I was hit by a bullet fragment today - Page 2

curt.45 · July 7, 2015, 05:09 PM

had the same thing happen to me, in the gut wearing a thin T shirt, i wear a Carhart jacket now, and a hat....always wear safety glasses, cant see with out them.

Ghost22 · July 7, 2015, 07:52 PM

I think I'll write it off as a cost of shooting. Dirt bike enthusiast break bones, we occasionally have a two way range.

To answer the question about the range 'triangles', they basically angle back to the berm at around 30 degrees, and help protect the edges from sides of the range. Without them, I can see a ricochet running down the wall until it found a seam or ridge and splattering back. Of course, if it is dished out, it's not doing its job very well. I've seen them on other steel walls ranges, but not on ranges with CMUs or other masonry. Maybe the concrete breaks up the strays better, or its a newer design.

The next time I go the this particular range, I might mention it again to the manager while checking in (and maybe wait for a better lane).

As far as the rapper names, yall crack me up. I've been called Chinstrap more than anything because of the bandage I wore yesterday, and Frag and Ricochet by my wife.

Pert316 · July 7, 2015, 11:42 PM

Same happen to me at a indoor range. I was loading a magazine not even shooting and some shrap from the shooter to my left hit me in the cheek. Burned like hell for a second or two then I wiped my face and sure enough I was bleeding. It must have been a very small fragment that came from the back stop. Kinda of scary. Good luck and be carful to everyone,best wishes.

**Mike Irwin** · July 8, 2015, 06:36 AM

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've been hit by chunks of rebounding bullet or jacket over the years. Stings for a moment, then goes away.

The worst, the one that REALLY hurt, though, was at a falling plate match some years ago. I was behind the line watching another shooter and a pretty significant chunk of lead came flying back and hit me in the mouth, under my lip, right on the base of the one lower canine. I let out a yell and a curse because it hurt like bloody hell. I was half afraid that it broke my tooth, and it did draw a little blood.

I'm pretty sure that Mal was at that match with me that day.

Stevie-Ray · July 15, 2015, 11:42 AM

Many moons ago, I was hit in the face by copper fragments, from an ill-timed .44 magnum. Was asked to check it and advise. Upon inspection, found copper fragments on one side of forcing cone, and promptly referred him to the gunsmith. Should have definitely checked that first-live and learn, but it instilled in me the importance of safety equipment, even though I still pulled fragments out of my face.

Glenn E. Meyer · July 15, 2015, 12:44 PM

I had my chin split by a fragment off steel. Bloody - yuk. The scariest was seeing a guy hit in the head by a rifle round fired in another lane that hit something and came back. It gave him a solid whack. I would have had it checked it but he just kept on doing what he was doing.

Saw a 45 ACP bounce off a tire and give a guy a solid whack in the chest. Just bruise.

micromontenegro · July 15, 2015, 12:59 PM

Many small fragments have hit me over the years, but once I had about 1/4 of a .45 ACP slug ricochet real hard onto my belly. It stopped right bellow the skin. Scary as hell, and quite painful. Left a scar, too. Dumb*ss in the next station had hit the ceiling.

Old Stony · July 15, 2015, 01:25 PM

In the early days of shooting IHMSA, lotsa people were hit with fragments. A lot of ranges used softer steel scrounged from wherever they could find it, and often it got pockmarked and would let pieces fly back at you. I have been hit a lot from that sort of stuff, and even saw a car windshield behind the firing line get cracked once.

shootniron · July 15, 2015, 04:29 PM

I was shooting in a pin match about 20yrs ago and while standing well behind a shooter, watching his performance, I had a complete, jacketed 230gr 45acp bullet come back and hit me on the left foot...hurt like a son-of-a-gun, too.

Boncrayon · July 15, 2015, 04:47 PM

I'm scratching my head on this one...
Inside Range at 3 feet? You must have pulled heavy on the trigger enough to twist your wrist radically in order to hit guards on the side. That sounds like a significant miss at 3 feet from the bull's eye. Most indoor ranges have a 25+foot distance down range.

hbhobby · July 15, 2015, 08:06 PM

I do pistol shooting weakly with steel targets and it is the rare occasion that I do NOT get hit with some sort of fragment. Drawing Blood is rare but I wear long sleeves and long pants so area exposed is small. Outdoor range with multiple shooting bays. You can sit under awning and hear it rain fragments

243winxb · July 15, 2015, 09:13 PM

Flint chip pushed by gas from flash hole drawed blood above my left eye, 14 feet away.

