back to article Bloke hits armadillo AND mother-in-law with single 9mm round

A Georgia man who took a 9mm pistol to an armadillo also managed to pop a cap in his wife's mum after the round ricocheted off the animal, "hit a fence, went through the back door of his mother-in-law's mobile home, through a recliner she was sitting in, and into her back". According to cops, 54-year-old Larry McElroy pulled …

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  1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

    9mm Pistol at 100yds?

    hitting something as small and skittish as an Armadillo at that range? Something is not right there. Are we sure he didn't actually aim for the MIL?

    1. Richard Taylor 2

      Re: 9mm Pistol at 100yds?

      Nooooo read the article. It was the MiL at 100 yards on a richochet

    2. Vulch

      Re: 9mm Pistol at 100yds?

      The MIL was 100yds (91.44m, 1.8osp, 9.92ddb) away, the range to the Armadillo is not given...

      1. Little Mouse
        Black Helicopters

        Re: 9mm Pistol at 100yds?

        Or, just maybe, the MiL was actually just 4-5 yards away.....

        Kudos to the guy - managed to get 95 yards away before being caught red handed, and then coming up with an excuse like that!

        1. Cliff

          Re: 9mm Pistol at 100yds?

          Sure, it happened that way round. Aiming at the armadillo - all agreed?

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      Re: 9mm Pistol at 100yds?

      Should have gone to Specsavers....

    4. Mark 65

      Re: 9mm Pistol at 100yds?

      Given it's America I'm surprised he settled for something so puny. I'd have thought he'd have gone OTT and used a .50 Cal

  2. x 7

    I hope she didn't get leprosy - armadillos are the only other animals that catch it

    1. Adam 1

      This kids is why we need the interwebs. How else would I learn important tidbits like that?

      1. Cliff

        It's OK, 'titbits' isn't rude, you can use it without embarrassment :)

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tidbits?s=t

          He used the correct word if he's not from these shores.

  3. TheNix

    Erm...

    Hate to be a wet blanket - I usually love stories about outback hicks inadvertently removing their idiot material from the gene pool - but I'm really struggling to see the IT or tech angle here.

    Not that the story shouldn't have been posted: I'm just disappointed that no such angle was worked in. Doing so doesn't usually seem to give the Reg cadre too much bother, however hilariously tenuous.

    Must try harder!

    1. ukgnome

      Re: Erm...

      it's in Bootnotes.....

      *if I had a pound for every person etc etc

    2. Dabooka
      IT Angle

      Re: Erm...

      According to local reports, the recliner had Bluetooth.

      Sorted?

    3. Alistair
      Coat

      Re: Erm...

      IT Angle:

      Georgia Tech will be using all of their available computing power for the next 3 weekends to calculate the flight path of the bullet.

      1. Simon Harris
        IT Angle

        IT Angle

        There's a picture of an Armadillo on the cover of the O'Reilly book "Essential System Administration, 3rd Edition: Tools and Techniques for Linux and Unix Administration"

        Isn't that enough for you?

        For any other animal based 'What's the IT angle?' questions, I'll refer you to their menagerie: http://www.oreilly.com/animals.html

        1. petur
          Pint

          Re: IT Angle

          Simon Harris, you won :)

        2. launcap Silver badge
          WTF?

          Re: IT Angle

          > I'll refer you to their menagerie: http://www.oreilly.com/animals.html

          So - enquiring minds want to know - how do they select the animals? German Shepherd for Mac OS X pocket guide?

          Some make sense (the Tsetse fly for one of the Oracle guides for example) but I get the sense that they have a bunch of animal names in a random generator and press the button whenever they bring out a new book..

        3. BuckeyeB

          Re: IT Angle

          Well done Simon!

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Erm...

      Hate to be a wet blanket - I usually love stories about outback hicks inadvertently removing their idiot material from the gene pool - but I'm really struggling to see the IT or tech angle here.

      There is none. I go elsewhere for my IT news now.

      But I understand. As someone who runs their own technology news website, I have to say that IT professionals almost never click on ads. Experienced IT professionals never ever click on ads. The best IT tech news website would probably never make money. For myself, I'm sorry to say that I've taken my focus away from websites for technology types and focused more on sports where all the real advertising profits are.

    5. murtonator

      Re: Erm...

      Word is he was trying to get achievement points

    6. Martin Maloney
      Trollface

      Re: Erm...

      "Hate to be a wet blanket..."

      Knowing that good ol' el reg would never run an article completely bereft of an IT angle, I entered

      armadillo computer

      into a search engine, and I encountered several computer service businesses with "Armadillo"in their name.

      I also discovered a review for a physics-based PC game "Armadillo Run."

      After you have laundered your blanket, then get help for your bed-wetting problem.

      1. Pedigree-Pete
        Linux

        Re: Erm...

        Any fule knows that if you want a company name with an animal in it you choose Aardvark or Aardwolf.

    7. Vinyl-Junkie
      IT Angle

      Re: Erm...

      Well it obviously appeals to the IT types, regardless of the angle. Most commented post for several days!

    8. skeptical i
      Holmes

      maths [was: Erm...]

      Isn't there maths and physics and other advanced larnin' involved with calculating ballistics, trajectories, and all that good gun stuff?

