This almost ended in tragedy

This almost ended in tragedy. Earlier today I was at the rifle range and a young couple was 2 tables down from me doing what look like taking turns shooting an AR. After a time or 2 they switched over to a deer rifle. The young women shoulder the rifle and squeezed off round. It took me a few seconds to realize something had gone wrong, horribly wrong. She jumped up and moved away from the table holding her hand and when she turned back I could see blood on her cheek. Several of us went to check on her and the young man she was with took her to away. While they were gone I went over to look at the rifle and like most accidents, this could have been avoided completely. I don't know who, she did or he did but one of them loaded the wrong caliber ammunition in the rifle and when she pulled the trigger, the rifle exploded in her hands and her face. It is a blessing this didn't kill her or blind her. A simple check to verify the right ammo was going into the right gun and this doesn't happen. The rifle was a .270 and there was a box of .308 on the table.

That rifle is no good. They were very lucky.

Very close call. I deliberately double check myself several times that I'm packing and loading the correct cartridge. Lucky young lady.

Wow!
Glad it wasn't worse.

That is why I only have one box of ammo on the bench at a time!! If I switch guns I remove the gun AND ammo from the bench before grabbing another gun.

So easy to prevent stuff like this!

WOW. Glad everyone is ok. Could have been much worse.

Boy O boy they got lucky that day. Hope she has no permanent damage.

Wow. Glad she was ok.

Seems they were lucky this time. Hope it serves as a reminder to us all to be careful and double check next time we are at the range or hunting.

You can't be to careful. Prime example and truly hope she's okay. We were at our lease and I had 9mm 40 and 380. Triple checked each and every time.

Ouch!

Tragic end for that Weatherby. Hope she wasn't injured too badly.

Good Lord was watching over her today. was that at Quail Creek Range?

X2

LUCKY - it could have been so much worse !!!

Bad deal, I quit going to ranges when a guy two stalls down shot himself

x3

yikes

I was next to a guy that loaded a .270 round into his 7mm. Didn't hurt him, but it ruined his nice 7mm. Range master also made him leave for the day.

Every time I go to a range on a Saturday or Sunday there's always some weekend warrior who mishandles a firearm, or cannot follow basic handling which scares the daylights out of me.

Dang

I don't go to gun ranges anymore either, have seen way too many folks not handling firearms properly.

Yes, this was at Quail Creek.

"The rifle was a 270..."

Down right scary!

Me too. I'm actually surprised there are not more injuries and/or fatalities than there are.

Never thought about ammo mix ups being dangerous, but the picture is again worth a thousand words. Thanks for sharing.

I just THOUGHT that I was 'Mr. Safety", until I blew up my Beretta Silver Pigeon.
I feel for this shooter.

My daughter almost did the same thing. We went to the farm to sight in her .243, and I told her to grab her ammo before we left. I should have double checked it before we sat down to shoot but I was in shooting mode and didn't think about it. It was the only gun we brought and the only box of ammo. She loaded the magazine and loaded the first round in then looks at me says that the bolt handle doesn't seem to go down as far. The bolt was almost fully engaged but not quite. I pull the round out and notice it says .308 on the bottom. Definitely a wake up call for both of us.

I know they serve a purpose and often the only option for some, but I avoid gun ranges. Too many novices, shady characters, and wannabes.

ouch !! was a nice gun at one time. Glad she was not hurt.

this

A good reason not to go to a public range. Too many inattentive morons out there.

This was a good reminder for me. I check of course, but now I double check. Even look at the headstamp on every one now.

I quit the local range when everyone thought if it didn't have a slid-fire or they spent entire pay check on tannerite they weren't cool! Saw too many rounds start hitting dirt at 7 yards and continue climbing till they weren't hitting berm any longer! Range started with no 50 cal rule now thats went away. And I thought they lost their mind when they mention day leasing for dove on range while open to shoot!

Any word how the young lady is doing?

HornSlayer

I didn't see her after she left to go to the clubhouse and I am assuming to bathroom to wipe the blood off her face. The guy she was with did come back about 10 minutes later and I asked him if she was ok, he said yes in a very humbled voice, grabbed his gear and left.

Lucky and lucky.

Years ago a friend that I hunted with was helping a doctor friend of his get ready to go hunting. The doctor wanted a new rifle, bought a 270 Weatherby Magnum. The doctor later bought ammo on his own, he bought Win 270, big difference. Went to range to sight it in and the doc fired one shot, totally destroyed the new rifle and he had only slight injuries to his hand. Very lucky!
I now go to the range on Monday mornings as soon as they open, I get my shooting done and leave.

be focused and deliberate in your actions - safety first, every time. this is a good reminder that guns are deadly weapons. no matter how much experience you have it only takes one little mistake to cause life altering consequences when guns are involved. glad it sounds like the young lady sounds is ok, this could of been a whole lot worse.

Had a hipoint 9mm pistol explode in my hand once, not fun!! Hung it in the wall as a reminder for safety.

I had a friend once that bought a used custom mauser from a gun shop that was stamped as a 270 on the barrel. The first shot split the stock, blew out the floorplate and luckily only stung his hand some...no real injuries. We got the empty brass out of the chamber and it was split almost end to end, but did show a sharp shoulder and rings near the base similar to a mag. round. It turned out that it was chambered for 270 Weatherby mag and someone had neglected to put the Weatherby on the barrel.