleman took - he saved a Eagle. I have no idea of the rifle or the ammo and I don't really care - congrats to him for getting the job done and he has all my respect, whether a vet or not.

For those who weren't there and don't have first hand knowledge of the conditions or what had to be shot out of the way to get the bird down, but who now want to sit and arm chair quarterback the whole thing based on what they "think" and "perceive" their capabilities are as far as being a "marksman" or "sharpshooter" are . . . . all I can say is REALLY? Is that all you have to do on a holiday?

Regardless of if the guy who was able to shoot and get the Eagle down is a "vet" or a 1st grade drop out who has never shot a rifle . . . he gets all of my respect and admiration. He saved a Golden Eagle which is our NATIONAL BIRD. Do you think Obama or Hillary would have bothered? The fact that he was a"vet" is just a plus! In my book, he gets a GOLD STAR and I really don't care if he used one shot, a hundred and fifty shots or crawled up the tree naked and blind folded with a knife benched in his teeth and cut the Eagle down, giving it mouth to mouth as he crawled back down. HE DID SOMETHING HE SHOULD BE PATTED ON THE BACK FOR . . . . NOT CRITICIZED! Plus, for once the Leftist Media did a story where a rifle helped do something POSITIVE!

OP . . . I really don't mean to be so critical and I guess I should apologize . . . . but again, really? Perhaps you could post some photos of your "expert marksmanship" in such situations or other selfless actions you have performed for mankind . . . .

[osteodoc08]

Hey . . . the guy was able to do something and save the Eagle as from what the story relates, it was too high and difficult for fire, etc. to get the Eagle down - plus, from what I heard, they thought the Eagle was not alive. I surprised the media even picked the story up since a firearm was involved in getting the bird down but they did. Why bust the guy's chops and question his shooting "ability" or whether he would qualify as a "marksman" or a "sharpshooter"? It amazes me when someone gets their panties all in a knot over the guy's ability at shooting - especially when non of us were there and know the whole story. Yep - there's a video but I'll be honest, I didn't watch it. A "vet" stepped up and "tried" when most of those who usually are assigned the task of saving birds, cats, dogs or whatever ( usually falls to fire or LE - who also should get respect for their jobs and what they do) couldn't get the bird down. I really don't care how many shots the gentleman took - he saved a Eagle. I have no idea of the rifle or the ammo and I don't really care - congrats to him for getting the job done and he has all my respect, whether a vet or not.

For those who weren't there and don't have first hand knowledge of the conditions or what had to be shot out of the way to get the bird down, but who now want to sit and arm chair quarterback the whole thing based on what they "think" and "perceive" their capabilities are as far as being a "marksman" or "sharpshooter" are . . . . all I can say is REALLY? Is that all you have to do on a holiday?

Regardless of if the guy who was able to shoot and get the Eagle down is a "vet" or a 1st grade drop out who has never shot a rifle . . . he gets all of my respect and admiration. He saved a Golden Eagle which is our NATIONAL BIRD. Do you think Obama or Hillary would have bothered? The fact that he was a"vet" is just a plus! In my book, he gets a GOLD STAR and I really don't care if he used one shot, a hundred and fifty shots or crawled up the tree naked and blind folded with a knife benched in his teeth and cut the Eagle down, giving it mouth to mouth as he crawled back down. HE DID SOMETHING HE SHOULD BE PATTED ON THE BACK FOR . . . . NOT CRITICIZED! Plus, for once the Leftist Media did a story where a rifle helped do something POSITIVE!

OP . . . I really don't mean to be so critical and I guess I should apologize . . . . but again, really? Perhaps you could post some photos of your "expert marksmanship" in such situations or other selfless actions you have performed for mankind . . . .


Were all friends here. I'm always open to criticism and perhaps I was overly critical of this guy.

I provide free service for mankind every day I work some undeniably life saving. I've also poster plenty of targets on here over the years.

My point was that it took 150 shots and where did all those bullets go? If he was shooting at something 75 feet away, certainly he could have placed himself for a better view and not launched 150 rounds up into the air, not knowing where they were gonna land, especially the clear misses. This is what I stated in my second paragraph. "I'm glad the eagle was ok and there was no collateral damage" which was really my point of the whole post.

