Can you believe that one pellet did this? - Can Carnage

[SkeeterHawk]

If any of you have watched any of the many videos that I post of my shooting range, you can always see a bunch of cans swinging around in the background of whatever I am shooting. I have a little under 100 cans ready to be shot at any given point in time, so I witness a whole lot of can carnage. I shot this one today on one of the can holders in the Can Rack for Field Target Practice post I put up a while ago. Well I shot this one, and it flew way the heck up. When I went out to see what happened, I found this:

I'm "blown away" by how much damage this one pellet did. It's like a "card splitting" challenge, but different.

Anyway, shoot safe, my brothers (and sisters)

Jonathan

BTW - This was shot using my heavily modded 2240 shooting 18.1gr FX at 875FPS, so about 31FPE delivered to this can.

 

[Gunnertrones]

Normally that happens when you fill the can with water........ If empty, the explanation have to be your "card splitting" suggestion I think.
Hitting the bottom edge (because the wind flip the can a bit towards you), and the pellet angles/ricochets from the harder edge and split the can`s side wall. Oh yes, one in a thousand I will say!

 

[SkeeterHawk]

Normally that happens when you fill the can with water

Yea, I like splitting full, unopened cans like that. In fact, this was empty and mounted horizontally. The entry was at the bottom of the can.

Oh yes, one in a thousand I will say!

I was thinking about your ratio, and I believe that you are shockingly close to correct. I have been collecting cans for the last 9 or so months. I have 14 bags in the queue to be recycled, and I suspect that there are about 80 crushed cans in each of the bags, so that is about 1120 cans that weren't hit like this. Close, eh? In reality, there are a lot more since I have never seen carnage like this, but still, your estimate was spot-on!

Fun stuff! Thanks for the input @Gunnertrones !

Cheers!

Jonathan

 

[jetpopt]

The dent at the bottom is so symmetrical. Looks like the pellet hit it straight on, BURROWED down from the edge, and tore up the can like a shark fin under the water!

Cans are fun. I once shot an already-dented soda can with a slingshot so that the thing flew high up above and did a full somersault before crashing down. Never did it again, though. There are videos of guys shooting prairie dogs with the same effect.

 

[Goldwing]

It's just a fricking tin can man, get over it

 

[SkeeterHawk]

The dent at the bottom is so symmetrical. Looks like the pellet hit it straight on, BURROWED down from the edge, and tore up the can like a shark fin under the water!

I believe that you are absolutely correct. I'd also mention that it looks like the pellet probably started spinning end-over end for the last part since the damage got so broad. It tore a few "strips" out of the end of the can and I am thinking only the side of the pellet would do that much damage. I agree with @Gunnertrones that this was a very rare occurrence statistically speaking. I think what made this shot so rare is that it stayed true to the plane of the can and didn't veer off.

Anyway, fun shot! Happy shooting, my friends.