Close calls while shooting?

Pinecone · Feb 21, 2017

Minuteman said:
I'm pretty sure I related this one elsewhere in these forums...

Many years ago while I was routinely attending run/gun shoots and participating in outdoor shoot-house events with a couple local/county swat teams stationed in Georgia; I went up on the cat-walk to watch the others. This was a customary practice back then, so after you went through the house, it was ok for participants to climb up and stand on the cat-walk with the RSO and look down on others while they did the same drills/clearing/etc. One time I caught a piece of bullet splatter that hit steel and bounced back and up, hitting me in the forehead. It was a pretty solid 'thwack!' but only a scratch. I always wear safety glasses now, especially when anyone is shooting steel.

Back in the 90s they had a freak mishap at a USPSA match. Jacket from a bullet splashed off of steel, went behind the line, hit a kid, and killed him. Sliced an artery.

Pinecone · Feb 21, 2017

Minuteman said:
Wow, there have been many more reporting of this initially believed rare occurrence. Thankfully you knew better and kept it pointing down range during loading.

Also its a blessing I didn't have a similar incident, I sent mine in during the recall, took about 2 months; how quick did they turn yours around?

Mine was back in about 10 days.

BenL · Feb 21, 2017

I shot a round of sporting clays with a guy (I didn't know) that sent a 1 oz slug down range. Twice.

Also, when I bought my 17 HMR, I cleaned it like I do with all factory-new guns; this particular rifle had piece of a zip tie wedged in the barrel (~ 1/3 of the way in from the breach end.) It probably would have been fine, but still...

j_h_smith · Feb 21, 2017

BenL said:
I shot a round of sporting clays with a guy (I didn't know) that sent a 1 oz slug down range. Twice.

Also, when I bought my 17 HMR, I cleaned it like I do with all factory-new guns; this particular rifle had piece of a zip tie wedged in the barrel (~ 1/3 of the way in from the breach end.) It probably would have been fine, but still...

Yeah... but did he hit the bird?

Doctor_M · Feb 21, 2017

Sigh... just had one of these moments with my daughter a few weeks ago. I had her shooting her Henry lever action .22... all was going well. She went though a magazine and stopped. I thought it sounded like she hadn't shot the full tube yet so I asked her, "Are you sure you are empty"... here I expected her to open the chamber and look... instead she said "Yes... see..." and she pulls the trigger. Sure enough... crack. Thankfully she had it pointed down range, but we were done shooting for the day and you can rest assured that I turned this into a moment that teaches. I think she got the message, but my vigilance level just went up by a factor of 10.

Boss · Feb 21, 2017

Im always nervous about indoor ranges. It seems too easy for a new shooter to send one into the next stall. Have there been any accidents at local indoor ranges?

Minuteman · Feb 21, 2017

Pinecone said:
Mine was back in about 10 days.

That's fast. I think I sent mine in during the peak of the recall activity.

VTHokies · Feb 21, 2017

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's responses to this. It has taught me that you really cannot trust everyone and that you need to protect yourself when shooting with others. Also, that you need to make sure to ALWAYS be aware of what is downrange of your target and the potential for ricochet.

CrazySanMan · Feb 21, 2017

Minuteman said:
Wow, there have been many more reporting of this initially believed rare occurrence. Thankfully you knew better and kept it pointing down range during loading.

Also its a blessing I didn't have a similar incident, I sent mine in during the recall, took about 2 months; how quick did they turn yours around?

I think mine was about 2 months. I believe we had a thread that tracked when every sent them off and received them back.

j_h_smith · Feb 21, 2017

Boss said:
Im always nervous about indoor ranges. It seems too easy for a new shooter to send one into the next stall. Have there been any accidents at local indoor ranges?

