.22 ricochet (close call)

okie archer

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 3, 2015
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810
My wife and I gave our 13 year old son a Ruger 10/22 for Christmas this year. He has really been enjoying shooting it. I won't let him take it out of the case without asking me, and he definitely cannot go shooting without my supervision. I have drilled safety into his head since he was young. He has his Hunter education certificate also. So safety is definitely at the forefront of our outdoor activities.
This morning he asked could we go shooting for a bit. I set up a few targets including water bottles and tin cans. After shooting standing up for a bit he wanted to lie down prone on the ground. The targets were setting on dirt ground which I felt was plenty safe, the background was also safe as well. He was doing fine shooting his targets when he hit a bit low and hit the dirt in front of the target sending it ricocheting back toward us. Everyone knows what the zinging sound of a 22 bullet sounds like. I saw the dirt was hit when he shot and immediately heard the whizzing of the bullet coming back our way and it struck the ground right next to my son who was lying prone on the ground. I was standing directly behind him watching him shoot. I didn't say anything and on his own he said dad what was that? So that let me know that I wasn't the only one that heard it. We both heard the projectile strike the ground next to him. It shook both of us up for a bit.
I'm thankful that things weren't a lot worse as it could have easily been. Just wanted to send this reminder to everyone on this New Year's Eve day to continue gun safety. I still don't know how a 22 projectile ricocheted off of dirt sending it back toward our direction.
 
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