Im glad he was able to save a bald eagle. Especially glad no one was hurt from his errant shots. I just find launching that much ammo or even an errant shot rather foolish into the air. Could he guarantee what was beyond his target and that his shots would be stopped safely? Does this not fly in the face of gun safety?

I wonder how many bullets will end up on roofs, hitting cars, etc tonight from people just shooting up in the air.

[ole 5 hole group]

I'm always suspicious of news articles relative to firearms and most anything else.;) I doubt there was 150 rounds fired, maybe he had a box of 50 and fired most of them if it was a 10/22, as that 10-round mag seems to empty pretty fast.

In any event he got the Eagle down without putting a round into it. I'd say everything was done safety, otherwise that would have been the headline. With a game warden looking on, I'd guess all rounds fired were done with safety in mind. But then again, I usually give people the benefit of the doubt when I can.


I just hope setting off fireworks tonight goes as safe as most years.

[wv109323]

As a young man there was a weather ballon with a transmitter box in a tree. We tried to shoot the rope in two with a .22 lr rifle. The bullets would hit the rope but would not severe it. After quite a few rounds we gave up with the rifle. As boys we all took off our belts and lashed together several poles. The last one had a fork in it that we used to hook the transmitter. We pulled it out of the tree.
After we got it down there were several places where the bullets struck the rope but we could not cut the rope. Many bullets would glance off the nylon rope.

[bdicki]

Every time you hit the rope or a branch your target gets smaller.

[jonp]

Ya know, why didnt he grab a pistol and climb the friggen tree to cut the distance if he was such a poor shot?

[mozeppa]

give the guy a break!

he was only using one arm...a mirror and was standing on his head!
like to see if anyone here could duplicate the feat!

[M-Tecs]

Never shot a rope with a 22 but as a kid I shot numerous ropes with a 45 Colt. Doesn't work like the movies.

[starmac]

Why would any of assume that he was not shooting in a safe direction. and actually what difference how many shots were fired, did anybody hear where anything unsafe happened??

[Thumbcocker]

On one of the history channel shooting shows Mr. Ogalsby had a heck of a time shooting a rope in two with a centerfire levergun (92 clone IIRC)

[fg-machine]

I guess it makes some feel superior and Better about their own shortcomings to belittle and second guess others

[joebill1]

I have done a fair amount of overhead shooting at squirrels and such with a rifle, and later with a Ruger MK 1. Did OK, but there is something about the position that is not natural and after a couple of rounds at a steep angle it affects my breathing and increases my wobble by a LOT. If I could get the little tree-rat with the first round, it was not bad, but the position causes fatigue and makes me rush shots after the first one. You have to accept the angle at which the target presents itself, not the one you prefer.

All that being said, it would make an interesting contest where all of the contestants have to do it with a bunch of folks standing around watching and the film running, somebody counting shots out loud, the very real possibility that you are going to kill a Golden Eagle on film by accident, and of course, the watchers are each trying to tell you which limb to shoot next.

He did good, and I'm glad it wasn't me.....Joe

[Jake70]

I'd say the guy did okay, and that a lot of gun owners are more accurate when shooting off their mouths than when putting bullets downrange.

LMAO! Isn't that the truth! So many assumptions, so much armchair quarterbacking.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Wow, I'm outta popcorn. [smilie=1:

[Detroitdanm]

Two cheers for this vet & his good deed. He stepped up and solved a problem no-one else was handling for over two days. Job Well Done! A Bronx cheer for those who feel compelled to denigrate his good work.

I've never tried to cut a branch off a tree with a .22, let alone three as the report indicated had to be done in this instance, plus the rope, but I believe those who envision it to be such an easy feat are seriously underestimating the challange. The branch in the video looked to be a decent thickness, shooting uphill as would be required is noted for inducing aiming error, the shooting position, though somewhat supported, was far from ideal, and as much as I love 10/22's they are far less than match accurate in typical guise. Add in movement caused by the wind or by the bird's struggles and the difficulty goes up exponentially.