Anyone had a bullet come back at them

TXplt · 05-05-2008, 03:19 PM

Been shooting at indoor and outdoor ranges for many years (and this particular one is pretty well designed and I haven't ever had a problem). Angled metal plate at the end deflects the bullets up into a trap of some sort. All handgun ammo has been rated OK here.

Shooting on the left end; hit in the middle of the target (honest) had a factory UMC .45 hardball come back (very low velocity) and hit the girl shooting next to me in the hand. No damage to anyone--just startled us all a bit (drew just a little blood on her hand but everyone OK). Could see it coming back like someone throwing a baseball; no jacket but lead core intact (and hot). Told the range guy.

Anyone else seen ever seen this happen ? Guess that's why we wear eye protection but I've shot thousands of rounds there and this is the first I've seen this happen.

rondog · 05-05-2008, 03:44 PM

One time shooting bottles at an old abandoned house, with a concrete wall as a backdrop, a .22 LR slug came whizzing back right over my head and hit my brother standing behind me in the chest. Raised a big red welt on him. He still talks about that, and it was ~40 years ago.

chewy4480 · 05-05-2008, 04:05 PM

I've had 45 lc come back at me. I was shooting at a pile of hemlock 8X8's and I was trying to see the pattern of 22 mag bird shot so I put some paper on a sheet of ply wood and it come back and spray my face. Both times I never got hurt just stood further back.

TXplt · 05-05-2008, 04:11 PM

I guess the reason it surprised me is that the angled bullet deflector at the end seems well designed and the bullets should bounce roughly tangent-ish to it. Thinking it may have hit a seam or hit a dent or something and bounced off the left side of the trap or something.

Maybe they've added a "scorched earth" factor to foster better training (i.e. the paper is shooting back at you now

).

Romey · 05-05-2008, 04:19 PM

Its quite common to happen when shooting practical combat handgun or other pistol events especially shooting pepper poppers

jimkim · 05-05-2008, 04:21 PM

I copied this from "Safety lesson learned the hard way" I posted it on 4-23-2008

I had a buddy once that was shooting at some quarter inch Plexiglas. I was in the office and heard the bullets hitting the wall. I went out and warned him they were ricocheting. He laughed and told me I was overreacting. He then fired two more rounds. The last one bounced straight back at him and hit his trigger finger. It left a big welt on his finger. He found out when I take the time to warn someone of something they had better listen.

In other words if I get up off my fatA$$ Im serious

rondog · 05-05-2008, 04:26 PM

Bullets do strange things. Went to a big machinegun shoot this Saturday, and it was interesting watching thousands of tracer bullets ricocheting through the sky. You'd think when they hit dirt, they'd burrow in and stop....not so. The .50's were the coolest! Those suckers just disappeared into the distance. The firing line must have been 1000 yards long, couple hundred guns there at least, maybe more. Very cool! Sure glad I wasn't within 5 miles downrange.

Pumpkinheaver · 05-05-2008, 05:45 PM

I caught a round of hardball in the crotch one time while shooting bowlingpins and yes it sucked!!!!!!

sell33 · 05-05-2008, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pumpkinheaver

I caught a round of hardball in the crotch one time while shooting bowlingpins and yes it sucked!!!!!!

OUCH!

jimkim · 05-05-2008, 09:08 PM

Things that make you say

buahhahahahahaahhh!!!!!!!!

squirrelbaster · 05-05-2008, 09:15 PM

i had a 50 cal round ball from my buddys muzzle loader come back at us, he thougt it was going to be cool to shoot a hard wood tree...needles to say it bounced back at us. but luckly did not hit eather of us hit the dirt about 4 feet in front of us.

tippmann7 · 05-05-2008, 09:20 PM

just bb's from a bb gun but thats about it....maybe some shot from a shotgun but nothin to get excited about

Big Dog · 05-06-2008, 04:58 AM

Squirrelbaster, that's an experience I had too! Shooting my first Cap&Ball revolver thirty years ago at a big old dead oak tree - the .457 balls were bouncing off and dropping at my feet! I was wondering what that odd 'plunk!' was every time I'd shoot......

That wood was soft and spongy - the balls just bounced right off it. Weird.

A range buddy once shot a filled CO2 cartridge at 15 yards with his .22 rifle - the cartridge rocketed off and hit him in the chest! First time I ever saw a target shoot back! BWAHAHAHA!!

BloodRedStratus · 05-06-2008, 07:36 AM

When I was a kid I had a bb bounce off the target and come back and hit me in the leg. Scared the crap out of me when it happened. But I loaded it up again and continued shooting.

There was a story and video of a kid at an indoor gun range in Central Ohio that got hit by a 22. He was at the range and either him or someone next to him shot one of the metal clamps holding the target up and it came back and hit them. If I remember right, it did break the skin but didn't cause any major harm.

