When I shot revolver, something stung me on the face. But nothing is visible on my face

[easycity]

Yesterday I shot revolver the first time. The revolver is Ruger LCR 38 Special, and the ammo is Magtech 38 Special.
This happened just once. The same moment a shot went out, I felt that something stung me on my face, on the right side. Then I did NOT feel anything lasting, and my friends at the range could not see anything abnormal on my face. Now 24 hours have passed, I do not feel anything abnormal in any way.
Anybody else have this experience?

I have shot semi-automatic 9mm pistols for at least 500 rounds, with a dozen different brands of ammo. I have never experienced this stinging feeling.

 

[seanc]

Was anybody shooting with you? Could somebody’s ejection have hit you? Other wise maybe a bug?

 

[drgrant]

Could the bullet have hit a Target hanging or something or piece of Steel down range? Otherwise I suspect timing/ clocking issue with the forcing cone of the revolver.... then again if it only happened once that seems kind of unlikely

 

[Caveman]

I've had that with powder. Super small fleck of burning powder flies back lands on face or arms. Nothing to worry about, but another of the infinite reasons to wear eye protection.

 

[BMX]

I’ve had small lead fragments reflect from a steel plate back at my forehead from 25 yards. Made me rethink the power of a 9mm.

 

[easycity]

Burning powder is also the first thing I could think of. It must be in the size of a speck of dust. I did not have any sign of redness on my face afterwards.
But this is a strong support to mandate eye protection during shooting.

Still, how could some burning powder flew backward? Is it caused by the gap between the cylinder and the barrel? I suspect that this kind of powder flying backward will happen very frequently to revolver shooters.

 

[weekendracer]

Revolvers aren't 'sealed' like semi's are. Look at the cool pictures of magnums going off with fire going everywhere. Wouldn't surprise me if some blowback got on you.

 

[enbloc]

I vote forcing cone swaged projo and you got a slice of her.
+1 drgrant

 

[cams]

It was Freedom high fiving your face. Shootings no fun if you’re not getting pelted with shit left and right to keep you on your toes.

 

[Welder1]

Typically with a timing issue where a revolver shaves lead off the forcing cone it wouldn’t be an intermittent problem. I would think it would be rather consistent. Just a thought

 

[Kylep427]

You should shoot my .460 XVR, the blast is so great, every round feels like putting your face in an oven when you check to see if the pizza is done!

 

[fshalor]

Welcome to the fold. You got a little blow back .You had good quality eyepro on right?

As others said, revolvers arent sealed unless you are rocking a mosin nagant revolver which levers the cylinder forward as the hammer falls.

Any alignment issues can cause blow back. Or over pressure or some other situations.

It's normal and a small price to pay for the mechanical robustness potential in a well sorted revolver. (thus said by a semiauto fan who only shot semi autos for most of his life and only recently adopted a revolver and have grown fond. )

 

[CCW]

I have a SW 617 .22. I use it primarily when I bring new people to the range. When standing to the left of the shooter this happens frequently. It’s specs of burning powder. Non-issue. However, also reinforces the need for proper grip technique. With a larger caliber maybe 357 or better if your thumbs are high up on the cylinder the powder can be nasty. That thing sticking out behind the cylinder isn’t called the burn line for nothing.

 

[E.Stoner]

Probably a little something got blown out the cylinder gap. It happens.
Its worthwhile to check the timing and lock up of each of your cylinders.
I have a 586-PC-Lcomp. That has one cylinder that doesn't always lock up in double action.
I haven't gotten around to sending it in for repair.

 

[greencobra]

Typically with a timing issue where a revolver shaves lead off the forcing cone....

probably this ^

 

[whacko]

I shoot revolvers alot. This happens occasionally. Nothing to worry about.

We're you shooting indoors on a lane with walls that separate the positions. I notice it more with wheel guns when shooting indoors......my theory is that unberned powder escapes the cylinder gap and deflects off the wall.

