On 15 Feb 2006 14:15:42 GMT, Ignoramus7443
wrote:

On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 23:34:27 -0600, Andy Asberry wrote:
On 14 Feb 2006 21:52:31 GMT, Ignoramus21707
wrote:

Can anyone explain just what happened. Who was where, who arrived
when, who drank what before, who was wearing what color clothes,
etc. Was it an "accidental discharge", or was Cheney intending to
shoot where he shot.

i

This is what I've read in two newspaper articles and on the net.

There were 3 hunters plus the land owner, who was not hunting, in the
hunting party. (Plus, I assume, numerous Secret Service agents and the
ambulance attendants that were said to be standing by due to Cheney's
health problems.)

According to the land owner, Whittington had shot a bird and had gone
into some tall grass to retrieve it. He was rejoining the others who
had gone on ahead. At this time, another covey flushed and Cheney was
swinging on a bird that flew to his rear. The bird was in line with
Whittington as Cheney fired. He was hit in the cheek, neck and chest.

A preliminary sheriff's report stated that neither drugs nor alcohol
were a factor. All of the hunters were wearing orange vests. The
distance from Cheney to Whittington was 30 yards. Cheney had a
non-resident Texas hunting license but did not have the Upland Game
Bird Stamp. He was issued a citation and bought the $7.00 stamp.

I've been peppered with birdshot before. It stings but only once did
it penetrate the skin. And I realize the skin of a 78 year old is much
thinner. I set out to find some information on shotgun ballistics.

Remember that with birdshot, smaller pellets have higher numbers.
Number 6 shot is twice the weight of number 8 shot. Typical shot sizes
for quail are 7 1/2, 8 and 9. I picked number 8 for my research
because it is the middle size.

Most of the info came from gunshot forensic sites.

Number 6 was the smallest size pellet listed. An individual pellet has
a muzzle energy of 3 ft/lbs. It will penetrate ballistic gelatin
(equivalent to human flesh) 4 to 6 inches at a range of 5 yards. Since
a number 8 is half the weight of number 6, it would have 1.5 ft/lbs of
energy.

What I could not find was the velocity at 30 yards. The muzzle
velocity is about 1200 ft/sec. The drag coefficient of a sphere at
this speed is about 1.27. Maybe someone can calculate the downrange
speed and therefore the remaining energy at 30 yards.

I did find some state wildlife statistics that said only 42% of birds
would be hit and only 10% of birds HIT at that range would die.

Depending on the choke of Cheney's gun, up to 187 pellets could be
expected to hit in a 30 inch circle at 30 yards. That jives with the
doctor's estimate of 200 hitting Whittington. Probably less because no
man can cover a 30 inch circle with his body.

Thanks Andy. I am very confused. How can birdshot, at a distance of 30
yards, penetrate Whittington so deeply. It does not make sense to
me. My shotgun experience is very limited, as I rarely shoot my
shotgun and usually shoot rifles.

i

Deeply? Id be terribly surprised if there was .5" penetration on
direct impact with skin at 30 yrds.

Gunner



"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them;
the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."
- Proverbs 22:3