I was out shooting tonight with one of my buddies, and we were shooting steel plates with pistols. I was shooting my 9mm... and was a little too close to the plate. I ended up catching 3 bullet fragments: one in my left thigh (almost bone deep), one in my left elbow, and one in the front left of my scalp. I was wearing my shooting glasses and earplugs... and I'm thanking god I didn't lose more than the blood I leaked tonight. Spent 5 hours in the hospital getting x-rayed... they decided to leave the fragments in unless they cause me trouble.

Remember guys... ALWAYS use ear and eye protection...ALWAYS think BEFORE you shoot. Think 3 times... Just might not be safe to shoot? DONT SHOOT. Stand way back if you are shooting steel, think about your backstop and bring a first-aid kit. I'm lucky I lost only a little blood and my pride in my safty record. I'll be packing some lead to remind me, for a long while now.

Be careful friends.

[size=4]WoW![/size=4]...[shock]

Glad to hear you'll make it okay!

Be thankful ya didn't catch one in the Jewels!!(I don't even wanna think about that![:|])


Were you closer than seven yards to the steel plate?

What kind of projectile were you shooting?

Glad your okay.  But with all do respect what did you expect??  Shooting at close steel plates is just plain moronic.  Every couple of weeks I read posts like this....when are people going to learn?

Sgtar15

PS  Know your backstop...that means what you are shooting at!!!

Put the [pyro] away brother.

I knew exactly what I was shooting at, and have fired 100's of rounds at that exact same plate from the same distance. Call it freak... call it me being stupid...call it the Popes Day Off. Lets just say if I shoot steel anymore it will be farther than 7 yards away. Preferably 10-15 yards.

I was shooting my Kel-Tec p-11 9mm with Winchester 115gr FMJ from about 7-8 yards out.

I feel lucky; I feel sheepish and a little dumb. I could have been in a LOT WORSE shape. Just trying to remind everyone that even things like safty glasses and earplugs are very important.

I may stick to paper targets and fishing for a while. Or maybe [sniper] at things a little further out.

PS: any spelling errors are due to the vicodin the doc RX'd [|)]

Just curious,
Did you tell the truth at the hospital?
Did they call the law when you mentioned the "G" word?

We're all thankful you are OK.

The REALLY sad part is you'll prolly go down as a statistic that the antis will use to show that guns are bad, dangerous, evil, and fattening.

I'm just curious at this point.  Why would you need to shoot steel from 21 feet away when at that close range you can clearly see the holes in any paper target with the naked eye?

Glad to hear that you are OK.  By the way, not to be dumb, but what is considered a safe distance to shoot at steel targets with a pistol?  I shoot at steel plates which are suspended from chain and swing freely upon impact which I have assumed would help direct the bullets away.  I never shoot at these targets at less than 25 yards (pistol only).  Is this OK??

Lead or hollow point won't richochet as readily as FMJ.  Most places won't let you shoot plates with FMJ handgun.  This must have been a fixed plate not falling plate, correct?