From: dcwst8+@pitt.edu (David C Winters)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Summary: Stupid Shooters' Tricks (Long)
Date: 27 Aug 92 00:38:24 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh


OK, I've gotten a few email requests to post the "Stupid Shooting
Tricks" thread.  Here it is.  Early on in my saving them, I decided that
I wanted to have an anonymous collection of anecdotes, so I deleted all
of the header information and .sig files - and anything that didn't
directly concern the thread (space limitation and all that...).

I'm willing to bet that I missed a few of the contributions, and I offer
my apologies if yours is missing.

I didn't include my .sig at the end, so just clip it here;

David "Jester" Winters

[MODERATOR:  I'll pass this through now, but in the future I suggest
that people feel free to troll through the rec.guns archives for old
posts.  I encourage people to compile summaries of off-line responses,
etc, from other requests for info, but seein' as how these have already
appeared here..... (thanks!) ]


--------------------------Share and Enjoy---------------------------

About five years ago, during Christmas break of my freshman year in college,
a friend of mine dropped by.  We grew bored, went out to the garage, and
loaded up about a hundred paraffin-bullet loads.  Just a .357 case, small 
primer, stuffed full of wax.  

We were shooting them at a cardboard box about 20' away.  The wax would 
occasionally make it through both sides of the box, but most just stopped
inside the box.  After a while, my stupidity took over.  I was wearing 
my Levi's jacket, the kind with a fleecy liner.  I took a large piece of
corrugated cardboard, and folded it over, so it was three layers thick.  I
turned around, and held the cardboard over my back.

"Aim for the middle of my back.  If you shoot my hands or head..."
"No problem, tell me when you're ready"

The wax hit me right on one of the points of one of my middle vertebrae.
The pain was incredible.  I started to scream, but then forced myself not
to.  I knew if my dad heard, he'd find out what we did, and then I'd have 
a REAL GOOD reason to scream, if you get what I mean.  I ended up with a welt
about the size of a 50-cent piece, and about 1/4" high.

I'm sure you all think this is about the stupidest thing a sane person 
would ever do.  But I managed to convince my friend that it didn't hurt that
bad, and that fair is fair.  He fell for it.  Similar result.

BTW, paraffin bullets are quite fun, and are only about as loud as a solid
clap of the hands.  Accuracy isn't too great, and they goober up the 
bore.  But when it's cold and rainy outside, and you just gotta shoot
something, they do the trick.  And I recommend a garage or someplace where
ventilation is good.  Vapors from spent primers can do nasty things to you.

[MODERATOR:  Ahh, yes.  At first I thought you were about to recount a
different story, about missing the cardboard...  The one I was thinking
of  (and did not participate in... :-) is at least captured on tape.  It
was done by a group making a video about firearms, and specifically about
body armor.  The subject dons said jacket, and gets set up at close range
to be shot in the belly by an AR-15, to demonstrate the high quality of
the vest.  Having great concern not to hit outside of the body armor, his
partner fixed a *scope* to the rifle, so he could precisely aim at dead
center on the vest......
 .... well can we all guess what is wrong with this picture?  Too bad for
these guys.  Remember an AR-15 scope sits 'way up top, and at very close
range the line of sight is 'way high of the bullet path.  Yup, a graphic
demonstration of one man shooting the hydraulics off the other... *ouch*.
Okay, okay, Your Humble Moderator will toss in (one of his many) stupid
shooter stunts, which in fact occurred last week and reminded him of the
above story.  Guess how YHM managed to drop five rounds through the PACT
sensors of his chronograph... (hey, but they still work.... :-) ]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Back when I still had my 1911A1, I was trying to teach a friend of
mine the use of a pistol.  Said friend's only shooting experience was
M-16 in basic training.

Using said training, my friend attempted to aim the 1911A1 like an
M-16, with his eye up to the rear sight.

My scream of "CEASE FIRE" saved his face/eye.

