Member learns valuable lesson after range accident results in injury

[GhostlyKarliion]

Yesterday started like many other with what was supposed to be a refreshing afternoon at local indoor range with the ladies (Walther G22, Ruger 10/22, and Ruger Mk. III Target). Soon after he arrived, things went bad.

Sounds of gunfire echoed down the range and everything was going splendedly until a stray brass case ricocheted off the partition next to GhostlyKarliion and landed inbetween his glases and his face.

Ghostly appeared to be shocked that a brass case could land behind a saftey item that was supposed to protect him from injury to the eye area, however that is exactly what happened, "I stood there for a short moment trying to figure out what just fell behind my glasses and it dawned on me when I felt a burning sensation"

Ghostly suffered a second degree burn to his face right below his eye, but he says what he took away from the incident was worth the injury.

After realizing that he was infact injured, Ghostly made a discovery that troubled him even more "I started to get some burn treatment oil and realized that I don't have any kind of first aid kit in my range bag" Mr. Karliion said, "then I started thinking about what would have happened if, God forbid, there was a serious accident at the range"

Ghostly has first aid training and would be able to administer aid in the event of a serious injury issue, but he says without a properly stocked first aid kit handy, there wouldn't be much he could do. "sometimes when someone is injured seconds can make the difference, and when seconds count, I can't risk spending minutes going out to my car to get a first aid kit."

Mr. Karliion has walked away from this with an injury to the face but an understanding that things could have been much worse, he plans to stock a first aid pack to place in his range bag before his next trip to the range "It just makes sense to carry emergency equipment with you, especialy when there are other people around with guns, I have seen too many near-accidents to make this kind of mistake, but I won't do that again."

 

[CBS220]

Many people know what a "scope-ring" is!

This injury might be a little more entertaining to retell!

 

[kentucky_Dave]

I saw that same thing at a local indoor range in my area.
The casing was from the shooter's own gun.

It would have simply bounced off; instead, was trapped against his face, held there by the "Safety Glasses".

Go figure.

 

[Keegan]

Same thing has happened to me, only it got stuck in the bridge of my glasses and burned my brow right next to my eye! Good idea to put a first aid kit in the range bag, I've never thought of doing that.

 

[Dave P]

Boy - is that scary, or what? And the burn looks pretty bad too.


Were you wearing a hat?

 

[Tribal]

I took one of my neighbors shooting and, when I wasn't looking, she messed with her safety glasses so that they weren't quite snug.

She now has a burn in the shape of a hot .22lr casing right next to her eye. She handled it well, putting the gun down before doing anything with her glasses, and I hope the mark goes away.

 

[TX1911fan]

Happens regularly. I had then behind my glasses, down my shirt, even down the back of my shirt. 22 shells seem to do it the most.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Oooh yeah, ballcaps always, over the glasses. Ouch.

 

[Mr White]

Never one behind my glasses, but have countless burn marks on the back of my neck and upper back from hot brass at high power matches.

It must have been a terrifying experience. I'm just glad you survived.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I've had this happen, too. Very few glasses, even those designed for shooting, fit close enough to your forehead.

 

[tinygnat219]

This is why I have a baseball cap and perscription safety glasses.

 

[GRB]

PremiumSauces points out something that will really help prevent such from happening. Yep, a good reason to wear a hat while shooting. Not being a hat or cap kind of a guy, I sometimes forget to bring one along, and therefore I don't always wear one at the range, my mistake. I do usually wear shooting glasses that have a ridge along the top that protrudes back toward the brow, thus helping to prevent shell casings from going behind the glasses, though this is not as good as a cap or hat with a brim.

It is also a good idea to button up shirts all the way to help prevent shell casings from going down your shirt, but I sometimes do not remember that either until it is too late. Then you sort of remember quickly.

A very important thing to remember when you are feeling that burning sensation is to get your finger off of the trigger, and control the muzzle of any firearm you are holding. Then do not dance, or jump, or squirm to try to get the shell casing to come away from your skin, but stand there or take one step back from the line. Then use one hand to get it off either by taking off your glasses, grabbing it through a shirt, and so forth. This takes a concerted effort as you are feeling the burn, but if you wriggle, dance, squirm, jump, or otherwise react in a less than smart way, your chances of winding up in front of the line of fire increase by a lot.

As for a first aid kit, I always have one in my car at the range, and the range always has one available too. When I am afield, I always have a small one that I have made up (not a store bought kit) for an emergency.

All the best,
GB

 

[btg3]

a stray brass case ricocheted ...

