Hit by a ricochet!!

This is not a ricochet story, but close enough that I can't resist.
When I was in the Army, we were one day burning up some excess .50 cal ammo on a pair of tripod-mounted M2's. Long story short, we were done and a new LT was picking up a few bent, unfired rounds that had been ejected and fallen to the ground. He took very seriously that we were not to turn in any unexpended ammo. Before anyone knew what he was doing, he started single-shot firing one of the M2's that had only moments before burned through several cans of all-white tracer ammo. Needless to say, it was pretty warm. One stubborn round refused to fire, so he jacked the handle, and again, just a click. He jacked again and Kaboom, a cook-off in the ejection port, resulting in some "personal" injury.
He was taken away in the medic track, and thereafter referred to as LT Thundernuts.

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Panzerführer

Die Wahrheit ist eine Perle. Werfen sie nicht vor die Säue.
 
Yep, he needed a sign, then the tragedy might have been prevented. Maybe it was issued to him in woodland pattern, so we all missed it.......... :D

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Panzerführer

Die Wahrheit ist eine Perle. Werfen sie nicht vor die Säue.
 
I've been splattered with lead and jacket pieces, wood splinters, dirt, ice, and rock, pelted with hot brass, and singed by muzzle blast. Not just raining down on me, but traveling back at me at velocity. Some of the frags cut skin or needed to be dug out. My specs have had nicks in the lenses.

The point is, WEAR YOUR SAFETY/SHOOTING GLASSES! This shootin' we love to do is dangerous stuff.

Be careful out there guys.
 
Sgt.K,

This sort of thing happens quite often. I've gotten a few small cuts on face and exposed arms from fragments when shooting poppers and plates.
I have seen quite a few intact lead .45 slugs bounce off of pins, wacking a few people in the lower legs.

The rimfire cases down the shirt are always a crowd pleaser ;)

Keep those saftey glasses on!
 
What you described sounds like "splashback". It sounds alarming but is perfectly safe since the bullet rebounds with virtually zero energy.

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"Quemadmoeum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est."
("A sword is never a killer, it's a tool in the killer's hands.") -
Lucius Annaeus Seneca "the Younger" (ca. 4 BC-65 AD).
 
Herr Panzerfuehrer,
Ganz richtig und gut gesagt. Aber ich habe ueberhaupt keine Perle zu werfen! ;)

Finden wir alle beide mehr auf TFL! Bestimmt! :D

Der Fledermausmann

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Either you believe in the Second Amendment or you don't.
Stick it to 'em! RKBA!
 
*snorts*
Jawohl Mauschen, du hast rechts!


Hier liegt die Wahrheit:

"Quemadmoeum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est."

"Either you believe in the Second Amendment or you don't."

"Stick it to 'em! RKBA!"

Tschüß, :cool:


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Panzerführer

Die Wahrheit ist eine Perle. Werfen sie nicht vor die Säue.
 
My daughter and I were shooting at an outdoor range last summer when I experienced a ricochet.
We were shooting about 25 yards out at targets in front of the range's steel backstop.
She was shooting a Sig229 in 9mm, using full metal jacket ammo.
I was standing about 4 feet to her right when I felt something pop me in the chest.
It felt like someone poking a finger.
I thought it was an ejected shell, but I looked down and found it was a flattened bullet.
Lesson: Always stand behind a woman with a gun, never to her side, and never ever in front!
 
My best friend had just taken over my lane at the local and most popular indoor range here yesterday. There was a dude to our right shooting a 45. I had just cleared the area and stored my weapon when my buddy was loading up at the bench. The stalls are seperated by bullet proof glass. I guess that you can see where this is going. The dude next to us was apparently some sorta problem child, as the range officer had apparently warned him several times that session about his muzzle placement. BLAM!!!!! One nicely placed 45 fmj that would've taken off my buddy's head if not for the glass. Loud as all get out, too! Imagine, that stuff really works, go figure!
In the end, my pal had to be pulled off that guy by 3 other shooters, and suffered only a bruised ego, but the dope got his nose broken and thrown out for life. Not to mention that we called all the other ranges in town with his name too. Seems that he'dd be barred from several others, too, for similar problems!!!!!
My pal was given a free lifetime membership to the range for his trouble, and the glass is used as a showroom training aid for range safety. Wear your eye and ear protection ALL THE TIME, and remember, nothing is foolproof, 'cause fools are so damn clever!!

Tom


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Remember, no matter where you go, there you are!
 
While firing a .45 cal derringer, that looks like the one that took out old Abe. I shot into a 2x4 and the round bounced off and flew back and hit my buddy in the leg, he said it hurt like the dickens...7th

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SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL POLICE, KEEP THEM INDEPENDENT.
 
Ach, es ist erfrischend, die schönste Sprache der Welt hier zu finden :D

A few months ago, I was hit with a fragment from someone's shot that went a little too high and hit the target clip.

Only a small piece, and didn't puncture the skin, but I got some firsthand experience why they require eye protection at the range.

jth

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Don't give me a "smarter" gun.
Make me a smarter shooter :D
 
Jawohl, die Sprache von Geniien, nicht wahr?

Tschüß



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Panzerführer

Die Wahrheit ist eine Perle. Werfen sie nicht vor die Säue.
 
As a 15 year old I fired a .38 special wadcutter at a tire. Slug hit the sidewall and bounced back hitting me in the belt buckle. HURT!!!
On the indoor range we use shooters do get hit with a jacket fragment etc., form time to time reinforcing the use of shooting glasses.
With several million rounds a year fired on just our range the laws of math catch up to you sooner or later and someone will get an occasional hit, but nothing requiring more than a band-aid so far.
Even the best planned and built ranges can have troubles. Shootings is pretty unpredictable in some ways. Golf is more dangerous however. So back to my shooting.

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Specialists in the use and training of lethal force.
 
It happens... often.. Feels like I have been hit more this year than any time in my life. Maybe because I am standing behind more people as a Safety Officer each week. I have taken 10 or 15 hits from lead and copper over the last few months. Most of the time, it is just a gentle tap. Did catch some copper under my left ear that drew a little blood back in October. For teh most part, it just reminds me to always make sure I have good eye protection.

However, a few weeks ago, I was shooting in our local Tuesday night bowling pin matches. We have always required the table be cleared; not just knock the pins down. I had been on a pretty good string that night and was hitting the pins pretty well. I was shooting against one of the local hot shots, so I knew I had to be fast. Pins 1, 2 & 3 went down as expected. But I must have been a little quick getting on pin 4 and I slapped the trigger just a bit. Immediate searing pain in my groin. I took two more shots to clear the table of pins 4 & 5. And then I doubled over the bench. Of COURSE I finished the string! But MAN was I in pain. No permanent damage done except to my ego. I had lost the round by a half a second while I was wincing in pain. :(

Did someone mention wearing a cup to the range earlier?? Ohhhhh yeah.. Bubba does NOW!


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Bubba
IDPA# A04739
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It is long been a principal of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully. - Jeff Cooper
 
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