I then demonstrated the PROPER aiming technique for a pistol, and the
reason why his attempt was such a BAD IDEA.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Well, this story isn't nearly as funny as some of the previous ones but
it is current (happen about 2.5 hr ago) and might be worth mentioning.  
Last night, I tried out my new 9 mm dies and loading about 100 Hornady 
115 gr XTP/HPs with what I thought was 5.2 grains of AA #2.  Well, I got a 
bit of a surprise.  I shot a couple of magazine worth our of my Browning
Hi-Power.  I thought I was loading pretty light so I didn't bother to look
at my brass for pressure signs.  

Surprize!  I touched off a round and I got
a face full of powder and my pistol jammed up nice and solid.  It turns out
I had a case failure which managed to vent downward into the magazine, causing
the grips to separate from the weapon (nice black powder burns on the hands,
thank you) and actually bending the forward facing part of the magazine about
2 mm to the rear.  I wasn't sure what to make of this.  Should I go home and
try to figure this out on paper or should I keep experimenting? 

After getting my pistol back together, I shot about 20 rounds more and the 
same thing happened.  Meanwhile, was checking the primers and something was
seriously wrong.  I was getting cases that looked a lot like figure C on 
page 56 of the latest Hornady reloading manual...  I had enough good sense
to stop at this point and figure out what was going on.  

So, two double charged loads seemed pretty unlikely.  I am pretty careful 
when I reload.  Seating depth might be a problem: nope, they were right on
at 1.05" COL.  Finally, I started taking apart cartridges and I found the 
problem:  I had loaded as much as 6.7 gr of AA #2 when I thought I was loading
5.2 gr.  Wow!  Big difference!

Well, the Hornady powder drop is not quite as consistent as I had thought. 
However, before I lay blame on the machinery, let me point out that I weighted
the first few charges and then ladled out another 50 charges with out 
rechcecking!  Bad idea!  While a grain or two here and there isn't catastrophic
when reloading .308, serious problems can result when reloading pistol 
cartridges with the same margin of error.  Good thing Hornady powder
drop error is not homoscedastic!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The worst mistake I remember making was when I was a kid and shot
a spoon out of my hand with a .22 rifle [it's only a .22 ;-{)  ].
I still have lead and powder fragments in index finger and a few
scars on my other fingers.

I remember reading about a guy who was showing his friends his
new Colt.  Apparently, he learned S&W or Browning pistols,
because he thought the Colt had a magazine disconnect.
Unfortunately for him, he chose to demonstrate that the gun would
not fire with the magazine removed by pointing it at his head and
had a live round in the chamber.  (Talk about stupidity being a
capital offense.)
 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Well, just to add something less dangerous while nonetheless stupid...

About half a year ago I went to the range with a friend of mine to do
some plinking with my Glock 19.  The guy at the slot next to our slot
shot a .25 Auto.  The FMJ ammo we shot looking basically the same, just
being of different size, I somehow managed to load a .25 cartridge
between two 9 Para cartridges into the Glock's mag.

While shooting happily along, I suddenly encountered a cycling failure.
I did a tap-rack-bang (you know the drill), just to get another
failure.  Fortunately the trigger was locked, although the slide
stopped just some two mm behind its rest position.

When I field-stripped the gun I noticed a barrel obstruction which
resolved itself to a .25 cartridge catapulted into the barrel by
the firing pin.  The next full-size 9mm ctg just hammered the .25
ctg deeper into the barrel.  I thought of what would have happened
if the .25 ctg would have allowed the slide to close & fire the next
ctg, became quite pale and went home to assess the damage.

Fortunately, I was able to get the cartridge out of the barrel with
a woodstick.  No visible scars in the barrel remain.  The .25 cartridge
now resides on my desktop right under the inscription "Shit happens!".

Guys, you can never be too careful!  Sh*t happens when you least expect
it.

