So... I was teaching a Shotgun class today and had started the day by loading old Mr. 10mm glock as a carry gun. The ammo was range only stuff, a mix of 180 gr. fmj and HP factory reloads loaded to mild velocities. Something happened and now I have some observations and a warning for those of you who shoot at makeshift ranges in the hills and desert. Hopefully my mistake will be a help to you all.
I have some very heavy plates for shotgun classes. They are knockdown type plates, set at an angle on a baseplate. They are designed to be knocked down off of a rebar built pedestal. The weigh about 35 lbs each. Each plate has a "hard face" and the back is softer. The metal came from a fabrication company and they were free. They are really hard on the face. So... one of my students center-punches a plate at about 10 yeards with a full power slug...causing the hard face to depress into the soft backing about a 16th of an inch... no problem as it now becomes useless for short range use... but lesson learned... slugs and hard buckshot at full velocities can pit steel...Ok... got that one....
So class was over and I went to the bay next to mine and was going to shoot some poppers. 5 Dogs range has about 10 bays set aside for the 5 Dogs Action Shooters Club and my company shares range space with them. They had left some poppers staked out for a match they are setting up for in June. I cleared the range and started to shoot the poppers, My first shot on a popper, at about 15 yards, was dead center. The bullet, one of the hp rounds, bounced back and took a chunk of skin and cartiledge (sp? - where is the dang spell checker on this website anyway!) outa my left ear. (being it was my left ear I am fine... had it been my right ear, why my whole self mighta been outa balance... politically speaking... get it right ear...haha ... never mind)
Further examination of the popper, an expensive full size popper by the way, showed several dings in it where someone had shot the thing with a .308 at least... So I'm bleeding and the gun gets holstered and 3 hours later is still hurts.
So... Here is what I am reminded of: Steel that is less than dead flat and hard is not to be shot at anything like close range... 200 yards away... no problem.
Use quality practice targets. I have a number of ones from action target that are really reasonably priced... they were set up. I could have shot at them! Here is the link:
Steel Targets by Action Target: PT Practice Target - Portable Target Applications for Indoor and Outdoor Shooting Ranges
Take a first aid kit to the range, especially if you are shooting in a remote location... I had lots of bandages for little cuts and "owies". I have a gunshot trauma kit with quick-clot. I don't have something intermediate with some gauze pads and tape for what happened today.
Wear good eye protection... I was wearing my wraparound Rudy Project polycarbonate glasses with the bi-focal inserts, also polycarbonate. If the bullet had been 2 inches over it would have punched me in the eye! Hello!
I am a big fan of shooting unknown range courses and we can do alot of that at 5 Dogs. I know alot of people who set up their own ranges in the Desert and the mountains. It is fun to shoot at steel and stuff... but it ain't fun when someone gets hurt...as Clint Smith says Duly Noted