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Bowling pin matches

gyppo

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I have always wondered how safe bowling pin matches are. I heard someone in the Atlanta area lost the use of an eye in the last few years. To me it seems like a huge risk. I get hit with bullet jacket fragments regularly at indoor matches from steel targets and the range backstop.
It seems from a physics perspective shooting several closely placed, partly reflective, partly soft objects with big heavy slow moving bullets is the perfect recipe to have a complete bullet coming back at you. The thing that saves us with steel targets is the inelastic collision. The bullet energy bleeds off quickly as it shatters or dramatically reduces velocity if it stays intact.
This does not seem like what would happen with bowling pins.
Can anyone speak from experience? I have never shot bowling pins.
 
The guy that lost his eye was shooting very weak hand loads. He was also wearing regular prescriptions glasses. The pins were also very lead filled from not being changed out. Several ranges still use them every week with no issues. If the pins are lead filled, from not being changed out then I would avoid shooting them.
 
Bowling pins should not be an issue, provided you shoot them with hollow-points and observe safe distances. FMJs are a ricochet hazard when shooting bowling pins. We shoot pins almost weekly and have for years, never an issue. Minimum safe distance is about 7 yds. I do recall a story of a guy shooting a pins match and the bullet (.38 special) ricocheted right back and hit him in the chest. In another incident, an Instructor was shot through the arm due to a ricochet off a bowling pin.

We shoot steel targets indoor, but enforce proper distances. Properly angled targets and distance are key.
For ¼ inch thick targets, over 25 yards is recommended. For ⅜ – ½ inch thick targets, 100 yards minimum.

Shooting steel OUTDOOR is a bit different depending on the type of ground it's resting on. If the area is clear of hard surfaces such as rocks or pact dirt, you can safely shoot steel closer. I've SAFELY shot steel targets at 15yds with pistols (9mm) and rifle under 60 yds (5.56).
 
i used to shoot pins every week years ago. Wadcutters seemed to be the worst offenders for bouncing off the pins. I caught a metal fragment below the eye one time. it stung but didn’t require any medical attention. As with ANY shooting, safety gear including a good pair of safety glasses is a must.
 
When I started out competition shooting I would shoot a weekly indoor pin match. As noted above the only issues really come up because of pins that are filled with lead and need to be replaced and people running exceptionally light loads. Treat them like poppers or plates and keep a minimum distance of about 10yds and it's fine.
 
I don't think I would ever shoot an indoor match on steel. Yikes. Paper targets only. :fear:

Tons of USPSA matches are shot indoors, most of which probably use some steel. Never really an issue. Some indoor ranges will build boxes around the poppers to help prevent frag from going up and breaking lights.
 
Tons of USPSA matches are shot indoors, most of which probably use some steel. Never really an issue. Some indoor ranges will build boxes around the poppers to help prevent frag from going up and breaking lights.
We shoot steel targets indoor, but enforce proper distances. Properly angled targets and distance are key.
Must be because I'm only used to shooting IDPA/GADPA indoors, where you play the defender. You're sometimes at contact distances and rarely more than 10-15 yards out.
 
Must be because I'm only used to shooting IDPA/GADPA indoors, where you play the defender. You're sometimes at contact distances and rarely more than 10-15 yards out.

I think IDPA has a minimum engagement distance for steel in the rules just like USPSA does.

You just design the stage so that the steel can't be shot closer than that distance.
 
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