[MODERATOR:  Long ago I had one like this.  Violated that rule on the
NRA chart about not having more than one kind of ammo out at the same
time, right?  Had my Beretta 92 out at the same time as a gov't 1911.
Switched from the 9mm to the .45, inserted a mag, dropped the slide,
and, after I held the pistol at the ready position for a few seconds
in preparation for firing, was very surprized/embarassed to have an
entire 9mm cartridge dribble out the front end of the Colt.... *sigh*
Took a while to live that one down....]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

My dad told me that while he was in the Army, they were training by
shooting wooden bullets. Apparently, one the curious, yet more stupid
soldiers decided to test the strength of his steel helmet.
However, instead of taking his helmet off forst, and then shooting it,
he merely turned the rifle to his helmeted head and pulled the trigger.
A wooden bullet splinter (?) passed thru the steel and lodged into his
skull. All but the soldier were amused. He survived the incident.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

#While I've never caught anything on the slide of my Browning 9mm, I have the
#toughest time convincing friends to keep their hands below the curve (the one
#that should fit nicely *above* your hand on the back of the grip).  I finally
#convinced them with this little thought exercise.

#1)  You know how hard it is to pull back the slide.
#2)  You know that the slide has to move back to cycle another round.
#3)  You know that every time you yank the trigger (new shooters :-)  ),
#    another round is waiting for you (except for that 14th shot...).
#4)  Judging by this, the slide must be cycling automatically, hence the name.
#5)  Do *you* see it cycle?  Think about how fast that must be moving.....

#They immediately improve their grip!

In the same vein:
  This weekend I was introducing someone to shooting and he kept putting
a finger in _front_ of the trigger guard on the revolver.  The revolver he
was shooting was a .22 so his finger was just getting a little black
from the gasses escaping from the cylinder gap.  To demonstrate why this
was _not_ "A Good Idea" I took a .357 (revolver) and shot it with a new
target (paper) held beside it.  The gasses escaping from the cylinder gap
ripped a 3 inch hole in the paper...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 I was at an indoor range once firing my Glock when it jammed up on me.  I
 cleared the jam and fired again, obtaining another jam.  I thought
 (correctly as it turned out) that something had gummed up the gun so I
 began to disassemble it.  Unfortunately, I did so at the firing line, and
 wouldn't you know it?  I chose that particular moment to lose my grip on
 the recoil spring and follower.  They when shooting (no pun intended) down
 range.  It was rather embaressing for me (and rather irritating for the
 other shooters) to have to fetch the range master and halt everyone's
 shooting so I could go retrieve the wayward pieces of my gun.
 
 LESSON:  Any tinkering with a gun (unloaded of course) should occur away
 from the firing line.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

	My contribution: A guy out on the range had just purchased a
Remington 870 in 12ga with a rifled barrel.  He had attached a scope
to the top, and was sighting it in.  I didn't pay him much attention
until I heard a <boom!> <aaaahhhhhh!>.  The poor guy had forgotten
about the recoil and managed to make a circular cut around his eye
as the scope bashed into it.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


|> Using said training, my friend attempted to aim the 1911A1 like an
|> M-16, with his eye up to the rear sight.

I once witnessed someone do this with a S&W M29 .44 Magnum - I was not able to
stop him in time, and the hammer spur put a very wide groove in his right temple.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I was sitting on a couch in the junk trailer I lived in while attending college,
shooting mice that were running through the walls (the trailer was miles from
anywhere, in a small valley).

I cleared the gun, and took some dry-firing practice.

Heard another mouse, loaded the gun, shot the mouse, set down the gun.

Picked up the gun for some dry-firing, and put a single round right between my
crossed feet, creasing both shoes, through my roommate's stereo, through an
interior wall, and shot the lock off my toolchest in the bedroom.

The stereo still worked, the stains washed out of my pants, and the toolchest was
given a decent burial.
 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I used to have a T/C Contender with a 14" .44 Magnum barrel and Pachmayr
grips.  I shot fairly stout handloads, but recoil was relatively light
because of the grips and barrel length.  Well, one day we were shooting,
and another guy let me shoot his 4" barrelled .44 Magnum revolver with
wood grips.  I cupped my right hand under the grip, aimed and pulled
the trigger.  I felt pain in my right hand, looked and noticed that I
now had a nice gash in my hand that was shaped like the bottom of
the grip.

