Scary Day at the Range!

[RobertJ.]

I'm glad your son is okay!

Years ago my friend Kip and I were at a gravel pit where someone had dropped off a couple of tall propane tanks. We were about twenty yards away from them, and Kip decided to shoot one with his .380. We were about ten feet apart, and heard the ricochet zip right in between us. We looked at each other with eyes as big as silver dollars, and that was the last time either one of us shot at one of those!

 

[chief38]

Sorry to hear that! Hope he is on the mend.

Shooting is an inherently dangerous sport and although it goes against human nature, we can NEVER EVER let up being safety cautious. That said, sometimes stuff still happens. That is why eye and ear protection must ALWAYS be worn! I always wear a baseball hat too - even indoors. It helps deflect hot brass, lead dust spray, segments of ricochets to some extent, not to mention keeps your hair cleaner.

When shooting at steel plates, the angle of the target plate is always important for ricochet control or bounce back control. During my 20 year stint shooting Cowboy Matches (SASS member) I have gotten nicked, hit, and dinged by ricochet's more than once. Thankfully, I have always worn a hat and eye protection so the damage was never more than a red mark, a light cut or sting. I suppose once can say it comes with the territory but it is best to be preppared as best as possible.

Again, sorry for your son's episode and hope he gets "back on the horse" as well as feeling better again soon!

BTW surfing, skiing, football, rugby, hockey, etc. are dangerous as well - doesn't mean they should go away!

 

[jeffrefrig]

I swear I have that exact same knife in your photos in my tackle box! The blade has tarnished from keeping it in the leather sheath but it still works just fine. I was very young in the 1960's and my mom bought it for me with S & H Green stamps. Anyone remember those?

That's the time period for this knife, from what little I know about it. It's an Imperial, made up in RI. It was only $15. The guy was trying to tell me it was from around 1917 or so. I usually don't carry a sheath knife, but my "rear upper leg" area is happy I had it on! Mom used to throw a big bunch of Green Stamps at me to stick into the books (to get me out of her hair!) There were gold stamps, too, but not as popular.

 

[Smithboomer]

I have stopped using steel targets ever since I discovered Throom shoot-thru soft targets.

 

[CajunBass]

There were gold stamps, too, but not as popular.

Those were probably "Top Value" or something like that. Those are the ones my mother saved. I got my first fishing rod/reel with those, a Bronson 59.

The only steel I've ever shot was back in my IPSC days. I don't remember any ricochet incidents, but boy did love that "BANG! PLINK! FLOP" of a Pepper Popper. They had a spring on the baseplate to catch the Popper and it would bounce up and down a little when it fell. We called that "the dying quiver."

When I was a kid, a buddy and I were out with a 22 rifle and decided it would be a good idea to shoot at the pond. And I mean AT the pond. It didn't take but a few rounds to realize that weird BRRRRRRRRRR noise was the bullet ricocheting off the water, and flying off into the tree on the other side. Fortunately it was a couple of miles through those woods to anything, but we agreed it was probably not as good an idea as we thought it. Never tried that again.

Glad everyone was OK.

 

[glenwolde]

It's not just spent bullets that can come back and hit you. Years ago I was the chief range officer for the bowling pin matches at my club. One day somebody shot a bowling pin that came apart and the plastic base plug flew back and hit me in the head!

I was shooting at a handgun range that had poor protection between shooters. The guy next to me was shooting factory ammo in a Model 29.

I felt a sting on my right forearm and looked down to see a trickle of blood. Apparently his cylinder alignment was off. A large piece of copper jacket material sheared off and landed in my arm. I pulled it out and they put a bandaid on me and went back to shooting. The guy with the 29 decided he should stop after a discussion with the RSO.

 

[chief38]

ANGLE the plates!

 

[BE Mike]

Sorry to hear that! Hope he is on the mend.

Shooting is an inherently dangerous sport and although it goes against human nature, we can NEVER EVER let up being safety cautious. That said, sometimes stuff still happens. That is why eye and ear protection must ALWAYS be worn! I always wear a baseball hat too - even indoors. It helps deflect hot brass, lead dust spray, segments of ricochets to some extent, not to mention keeps your hair cleaner.

When shooting at steel plates, the angle of the target plate is always important for ricochet control or bounce back control. During my 20 year stint shooting Cowboy Matches (SASS member) I have gotten nicked, hit, and dinged by ricochet's more than once. Thankfully, I have always worn a hat and eye protection so the damage was never more than a red mark, a light cut or sting. I suppose once can say it comes with the territory but it is best to be preppared as best as possible.

Again, sorry for your son's episode and hope he gets "back on the horse" as well as feeling better again soon!

