Thread: I wasn't seriously expecting to hit it.........Fluke shots.

I don't have any hunting stories yet, in fact yet to fire the .270 at a moving target. I've only just started on firearms, but as a kid was mad keen on hunting and trapping. I had a 30lb fibreglass bow I mucked around with, but one summer (I think I was 11) I broke my arm and couldn't use it. Not to be deterred, I designed & made a pistol crossbow from the ribs of an old umbrella that fired bamboo skewers. It was pretty accurate on paper targets, but one day I lined up a waxeye on the birdfeeder about 15m away. Don't think I expected to hit it, but I did... had to break its neck and bury it in the garden. Felt so stink for ages, I barely touched the crossbow again. I still have it though, it reminds me to respect all life and pick my targets carefully!

Originally Posted by mopheadrob

I don't have any hunting stories yet, in fact yet to fire the .270 at a moving target. I've only just started on firearms, but as a kid was mad keen on hunting and trapping. I had a 30lb fibreglass bow I mucked around with, but one summer (I think I was 11) I broke my arm and couldn't use it. Not to be deterred, I designed & made a pistol crossbow from the ribs of an old umbrella that fired bamboo skewers. It was pretty accurate on paper targets, but one day I lined up a waxeye on the birdfeeder about 15m away. Don't think I expected to hit it, but I did... had to break its neck and bury it in the garden. Felt so stink for ages, I barely touched the crossbow again. I still have it though, it reminds me to respect all life and pick my targets carefully!
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We made these as kids using coathanger and rubber bands to fire paper wads at flies. Had a great time, and mum saved on fly spray in summer so win / win.....

Pulled off a cracker shot today.Cruising up the track with the old faithful .22 Stirling 14p resting on the gun rack of the quad.A couple of seagulls were flying towards the neighbours lambing paddock. Stopped the quad loaded the Stirling and fired a shot bout 20 metres up at the moving gull.And it dropped to the ground with a thud.Had a witness too but unfortunately Bo doesn't talk he barks.Saved a few new born lambs today I reckon!

The first post in this thread reminds me of when I was a kid, when I was finally allowed an air rifle I was allowed to keep it in my room but in keeping with safe firearms use etc I had to ask dad when I wanted to take it out and let him know where I was going etc. One day I see some birds out my window sitting on the washing line so I got my rifle and poked it out the window and took a shot at one which was now on the ground in front of the main washing line pole, missed the bird, hit the pole and the projectile came straight back, smashed my window and hit me in the neck. Loss of air rifle privileges for a while after that!

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

The first post in this thread reminds me of when I was a kid, when I was finally allowed an air rifle I was allowed to keep it in my room but in keeping with safe firearms use etc I had to ask dad when I wanted to take it out and let him know where I was going etc. One day I see some birds out my window sitting on the washing line so I got my rifle and poked it out the window and took a shot at one which was now on the ground in front of the main washing line pole, missed the bird, hit the pole and the projectile came straight back, smashed my window and hit me in the neck. Loss of air rifle privileges for a while after that!

Sit that sucks Ryan.I can recall borrowing my old mans .22brno before I was 16 shooting rabbits possums etc.Cruising down the road to the run off and the bloody sling broke,hit the road and fucked the scope.Never told him what happened but it never shot anything till he got a new scope! I still got that Brno today

The old man always knows we just never give them the credit.
We shot our way through a box of .22 Hornet without Dad "knowing" and that was a box 50.
When we were first playing with it we locked the bolt shut couldn't figure out how to open it so just put it back.
He never said a thing.

You're not going to believe this one.......spotted a rabbit sitting up on top of a small hill in a paddock, ranged it at 327 metres, strong breeze blowing from left to right. Lifted the ancient single shot .22 with open sights, aimed carefully allowing for extreme range and windage...........missed it by a bloody mile!

I never take airgun pot shots at Maggie's anymore. These things have no luck. Twice I've taken extreme long range shots just to scare them and accidentally hit em in the head (one was 150m). Long way for a .177

Lined up on one spur winged plover with my 204.