Ghostly appeared to be shocked that a brass case could land behind a saftey item that was supposed to protect him from injury to the eye area,

In this case, I don't think the safety item is at fault given that it did not fail to perform as designed.
Eye safety wear is available in numerous styles:
full face shield
lab goggles
side shields
just glasses
If protection from "ricochets" is desired, select the appropriate style. Might not be cool, but it's up to you. Like others I wear a ball cap.

 

[peyton]

Good class on safety, I wear protective glasses, and have had brass bounce on the lenses, I never saw it coming. It is real important to teach shooters to not throw firearm down in order to reach the hot brass. It takes discipline to realize a bigger disaster could happen from a unintended discharge.

 

[ColinthePilot]

I picked up a stylish pair of Remmington shooting glasses from Walmart a few months ago, and they fit pretty tight all around. I love them. I had a few casings hit me in the forehead and decided its time for more than shades.

 

[Dumpster Baby]

I had one of those on my cheek one time when an M1 Garand ejected a hot shell straight up. It came down between my cheek and the stock, and left an impression of a .30-06 case on my cheek before I could get away from it.

 

[brighamr]

Ghostly - excellent write up. I'm glad the media didn't spin this the wrong way

Interesting too that the glasses aided in causing this injury... kind of like the seat belt that causes more harm than good in some situations.

First aid kid is a must. Honestly, I bought several from China-Mart last year: one for the truck, one for my wife's car, one for my house and one for my camping kit. Always good to have one around, just in case.

 

[velobard]

Just yesterday at the indoor range my wife had a hot 9mm brass bounce off the partition and go straight down her shirt. Thankfully it wasn't a second degree burn, but she was holding a cold soda can or ice on it for awhile.

She felt a little better before we left, especially after I bought her a new gun.

 

[delta53]

come on

When i was in the Army it was very common to because of being a lefty to get emptys down my shirt when firing while leaning against a building they cool down I guess i should have put in for each one

 

[Bwana John]

I had a 1911 that would land cases on your head every time, but after a case got behind my safety glasses I finally changed the ejector angle.

I was spotting for a buddy with a M-16, to his right and slightly behind him, both of us prone. On semi auto the cases were landing in front of me, then he got "jiggy" and flipped the selector and sent ~ 10 rounds down range with one trigger pull. The cases ALL went down the front of my shirt while I did the twisty worm trying to pull the bottom of my shirt out while squirming back from the line.

 

[rero360]

I got hit in the face with a piece of .45 brass fired from the lane next to me saterday. hit me both on the high cheek area and my oakleys, probably would have gotten me in the corner of the eye if I wasn't wearing any eye pro. didn't really bother me much other than it caused me to send a round into the outer black ring of my target, so that opened my group up alittle. just took a step closer to the bench so his brass would go behind my head and kept shooting.

 

[Len S]

I have had it happen and I also sometimes forget to bring a hat. I started keeping a bandana in my range bag. If you roll it up and tie it around your forehead just over your safety glasses it will keep the hot brass as well as sweat out of your eyes.


Len

 

[RPCVYemen]

I had one from a rental 1911 lodge between my glasses and my eyelid. I was dancing around cussing while concentrating on keeping the weapon pointed down range. It took a few seconds for me to safely lay the weapon down on the bench, and then take the (now cool) brass off my eyelid. The range office cracked up, because I did in fact keep the weapon pointed in a safe direction, but looked pretty funny while doing so.

Here's another one for you. A Schmidt-Rubin K31 ejects straight up. Suppose you are shooting in Eastern North Carolina in the summer when it's really, really hot out. And you're wearing a shorts and T shirt. Maybe your shorts are drooping a little bit in the back... You eject a round, and feel a tap where you don't want to be tapped, and then hear the hiss of hot brass meeting sweat ...

Next time you go to the range, I guarantee you will cinch up your pants so tight you can barely breath.

Mike

 

[cxg231]

Yeah, that stinks.

About 6 weeks ago, I had a hot casing from my M1911A1 land between my temple and my safety glasses.

I took my finger off the trigger, kept the muzzle pointed downrange and used my left hand to remove the safety glasses. All that took less then a second or two and I ended up with a nice 2nd degree burn. I still have the mark on my face, and I feel it may be there for a while...

 

[CountGlockula]

I always wear a hat, because the ear muff band ruins my dew. After shooting it looks like I have a backwards mohawk.

Anyways, most RSOs are trained in first aid and the range should have a kit near by.

But good suggestion on bring some light first aid items with you at the range.

Thanks for sharing.