.22 ricochet (close call)
- Thread starter okie archer
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OldManOnTheMountain
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- Dec 31, 2025
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It probably sounds like BS, but this really happened when I was in college. A friend and I went to a new area to scout turkeys. I brought along my Colt woodsman, not really expecting to use it. Miles into the woods we spotted a highway mile marker sign that someone had dragged into an old clear cut where we had decided to stop and listen. I mentioned that I wanted to shoot at the marker, and he said "Don't do it--it will ricochet," and I just laughed. I believed the sheet metal was much too thin to stop a high velocity long rifle slug and told him so. At this he decided to stand directly behind me and just peer over my shoulder. At the very first shot he hollered and held his hand up to his forehead. I thought he was full of beans until I pulled his hand away and saw the welt almost directly between his eyes. It turns out that the slug had struck just at the point reinforced by the post and barely dented the sheet metal before flying straight back over my shoulder.
I cringe at all the stupid things my friends and I did when young. Of course, we had all heard the admonitions, but without context had no real understanding of the risks. No doubt that is still true in many ways, so I guess it is good to share experiences.
I cringe at all the stupid things my friends and I did when young. Of course, we had all heard the admonitions, but without context had no real understanding of the risks. No doubt that is still true in many ways, so I guess it is good to share experiences.
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I forget how young I was but had a BB gun but was not shooting the .22lr yet. I shot our tree house and hit a knot and watched as the bb came back at me and hit my forehead. Learned then that it's best just not to shoot hard objects with any gun.
Have never shot a metal target a never plan to, know too many people that have had issues.
Have never shot a metal target a never plan to, know too many people that have had issues.
FairWeather
Well-known member
glad everyone’s ok. Bet the boy remembers this for life. He’ll probably be the safest one on the range for the rest of his life too.
Where I grew up in Ohio there was a range that used old tractor tires as the backstops & target stands. I took my sister out shooting one time, after having just bought my first shotgun. I loaded up a round, and fired at an old target on the tire about 20yds away.
About half a second later we hear what sounds like rain on the tin roof of the shooting stalls, and feel a few little impacts on our jackets. Almost like flies bumping into us. Only took a second to realize it was the shot pellets bouncing back at us. Very glad I had used some weak & light clays range ammo! Buckshot, we might not have been so lucky.
Where I grew up in Ohio there was a range that used old tractor tires as the backstops & target stands. I took my sister out shooting one time, after having just bought my first shotgun. I loaded up a round, and fired at an old target on the tire about 20yds away.
About half a second later we hear what sounds like rain on the tin roof of the shooting stalls, and feel a few little impacts on our jackets. Almost like flies bumping into us. Only took a second to realize it was the shot pellets bouncing back at us. Very glad I had used some weak & light clays range ammo! Buckshot, we might not have been so lucky.
My cousin shot himself in the arm trying to shoot a lock off a gate. I like him but if anybody deserves it, it would be him for that.
In college I was shooting at a make shift target on top of a U shaped reflector post. Kind of like with the barrel LuleTheDog described, it spun around and came back at me. The core broke my jeans open, welted my leg and drew a little blood. The copper jacketing stripped off and was laying at the bottom of the post.
Scared me pretty good
In college I was shooting at a make shift target on top of a U shaped reflector post. Kind of like with the barrel LuleTheDog described, it spun around and came back at me. The core broke my jeans open, welted my leg and drew a little blood. The copper jacketing stripped off and was laying at the bottom of the post.
Scared me pretty good
Friend and I were doing the exact same thing. He took one to the stomach. Luckily it didn’t go in far
I’d tell the story that 4” got shot off in the accident.
When I was a young lad in the 60s, me and my brother decided to hunt rabbits on the farm. We had skipped school that day since mom and dad had gone somewhere for the day. Well, I lined up on a Bunnie sitting under a rock and when I fired my 22, I felt a burning sting in my right calf muscle. I pulled up my pant leg and I was just barely bleeding from a small hole. Any pain was overshadowed by the fear of what would happen when or parents got home. Our mom worked for a surgical supply business, so my brother played Dr. He dug, probed and manipulated the peace of lead but never was able to get ahold of it enough for its extraction. Someway unbelievably our parents never found out, and I still have that ricochet in my leg.
2ski
Well-known member
I think i had a ricochet hit me/graze the skin between my thumb and pointer. Shot my pistol. A couple minutes last I scratched my hand because it itched itched I noticed it was wet and looked down and blood.s
FairWeather
Well-known member
That sounds more like the slide bit you in the webbing. Pretty common with certain designs if you’re holding too high up on the grip.
2ski
Well-known member
I'd agree with you if it wasn't my offhand.
Deckerp
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- Jul 5, 2020
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- 190
I took a jacket shard to the forearm at my ranges orientation from a steel target someone else shot down the line. It seemed like it welded itself in and really hung on when I pulled it out.
On the .22 ricochets off rocks and the like would you all say they were likely closer than 50yards? I feel nervous shooting steel closer with pistols but 50yards and out has always felt reasonable.
On the .22 ricochets off rocks and the like would you all say they were likely closer than 50yards? I feel nervous shooting steel closer with pistols but 50yards and out has always felt reasonable.
44hunter45
Well-known member
The worst ricochet wound I ever took was from a wrist rocket. I put two glass marbles in the pouch and shot the back fence at my parent's house. I guess a flake came off one of them as I felt a hit on my neck and was bleeding profusely. I was sure I had cut my jugular and was going to bleed out.
I left a trail of blood from the sliding glass door to the bathroom. When I got my neck cleaned up I had a clean slice about 2" long parallel to the ground.
I left a trail of blood from the sliding glass door to the bathroom. When I got my neck cleaned up I had a clean slice about 2" long parallel to the ground.
Reminds me when me and my cousins were shooting grapefruits out of a water balloon launcher and decided to start launching baseball size rocks. Somehow the tubing got twisted up and when I pulled it back and launched it the rock shot back and hit me in the knee cap. Thought for sure I broke it and was crippled. By the time we made it back to the house with our bicycles it was swollen up. I’d like to say we never shot rocks out of it again, nope, we just made sure it wasn’t twisted
