I was going to go shooting soon, but my mother heard of an incident where in one of the lanes a ricochet bullet killed a person. Also what age should you be to go shooting? I consider myself mature, and responsible although I will screw around at home when there is nothing important going on. Please also note any problems that can happen. Thank you!|||The odds of it happening are extremely slim. The back drops on shooting lanes are designed to prevent ricochets. On outdoor lanes, that usually consists of mounds of dirt. Bullets don't ricochet off of dirt. There is always the chance of some fluke occurance though.
I was experimenting with loads in a .36 caliber cap and ball revolver one day. I reduced the powder charge by a couple of grains every time I loaded to find the smallest load that would still shoot accurate grouns. My target was a paper plate tacked to the trunk of a dead tree about 50 feet away. When I cut the powder charge back to ten grains, the first shot out of the cylinder bounced off of the tree trunk and hit the bumber of my car about a foot from my right leg. I shot the remaining rounds into an anthill much farther away, and haven't experimented with reduced powder loads since.
I really don't think that the ball would have even penetrated if it had hit me, but judging from the sound of its impact on the steel bumper, it would have left a wicked bruise. It didn't even dent the bumper.
The age at which one should be allowed to shoot alone varies. I was allowed to shoot alone when I was about 10 or 11 using a .22. Most of the time I was careful, and I guess when I wasn't I was lucky. I know a 13 year old that I wouldn't allow to shoot a BB gun without supervision. Generally, I think if a kid can is permitted to handle an object as dangerous as a car, he/she should be trustworthy enough to be responsible with firearms.|||The odds of that happening are extremely slim, to almost non existent. Especially at a shooting range being that they design the range to stop ricochets and if a ricochet does occur, the range is designed to contain it.
With that said, target shooting, along with all sports involving firearms, has an inherent risk of danger. Provided that you use proper safety, the odds of injury are almost non-existent, but there is always the risk of it happening.
Just so you know, I started shooting (shotguns) around age 10.|||of the 10k+ I';ve shot at dozens of indoor, outdoor, public, private and open (desert/middle of nowhere) ranges, I've never had a bullet bounce back my way. Occasionally bullets bounce off stuff, but I take great care about the possibly about that before shooting so I never put myself or anyone else in danger. generally bullets that might bounce off something will rebound in the same angle it impacted the object at. Generally unless you really know what you're doing don't shoot hard target as all. including bricks, pavement, cinder blocks, metal targets (except those specifically designed/sold as targets), engine blocks, concrete walls. also avoid rubber tires of any kind. I actually did have an AP round glance off a old truck tire. not cool.
the ONLY ricochet that's ever come back my way is also the Only time I got shot by something (excluding paintball/airsoft). I got hit by a BB from my BB gun, I was shooting at a bottle 50 feet away and the BB bounced back and hit me on the eyelid. I never liked BB guns/air guns, and that made me REALLY dislike air guns. It turns out not only are airguns expensive, unreliable, weak, short ranged, nearly 90% of the projectiles bounce off stuff. including empty soda cans, books, and fruit.|||Unless you're downrange of the ricochet, I think you're ok. the bullet will tend to travel AWAY from you. True that some ricochet characteristics are funky(recall an instance of the bullets not coming off at the angle they impacted, but "hugging" the surface during travel..please correct if I'm wrong y'all, but I heard it in a CCW class by an NRA instructor), and I've qualified on M4 before as a mil member and watched M856 tracers skim up and over the backdrops at 45 degree angles, but I've never heard of a round coming back on a shooter provided the backdrop is of sound construction.
There is this vid:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ABGIJwiG鈥?/a> which is compelling, but look at the backdrop. Now I for one LOVE to shoot in the desert, but you take your safety into your own hands if you do. The lord/allah/buddah/yaweh/sheeba did not intend for creation to serve as a bullet catcher. Most of the time you're fine, but every once in awhile shizzle does happen! If you go to a reputable range though the backdrop has been designed to CATCH the rounds and not to ricochet them.|||The odds are almost non-existent, there isn't even a number to represent it. Statistically, shooting sports are among the safest, even safer than golf.
Shooting ranges are specifically designed to avoid ricochets and other dangerous occurrences and each shooter must follow strict rules to ensure the safety of everyone.
Kids of all ages go shooting, it's no big deal so long as they're under proper supervision.|||It has never happened in my years of shooting.
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