As we know, when shooting we are essentially creating a small explosion in the palm of our hands. This explosion carries with it a specific set of reactions, one of which is the expulsion of hot brass from semi-automatic slides. The trajectory of this expelled hot brass varies from gun to gun, round to round. Why is this important to be aware of?
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| Hot brass, comin at ya. Image from Google |
Weeellll.....
Sometimes, that brass will fly off to the right side, harmlessly.
Sometimes, it might head backwards, over your shoulder.
Sometimes, it may make contact with your forearm, landing long enough to singe your skin,and fall to the floor.
Other times, it will bounce off your safety goggles, the brim of your ballcap, or your exposed forehead.
Or.. it will head directly down your shirt, to either the front or the rear.
We have seen brass hit the shirt collar and roll over a shoulder, down the shooters back, and get hung up in their belt, leaving the shooter with a brass tattoo on his hip.
Even with proper attire, brass can sneak in and land in tender spots. The chances of injury are greatly lowered though, when you cover up rather than leaving areas open for assault by flying projectiles.
Over time, discussion over how you obtained the tatt may provide some lively entertainment. As you dress for your shooting engagement, please keep these two stories in mind.
- A young couple, obviously in the first blush of attraction, decided a date at the range would be great fun. Since it was during one of Savannah's warmer months, the young lady dressed in a lovely tank top, short shorts, and heels. Her young man, with stars in his eyes, proudly taught her grip and stance and how to pull the trigger........ and I bet you know where this is going, right?
The lovely young lass fired off several rounds. Grinning triumphantly, gaining more confidence with each shot fired, she continued to shoot, squee, bounce and smile, right up until a hot case made its way rearward, landed on her sternum and rolled on down into the depths of her tank top.
The contact of the brass with exposed skin set off a chain of events that has range staff shaking their heads to this very day.
The young lady did react somewhat as expected, and thankfully the first thing she did, was to set the gun down. Rather than trying to pull her shirt away from her body to allow the brass to escape though, she proceeded to rip her top off, along with her bra.
The brass rolled to the floor, the young lady calmed enough to realize her state of undress, and her companion managed to pick his jaw up off the floor and help cover her as best he could as she pulled her tank top back on. Talk about a Flash-Bang... or maybe this one is a BANG-FLASH.
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| Good. Covered. Safe. Image- Google |
Lesson learned:
- She DID set the gun down, pointed downrange. Other ladies who have had this happen have caused staff to tense, hold our breath and RUN into the range to intercede, as the muzzle of the gun was wildly swept around unsafely, with a finger on the trigger. Take note- when (not if-- this is a WHEN situation as it happens to men and women alike,) this happens to you, SET THE GUN DOWN before fishing out the burning brass! (Keeping your shirt on is advisable as well.) Trust me- the pain is temporary and not worth risking further injury by a negligent discharge.
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| Not Good. Google Image |
What do we advise to avoid the twins becoming brass catchers?
- Cover up! T-shirts are great. Yes, there may be a stray case that makes an attempt to invade, but your chances of injury are much lower with a t-shirt, than they are with a tank top. Ball caps may create hat hair, but they do offer protection to your forehead and face, and may deflect the course of the brass enough to avoid the journey into the tender zone. *Quick note, a bit off topic here. Ladies- we live in the south. Portions of our anatomy get rather warm and.. dewey. There will be no fishing (sweaty) money from your bra to pay for your range time. Thank you.
On different day, another young couple wandered in for a shooting date. The young lady was wearing a top that covered her well enough, however her choice of what we refer to as Hooker Heels and a micro-skirt were maybe not the best. The rather snug fit of her skirt combined with the less than stable platform provided by her strappy, sky-high heels provided another painful lesson. Walking on a clear floor is one thing- add in spent cases that roll on the cement floor with those heels and you have a recipe for disaster. The young man provided brief instruction, the young lady fired a few rounds. Hot brass bounced onto her pedicured toes, she went to step out of the way and rolled her ankle as the brass shifted under her heels. The polite way to describe the end of this date was, "She was not happy."
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| Not good for shooting! Image from Google |
Lesson learned:
- Proper footwear to protect the toes! Brass ruins pedicures. There may be times when we must dress lady-like in heels and dresses, and we may need to be able to safely fire in that attire. When you are first learning to shoot is not that time.
What do we advise?
- Shoes with closed toes and no heels. Boots, sneakers, something that is going to provide you with full coverage on your foot, and no tender toes peeking through. Slick soles on an indoor range are not going to provide the safest traction either, even when there is no brass rolling on the floor. As to your bottom attire, wear something you can move in safely. Save the painted on jeans, Daisy Dukes and micro-skirts for another time, and wear comfortable bottoms that you can move in (and not moon the entire store, please.)
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| Good. Flat with grippy sole. Image from Google. |
In short, Don't Be Those Gals! Cover up your assets ladies, as tender spots and swollen ankles make it difficult to have a fun date. Your outfit does not have to be tacti-kewl with 5.11 pants, shooting shirts, and combat boots. But use common sense when picking something out.
Oh and gents? A word , please? If you plan a surprise shooting date, don't encourage the spaghetti strap tank tops and Daisy Duke shorts. Range staff will not hesitate to call you out, in front of your girl and the whole world, for putting her in potential jeopardy like that. Show some class and behave like a gentleman who cares about the welfare of his companion.
There you have it. Range attire summed up. Be safe and keep your finger off the trigger!
~Shannon
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