Near Miss

[4sooth]

A shooter at Amite was hit in the carotid artery by a jacket fragment today. He was rushed to a local hospital and then to Charity. He just came out of surgery a few minutes ago and will be okay.

Match is still on for tomorrow as of now.

 

[spanky]

Who??

 

[CEHollier]

Wow! Glad they are ok. Guess we'll have to wear neck protection too.

 

[4sooth]

Don't know who--talked to a club member to confirm the match and was told of the event. He was a "new" shooter I was told. Not a good way to start off.

 

[Tulse Luper]

What the person shooting steal.

Glad he's ok.

 

[Cat]

Thank god he's okay!

Freak things happen. Curious to know where everybody was standing and how it happened or if it could have been prevented.

 

[topgunz1]

Had that happen to me, a jacket bounced back and sliced the hell out of my finger. Probably should have gotten stitches but I'm stubborn. Glad the shooter will be ok.

 

[Cat]

Had that happen to me, a jacket bounced back and sliced the hell out of my finger. Probably should have gotten stitches but I'm stubborn. Glad the shooter will be ok.

Dumb cat question but Jacket = Brass right? I knew they could burn but I didn't know they could cut, much less enough for stitches. For the ignorant, how does this happen? How often?

 

[Cat]

I think he meant near death miss?

 

[headshot]

Dumb cat question but Jacket = Brass right? I knew they could burn but I didn't know they could cut, much less enough for stitches. For the ignorant, how does this happen? How often?

sounds like the copper jacket surrounding the lead bullet separated. Have you ever seen a mushroomed bullet after it made impact? It looks like a throwing star and the copper jacket can be razor sharp

 

[kz45]

It was Ron Harris's buddy, he took some shrapnel in the neck, cut a blood vessel and the jacket almost cut his artery, they were shooting at steel targets, he was not the shooter,( the wounded man)

 

[JBP55]

wow i wouldn't call that a near miss sounds like a direct hit. glad he's okay.

what exactly is a jacket fragment and how would i prevent something like this from happening to me?

The projectile (bullet) on most pistol ammunition is plated/coated with a jacket which is normally copper. When fired into a metal plate there is the possibility some of the particles will ricochet in the direction from which they were fired. If you are close enough there is a possibility of getting hit. Some people will not shoot steel closer than 45'-50'.

 

[Cat]

sounds like the copper jacket surrounding the lead bullet separated. Have you ever seen a mushroomed bullet after it made impact? It looks like a throwing star and the copper jacket can be razor sharp

I've seen a mushroomed bullet. I didn't know they can fracture and part of the "mushroom" can fly back to the shooter though. Good to know! Sounds like one in a million possibility to sustain a life threatening cut, but slightly more common to happen with just a nick?

 

[Cat]

The projectile (bullet) on most pistol ammunition is plated/coated with a jacket which is normally copper. When fired into a metal plate there is the possibility some of the particles will ricochet in the direction from which they were fired. If you are close enough there is a possibility of getting hit. Some people will not shoot steel closer than 45'-50'.

Oh wow! Now that makes sense. Thank you for the clarification, JBP.

 

[kz45]

Just so everyone knows, the steel was set out at the proper distance, per uspsa rules

 

[spanky]

Thanks for the info, Joe.

This is just proof that you should always have eye protection on and be prepared for anything. Thankfully it wasnt as bad as it could have been.

 

[spanky]

There's always a risk but it decreases based on distance from steel.

USPSA allows no closer than 23' if there is a physical barrier and 26' without. That's about as close as I feel confortable.

 

[Cat]

Proof you need a medical kit in your range bag and somewhat of a working knowledge how to stem the flow of blood from a bullet wound.

 

[kz45]

I have just that in my bag, quik clot, large bandages just in case

 

[Sin-ster]

May start toting an IFAK to these matches.

I would have done better not reading this.