Did anybody watch Shooting Gallery last night ??? well it showed John Willey I think thats his name, marksmanship instructor demostrating how to shoot a 300 short magnum at 1000 yds. WITH NO EYE PROTECTION, right on camera, and worse of all at the NRA Whittington center ????

Evelio
I noticed it as well.

I asked the rimfire guys on the benchrest board about the incidence of ruptured cases and was surprised at the number of folks that had experienced case failures. It was enough to reaffirm my belief that eye protection ought to be a matter of course. However after seeing the stupid things that people do on You Tube (shooting at steel posts and having the bullet bounce back and remove their caps and a piece of scalp)...and a response or two in this thread I'm reminded of that most famous quote, "Stupid is as stupid does." Here's the thread:

http://benchrest.com/forums/showthread. ... post487567

Equating You Tube behavior and more specificlly {shooting at steel posts} with not wearing eye protection when standing three or four feet behind someone shooting rimfires is preposterous. And as for personal attacks and name calling, those are tactics used in desperation by some when they have lost the debate. The discourse on steel chickens is usually more civil than the last post and should remain so. Just as a reminder I never condoned anyone shooting anything without eye protection, {I wear glasses when shooting airsoft}, I was specifically addressing spotters in smallbore rifle silhouette. Like anything in life there are exceptions, logic would tell you that if the shooter on your left has a semi-auto without a case deflector you want eye protection. If someone on the line has a unsafe ammunition they shouldn't be using it in close proximity of anyone else {at a match}. This specifically addresses the link/posts concerning the Lapua ammunition, they new there was a problem with it and continued to shoot it? If they choose to accept the risk themselves while alone so be it.

One of the scarier stories was the shooter that experienced a case rupture and gas vented around the cocking indicator that runs through the bolt and protrudes from the rear. This was a journalist writing a review, and he was wearing safety glasses, but he was mad at the manufacturer. It seemed far fetched, but he was angry enough that I wonder, but consider the damage that would do! It would vent right into your eyes.

Kevin, I ain't biting....there is no debate....however I am glad of your affirmation to wear eye protection...I didn't get that impression from reading your posts. Mr. Blaubear, that is exactly what happens when a rimfire case ruptures on a bolt action rifle ! The gasses and particles vent around the cocking indicator and hit you right in the eye ! Wear 'em !

Thanks for the confirmation Choken! The case ruptures I've seen were in semi-automatics that locked up improperly, and the idea of hot gas and primer particles venting through the cocking indicator straight into your dominant eye is pretty scary.

Well, we've had some interesting discussion on this post/topic, but the equine is deceased and I've grown weary of beating him. Anyone want to discuss the merits of the 30-06!! I believe it's one of the worst cartridges ever developed and I can prove it! Wait a minute, wrong forum for that topic, I apologize.Ha-Ha!

I just got a new pair of Wiley X's. I figured I might as well get a new pair I can use for matches and at work. Since I will be using them at work, I can get reimbursed for them. Its good to work for the government sometimes.

Ghostofwar...I always end up carrying in the eye protection I win as it is much better than what the state provides us with. My crew loves me and the other labs are jealous of our "cool shades" that comes from Sunshine Classic and Winny! So some government budgets are cheap!

Innocent

I guess it depends on who you work for. The company/agency I work for is all about safety. They give us the cheapest eyewear they can get, but if we choose to get our own they write us a check for the cost, up to a certain amount. Same goes for boots and running shoes. We can take the supplied boots (Oakleys), which i like, or you can buy your own and get reimbursed. For boots and running shoes you can get a new pair every six months. I think thats a pretty sweet deal.

wooooweeeeee! i loves me some differing opinions!

i just looked in the nra rule books and both small bore rifle and the silo books highly recomend both eye and ear protection, and state that the host range may require them.

mine does and everywhere i shoot does so i do!

dave