bullet ricochet inside indoor range

[dunsho]

i was at a indoor range, 25yrd. my bro was shooting a taurus pt24/7 pro 45 in the lane next to me and i saw a bullet ricochet* and landed about 4ft in front of me. i clearly saw the bullet flying in my direction, not at bullet speed, but still fast. it hit the floor about 4 feet in front of me. i didnt see or find where it had stopped.
i was surprised and a shocked and thought it was awesome. turned to tell my wife that was behind me, when a staff happened to walk by and asked me if i was sure, but he didn't do nothing. after that i shoot a few more rds but didn't feel comfortable so we left.

how often does that happen, sometimes see flatten lead but always assumed that it was swept there when they cleanned the range.

*i didnt see the actual ricochet just saw the flatten bullet fly towards me

[JIDinPhilly]

I was shooting with "sttaffy " a couple of weeks ago at an indoor range, when I felt something hit my left shin. I looked down, and sure enough, there was a warm piece of flattened lead. It didn't hurt, but it just goes to show why we wear eye protection at all times.

[StealthBeast]

I wouldn't be alarmed by ricochet. It's pretty normal with concrete or metal barriers. I've never seen one do more damage than a paintball.

[Kaos]

I wouldn't be alarmed by ricochet. It's pretty normal with concrete or metal barriers. I've never seen one do more damage than a paintball.

Depends on what round it is, this is why you dont see rifles too often used in indoor ranges...the jacket can definitely zing you.

I've been glanced in the face from a .223 jacket but my shooting glasses took the brunt of the energy from it.

Someone at the one group shoot (I will let them speak up if they'd like to) took a 30'06 jacket in the face and ended up needing stitches.

[zoom]

I took a class with John Farnam this past weekend at an indoor range. It was a 25yd range and we were shooting from the 7-10yd line. We saw a few ricochets laying on the ground. He picked one up and explained that it can happen no matter what your backstop is. The one we were using was steal so the bullets were flattened when they bounced off. He said most newer ranges use rubber which means when the bullet bounces off it will still be intact. He said the worst backstop to use is wood and recommended against shooting at things like bowling pins. He said that it is very unlikely for a ricochet to be fatal but if it hits you in the eye you may wish that it were fatal.

That was the first class I went to where the instructor required the guys with prescription glasses to wear sideshields (which he provided). And everyone was required to wear eye protection when on the range even if there was no shooting going on and while on break. Because, as he explained, at a range there are always going to be small metal particles in the air no matter how well it is cleaned. When the rangemaster came in without eye protection he quickly told him to go back and put them on.

[Swarner793]

My friends call me a bullet magnet. Over the course of years I have been hit probably two dozens times. We shoot steel plates/poppers at my place and I often get thumped.

A friend of mine (a Police Officer) was training at SCI Rockview and caught the ricochet of a steel jacket from a .45 ACP round. It impacted just below his chin bone and imbedded itself about 1 1/2 inches in his neck. That took a visit to the ER. He wanted to pull it out but the instructor insisted on the trip to the Hospital. Instruction Cadre, they are so picky (sorry Steve ).

Be safe (and protect your balls, eyes and otherwise).

Scott

[ReefBlue]

I pulled this out of my head with a pair of pliers after a training class. It was behind my right ear. An inch lower and it would have been in my neck.

[mikey]

I pulled this out of my head with a pair of pliers after a training class. It was behind my right ear. An inch lower and it would have been in my neck.

How did you get a penny stuck in your head??? That is some good magic trick!! They usually use a quarter instead.

[93-2.3]

i got hit in the leg already at an indoor range it stung a little but that was about it. can i say i was shot by a .45 after that? lol

[bloomautomatic]

dunsho, was it the full bullet or just the jacket? having pieces of jacket come back is more common than an entire bullet, although I've seen that happen too. all depends on how the bullet hits the backstop. at my club, our backstops are sloped about 35 degrees, so anything that hits them goes back into the sand pit to die. however, if a round hits some of the ironwork, or hits on a weird angle, it can come back. usually they don't have enough energy...usually...except for when they do...and you end up with a cut or a bruise.

as for the employee's reaction, I don't think I would take any action other than to explain what happened and make sure that the shooter is shooting into the backstop correctly - and wearing eye protection.

Vince