I now hold hard-kicking guns differently....

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ob:stoopid:shooter:trick -  We received a couple of special training/practice
sessions before the match.  However, at the match next to me was a young
captain I hadn't seen before.  He must have been a "special" invitee (you
know how that goes!). He had apparently never fired anything other than
the .38 service revolver.  Well, just before the first .45 course he
turned to me, pointing the .45 at me and asked how to cock the weapon.
Being just an Airman 2-stripe, I suggested he seek instructions from the
range officer.  He fumbled a bit and turned back up range, gun cocked.
My heart was pounding a bit faster that normal competition nerves.
"Ready on the Right". pause. "Ready on the Left". pause. BOOM!! Young captain
had just shot a perfect .45 hole thru the new pine table at his station.  
The range officer, a Sgt. with enough stripes to make a zebra proud, slowly 
walked over and said with remarkable politeness, "Sir, could you come with
me, please?"  Never saw the Captain at the range again.  Thank God.

[MODERATOR:  Oh yeah, and the ever popular ADs during inspection....
normally the MP/officer has a drill for accepting the pistol, checking
it out which entails having the slide lock back, dropping the slide,
pointing pistol up, pulling trigger, then reinserting the mag.  Of course,
if the inspecting officer suffers a brain fart and reverses the last two
steps before returning the sidearm..... :-)  ... ]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ok, here's one I was reminded of when I saw a neophyte do the same thing a
couple of days ago.  Fortunately, I was there to correct them in time.  I
was on my own when ...

It was the first time I tried firing my SIG DA.  Pull trigger.  Bang!  So
far, so good.  Pull trigger again.  Nothing.  Er?

First instinct:  Look at the gun to see what's wrong.  Forgotten rule:
Keep the muzzle pointed down range.

I turned it sideways and, in so doing, applied a little more pressure to
the trigger.  Bang!  O h  m y  G o d.  That was dumb.  Real dumb.  Nothing
damaged and no one hurt, fortunately.

I've been practicing the DA->SA transition a lot ever since.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

My dad served in the RAF in WW2 and relates that part of their basic 
training involved being taught to fire the dreaded Sten gun.   The group of 
rookies were taken out to the range where a series of straw dummies had been 
set up.  One at a time, they were taken out to the front of the group by the 
sergeant-instructor and told to let off a full magazine on automatic.
	Things went well until one very dim individual got to have go.  The 
idea was to fire short bursts at each target.  Unfortunately when he took 
his finger off the trigger to shift to the next target, a little Sten 
gun foible surfaced -- the sear didn't engage and the thing kept firing, 
whereupon the rookie let out a despairing cry of "Sarg!!!" and began 
*pivoting around* from the hips towards the back of the firing line.  Never 
have 30 blokes -- including the sergeant -- moved so fast!!!   Fortunately, 
no one was hurt but the NCO's language was quite something!
	This left everyone a bit rattled, cos later on another poor chap 
adjusted his grip during a firing sequence and forget the 2nd of the Sten's 
idiosyncrasies -- his left forefinger got too close to the ejection port 
and it got the tip nipped off by the bolt.   All in all a successful day?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Never underestimate the ignorance of new shooters.

There is a rather nice indoor range not too far from the Everett
Washington Boeing plant.  Quite a lot of folks from all over the world
come here to learn about the airplanes that their airlines are buying.
These will often include business people, ground maintenance folks etc.

Since some of these folks come from countries where the only firearms
they see are on TV, they get real excited when they come to America and
find that all they have to do is pay a few bucks and they can even shoot
"Dirty Harry's" gun.

The people at the range are getting used to this, but every once in a
while one sneaks by.  The particular case that sticks in my mind, was
this one fellow who rented one of the new Smith DA 9's.  He fired the
fist shot, but the single action on the second shot confused him.  He
was trying to figure out why the trigger felt different.  In the
process, the turns the gun to look down the barrel.....  Finger still on
the trigger, all ready to fire single action.  I swear he was going to
pull the trigger, when the range officer caught him and the rest of us
got up off the floor....

