Sean Gaines Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 Today I was shooting a local match and was the first shooter of the first stage. I shot that stage and was reloading for the next stage while watching the following shooter. He shot a 35 yard Popper and all I saw was a bullet fragment flying towards my face. The fragment hit my cheek just right under my eye. It almost reminds me of when you are driving and a bug hits your windshield right in front of you. It startled me because the fragment looked big, almost like the size of a full size bullet. My first thought was, Oh crap I've got a slug in my cheek. I immediately touched the area to find out if that was the case or if there was a fragment there, but nothing except blood. the fragment hit about 1 1/2 inches from my left eye. It just really scared the heck out of me. I think we sometimes take it for granted that we are shooting at a flat peice of steel and riccochet are going to happen and that we need to be prepared for them. Luckily I was wearing wrap around type eye protection, that went over the part were the eye cavity begins and wraps around the eye completly. If I didn't have that I think if that fragment would have hit me a 1/4 to a 1/2 in higher, I think the shape of the eye socket would have guided it into my eye ball. But it made me think that we are shooting steel and there are fragments flying around all the shooters, and because they are moving so fast that we don't see them or notice them until we get hit. I then started looking at other peoples eye wear and noticed that some were using just like regular prescription glases, which would not protect your eye from a side hit. I just feel fortunate that I have an eye left, and I just wanted to post this because I dont want anybody to loose their eye and not to take eye wear for granted, buy the good stuff and have fun. Today could have been a life changer, but thank god it wasn't happy shooting PK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j2fast Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 I then started looking at other peoples eye wear and noticed that some were using just like regular prescription glases, which would not protect your eye from a side hit. I got fragged last year, luckily it was just my shin that got cut. Glad to hear it was just your cheek that took the hit. It always amazes my how many folks don't wear wrap-around protection of some sort. $10 sunglasses from Wally World aren't likely to save your eye from much of anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiten Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 You got hit from a popper at 35 yards? Wow, did anyone take a look at the popper for any signs of cratering? That popper might have to be retired or else there might be a next time with a more serious injury... Cor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Gaines Posted September 10, 2006 Author Share Posted September 10, 2006 You got hit from a popper at 35 yards? Wow, did anyone take a look at the popper for any signs of cratering? That popper might have to be retired or else there might be a next time with a more serious injury...Cor Wow, thats what everyone said to, got hit with a frag from a 35 yd popper. I was watching the targets as he shot them, so I know it was from the that one. And actually I was back another 5yds or so, so it was probably more like 40yds you know I didn't even bother to look at the steel, but the steel at this match seems to be high quality. I think I will look at the steel a little closer next time I go, but even if it was cratered i doubt they would do anything about it until the poper breaks or something to that effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 I've got a 6 pack of Blue Moon that says it was either poorly maintained and/or designed and/or placed steel. And... I hate bureaucracy more than anyone, but we need to have some standards for steel design and maintenance in the sport. I also think that we, as club shooters, need to start taking some responsibilityas well. One of the reasons that steel targets shoot back is that we're not willing to pay match fees that allow proper maintence and retirement of old targets. I'd much rather pay an extra $5 to $10 a match and be shooting fresh, smooth AR500 targets, and forward-falling poppers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Gaines Posted September 10, 2006 Author Share Posted September 10, 2006 I was talking to a buddy of mine who happens to be the head Range officer of the biggest shooting facility in Houston, and he was telling me pretty much the same thing. He also brought up a good point about your teeth being vulnerable to taking a blow. Never even thought about it, but you could be standing there and talking with a buddy, and a fragment hit your tooth and break/chip it or possibly the fragment entering the mouth, which could be fatal. I think at the force that this fragment hit me in cheek, if it were to hit a tooth, I think I would have "Summer teeth". some are there some are not. Fortunatly all is good, just a little sore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Post Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 I hate that too, been hit a few times, but there is something funny about someone nicknamed "Paperkiller" being shot by a target. Glad your ok George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Gaines Posted September 10, 2006 Author Share Posted September 10, 2006 I hate that too, been hit a few times, but there is something funny about someone nicknamed "Paperkiller" being shot by a target.Glad your ok George yeah and my slogan says "run and shoot as if the targets are shooting back" lol I guess they got me this time. I have been shooting them for a while now. Another thing I wanted to say regarding protection. I think hats are another good form of protection, that are not really utilized. I think having a hat on, and getting hit by a sharp frag could utlimately be enough to stop the frag from penetrating your scalp. Just thought I would throw that one in also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD Niner Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 I've been hit several times by fragments and twice by entire lead bullets that ricocheted off of a steel target. The one time I was hit in the neck just under my jaw. The other time was at the Florida Open earlier this year. I was taping a target and a ricochet popped over the berm between my bay and the next one before making a bee line for the area between the front of my shirt and my chest. The rest of the guys in my squad thought I was doing some kind of King Kong action because I was swatting at my chest. That sucker was hot! Fortunately, I've never been seriously injured. However, I always have eye protection on no matter how far I am from steel targets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 Yea and its amazing that I have argued with Range Squirrels that you need to have eye protection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaJoe Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 I as hit right above my right eye while shooting a plate rack at our club. The front piece of the plate rack isn't angled away from the shooter so the round came right back at me. I thought someone sneaked up and punched me in the face. No one wanted to repair the plate rack so it is gone. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 Glad to hear that you still have your eye! It's a great reminder to ALWAYS keep your glasses on. Punish the next 1000 poppers that you see by knocking 'em over! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted September 11, 2006 Share Posted September 11, 2006 One time I was at a local match with TMC and a few other people. TMC was RO'ing someone and in the middle of the stage he yells "STOP!", shooter stops with an incredulous look on his face, TMC grabs his lower jaw, hands the timer off to someone and runs to the first aid kit inside the shack. Apparently the steel had been shot so much and not maintained that it had gone parabolic and a piece of the shooter's bullet came back, past the shooter and ripped a nice gash in TMC's lower jaw just beneath his chin but above his adams apple. Made a nice little gash about 1.5 inches long and you can still see the scar today (last I looked anyway). I've usually been lucky, but today we were all being hit by bits of bullet bouncing off plates downrange. They were 7 meters from the shooter, but the angle made it such that anyone within about 10-15 yards was catching flak from these dang things. I made it a point to be behind a wall, and still got nailed (must have come over the wall). It was a tad annoying to say the least.. Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartzpad Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 For all those that have questions about the characteristics and safety of shooting steel targets. Please take minute to download and read the following .pdf "Steel Target Resource Guide". Roughly 20 years of steel target manufacturing and shooting experience has been incorporated into this guide and it will greatly reduce the number of ricochets that people experience. Steel Target Resource Guide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz-0 Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 He also brought up a good point about your teeth being vulnerable to taking a blow. I've caught a fragment in the teet. I have to say it dind't break anything, but that wasn't for lack of trying. It is also MIGHTY unpleasant. Like fingernails ona balckboard meets hitting your funnybone plus a trip to the dentist. BLECH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bore Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 I always end up getting hit. At the Iron Man I caught a piece of buck shot coming off of some steel , cut my cheek under my glasses. Glad I was wearing them. I also had a 12 gauge slug come over a berm probably 200 yards away and hit my newly painted truck and dented the fender. I'm just glad I was not standing there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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