Boulder neighborhood rocked by reports of errant bullets

By Heath Urie

Daily Camera

BOULDER, Colo. — Two errant bullets that recently ended up embedded in the sides of separate houses in the south Boulder area have some residents worried that the next one will end up killing someone.

While no one’s been hurt, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office said at least one shot fired Sunday by a group of target shooters using high-powered assault rifles at Shanahan Ranch ended up ricocheting and hitting a woman’s house about 600 yards away.

Cmdr. Phil West said three men had permission from ranch owners Lynn and Sandy Shanahan to shoot on the 179-acre property, in unincorporated Boulder County just west of Colo. 93 and south of Fairview High School.

The men — two Denver probation officers and an off-duty Lakewood police officer whose names weren’t available because a report wasn’t finalized Friday — were legally shooting a variety of weapons, West said, including handguns, a .30-06 hunting rifle and an AK-47 assault rifle.

“They thought they had an effective backstop,” West said of the shooters’ plans to fire into a hillside.

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2009/feb/27/boulder-neighborhood-rocked-reports-errant-bullets/




I took a gun safety class as a kid. One of the first things I learned was - you shouldn't shoot rifles facing any populated area.

Somebody needs to rethink their shooting directions and angles.

BTW, the only high-powered weapon I see is the .30-06. AK's fire an intermediate cartridge, unless they were .308 Saigas (not likely).

It's a fun little carbine, but ballistically it's like a light-loaded .30-30.

With high-BC bullets, a .30-06 has more energy at 400 yards than 7.62x39mm has at the muzzle.