Vladimir,

Thank you for posting this information. We all need to be mindful of gun safety, particularly when our activity is not obviously unsafe.

Like everyone else, I wish you a speedy and complete recovery.

It is interesting to hear other people relate their experiences with surprise ricochets. I too have an experience to pass on. Fortunately, nobody got hurt.

DoubleD's story is closest to mine.

Many years ago (about 1970) when I was in high school I spent summer afternoons shooting a Model 19 Smith & Wesson .357 Mag. I had no money for ammo, so I cast bullets from a Lyman mould. 158 gr. Keith style semi-wadcutters cast from wheel weights. I loaded light loads - 5.0 gr. Unique.

My friend and I were hunting groundhogs one afternoon. We came upon a discarded Coca-Cola bottle in the pasture near a fence line. I picked it up and placed it on top of a fence post. From about 25 yards I shot it with my .357 Mag. On the report of the gun the bottle shattered, and my friend, standing beside me, stepped back in pain. The bullet had rebounded from its impact with the bottle, and hit him in the neck.

Fortunately, there was no injury. He said it felt like somebody poked him in the neck with a fist. In fact, from the corner of his eye he saw the bullet fall to the ground. We quickly found it in the grass. I still have it somewhere.

My friend always has joked about the day I shot him with my .357! I'll bet he's glad it wasn't a .458.

Best wishes,
CptCurl