ND for sure, but I've never heard of one where one person shot a complete stranger. But I have heard of suicides taking place at indoor ranges.

travistheone · Feb 22, 2017

people end up shooting themselves more often than someone else.

navycraig · Feb 22, 2017

I do most of my shooting at a local farm where I hunt. Last summer my buddy bought his wife a small .22 revolver (cute lil thing, it is) and wanted to teach her to use it so off to the farm we go. He took a couple of his pistols and her revolver and I took nothing...not wanting to add more complexity to the situation. Anyway, he went over all the safety rules with her, showed her how to cock and de-cock it (while empty) and made her go through the process several times. Cock, de-cock, cock, dry fire, etc., etc. Finally he loads it for her and she gets to shoot. He then teaches her how to eject the spend casings and reload. She shoots a couple more cylinders full and seems to be getting it. Now he lets her do everything herself and all is good. He steps up to the line to shoot and I'm sitting in the back of the truck watching. She loads the revolver and waits. I guess I should have kept a closer eye on her, but did not catch that she had decided to "practice" de-cocking while it was loaded. Sure nuff, bang (cause a .22 really does not go BOOB) and she had fired a round...thankfully into the ground right between her feet.

JTH20 · Feb 22, 2017

Not really a close call but I had a shooting buddy's wife fire a round in the ceiling of an indoor range since she wasn't used to standard capacity magazines and thought the pistol was empty after 10 shots.
Luckily it was pointed downrange.

Ian · Feb 22, 2017

Shooting with some CSharps machinists when I was 15. We where standing in front of our cars, shooting at some really cool explosive targets. Those guys always had cool targets. One of them asked if the pistol I was waving around was empty. Of course, I said, pulled the trigger, and shot out the windshield of his pickup. Felt like I was 2 inches tall, all of a sudden.

lazarus · Feb 25, 2017

AACo said:
'Twas a glorious morning at AGC. A day which also happened to be a hunter sight in day. The gentleman next to me went to clear his muzzleloader, but didn't realize it was loaded. Luckily, it was pointed down. A blast of dirt, dust and smoke is all I have to share about it. Had to step away to collect myself for a bit while the RSOs chewed him out.

That is why my one ML which is an inline I ALWAYS remove the breech screw before I load a cap to foul it with a primer.

BossmanPJ · Feb 25, 2017

Ian said:
Shooting with some CSharps machinists when I was 15. We where standing in front of our cars, shooting at some really cool explosive targets. Those guys always had cool targets. One of them asked if the pistol I was waving around was empty. Of course, I said, pulled the trigger, and shot out the windshield of his pickup. Felt like I was 2 inches tall, all of a sudden.

Haha. Damn. That's a good one.

The only thing I can ad to this thread happened a few weeks ago. I was shooting my Grandfathers Carcano at a local range and a group of people walked downrange behind me while I was firing. Caught it in a photo that my cousin was taking of me.

lazarus · Feb 26, 2017

Well damn in those idiots heading down range while it was still hot.

That said, closest I've come is once a regular cease fire was called and about a minute later I took 2 steps past the firing line and the RO started yelling at me because they hadn't declared it safe yet.

Oops. Was embarrassed as hell about that and had that cold crawling sensation down my back the rest of the day.

lazarus · Feb 26, 2017

BenL said:
I shot a round of sporting clays with a guy (I didn't know) that sent a 1 oz slug down range. Twice.

Also, when I bought my 17 HMR, I cleaned it like I do with all factory-new guns; this particular rifle had piece of a zip tie wedged in the barrel (~ 1/3 of the way in from the breach end.) It probably would have been fine, but still...

My mossberg plinkster had something similar lodged in the barrel. I make absolutely sure I clean the bore of all new guns. I had before, but same deal now I make SURE I clean the chamber and bore of all new (and new to me) guns.

HeatSeeker · Feb 26, 2017

When I was about 12 I was making the jump from my .410 single shot to my new 16ga Wingmaster. We were hunting Greenridge and after loading and heading into the woods my Dad asked me to double check and make sure my safety was on. Instead of looking I put my finger on the trigger and blasted a round straight up between my Dad and I. Whenever I think about this incident I thank god that I did not shoot my Dad that day. Terrible way to learn it but my trigger discipline has been impeccable since then.

F2S · Feb 26, 2017

During muzzleloader season, went out to usual hunting property loaded muzzleloader, put primer in my pocket. Once I got to my spot, put in the primer in. After the hunt get back to truck and unload muzzleloader. When I push the rod through a bullet came out with two powder pellets, THEN another bullet with two powder pellets followed behind. Thank God I have a good streak of not shooting anything. My heart dropped and I felt so sick, thinking what would have happened.

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Close calls while shooting?

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