Dangerous Steel poppers

[GmanCdp]

The scariest I ever had happen was from a Rebar Stand that had an 8" Plate on it at about 10 yards.

I was the R.O. and was right behind and a bit to the right of the shooter. He missed the plate and hit the rebar.

I actually saw the flat base of the JHP a micro second before it hit just below my nose and above the front right eyetooth.

Saw stars and bled like a !&*! for about 10 minutes. Luckily it was the shooters next to last shot.

I had nothing broken and ice took care of it.

My biggest concern is the T-Posts we hold up panels with. I always set them up so they aren't near the line of fire.

I cringe having to RO someone and they are shooting 3 feet away from one and having to shoot at a tight target, I will cravenly put them between me and the post.

I took a9mm full metal jacket cover round to the upper right side of my chest from 18yards after a shooter shot a T bar wall brace from 2 yards,trying to shoot around a corner"..Went in about 3/4 of an inch,we took some clippers and pulled it out,then gaused packed it..it was raining hard that day and went it hit,smoke was coming off my shirt" still have the round somewhere..

[Skydiver]

The scariest I ever had happen was from a Rebar Stand that had an 8" Plate on it at about 10 yards.

I was the R.O. and was right behind and a bit to the right of the shooter. He missed the plate and hit the rebar.

I actually saw the flat base of the JHP a micro second before it hit just below my nose and above the front right eyetooth.

Saw stars and bled like a !&*! for about 10 minutes. Luckily it was the shooters next to last shot.

I had nothing broken and ice took care of it.

My biggest concern is the T-Posts we hold up panels with. I always set them up so they aren't near the line of fire.

I cringe having to RO someone and they are shooting 3 feet away from one and having to shoot at a tight target, I will cravenly put them between me and the post.

I took a9mm full metal jacket cover round to the upper right side of my chest from 18yards after a shooter shot a T bar wall brace from 2 yards,trying to shoot around a corner"..Went in about 3/4 of an inch,we took some clippers and pulled it out,then gaused packed it..it was raining hard that day and went it hit,smoke was coming off my shirt" still have the round somewhere..

Yikes! I hope that your recovery from the wounds went well/is going well.

18 yards --> 51 feet. That's almost double of the USPSA minimum distance to steel. Ouch! Brings the last sentence of 2.1.3 in the USPSA rulebook into a new perspective.

2.1.3 Minimum Distances – Whenever metal targets or metal hard cover are used in a course of fire, precautions must be taken so that competitors and Match Officials maintain a minimum distance of 23 feet from them while they are being shot. Where possible, this should be done with physical barriers. If Fault Lines are used to limit the approach to metal targets, they must be placed at least 26 feet from the targets so that the competitor may inadvertently fault the line and still be outside the 23 feet minimum distance (see Rule 10.5.17). Care should also be taken in respect of metal props in the line of fire.

[doctimw]

Having read the entire postings on this thread it is very obvious that accidents do happen in the competitive world of firearms. Most of the incidents are showing the shooters only 10 yards from the steel. I know this is the "legal minimum" but if common sense was to prevail we would move it back. I personally shoot a 38 super comp 115g JHP traveling up to 1,500fps. If possible I never engage plate racks/poppers under 15 yards. This does two things. #1..It keeps an added room of safety in case of ricochet and #2..It allows me to train at the longer distance and if a match has steel at a closer range then I know I won't miss!! I admit to having had several ricochet hits on different parts of my face and body. Most of these were from other shooters and NOT due to steel but rather rock and debris found and collected over time in the berm itself and target stands. I agree with all of the posts regarding having trauma kits available and training given on the use of such products. Use common sense when using steel and plan/train for the accidents that can arise. Accidents can, do, and will always happen whether we are playing golf, flying airplanes, driving cars, making pancakes, or as strange as it may sound....shooting firearms. Let's not make everything illegal just because it poses a risk. In an accident your small Prius would just be a coffin. But you still drive it to work and stuff your family in it at highway speeds on vacations! Hmm...maybe there ought to be a law?