BTW surfing, skiing, football, rugby, hockey, etc. are dangerous as well - doesn't mean they should go away!

I respectfully disagree. I was involved in competitive pistol shooting for a few decades and also was a range officer. I never saw anyone injured beyond a very, very rare small cut. On the other hand, I know of a lot of lifelong injuries of folks who, for example, played football and hockey. Organized shooting, as a whole, is safe. Shooting steel is dangerous and especially so when folks shoot at targets that are improperly set up or damaged. Most of the time, this happens when shooters are doing it on their own and take chances with equipment that wouldn't be allowed at organized matches and/ or at unsafe distances.

 

[OFT II]

There were gold stamps, too, but not as popular.

Those might have been "Gold Bond" stamps. I think that we're showing our age by discussing trading stamps.

 

[GypsmJim]

My club's indoor range has an angled steel backstop and jacketed bullets are not permitted.

All the outdoor ranges have a "mountain" behind them, with RR ties between ranges. Steel targets are strictly forbidden.

I share an outdoor range with a friend at our adjoining camps. Once I found a steel plate that he had been shooting at and I threw that sucker as far into the woods as I could.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the advantage / reason / thrill of shooting at steel targets?

 

[max503]

Back in my younger days I wanted to see what a lead 44 magnum would do to a railroad rail. I stood perpendicular to my "target". When that slug rebounded past my right ear it sounded like a helicopter. Lesson learned.
Me and a friend had a 22 short rebound off a cedar tree and fly back right between us.
My mom always told me I have two guardian angels.

 

[somorris]

Agree steel can be dangerous but even #9 shot on a skeet range can ricochet. Was sitting on the scoring stand behind station 4 while my partner on station 1 broke a low house not far from the high house nearly 180 degrees away from me. I felt something hit the sleeve of my shirt and there was a piece of lead shot laying on my sleeve. We surmised it must have somehow followed the round lip of the pigeon and came back the other direction. If I hadn't been there I wouldn't believe that was even possible. No other shooters in the area.

And I was just thinking that all of us needed to switch to shooting clays! Thanks for your post. I never would have believed this could happen!

 

[BE Mike]

My club's indoor range has an angled steel backstop and jacketed bullets are not permitted.

All the outdoor ranges have a "mountain" behind them, with RR ties between ranges. Steel targets are strictly forbidden.

I share an outdoor range with a friend at our adjoining camps. Once I found a steel plate that he had been shooting at and I threw that sucker as far into the woods as I could.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the advantage / reason / thrill of shooting at steel targets?

There is a satisfaction of hearing the ring! Also there isn't a big bad shot launched into space on a paper target to remind you of your bad shots, so you feel like you are much better than you are!

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the advantage / reason / thrill of shooting at steel targets?

In CAS that's the only way to count hits and misses. It's not a bullseye sport.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Folks like hearing the "clang" on the steel which gives almost instant feedback on a hit.

Much like hitting a spittoon at distance.

 

[smoothshooter]

Me and my son were shooting steel at 20 yards with mild lead .357 loads the other day. My son was next ,2nd shot and a ricochet bounced off his skull in a really bad way. Dead center high. Thank God he didn't get killed or really hurt bad. Major concussion, lots of blood.
This is something we've done for years and never had an incident, have literally fired thousands of rounds at steel at the range. Completely a stroke of bad luck. It's the scariest thing I've ever been through shooting. Wasn't that scared when they told me I had Stage 4 Colon Cancer!
Goes to show never take anything for granted. Wear your PPE. This can and always will be a dangerous sport.
My son ( 20 years old) has got PTSD. Told me he will stick with rifles and shotguns were he excels.
Stay safe out there fellow shooters. Accidents happen.

Before shooting any steel targets I always check them carefully for craters. Those are what will send a partial or complete bullet back at you.
If the target is cratered, and you still want to shoot it, don't square up with it to shoot. Offset yourself 15 to 20 degrees to one side or the other so that all bullets and fragments glance AWAY from your position.

 

[Luke Duke]

Thanks to everyone for your positive concern for my son. The steel target we were shooting at was a swinger on chains that was in horrible condition. Beat up pretty bad. After reading some of these posts, I should have known better. Will not ever make that mistake again!
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all.

 

[mtgianni]

I helped referee summer biathlon matches which are shot at steel. I have never heard of a ricochet harming anyone. Shooters have eye and ear protection and wear tank-tops and shorts. They would know if something came back.
The difference is shots are 22 lr at 25 yards.

The only advantage to steel is not needing to reset paper targets.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Organized shooting is one of the safest sports extant.

Unorganized shooting is very dangerous.

 

[tops]

Wouldn't steel targets be safer for the shooter if they were convex instead of flat? Just asking. Larry