Quote:
Originally Posted by tweetzone86
We...(and yeah, we actually have a rifle at my uncle's house we need to bring here to scare off the pesky critters. Just moved here in June). ...
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I don't want this to become a firearms discussion, but the above statement caused me to cringe a little.
I'd urge you to reconsider that rifle. A shotgun may be a much safer and more effective weapon for such a situation. With a rifle, if you happen to miss, the projectile may travel a mile or more before it loses enough energy to fall to the ground. Anyone or anything that might be "in the way" could be impacted. A shotgun typically has an effective range of around 100 yards or less (depending on the gun and the ammunition) and with multiple projectiles (shot) will cover more area, possibly increasing the chance of an effective shot, if such is intended and needed.
Don't rely on a rifle for self protection and please, never "fire it into the air" hoping the noise will scare away wild animals. The results could be devastating for an unseen "someone" a mile or more away from where you fire the weapon.