JohnBlaze · 05-06-2008, 09:32 AM

wow, kool stories.

Myself have never had it happen, I've just been lightly sprayed by buckshot twice, and one time 2 bb's hit me, one in the shin and one in the stomach. The one in my shin broke the skin and bled, but the one in the stomach didn't. The weird thing is the one in the stomach hurt, and the other one I barely felt. Weird huh?

ander254 · 05-07-2008, 07:38 PM

if you search for desert eagle on youtube, you will find a video of a guy shooting i believe a steel target. you can actually hear the bullet coming back and watch it hit the dirt in front of him before taking out his ear muff.

Farmer · 05-08-2008, 04:48 AM

I got hit square between the eyes with a 45acp that bounced off the frame at 25m.

Just broke the skin but was funny about 5 mins later when the shock wore off.

jd1911 · 05-08-2008, 04:53 AM

happened three days ago at my m9 qualification just hit my second chance vest but makes you think dont it

Felix's Tattoo · 05-08-2008, 03:21 PM

In about 1971, I "tried one" with the local Army Guard unit. One afternoon we went out to a local gravel pit with some brand-new M14s. The captain perched on a little folding chair on a pile of gravel that was higher than us, so he could see the whole firing line. After a little firing, he hollered out "Cease fire! Cease fire!" We looked at him and there was blood trickling down his cheek from a cut just below one of his eyes. I can't remember the distances we were shooting, probably 100 yards, but anyway a piece of the bullet jacket had flown back and hit his face and cut him. He found the piece. Lucky that it didn't hit his eye.

stalebiscuit · 05-08-2008, 04:39 PM

seen two different videos of it happening, thats about it

05-05-2008, 03:19 PM	#1
TXplt Lost in the Ozone Again Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 2,773 Images: 4 Blog Entries: 2	Anyone had a bullet come back at them Been shooting at indoor and outdoor ranges for many years (and this particular one is pretty well designed and I haven't ever had a problem). Angled metal plate at the end deflects the bullets up into a trap of some sort. All handgun ammo has been rated OK here. Shooting on the left end; hit in the middle of the target (honest) had a factory UMC .45 hardball come back (very low velocity) and hit the girl shooting next to me in the hand. No damage to anyone--just startled us all a bit (drew just a little blood on her hand but everyone OK). Could see it coming back like someone throwing a baseball; no jacket but lead core intact (and hot). Told the range guy. Anyone else seen ever seen this happen ? Guess that's why we wear eye protection but I've shot thousands of rounds there and this is the first I've seen this happen. __________________ Old fighter pilots never die.....They just wind up in Texas

05-05-2008, 03:44 PM	#2
rondog Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 1,321	One time shooting bottles at an old abandoned house, with a concrete wall as a backdrop, a .22 LR slug came whizzing back right over my head and hit my brother standing behind me in the chest. Raised a big red welt on him. He still talks about that, and it was ~40 years ago. __________________ What she doesn't know about, doesn't piss her off.....

05-05-2008, 04:11 PM	#4
TXplt Lost in the Ozone Again Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 2,773 Images: 4 Blog Entries: 2	I guess the reason it surprised me is that the angled bullet deflector at the end seems well designed and the bullets should bounce roughly tangent-ish to it. Thinking it may have hit a seam or hit a dent or something and bounced off the left side of the trap or something. Maybe they've added a "scorched earth" factor to foster better training (i.e. the paper is shooting back at you now ). __________________ Old fighter pilots never die.....They just wind up in Texas Last edited by TXplt; 05-05-2008 at 04:14 PM.

05-05-2008, 04:19 PM	#5
Romey Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Montana Posts: 466	Its quite common to happen when shooting practical combat handgun or other pistol events especially shooting pepper poppers __________________ Romey High Country Knives http://www.highcountryknives.com

05-05-2008, 04:21 PM	#6
jimkim Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Near the Little Ocmulgee river in GA Posts: 2,038 Blog Entries: 11	I copied this from "Safety lesson learned the hard way" I posted it on 4-23-2008 I had a buddy once that was shooting at some quarter inch Plexiglas. I was in the office and heard the bullets hitting the wall. I went out and warned him they were ricocheting. He laughed and told me I was overreacting. He then fired two more rounds. The last one bounced straight back at him and hit his trigger finger. It left a big welt on his finger. He found out when I take the time to warn someone of something they had better listen. In other words if I get up off my fatA$$ Im serious __________________ Jan. 4, 2007...Gasoline $2.10/gallon HMMM? Jim

05-05-2008, 04:05 PM	#3
chewy4480 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Maine Posts: 122	I've had 45 lc come back at me. I was shooting at a pile of hemlock 8X8's and I was trying to see the pattern of 22 mag bird shot so I put some paper on a sheet of ply wood and it come back and spray my face. Both times I never got hurt just stood further back.

