Bullet frag back in my face!

[Rooster1]

Guys, I have a 460 with the 11.5 barrel and comp. I was shooting it the other day and started out with 45 colts, them when I moved up to the 454 casul like I usually do. With the first shot I had something come back on me and hit my cheek right below my shooting glasses! it must have come off the comp I am thinking but I have never had that happen before. It cut me and I bled like ****! sort of scared the **** out of me too.
Has anyone ever had that happen to them before? What would make this happen in the first place? These are Hornady factory rounds. Now I think I have a piece of copper in my face for good now! Not good.
I was shooting single action so I am sure the cylinder was locked into place with the barrel, I just don't know.

 

[federali]

Wayward Bullets

As a firearms instructor, I lost count of how many times I caught ricochets and fragments, sometimes drawing blood. Need to wear you eye protection at all times.

Check this out:[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ABGIJwiGBc[/ame]

 

[ruggyh]

It could have been debris from the pressure out of the BC.

Mine have have removed all the paint (many layers) from the bench under the gun at the range I frequent. I removed a paint chip from my check once.

Have seen a number of 460s users cut sand bags open by placing the gap over the bag.

If you shoot from the ground I recommend shooting of a matte for that reason.

I would not expect any thing from the comp to blow back directly behind the gun.


Good luck and be safe
Ruggy

 

[Jakashh]

Had fragments from a full auto Mac 11 shooting steel hit me in the leg. Didn't cut through my jeans but left a nasty scar as I later found the next day.

 

[okiegtrider]

As a firearms instructor, I lost count of how many times I caught ricochets and fragments, sometimes drawing blood. Need to wear you eye protection at all times.

I've had the same experience. Caught a few fragments and seen others who did. If you spend a lot of time shooting or around a range, it happens. Wear the safety equipment!

 

[.455Eley]

Happened to me when I was in JR High shooting a .22. An entire 40gr Remington Thunderbolt ricocheted and embedded itself in my left cheek about a half inch below my glasses. It sure gave me the shakes for about an hour after I dug it out.

 

[Rooster1]

Good to know guys, I have never had this happen with all my hand guns but I am glad to here it is not all that uncommon. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[ameridaddy]

Bounceback

Had that happen to me with an early M-29 shooting paper one day.
I used the gun for metal silhouette competion, and my gun's accuracy load was also a max load in the loading tables. I found that at least once a year using those hot loads, I had to give the gun to a smith for retiming.
My first clue was a tickle on my neck one day during paper target practice. Swatting at it, my hand came away bloody, and long story short, a piece of shaved bullet jacket had bounced back off the forcing cone or frame and went through my ear. I had no more episodes like that, but when shooters next to me complained of being spattered, I knew the gun was due for a trip back to the smith.
He put in a ball detent on the crane, and that helped delay the recurrence, but did not cure the problem.

Get a smith to check your crane and timing.

 

[CLASSIC12]

I got hit in the cheek by a fragment of 5.56 fired from an AR 15. The i**ot on the next stall could not hit the target to save his life, kept hitting metallic protections 50 meters away on the 100 meters range. He had just rented the rifle. I went to see him and gave him an earful; then to the range officer too.

 

[vytoland]

at an indoor range a few years ago, I caught a bullet fragment coming back and it got me in the side of my face........it will really get your attention fast.........

 

[dave1918a2]

Early 29's have a small forcing cone. All of the 29's I have had took a trip to the local GS to open the forcing cone. This could also be the problem with Your 460. Good shooting.

 

[colt_saa]

Like other instructors, I can not tell you how many times I have been hit. It is one of the reasons that I used to be so hard on the Range Officers at my Uncle Hal's place to enforce the eye protection rule if they were ANYWHERE on the range, shooting or not

It happens much more frequently at shorter indoor pistol ranges. Many of the bullet trap designs require that the plates be oiled. Most operators try and get away with doing that maintenance as infrequently as possible.

 

[UncleEd]

Don't think it's ever been said if the OP was indoors or outdoors and what the backstop/backstops were.

My first thought was ricochet.

If steel backstops/targets are dippled by bullet or not angled
correctly for deflection, richochets back at shooters are almost
guaranteed.

 

[S&WIowegan]

Getting fragged when shooting or watching shooting is part of the deal. That is why it is absolutely essential to wear eye protection AT ALL TIMES. I have been fragged numerous times but rarely shed blood.

I was ROing a friend during an IPSC-style match when he shot a steel target and we both got fragged. I was hit in the chest by a chunk of lead and he was hit by a piece of the bullet jacket on his left forearm. He bled profusely and I told him at the time he had a piece embedded in his arm. Several days later the arm was so sore he went to a doc who removed the frag.

Many years ago at an IPSC match I saw a young spectator remove his eye protection. I quickly warned him to cover up. His father became enraged at me for speaking to his son. To teach me a lesson, they both refused to cover unless they were shooting. Think about that.....there is no limit on stubborn and stupid!

 

[rick1085]

In about 77 was picking up a 1911 at gun shop after getting some work done.
Gunsmith dcided to test fire and ask me and his son to watch the front door. He then proceeded to unload into a big old log in the back corner of the shop. Heard a whistle and caught glimpse of something headed my way in a hurry. The 230gr hardball centerpunched the smith's son in the forehead causing an golfball size welt.
Paid my bill grabbed my pistol and retreated. Never to return.

 

[scooter123]

I've been pelted numerous times it it's always seemed to happen when I was shooting 357 Magnums at a 50 foot indoor range I shoot at fairly regularly. At first I thought it was coming from the B/C gap or possibly a timing issue. Until I got hit with a fragment "below the Belt" when I was standing at the shooting bench. That finally drove home what was going on, 357 Magnums were energetic enough to bounce fragments all the way from the backstop. Now I only shoot my 357 Magnums at another range that features an indoor 50 yard rifle range. Have not been hit once since making that change.