 

[meh]

Good eye protection is a must. Could it have been timing or something specific to a revolver? Sure. I've felt a bit of something on my hand from a revolver in the next lane, but that's no mystery. Could that deflect off the side of the lane? Maybe. Unless we're talking an outdoor range shooting into a dirt berm, my first guess is backsplash. Backsplash can come at you in different sizes and with different energy. MFS has rubber curtains, but they don't stop everything. I caught one from the guys banging away in the next lane with a 9mm or 40mm one day. Target was real close, and they weren't too good, so they were spitting out rounds hitting the backstop at all kinds of angles. They were hitting the target, I assume, so not doing anything wrong, but I caught it on my scalp pretty solid and cut it. Heck, I was shooting .22 at another indoor range, a private club with really worn rubber curtains, and I caught it on my neck. That left a mark. On other occasions, I've had bits hit me with too little force to do any harm. The other day, I observed a fragment of a copper jacket on the table of my lane. That didn't go sideways from a gun down to the table. It hit the backstop and made it all the way back.

 

[easycity]

Wow! Amazing tales of strange things that I could not imagine. It seems that anything permitted by physics, no matter how unlikely, did happen in a shooting range.
Good reminder to wear solid eye protection.
Thanks!

 

[Spanz]

THIS is why you ALWAYS use shooting glasses to protect your eyes.
There is a tiny gap between the barrel and the cylinder. Sometimes gas (and even bullet shavings) can exit that gap and go backwards. It is more prevalent on big iron revolvers, but could happen with a 38. Learn to keep your hands and fingers back far enough that it will not hit you.
If it happens again....i would say take it to a gunsmith to see if he can make things a little tighter

 

[lowbuckbob]

Shavings from the forcing cone. It happens occasionally. When I used to shoot PPC matches, I'd to get splashed all the time on the line.

 

[enbloc]

Also, never wear flip-flops when shooting full semi-auto...

 

[Oldarmy]

If there's nothing there then it didn't happen!

 

[Rick1987]

Hickok45 had a video on revolvers where he put a piece of paper on the side of the gun while shooting. And it tore the paper apart.

 

[ISOTOX]

Wear good shooting glasses.....Blow back....Wheel guns do this, nothing to worry about.

 

[Drix]

I was testing the super slowmo with a friend after getting my S9. Ive got a cool shot of him firing his revolver in 960fps- there is very clearly a spark that comes out of the hammer channel - whether its a piece of burning powder or a piece of heated shrapnel I dont know, but either way it doesnt necessarially have to be blast from the cylinder gap.

 

[sig shooter]

If it’s not a chronic problem, most likely unburnt powder the round going off. It happens to me sometimes with my sixguns. A timing problem is usually more severe. Ex: jacket shedding and becoming lodged in thumb.

 

[meh]

Shot my Model 69 some today at an outdoor range shooting at clays on the berm and felt it (a noticeable but not painful pin prick on the cheek, like a single grain of sand at reasonably high velocity) a few times. No chance of backsplash there, so I guess I was wrong to make backsplash my first guess for the "pin prick" sensation.

 

[oppressed]

Got a small nick on my face once firing semi-jacketed hollow point from my .357. Found the shard, but haven't had it happen since. So I guess, meh, it happens?

 

[Win]

Probably a little something got blown out the cylinder gap. It happens.
Its worthwhile to check the timing and lock up of each of your cylinders.
I have a 586-PC-Lcomp. That has one cylinder that doesn't always lock up in double action.
I haven't gotten around to sending it in for repair.

My brother had a gun where the gap was too large. I think it had a colt barrel with a ruger frame if I remember correctly? Anyway every time I shot that gun I got some hot, stinging crap in my face. I hated that gun.

 

[E.Stoner]

My brother had a gun where the gap was too large. I think it had a colt barrel with a ruger frame if I remember correctly? Anyway every time I shot that gun I got some hot, stinging crap in my face. I hated that gun.

I have a 686 with a cylinder gap that is just in the upper tolerance for S&W. I haven't noticed any shaving, but it makes cleaning a total bitch. So much carbon build up!