I got nailed by someones ricochet

[Kanewpadle]

I used to work at an indoor range. ANY ricochet is unacceptable. I hope you let the staff know.

Depending on their bullet trap system, it probably needs to be cleaned out. And the target carriers need to be redesigned.

 

[Squarebutt]

To the OP, my best wishes for a complete recovery. Glad the damage isn't any worse.
A couple of hard lessons I've collected: don't shoot at candlepins - the bullets go in one hole and make a perfect u-turn out of another. Also, don't shoot snake shot .38's at targets with plywood backers. The safety glasses saved my vision that day. The rest of my face was peppered.

 

[S&WForty]

I used to work at an indoor range. ANY ricochet is unacceptable. I hope you let the staff know.

Depending on their bullet trap system, it probably needs to be cleaned out. And the target carriers need to be redesigned.

Interesting. I showed the chunk of lead that got me to a range employee, and he shrugged and said something like "it happens." Grrrrr. ;(

 

[Grayfox]

Not a ricochet, but some years back I was shooting with a friend. He was firing PMC JHP .357s in a Manurhin revolver. I felt a sudden sting in my left arm and saw I was bleeding. I dug a 1/4" piece of jacket material out of the cut.
I checked the gun. Timing and alignment seemed to be just fine. Best guess is that the bullet came apart on firing and this piece of jacket escaped through the B/C gap.

 

[JeffG]

A number of years ago I was shooting my 1911 at an indoor range while my friend was shooting a 9MM in the lane next to me. He tapped me on my shoulder and pointed at the floor. Lying on the floor between us was a bright and shinny 45 caliber bullet. It was flattened on one side and when I picked it up it was almost too hot to hold...

 

[Kanewpadle]

Interesting. I showed the chunk of lead that got me to a range employee, and he shrugged and said something like "it happens." Grrrrr. ;(

Talk to your state L&I and see what they say.

 

[Fishslayer]

It got me on my left cheek. I felt this fleshy impact while I was reloading my mags. I was like, "what the blank, someone just shot me!" I think they hit the metal hanging target holder. The husband thinks the jacket from a 45 is what got me.

Glad it wasn't worse & heals up OK.

For future reference you might want to go for antibiotic cream or ointment instead of alcohol. Doc told me alcohol makes for worse scarring.

 

[DeathGrip]

Some one needs to design a perfect gun range where things like this don't happen.

When you do, let us know.

I'll go to the room and play my Atari and wait for it.

 

[hangnoose]

RICOCHET'S

Shooting at metal plates is not RECOMENDED, nor 100% safe under 25 yards, jacketed hollow point bullets are worse. we shoot lead only in steel challenge, 13 yards is the closest & people get hit now and again, and are very strict about eyes and ear protection. Nothing metal closer than 25 yards on the public range. RUB SOME DIRT ON IT, & call it a badge of honor.

 

[Fishslayer]

Some one needs to design a perfect gun range where things like this don't happen.

When you do, let us know.

I'll go to the room and play my Atari and wait for it.

The indoor range I go to used to be pretty bad. I routinely got popped by a bounceback (25 yards) while policing my brass. I'd also find chunks of lead & copper in my brass pickups.

The redid their trap system and so far no hits & haven't found any lead with my brass.

 

[tops]

Went to the range yesterday as many of you know and I got nailed by another shooters ricochet. Thought I would post a pic. This is the most close up of it I have seen. You just can't get an up close image of something in a mirror. Hopefully it does not scar too much!

If it leaves a scar I would tell it was from a knife or gun fight in Juarez. Larry

 

[pineappleshooter]

A couple of years ago at an indoor range I was participating in a pin shooting night. I was standing about 12 -15 feet behind the firing line waiting for our sections turn. A guy was shooting with a .40 semi auto pistol and I was watching him while talking with a couple of guys also waiting. I saw the bullet ricochet off the pin and head straight for me, slow enough that I could focus on it but too fast to dodge. It passed between the two guys and struck me dead center in the chest. Stung real bad and left a nasty bruise but didn't break skin. Lied to my wife about the bruise because she fears ricochets and doesn't like indoor ranges. Maybe she's right!

Had the same thing happen with a BB gun when I was a kid. I saw the BB bounce off of a tree and come straight back at me. I didn't have time to move and it hit me right between the eyes (no eye protection). I was lucky.

 

[Nico Testosteros]

I'm glad you are ok, AGoyette.

 

[Nightowl]

I have been hit several times, most by almost spent bullets that just stung a bit. I once had a piece of a .357 mag jacketed bullet bounce back and hit me in the face. Just thought it was a bullet that bounced off until about 10 years later caught the edge of a piece of metal while shaving. Pulled out a piece of jacket that had penetrated.