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Something the moderator wrote earlier reminded me of a dumb trick
I remember.

We were having our monthly meeting at our gun club.  I was
sitting near these 2 guys.  One carried a 1911 in condition 3 (?
empty chamber) and the other guy asked to see it.

The guy looking at the gun took out the magazine, checked the
chamber and proceeded to try the trigger out.  He got ready to
give the gun back.  The slide was forward, he put the magazine
back in and then checked to see that the gun was empty by pulling
the slide _all_ the way back.  He then decided to try the trigger
again.  Fortunately, he was pointing the gun into a wastebasket.
That quieted things down real well ;-{).
 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

|> #Using said training, my friend attempted to aim the 1911A1 like an
|> #M-16, with his eye up to the rear sight.
|> #My scream of "CEASE FIRE" saved his face/eye.
|> 
|> This one ain't even close to funny.  A guy at one of the local ranges
|> did this.  First shot stunned him, nasty cut.  He staggered back and
|> touched off a second round into the floor.  The ricochet went through
|> a partition and got an off duty police officer at the next station in
|> the groin.  He was not pleased.....  Fortunately the bullet was pretty
|> well spent and his 'hydraulics' will probably resume normal function any
|> time now.
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

One one occasion taking someone out to teach them to shoot with a .22
semi-auto.  Things were going fairly nicely until one of the hot empties
went right down the front of her shirt.  In the commotion which followed,
proper muzzle awareness was not maintained.

On another occasion teaching someone to shoot, a yellowjacket started
buzzing around her head.  With loaded gun, finger on trigger, she attempted
to use the gun as a swatter.  I hit the ground.  The shooter, myself, and
the yellowjacket all survived.

When you are teaching new shooters, be sure to tell them what to expect
before each new thing you have them do.  Emphasize proper grip and stance
and make sure they dry-fire it a few times first. When I have someone try a new
gun, I load just a single round.  That way, the worst that can happen
is they drop it empty.

My instructions regarding spent shell casings and stray wasps are "they
won't kill you; losing control of a firearm might".
 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    This was related by a gun shop owner I used to chat with.  He was a 
teenager at the time.  Lived in a semi-urban environment.  He was in a
1st story room, looking out a window at his neighbor's second story bathroom.
#From his view he had a clear picture of a globe style of ceiling light cover.
He happened to be playing with his "unloaded" 30-30 Winchester 94 rifle.
So, in the interest of improving accuracy and his handling of the rifle;
he decided to sight in on that light and "dry" fire.  
   He nearly killed his neighbor.  Not because of the bullet though.  The
bullet hit the bulb square on and proceeded out through his neighbor's roof.
The neighbor just happened to be shaving with a straight razor at that very
moment, directly under the bathroom bulb.
   Apparently, had the neighbor used the straight razor on this kid, it would
have been far kinder and more merciful than the treatment he got from his
father afterward.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Once I was at the range with several guns, including a Browning Hi-Power and
a Mauser HSc. I actually loaded the Browning magazine with .380 ammo. The
first shot produced a hole in the paper at aim point, but the slide didn't
cycle. "Wimpy range reloads", I think as I rack the slide by hand. The
second shot produced the same results, but this time I dropped tha mag and
inspected the very bulged .380 case with significant embarrasment.

Ok, one more.

When I was a kid, I had a .380 auto that I got from an unscrupulous adult. I
used to pop cans out in the desert with it. I learned a powerful lesson one
day when I was fooling around with it in the kitchen while my parents were
away. I was holding the gun sideways and while checking it out, somehow
pulled the trigger and blew a hole in the wall right next to the
refrigerator. I patched and painted it before they came home, and to this
day they don't know. I learned my safety lesson very well, however.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

What's the very first thing you get taught about firearms?  ALWAYS
TREAT EVERY GUN AS IF IT'S LOADED!  Why is it that it's these simple
rules we screw up on?