      1. Simon Harris

        Re: maths [was: Erm...]

        Isn't that Angry Birds?

        ... or is that the Mother in Law?

      2. Mark 85

        Re: maths [was: Erm...]

        Nope... it's like a camera phone, point and shoot... I don't recommend selfies with a 9mm though.

    9. David Given

      Re: Erm...

      This story features stupid people

      Stupid people are also found using technology.

      Therefore, this story is relevant to technology.

      Will that do?

    10. Bitbeisser
      Devil

      Re: Erm...

      Well, it fits into the more or less regular "nosh" column El Reg is posting to keep IT folks nourished. After all, what do you do with a dead armadillo? Armdadillo stew!

  4. David Cherry

    I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my T-16 back home. They're not much bigger than armadillos

    1. Toltec

      "I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my T-16 back home. They're not much bigger than armadillos"

      Look what happened to Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen...

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        [sound effect: ricochet. Sound effect: body dropping to sand]

        [LUKE's grin slowly fades as he lowers the pistol]

        LUKE: uh...Uncle Owen? ... Aunt Beya??

        [LUKE raises communicator to mouth]

        LUKE: Uncle Ben! I do want to join the Rebellion! Right now!

    2. TeeCee Gold badge

      Holy crap! Where do you live that has armadillos that big?

  5. The Jon

    Armadillo!

    Crunchy on the outside, smooth on the inside. Armadillo!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Armadillo!

      Would you like to try a Dime Bar?

      1. David Austin

        Re: Armadillo!

        Yes, but I can't: They'll always be Dime and Marathon.

    2. AceRimmer1980
      Thumb Up

      That bloke's a nutter.

      Oi! Nutter!

  6. codejunky Silver badge

    Ah

    I guess he could say it was the wrong tool for the job. That is an unfortunate achievement but he might now have to be nice to his MIL for a while. Lest she mention that day he shot her. Makes a good argument to buy a shotgun though

    1. JamesPond

      Re: Ah

      "Makes a good argument to buy a shotgun though" ...who for, the MIL or bloke?

      1. codejunky Silver badge

        Re: Ah

        Fun for the family and safer to despatch armadillo

      2. PNGuinn
        Unhappy

        Re: Ah

        No, for the armadillo.

        Won't anyone think of the varmits?

        We need a varmit icon.

        1. BuckeyeB

          Re: Ah

          There is. It's an icon of Buggs Bunny. Just ask Sam.

      3. launcap Silver badge

        Re: Ah

        > buy a shotgun though" ...who for, the MIL or bloke?

        Yes.

        The armadillo probably needs an improved stealth field and a minigun.

        1. John 110

          Re: Ah

          "The armadillo probably needs an improved stealth field and a minigun."

          Like this http://www.cdandlp.com/en/emerson-lake-and-palmer/tarkus/lp/r115483994/

          1. Steven Raith

            Re: Ah

            Nah, he just needed to ask to borrow his cousins outfit.

            Steven "Never played MegaMan but heard it's top larks" R

    2. Ian Michael Gumby
      Boffin

      @code junky ...Re: Ah

      Actually, speaking from experience, the 9mm is the wrong tool for the job.

      .22lr is the right tool. It does a good job on them. You usually use a rifle, but you could use a pistol. Typically you end up shooting them from a distance (20+ yrds).

      They also have a habit of charging at you after they're shot.

      Anyone who's spent time in the country know that they are nasty critter to have around.

      Its not just an issue about leprosy, but they have amazing front claws from digging and can seriously hurt dogs and other curious pets. Not to mention they dig holes all over the place. A good way to break a leg, or to have a cow break a leg or get injured. (My wife didn't hate them until she got a bad sprain from stepping in to a hole dug by one.)

      In terms of using a shotgun, that too will kill them, but with the .22lr, you end up with longer effective range.

      The other fun tidbit is that when you do shoot them, they jump straight up so you know you hit them.

      Oh and the 9mm? He must have used a FMJ usually used for practice on the range. Most self defense rounds would have expanded and lost too much energy.

      I had to use a 9mm on a rabid racoon once. But then again, it was less than 10 feet away and I was shooting down in to the soft dirt so the round wouldn't have ricocheted.

      1. R Callan
        Boffin

        Re: @code junky ...Ah

        Ah, but which nine mil? The article is lacking that detail. I suppose the most common is 9mm Parabellum but there are also:

        Mauser 9mm Export

        9mm short (A.C.P .380)

        9mm Largo

        9mm Makarov

        and not forgetting that .38 and .357 are also 9mm

        1. channel extended

          Re: @code junky ...Ah

          Sorry but a 9mm is actually a thirty-six caliber round. All of those 38's are a 9.5mm.

      2. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

        Re: @code junky ...Ah

        Its not just an issue about leprosy, but they have amazing front claws from digging and can seriously hurt dogs and other curious pets. Not to mention they dig holes all over the place. A good way to break a leg, or to have a cow break a leg or get injured.

        They're also excellent swimmers, and are not infrequently found swimming about in people's pools. That can give you a nasty shock too.

      3. magickmark
        Coat

        Re: @code junky ...Ah

        Yes but what about shooting Armadillos?

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