Firing Line Injury

jofrdo · August 5th, 2008, 07:36 AM

A friend of mine suffored minor injuries on the pistol range at my shooting club. I had four guests at the range on that afternoon. Each paid a guest fee and signed the club's liability waiver.

John, who was injured, is a coworker of mine and is an experienced
shooter, although this was his first visit to my club. His wife was there as a novice shooter. Another coworker of mine and her husband were both there as novice shooters. Since we had three first time shooters, I spent 20-30 minutes with them at the dry fire
bench with some dummy rounds, practicing loading, demonstrating the features of a variety of pistol types and reviewing range safety policies. Once out on the range, I did not shoot very much, as I had too many novices to supervise.

At one point, John brought out a large frame S&W .357 Magnum revolver. One of the novices was shooting that gun while John was one lane to the left trying out a 9 mm Kahr that I had recently purchased. He was suddenly struck by at least two bullet fragments from his own revolver (in the next lane) and showed me blood running down each of his biceps. We speculate that lead or copper
jacketing was shaved from the bullet as it passed from the cylinder into the barrel, and exited to the left out of the head spacing at the front of the cylinder, passed through the wire mesh lane divider, and struck him.

John called me that evening to tell me that he had a particle embedded under his skin at one of the wound sites and would probably seek medical treatment for its removal. I was away on vacation all last week, so didn't see John until yesterday. A doctor was able to remove a small piece of metallic debris from the
wound, so all is well.

I guess we should consider replacing the wire mesh lane dividers, which are fine for knocking down flying brass, with something more solid.

dukalmighty · August 5th, 2008, 08:21 AM

He might want to check his revolver to make sure there isn't play in the cylinder when it locks up,my range i shoot at has solid metal plate i'm assuming at least 1/4" thick for lane dividers

Skygod · August 5th, 2008, 11:43 AM

Ouch !! :D

ctr · August 5th, 2008, 01:38 PM

The revolver might be out of time. Something a competent gunsmith can check out.

Sky Pilot · August 5th, 2008, 02:26 PM

We emphasize eyes and ears at the range.
This is a good reason why!
Imagine that jacket fragment impacting an unprotected eyeball!
I was made a believer when I (foolishly!) fired a jacketed .22 Mag. into a steel knockdown plate.
Fragment of the jacket imbedded itself in my cheek directly below my left eye.
If ever there had been doubt, there was none after that moment!

retsupt99 · August 5th, 2008, 03:23 PM

Hat, eye and ear protection, and I always wear a long sleeve shirt...can't be too carefull.
Glad there were no serious injuries...hope the newbies weren't discouraged.

Stay armed...stay safe!

C9H13NO3 · August 5th, 2008, 10:25 PM

Protection FTW. The first revolver I ever shot when I was a kid, I shot high, hit the edge of the steel clip, and a fragment flew back and hit me in the shooting glasses. I still remember that day, and always remember eye protection.

detroit9mm · August 5th, 2008, 10:39 PM

The same thing happened to my dad while shooting his 340PD except he was hit in the face. It turned out the frame was cracked so make sure your friend has his gun checked out before he shoots it again.

Bark'n · August 6th, 2008, 03:30 AM

Sounds like the cylinder was "out of timing" and shaving part of the bullet. That can definitely be fixed!

Should send it in to S&W or a local gunsmith.

calmp9 · August 6th, 2008, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jofrdo

A friend of mine suffored minor injuries on the pistol range at my shooting club. I had four guests at the range on that afternoon. Each paid a guest fee and signed the club's liability waiver.

John, who was injured, is a coworker of mine and is an experienced
shooter, although this was his first visit to my club. His wife was there as a novice shooter. Another coworker of mine and her husband were both there as novice shooters. Since we had three first time shooters, I spent 20-30 minutes with them at the dry fire
bench with some dummy rounds, practicing loading, demonstrating the features of a variety of pistol types and reviewing range safety policies. Once out on the range, I did not shoot very much, as I had too many novices to supervise.

At one point, John brought out a large frame S&W .357 Magnum revolver. One of the novices was shooting that gun while John was one lane to the left trying out a 9 mm Kahr that I had recently purchased. He was suddenly struck by at least two bullet fragments from his own revolver (in the next lane) and showed me blood running down each of his biceps. We speculate that lead or copper
jacketing was shaved from the bullet as it passed from the cylinder into the barrel, and exited to the left out of the head spacing at the front of the cylinder, passed through the wire mesh lane divider, and struck him.

