This from The Albany Democrat-Herald:

http://www.dhonline.com/articles/2007/03/31/news/local/2loc02_bpa.txt

What do you expect? - shooting out stop signs is so passe'. And what's the point of owning a gun if you can't kill and/or destroy with it?

I just know it was that kook DJ gal that posted here for awhile from that was fired from the podunk blue shack/station that's out in a field in Albany. It was a torrid crime of passion and revenge.

Or maybe it was just Jacquel, practicing for tomorrow.

Please send my reward money ASAP.

The point in owning guns is that it is our constitutional right to do so.

People who do stupid things like this should be beat to a bloody pulp with their own guns.

That being said, it is very unlikely that someone shooting at clay pigeons could have damaged the line.

A 115KV line is probably at least 100' in the air. At that distance even a 12 gauge with a full choke won't provide much impact.

Consider that 3' out of the barrel the shot has a muzzle velocity of about 1200 fps. The velocity decays rapidly with distance and by the time its 100' out I'd be surprised if it was at more than 300-500 fps. (I can't find the velocity at any distance, just at 3' out of the barrel)

Being of the mentality that would shoot at something like a power line, my bet is that they bought the cheapest shells they could find. If that's the case then they were probably #7 1/2 or #8 shot size. #7 1/2 is 2.41mm in diameter and #8 is 2.29mm diameter. For reference, a BB is 4.57mm.

There are about 350 pellets in a #7 1/2 and about 410 pellets in a #8 shell.

At 100' the pattern even with a full choke would be at least 3' wide. That would mean that at best only a few pellets would hit the line and they would be some distance apart.

I really don't think a few lead pellets would damage a cable that is most likely a steel core wrapped with aluminum and about 3/4" in diameter.

OK, after that dissertation about the possibility of it being damaged by a shotgun, it is entirely possible that someone (some idiot) may have shot it with a high power rifle.

Most of the rifle slugs are copper jacketed and would certainly damage the power line.

Anyway, my point is that the majority of gun owners, me included, wouldn't even think of shooting at a power line, road sign or anything else of that nature.

It's only the hoosiers, red necks and low life’s that do that kind of things.

Please don't lump all gun owners together with those kind of scum.

"It's only the hoosiers, red necks and low life’s that do that kind of things."

That's the group my comment was directed to, Sky. No lumping intended.

"It's only the hoosiers, red necks and low life’s that do that kind of things."

and vice presidents . . .

Edselehr - Cool. I guess I read more into it than you intended!

Skeptical - Hunting accidents happen. There was nothing intentional there. Had that happened to a democrat, it would never have even made the news.

It's still safer to hunt with Dick Cheney than to ride in Ted Kennedy's car.

That's your opinion.

Hah I have to side with Skybill here, I own a gun as well.

Like so many facets of life, it's the 5 percent of maroons who shouldn't touch a gun who ruin it for the 95 percent of us who practice gun safety and only use them on either designated sites built specifically with the sport in mind (clay shooting, for example) or out in the woods in a responsible manner. The vast majority of us clean up after ourselves as well, whether it's shell casings or the like.

The effective range of an average 12 gauge shotgun on regular game load is MAYBE 15-20 yards, max. No way it could do damage to power lines 100+ feet up.

I see nothing in the article claiming it was a shotgun, I dont even see anything that proves it was shot with anything, cables have been known to break due to defects in the workmenship.

But if it was shot, the list of suspects is hugh, could be someone mad at BPA, maybe a liberal environmentalist.

Most rednecks I know, arent that careless with weapons, most of us know how and when to use them.

"or out in the woods in a responsible manner"

Yep....take the ol M16 full-auto out in the woods and try to get one o them elusive black tail's! Yep....that there iz a sport!

hah I'd rather have my trusty 30-06 bolt-action out there than some lead-squirter. M-16s and AKs and Mac-90s were made with only one thing in mind - killing people. They aren't overly accurate by any stretch, compared with a good hunting rifle.

Ya...but just take out the whole herd and the keep and tag the best one!!! Who cares about accuracy when you can just wipe them all out!!!

BTW...just funnin...I used to hunt but have retired my Remingtion 700BDL 7mm Mag. To many wacko's in the woods laying their scopes on you cause they can't seem to figure out how to use binoc's! Cide's...I was the only one who ate it so it seemed a waste after most of my first kill had to be tossed because of being in the freezer to long.

Its illegal to own a full auto M16.
But an AR15 or M16 is just as accurate as a 30-06.

Illegal yes....but not hard to do if you really want to I hear!
I will take my 7mm Mag over the 06 though. Longer range and flatter shooting....but I will agree does not have the same knock-down as the 06 though!

Its fairly easy to make on M16, or any semi auto weapon fire automatically, just fire down the sear, but it will only fire full auto then, and it is a federal crime, which is rigidely enforced.

You can get a permit to own a fully auto weapon, in some states.

Or.....national guard weekend warriors have been known to swap parts on certain weekend trips!!!!!! I heard of a couple of guys doing this. Sucks to be the guy that gets stuck with a weapon that will only do semi-auto when he needs full auto!

That was long ago, nowadays weapons are checked specifically for that, and besides, modern M16's the A2 version wont fire full auto anyway, they have safe, single, and burst, burst being a 3 round salvo.

It was a while back that I heard about that. Good they nipped that in the butt!
After the third shot in full auto you were shooting above their heads anyway.....unless you are Rambo then you can fire a whole belt of 30cal and not flinch doing it!

"Consider that 3' out of the barrel the shot has a muzzle velocity of about 1200 fps."

Good Lord--Do they even *make* video cards that are that fast yet?? And if so, is there a 98/Mandrake compatible one in a PCI bus (or have they all gone to AGP by now??)

*laughs* ;o)

"Hunting accidents happen."

Really? A gun doesn't go off by itself. A human has to touch it. Bad handling of a gun is no accident.

I support the right to own rifles, but don't use the word "accidents" unless these rifles are firing by themselves.

Oregon is one of the states where it's legal to own a full-auto weapon (with a permit).

I'd like to get me one of those 39 round full auto Glocks! Them things are cool!

you need 2 permits in Oregon, the federal one and an Oregon one.

And there has never been a crime commited with a legal fully auto weapon.

Heck in some state you can get a permit to own a large caliber cannon.

I feel like doing this every day at work....then sending the dead bodies to Bill Gates!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuR26l0RaW8

Man! I've felt like doing that to my computer several times!

However, I see too much of that stuff left out in the woods from people that are not responsible shooters or outdoors people.

I think people who take TV's, computers and other household items out and shoot them up then leave them there instead of picking them up should;
1-Have their guns taken away permanently.
2-Be made to pick up all the pieces with their teeth while being made to crawl around on their hands and knees.
3-Have to spend every weekend for 1 year cleaning up public use land.

If it wasn't there when you got there, it shouldn't be there when you leave. We even pick up our spent brass and shotgun shells.

I think these people should be forced to play a game of paintball -- with real guns.

Its an ad, for a scope company, and theres no indication that they didnt clean up their mess.

Several times I've taken common household items
out to demonstrate to troops the affect various caliber weapoons have on them. Unlike in the movies, hiding behind a table, will not protect you from a .30 cal or larger weapon.

NWokie- incorrect. Only the fed permit is required (although it must be signed by an oregon chief or sheriff)