July 8, 2015, 06:36 AM	#29
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've been hit by chunks of rebounding bullet or jacket over the years. Stings for a moment, then goes away. The worst, the one that REALLY hurt, though, was at a falling plate match some years ago. I was behind the line watching another shooter and a pretty significant chunk of lead came flying back and hit me in the mouth, under my lip, right on the base of the one lower canine. I let out a yell and a curse because it hurt like bloody hell. I was half afraid that it broke my tooth, and it did draw a little blood. I'm pretty sure that Mal was at that match with me that day. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

July 15, 2015, 11:42 AM	#30
Stevie-Ray Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: The shores of Lake Huron Posts: 4,783	Many moons ago, I was hit in the face by copper fragments, from an ill-timed .44 magnum. Was asked to check it and advise. Upon inspection, found copper fragments on one side of forcing cone, and promptly referred him to the gunsmith. Should have definitely checked that first-live and learn, but it instilled in me the importance of safety equipment, even though I still pulled fragments out of my face. __________________ Stevie-Ray Join the NRA/ILA I am the weapon; my gun is a tool. It's regrettable that with some people those descriptors are reversed.

July 15, 2015, 12:44 PM	#31
Glenn E. Meyer Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2000 Posts: 20,064	I had my chin split by a fragment off steel. Bloody - yuk. The scariest was seeing a guy hit in the head by a rifle round fired in another lane that hit something and came back. It gave him a solid whack. I would have had it checked it but he just kept on doing what he was doing. Saw a 45 ACP bounce off a tire and give a guy a solid whack in the chest. Just bruise. __________________ NRA, TSRA, IDPA, NTI, Polite Soc. - Aux Armes, Citoyens

July 15, 2015, 04:47 PM	#35
Boncrayon Senior Member Join Date: March 24, 2008 Posts: 920	I was hit by a bullet fragment today I'm scratching my head on this one... Inside Range at 3 feet? You must have pulled heavy on the trigger enough to twist your wrist radically in order to hit guards on the side. That sounds like a significant miss at 3 feet from the bull's eye. Most indoor ranges have a 25+foot distance down range.

July 15, 2015, 09:13 PM	#37
243winxb Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2011 Location: USA Posts: 1,730	Flint lock muzzle loader Flint chip pushed by gas from flash hole drawed blood above my left eye, 14 feet away. Last edited by 243winxb; July 15, 2015 at 09:18 PM.

July 7, 2015, 05:09 PM	#26
curt.45 Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2008 Location: Fort Wayne Ind. Posts: 866	had the same thing happen to me, in the gut wearing a thin T shirt, i wear a Carhart jacket now, and a hat....always wear safety glasses, cant see with out them.

July 7, 2015, 07:52 PM	#27
Ghost22 Member Join Date: January 19, 2006 Posts: 89	I think I'll write it off as a cost of shooting. Dirt bike enthusiast break bones, we occasionally have a two way range. To answer the question about the range 'triangles', they basically angle back to the berm at around 30 degrees, and help protect the edges from sides of the range. Without them, I can see a ricochet running down the wall until it found a seam or ridge and splattering back. Of course, if it is dished out, it's not doing its job very well. I've seen them on other steel walls ranges, but not on ranges with CMUs or other masonry. Maybe the concrete breaks up the strays better, or its a newer design. The next time I go the this particular range, I might mention it again to the manager while checking in (and maybe wait for a better lane). As far as the rapper names, yall crack me up. I've been called Chinstrap more than anything because of the bandage I wore yesterday, and Frag and Ricochet by my wife.

July 7, 2015, 11:42 PM	#28
Pert316 Member Join Date: March 23, 2011 Posts: 42	Same happen to me at a indoor range. I was loading a magazine not even shooting and some shrap from the shooter to my left hit me in the cheek. Burned like hell for a second or two then I wiped my face and sure enough I was bleeding. It must have been a very small fragment that came from the back stop. Kinda of scary. Good luck and be carful to everyone,best wishes.

July 15, 2015, 12:59 PM	#32
micromontenegro Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2010 Posts: 647	Many small fragments have hit me over the years, but once I had about 1/4 of a .45 ACP slug ricochet real hard onto my belly. It stopped right bellow the skin. Scary as hell, and quite painful. Left a scar, too. Dumb*ss in the next station had hit the ceiling.

July 15, 2015, 01:25 PM	#33
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	In the early days of shooting IHMSA, lotsa people were hit with fragments. A lot of ranges used softer steel scrounged from wherever they could find it, and often it got pockmarked and would let pieces fly back at you. I have been hit a lot from that sort of stuff, and even saw a car windshield behind the firing line get cracked once.

July 15, 2015, 04:29 PM	#34
shootniron Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2011 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,599	I was shooting in a pin match about 20yrs ago and while standing well behind a shooter, watching his performance, I had a complete, jacketed 230gr 45acp bullet come back and hit me on the left foot...hurt like a son-of-a-gun, too.

July 15, 2015, 08:06 PM	#36
hbhobby Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2013 Location: Payson Az Posts: 169	I do pistol shooting weakly with steel targets and it is the rare occasion that I do NOT get hit with some sort of fragment. Drawing Blood is rare but I wear long sleeves and long pants so area exposed is small. Outdoor range with multiple shooting bays. You can sit under awning and hear it rain fragments