John called me that evening to tell me that he had a particle embedded under his skin at one of the wound sites and would probably seek medical treatment for its removal. I was away on vacation all last week, so didn't see John until yesterday. A doctor was able to remove a small piece of metallic debris from the
wound, so all is well.

I guess we should consider replacing the wire mesh lane dividers, which are fine for knocking down flying brass, with something more solid.

That's not good at all.

August 5th, 2008, 07:36 AM	#1
jofrdo Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chesapeake, Virginia Posts: 486	Firing Line Injury A friend of mine suffored minor injuries on the pistol range at my shooting club. I had four guests at the range on that afternoon. Each paid a guest fee and signed the club's liability waiver. John, who was injured, is a coworker of mine and is an experienced shooter, although this was his first visit to my club. His wife was there as a novice shooter. Another coworker of mine and her husband were both there as novice shooters. Since we had three first time shooters, I spent 20-30 minutes with them at the dry fire bench with some dummy rounds, practicing loading, demonstrating the features of a variety of pistol types and reviewing range safety policies. Once out on the range, I did not shoot very much, as I had too many novices to supervise. At one point, John brought out a large frame S&W .357 Magnum revolver. One of the novices was shooting that gun while John was one lane to the left trying out a 9 mm Kahr that I had recently purchased. He was suddenly struck by at least two bullet fragments from his own revolver (in the next lane) and showed me blood running down each of his biceps. We speculate that lead or copper jacketing was shaved from the bullet as it passed from the cylinder into the barrel, and exited to the left out of the head spacing at the front of the cylinder, passed through the wire mesh lane divider, and struck him. John called me that evening to tell me that he had a particle embedded under his skin at one of the wound sites and would probably seek medical treatment for its removal. I was away on vacation all last week, so didn't see John until yesterday. A doctor was able to remove a small piece of metallic debris from the wound, so all is well. I guess we should consider replacing the wire mesh lane dividers, which are fine for knocking down flying brass, with something more solid.

August 5th, 2008, 08:21 AM	#2
dukalmighty VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: texas Posts: 3,555	He might want to check his revolver to make sure there isn't play in the cylinder when it locks up,my range i shoot at has solid metal plate i'm assuming at least 1/4" thick for lane dividers __________________ I like Poetry,Long Walks On The Beach,And Poking Dead Things With A Stick

August 5th, 2008, 11:43 AM	#3
Skygod Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 447	Ouch !! :D __________________ "I'm ridin, I'm shinin up my saddle" Aerosmith "Back in the saddle"

August 5th, 2008, 02:26 PM	#5
Sky Pilot Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Lorain County, Ohio Posts: 478	We emphasize eyes and ears at the range. This is a good reason why! Imagine that jacket fragment impacting an unprotected eyeball! I was made a believer when I (foolishly!) fired a jacketed .22 Mag. into a steel knockdown plate. Fragment of the jacket imbedded itself in my cheek directly below my left eye. If ever there had been doubt, there was none after that moment! __________________ Center Township Combat Pistol League

August 5th, 2008, 03:23 PM	#6
retsupt99 VIP Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Central Florida Posts: 14,957	Hat, eye and ear protection, and I always wear a long sleeve shirt...can't be too carefull. Glad there were no serious injuries...hope the newbies weren't discouraged. Stay armed...stay safe! __________________ "That I cannot do." "Give this to, uh, Clemenza. I want reliable people, people who aren't going to be carried away. After all we're not murderers in spite of what this undertaker thinks." *********************************** NRA Life Member

August 5th, 2008, 01:38 PM	#4
ctr Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 246	The revolver might be out of time. Something a competent gunsmith can check out.

August 5th, 2008, 10:25 PM	#7
C9H13NO3 Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Iraq Posts: 410	Protection FTW. The first revolver I ever shot when I was a kid, I shot high, hit the edge of the steel clip, and a fragment flew back and hit me in the shooting glasses. I still remember that day, and always remember eye protection. __________________ - Semper Fi "You killed him?" "No, I shot him. The bullets and the fall killed him." - Collateral

August 5th, 2008, 10:39 PM	#8
detroit9mm Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 103	The same thing happened to my dad while shooting his 340PD except he was hit in the face. It turned out the frame was cracked so make sure your friend has his gun checked out before he shoots it again.

August 6th, 2008, 03:30 AM	#9
Bark'n VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,627	Sounds like the cylinder was "out of timing" and shaving part of the bullet. That can definitely be fixed! Should send it in to S&W or a local gunsmith. __________________ -Bark'n Semper Fi "The gun is the great equalizer... For it is the gun, that allows the meek to repel the monsters; Whom are bigger, stronger and without conscience, will prey on those of us who without one, would surely perish."

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