About 120m away and put the crosshairs where the beak and eyes meet. Squeezed off and much to my sheer surprise I got 2 headshots with 1 round. Behind the first plover was a second one that was obscured by the first but had been standing a good 10m behind so I had identified my firing zone but that I couldn't see the second plover standing behind the first.

Probably the best fluke shot for me was at a wounded goat a mate had hit that ran across to a far ridge. He tried another couple of shots at it but kept missing.

I say get outta the way mate, lie down and gave the goat about a body height of elevation and little bit of wind and fired. Goat tipped over stone dead. Close to 500m with a 9x scope on the 270.

Not firearms related but years ago working in Montana I was walking across the yard at my boss' parents farm when I see a rabbit sitting 40m away. Picked up a rock, biffed it at rabbit and hit it straight in the side of the head. Instant kill.

My best fluke wasn’t a pot shot, but was certainly lucky. I took an aimed shot at muntjac doe from a high seat at about 25m, thinking I would take a second shot at her almost adult kid if I got the chance. At the shot the doe dropped and so did the kid 3-4m in front of her at about 70 degrees.

When processed I found a large piece of the jacket in the buck kid’s neck beside a broken spine. Seems the bullet struck the doe’s shoulder, broke up, and a fragment deflected off the shoulder blade.

.25-06 with 100 grain Nosler BT.

Well, a fluke of sorts. Mate and I walking up a track to a small flat terrace with a few rabbits on it. Both had single shot 22’s at the time.
Come up to shooting level and both shot. Got mine he says. No you didnt says me, I got mine, you missed. A dozen or so rabbits on the flat and we picked the same one. Skinned victim, with two holes in it.

Originally Posted by Huntertoo

Well, a fluke of sorts. Mate and I walking up a track to a small flat terrace with a few rabbits on it. Both had single shot 22’s at the time.
Come up to shooting level and both shot. Got mine he says. No you didnt says me, I got mine, you missed. A dozen or so rabbits on the flat and we picked the same one. Skinned victim, with two holes in it.

That reminds me of a tale when Dad had worked in animal control back in the 50s(?) A group of 5 or so of the guys all got to a clearing and spotted a mob of deer feeding. Leader says "I'll knock over the stag, each of you take a hind from left to right' Lined up and shots rang out....One stag dropped and all of the hinds departed quick smart. Everyone of them had shot the stag- it had no chance....

pulled of one real fluke or was it just bloody accurate - was bull dozer driving back of Gisborne told boss after few months to stick his job worst boss ever had -anyway went up in evening to collect wages owed -stuck little brno .22 in car maybe a small goat for the pot on way home - got cheque told the prick if he had been a reasonable basterd would still be there and departed - dead end road with lots of scrub and bush either side on way out - came around a corner and a very big boar came up onto road in front of car - was not to concerned about the car and just trotted along in front - right I am going to have a go at you -pocked brno out the door and when he came to a left hand corner now or never try for shot back of head- bugger me he stopped turned side on and a .22 just above ear dead pig - no knife hell of a job getting him into back of little triumph herald estate- took him to Dads next day 230lb on hook - even better Dad made brawn from head - fluke to shoot it but that little brno would put everything into a sixpence at that range - piggy no chance sorry ya stopped but you were delicious

Gave a spare air rifle (Gamo) to a rural family as their 12yr old daughter wanted to learn to shoot. Couple of weeks later my hunting buddy and I visited and were challenged to a shooting match using the Gamo. Target on thick plywood was set up at about 25m and mum, Dad and their 2 kids took a shot. They all missed the paper. My buddy then took a shot and when we walked up we saw he had hit the centre of the target. On the way back to the bench he made the comment that I would have to make a Robin Hood shot........The sun was going down and through the crappy scope the target was blurry.......but I sent the shot away and we walked up to see the result. My buddy said 'Ha, you missed'........I said 'Look at the target, my shot went through the same hole.'. We bantered back and forth for a while and then he took the target home to examine it closer......The following week he apologised and handed me a picture frame with the target in it.....


It sits on the sideboard in the kitchen and every time he visits, he looks at it and shakes his head.........