ME: Adult shoots 9-year-old with pellet gun

[seamusTX]

In Naples, Maine (middle of nowhere), Friday a 26-year-old man who was allegedly drunk allegedly shot his 9-year-old nephew with a "pellet gun." The boy is in the hospital, critically injured and paralyzed on one side of his body. The suspect is in jail, charged with aggravated assault and assaulting an officer who came to investigate.

The suspect supposedly was shooting at squirrels.

http://www.pressherald.com/news/boy-in- ... 05-21.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[philip964]

I was in Walmart the other day, they sell really serious pellet guns. I didn't know there was a such a thing as a .22 cal pellet gun.

[Keith B]

I was in Walmart the other day, they sell really serious pellet guns. I didn't know there was a such a thing as a .22 cal pellet gun.

Yes, and they have the same velocity as a .22 at 1700+ fps. While only a single shot, they can still be a deadly weapon. Heck, even the spring loaded BB guns can be dangerous. I have a friend that didn't shoot his own eye out, but did shoot his brother's out when they were kids.

[WildBill]

I was in Walmart the other day, they sell really serious pellet guns. I didn't know there was a such a thing as a .22 cal pellet gun.

Yes, and they have the same velocity as a .22 at 1700+ fps. While only a single shot, they can still be a deadly weapon. Heck, even the spring loaded BB guns can be dangerous. I have a friend that didn't shoot his own eye out, but did shoot his brother's out when they were kids.

Pellet guns may not be firearms, but they are not toys.

[fulano]

I was in Walmart the other day, they sell really serious pellet guns. I didn't know there was a such a thing as a .22 cal pellet gun.

I didn't either. I bought a pack of pellets at Cabela's without looking too hard at the package and when I got home, low and behold, they were .22 cal !
Now I've got to go back to Cabela's....

[seamusTX]

Actually, several stories say the weapon was a .177-caliber "pellet gun ... loaded with pointy-tipped pellets for penetration." This was a quotation from a police spokesman.

http://www.sunjournal.com/oxford-hills/story/1033032" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

These air rifles can be quite powerful. I also didn't know there was such a thing as a hunting pellet, but here you go:
http://www.airgundepot.com/gamo-raptor-pellets.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.airgundepot.com/rws-hypermax ... count.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[WildBill]

These air rifles can be quite powerful. I also didn't know there was such a thing as a hunting pellet, but here you go: - Jim

They also make target "match" pellets and hollowpoints.

[Rex B]

I've had a springer pellet gun since I was 9. I have several now.
1000 FPS is about the working limit for .177, and about 800 FPS for .22.
Anything more requires the lightweight pellets, a full moon, and probably a near-vacuum. And a marketing guy.
Not much mass there, but still plenty to do damage.

Those aren't regulated like firearms, and I'm OK with that, but they can sure hurt you.

[The Mad Moderate]

I like how the product description on the raptors used the phrase "knockdown power"

[WildBill]

I like how the product description on the raptors used the phrase "knockdown power"

I was going to mention that many of the people who are considering buying a .177 vs .22 cal talk about the knock down power. It's no different than the handgun or rifle crowds. Sheriden used to make a 5 mm solid pellet that was considered the ultimate, because it was shaped like a regular bullet and weighed more than a .22 pellet.

[seamusTX]

Maybe they will rethink their ad campaign in light of this incident.

These things are meant for hunting squirrels, but there's a human being in critical condition, possibly with permanent brain damage.

- Jim

[i8godzilla]

I was in Walmart the other day, they sell really serious pellet guns. I didn't know there was a such a thing as a .22 cal pellet gun.

Yes, and they have the same velocity as a .22 at 1700+ fps. While only a single shot, they can still be a deadly weapon. Heck, even the spring loaded BB guns can be dangerous. I have a friend that didn't shoot his own eye out, but did shoot his brother's out when they were kids.

Pellet guns may not be firearms, but they are not toys.

How true! I posted in a different thread about being in Cleveland (around 2000-01) and watching a news story unfold about a teenaged youth killed in a random pellet gun shooting. I also remember this item in the news.

I guess this happens more than we think:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/15742945/detail.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazaret ... nazar.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?secti ... id=7985035" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9186324/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.news4jax.com/news/21749261/detail.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Munk]

I grew up shooting a Benjamin .22cal pellet gun. Fantastic guns BUT they are not toys.

[gemini]

Although not a powder charged weapon, a pellet gun is still just that, a gun. The same safety rules apply.
As a youth I had a Benjamin pump (.177) before I had a .22. Pump it up enough times and it was good on squirrels,
rabbits, pidgeons, sparrows etc. Jump forward 20+yrs: When I moved into our 1st house we had squirrels. Nothing worked
to get rid of them...until I bought a RWS barrel break pellet gun .177 cal. Wow. I was impressed. A common
wooden fence slat was not a good back stop as the pellet would easily go through. Anyway, I got the squirrel problem under control
and still have the RWS which I still use to dispatch squirrels from my pecan tree on a regular basis. It's part of my
urban rodent relocation program.