That looks like a clean cut. You might want to check to see if there is not a piece of metal in there. I never suspected that I was carrying a piece of jacket until it worked it's way out. It made a believe out of me for eye protection!!

 

[bgrone]

Richochet

Glad you're ok , you seem to have no shortage of excitement in your life lately.

Jim in Iowa

 

[rwsmith]

Ouch...

I guess it could always be worse. At least it didn't take stitches.


Don't shoot at live trees. i got a lead slug in the chest. Didn't break skin but it really got my attention.

 

[4506517]

I have taken multiple ricochets in my stomach, chest, feet, and legs. Never had one break the skin, but have had some leave huge horrendous multi color bruises. The first time it happened I was horrified. I NEVER shoot in shorts anymore.

 

[Mike McLellan]

If you didn't pistol whip on the spot, you missed the chance of a lifetime. I'd go back tomorrow, and take care of business. (Just kidding).

 

[skrazo]

I live on a farm and have my own private range. I routinely shoot stacked firewood in the cut ends and swinging steel targets at 7-10 yards. No ricochets to date, but after reading all the above posts, I'm definitely going to be more careful. I always wear eye and ear protection, and am fully clothed when I shoot.

 

[AGoyette]

Glad it wasn't worse & heals up OK.

For future reference you might want to go for antibiotic cream or ointment instead of alcohol. Doc told me alcohol makes for worse scarring.

I just used rubbing alcohol that day to clean it. I knew it would cause it to bleed more. I wanted that to help flush out anything inside it. I am now using butterfly strips and prescription strength anti-biotic ointment. A scar on a guys face can add interest, on a women's face though.. oh well, what's done is what's done. I have been struck before, to is hard not to have been when you have been shooting since the '80's, never like this though. I have no issues going back to the range. I have a better chance of winning the lottery than this happening again.

 

[HeyJoe]

keep that area of your face out of the sun when you take the bandage off until it heals. if you cant avoid the sun use a good sun block

 

[mtgianni]

All plates and steel should be hung by chains or cable. They need to move to deaden the bullet forces.
Glad you are OK, there is probably a waiver of liability stating shooting is dangerous at the range you agree to when you pay.

 

[Fishslayer]

I have a better chance of winning the lottery than this happening again.

The odds are exactly the same as getting hit the first time...

 

[30-30remchester]

HOPEFULLY it doesn't leave a scar? Girls dig guys with scars.

 

[captcook]

View attachment 147429 Glad your ok.

 

[11B Lifer]

First experience

My dad had just received a 1903A3 from DCM and I was 12- we went up on the dry lands of Colorado and shot at the chalk bluffs right at the Wyoming boarder-a round came back and hit the car-so we dug out some expended slugs and found some others near the car. They were squished and shaped like bananas-the jacketed rounds had gone into the chalk- made a u-turn and many had come back out.

 

[Cyrano]

I A scar on a guys face can add interest, on a women's face though.. oh well, what's done is what's done.

Back in the day, women wore stick-on black 'beauty patches' on their face to accentuate their beauty. Think of this as beauty patch, to accentuate your facial apearance.

 

[John Eilertson]

From what I can see here it looks like it will heal alright. Incredible odds against it, but things happen, only so much can be done. Be glad you didn't get it in the eye. You know, as a decades long hunter, I always pay close attention to anyone new to firearms. The slightest ''oops'' and you're a corpse. I never thought much about getting hurt at a range, but always do when hunting in a duck blind. Anybody's ever hunted much with shotguns knows the feeling of getting pellets dropping down on you from across the lake or field. And, maybe even done it ourselves at one time. Your incident shows the absolute necessity of glasses as well as muffs. I try to wear long pants, tho' not always a long sleeved shirt when out target shooting. Mostly I do that outdoors where I set up a temporary range. NEVER glass bottles, always pop cans or paper. Get better soon, and the odds are this will never happen again. Fingers crossed...

 

[vt_shooter]

I had a close call when I was about 16 - me and a buddy were standing about 5 feet apart, and I had the bright idea of shooting a .22 at a golfball that was about 30 feet away. I hit it, and we each heard the bullet whistle past us, I heard it to my left, he heard it to his right. In other words, it went between us. And that bullet was honking - I bet it was going pretty near the speed it left the barrel at. *Never* shoot a golf ball.

 

[Murphy's Law]

This has happened to me a few years back at an indoor range. Didn't break the skin (leg) but boy did it ever sting fora short time. Ironic thing was, I didn't realize what it was at first and was looking all around for reason as to what caused it. Guess it takes ones mind to realize I've been hit!