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When Steel Shoots Back...


Sharyn

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I so glad you're all right. That could have been ugly around the face.

I was shooting 124gr JHPs at about 1400fps. I think that prop was removed from the range while I was transported to the ER.

Everyone seems to always want to blame the steel. I suggest you blame the JHP. An FMJ or a cast lead bullet is far less likely to inflict that kind of wound. Your JHP turned into a Ninja Star. Texas Steel had a similar incident, and everyone got on a minor power factor only kick. I submit the danger is in the JHP, not the power factor or the steel.

Again Sharyn, we're all really glad you're OK.

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Hi Sharyn, Glad you survived and in good spirits. These things happen infrequently, but are scary none the less. I got hit in the hand by a .45 that had done a 180 in a steel rim that was supporting a very low to the ground plate. Felt like someone hit me will a ball peen hammar. I thougth it shattered a bone in my hand, but fortunately only turned out to be a bone bruse and laceration, no fragment left behind. Stay safe out there.

Doug

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Wow Sharyn! Glad to hear you'll come away with only a minor scar for a good war story. It really does reinforce the lesson of wearing GOOD shooting glasses that are impact resistant because you never know when something will bounce back and smack you one right in the face.

It happened to me once when I was RO'ing. The target was a slightly curved pepper popper at 12 yds. Shooter was using 230gn ball .45. He broke the shot and it felt like someone punched me in the chest. I fully expected to look down and see myself blowing bubbles. Turns out the splashback (round with jagged edges and the size of a silver dollar) hit me flat rather then turned on it's edge. I had a bruise the size of a tea saucer. Scared the bejeezes out of me.

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I was shooting 124gr JHPs at about 1400fps. I think that prop was removed from the range while I was transported to the ER.

Everyone seems to always want to blame the steel. I suggest you blame the JHP. An FMJ or a cast lead bullet is far less likely to inflict that kind of wound. Your JHP turned into a Ninja Star. Texas Steel had a similar incident, and everyone got on a minor power factor only kick. I submit the danger is in the JHP, not the power factor or the steel.

Again Sharyn, we're all really glad you're OK.

In my experience JHPs splatter better-- the chunks that come off are sharper, but go less far. FMJ's have a habit of coming back in bigger pieces that go further.. six of one, half a dozen of the other.. IIRC the FBI recommends shooting steel with JHPs over 1200 FPS or so for least chance of injury.

Couple good articles, including one of the dangers of obstructions to the splatter path:

http://www.actiontarget.com/pdf/The_Truth_...eel_Targets.pdf

http://www.policeone.com/police-products/t...articles/67903/

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IME, most of the splashbacks I've been nailed with have been from cratered steel or ammo on the lower end of the power spectrum. And I got nailed by a splashback like Carina did a couple years ago. Scared the holy hell out of me. I took the better part of a 45 slug right on top of my liver. I was actually afraid to look down because I thought for sure I was going to be needing an emergency room.

And yeah, I know freak accidents occur, but I've shot at least 10K at my homebuilt plate rack now and I've never so much as been grazed by splashback. Good design and maintenance go a long way toward shooter safety. I think clubs really need to take a critical look at their steel with an eye toward eliminating ricochet paths back to the shooter. You don't even need armor plate for pistol rounds. The splash plate on my rack is 3/8" cold roll angled at 45 deg. and it looks practically new. So, there are big dividends to be had even with humble means.

E

Edited by EricW
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Sharyn I am glade you are all right. I now know not to stand near you or my Shea at a steel match. She got hit again the other day just not near as bad her last match. I had a steel match this weekend and Shea and I walked all the steel before the match. I hope you are feeling better! Shea said cool, 5 stitches that was her luckey number also!

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Guys I don't know where you’re getting your info on HP's. I have been frag'd less with HP than I ever had with FMJ. I shoot a lot of steel! It was an FMJ from my daughter’s gun that tore her finger open! I would much rather have a whole bunch of little pieces chasing me down than the whole piece. Once again Sharyn I am glade you’re all right. When it happen to Shea my greatest fear was what if that would have hit her in the neck! Un-like your frag Shea’s bone stopped it from going any deeper.

Edited by MarkS_A18138
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I have been frag'd less with HP than I ever had with FMJ.

The copper jacket is far more likely to separate from a JHP than from a FMJ which I would say almost never happens and it's the sharp jagged copper shards that do the most harm.

Perhaps it would be appropriate for a mod to split this off to a more appropriate thread?

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I have a 1/4" square piece of jacket embedded in the bone in my right inner leg just below the knee. I was standing, watching shooters when something hit my leg (A ballpeen hammer is the same analogy I used) and about knocked it out from under me. It came off a badly pitted 8" plate about 40 yards from where I was standing. My sock was solid red by the time I looked down. It bled like crazy.

I bandaged it, finished the match, and then went to the Emergency room and got it stitched up. My Orthopedic Dr. took X-Rays and showed the piece but didn't want to remove it due to it being close to the knee and it's so embedded in the bone that it's very unlikely that it will ever move on its own.

The thing that really sucks is that it only left a little 4 stitch scar that you can barely see so I didn't even get the "Scars are cool" style points out of it.

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I had the same thing happen to me on several occasions. I wasn't even on the same range! Gives new meaning to minimum target distance. One was this guy that always shoots steel spinners. I HATE those things, they spray crap every where. Other guys I have had encounters with where the full auto guys that shoot steel at about 30-40 yards with a frickin 308 FAL carbine! They just show up to to spray lead everywhere! I am suprised there are not more problems. I have one MGM mini auto popper. I always angle it slightly away from the line. I have a couple of those newbold plastic targets that do just as good job as steel. I am going to build a cheap plate rack out of them. Hope the scars heal well Sharyn.

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