About 10 years ago, I used to carry a .25 semi-auto, because I had to
leave work after dark in a questionable crime area.  Every evening, I'd
carefully unload the piece and set it on the table in my tv room.  In 
the morning, if I had to work, I'd load it up again.

One Friday night I'd stopped off for (more than) a few beers with some
of the guys from work.  The next a.m., I found myself sullen and hung
over, sitting in front of the tv, watching Big Time Wrestling and feeling
like I was gonna puke.  The maniacal rhetoric issuing forth from the
WrestlingHulk (not Hogan) on the little blue screen got to be just a bit 
too much to bear in my fragile condition...  I picked up the .25 from the
table, cocked the hammer, and pointed the gun right at the tv image of 
Rick Flair.  Thinking the gun was unloaded, I pulled the trigger.

The world went into slow motion at the sound of the gunshot in my tiny
tv room.  The bullet punched a hole in the 24 inch screen right directly
in the center of Rick Flair's chest, and I watched in horror as the screen 
image seemed to collapse into a circle and disappear into the smoking bullet
hole.

The only "up" side to all of this was when my best buddy pointed out that
there were probably lots of people in the world that had fantasized about
doing that to their tv sets, but I was one of the few that could actually 
say that I had.  Small consolation, though;  the new set cost $400 
bucks.  Needless to say, I follow ALL the safety rules now!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Loading my Winchester .30-30.  Jack the lever, bang!  Oops.
Fortunately the muzzle was pointed in a safe direction.  What went
wrong?  Had my finger in the trigger guard.  To my credit, it is very
easy to do this with this particular gun if you don't pay attention.
Lesson learned:  *always* pay attention, and always keep the damned
muzzle well away from anything you don't want to hurt or kill.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

At a Big 5 store I watched as a salesman showed a customer a pump 12ga.
Acting on the customer's request on "how do load those things?" he was
triing to figure out how to put 38spl ammo into the loading port of the
12ga.  

QUIZ:  How many wrongs are in this situation?  And how many of them does
it take to make a right?

Also, (at a gun shop that I hang out at) a friend of mine who works there
and carries a loaded Colt responded to another friend's request to see his
Colt.  He performed the unload drill in the REVERSE order and handed him 
the gun, safety off.  A casual as I could, (not to get _anyone_ excited)
I asked if I could see the gun - and grabbed it by the slide; thumb blocking
the hammer.  Should have seen the looks on EVERYONE's faces when I kicked
the loaded round high into the air.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Reminds me of an incident from the past weekend when I went shooting with
some friends.

One of them, Henry, brought along an alloy frame .44 snub-nosed revolver,
also with wood grips.  I can't imagine why anyone would want, or even
make, such a gun.  Shooting it _hurts_.  It's no fun at all.  Neither is
it accurate enough to be useful at anything beyond point blank range.
(Henry got it for $5 from a man who bought it, fired 5 rounds through it
and never wanted to use it again.  After firing 5 rounds myself, I
understood completely and agreed).

At some point, someone else's non-gun-familiar-but-interested SO came by
and noticed our small "toy" guns (I had the Beretta Minx with me).  Henry
winked at me and offered to let her shoot the .44.  My stupid maneuver of
the day was letting him get away with it without stopping or, at least,
warning her.

She fired one shot, screamed, slammed the gun down and stalked off.  Henry
thought it was hilarious.

The Real(tm) stupidity here is that he probably alienated a potential ally
forever.  That was certainly no way to introduce a neophyte to shooting.
(I did get her to try the Beretta later, so at least she knows not all
guns are wrist snappers).

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Many years ago, as a young lad, I was shooting handloads
in a '17 Enfield (purchased through the mail for thirty
some dollars - good deal for a kid).  Anyway, I was not
wearing eye protection and unkown to me at the time, my
rifle had excessive headspace.  One case ruptured and
I experienced hot gas in the face.  Fortunately my eyes
were not hurt.  The need for eye/hearing protection
should go without saying, but I still it while working
or shooting at the range.