05-05-2008, 04:26 PM	#7
rondog Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 1,321	Bullets do strange things. Went to a big machinegun shoot this Saturday, and it was interesting watching thousands of tracer bullets ricocheting through the sky. You'd think when they hit dirt, they'd burrow in and stop....not so. The .50's were the coolest! Those suckers just disappeared into the distance. The firing line must have been 1000 yards long, couple hundred guns there at least, maybe more. Very cool! Sure glad I wasn't within 5 miles downrange. __________________ What she doesn't know about, doesn't piss her off.....

05-05-2008, 05:45 PM	#8
Pumpkinheaver Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,336	I caught a round of hardball in the crotch one time while shooting bowlingpins and yes it sucked!!!!!! __________________ Just because your paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you!

05-05-2008, 09:08 PM	#10
jimkim Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Near the Little Ocmulgee river in GA Posts: 2,038 Blog Entries: 11	Things that make you say buahhahahahahaahhh!!!!!!!! __________________ Jan. 4, 2007...Gasoline $2.10/gallon HMMM? Jim

05-05-2008, 09:15 PM	#11
squirrelbaster Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,230	i had a 50 cal round ball from my buddys muzzle loader come back at us, he thougt it was going to be cool to shoot a hard wood tree...needles to say it bounced back at us. but luckly did not hit eather of us hit the dirt about 4 feet in front of us. __________________ "My Shotgun SAYS I AM the POLICE !"--Mooseman684 "I like Turtles!" youtube kid

05-05-2008, 09:20 PM	#12
tippmann7 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Attica, Ohio Posts: 830	just bb's from a bb gun but thats about it....maybe some shot from a shotgun but nothin to get excited about __________________ you cannot kill what you did not create

05-06-2008, 04:58 AM	#13
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,201	Squirrelbaster, that's an experience I had too! Shooting my first Cap&Ball revolver thirty years ago at a big old dead oak tree - the .457 balls were bouncing off and dropping at my feet! I was wondering what that odd 'plunk!' was every time I'd shoot...... That wood was soft and spongy - the balls just bounced right off it. Weird. A range buddy once shot a filled CO2 cartridge at 15 yards with his .22 rifle - the cartridge rocketed off and hit him in the chest! First time I ever saw a target shoot back! BWAHAHAHA!! __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

05-06-2008, 07:36 AM	#14
BloodRedStratus Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Westerville, Ohio Posts: 226	When I was a kid I had a bb bounce off the target and come back and hit me in the leg. Scared the crap out of me when it happened. But I loaded it up again and continued shooting. There was a story and video of a kid at an indoor gun range in Central Ohio that got hit by a 22. He was at the range and either him or someone next to him shot one of the metal clamps holding the target up and it came back and hit them. If I remember right, it did break the skin but didn't cause any major harm.

05-06-2008, 09:32 AM	#15
JohnBlaze Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 119	wow, kool stories. Myself have never had it happen, I've just been lightly sprayed by buckshot twice, and one time 2 bb's hit me, one in the shin and one in the stomach. The one in my shin broke the skin and bled, but the one in the stomach didn't. The weird thing is the one in the stomach hurt, and the other one I barely felt. Weird huh?

05-07-2008, 07:38 PM	#16
ander254 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 235 Images: 5	if you search for desert eagle on youtube, you will find a video of a guy shooting i believe a steel target. you can actually hear the bullet coming back and watch it hit the dirt in front of him before taking out his ear muff. __________________ http://concealedcampus.org/

05-08-2008, 04:48 AM	#17
Farmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Limbri NSW Au Posts: 296	I got hit square between the eyes with a 45acp that bounced off the frame at 25m. Just broke the skin but was funny about 5 mins later when the shock wore off. __________________ Cheers, Rob

05-08-2008, 04:53 AM	#18
jd1911 Banned Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 125	happened three days ago at my m9 qualification just hit my second chance vest but makes you think dont it

05-08-2008, 03:21 PM	#19
Felix's Tattoo Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: North Prairie Posts: 17	In about 1971, I "tried one" with the local Army Guard unit. One afternoon we went out to a local gravel pit with some brand-new M14s. The captain perched on a little folding chair on a pile of gravel that was higher than us, so he could see the whole firing line. After a little firing, he hollered out "Cease fire! Cease fire!" We looked at him and there was blood trickling down his cheek from a cut just below one of his eyes. I can't remember the distances we were shooting, probably 100 yards, but anyway a piece of the bullet jacket had flown back and hit his face and cut him. He found the piece. Lucky that it didn't hit his eye. __________________ jim

05-08-2008, 04:39 PM	#20
stalebiscuit Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: atlanta, but much rather be in valdosta Posts: 1,560	seen two different videos of it happening, thats about it