Author Topic: Any stories about 9mm bouncing off of a skull? (Read 11541 times)

OnTheFly · « **on:** July 13, 2014, 11:43:06 PM »

I was at the pistol range last week and I struck up a conversation with a fellow shooter. As the conversation usually goes, I asked what he was shooting including caliber. When I queried him, I specifically asked if he was shooting any 9mm. His response was something like, "NO! I don't own any 9mm. Any round that can bounce off a person's skull is no good as far as I'm concerned". He kind of added the "...as far as I'm concerned" in a sheepish manor because I think he realized I was shooting 9mm.

I don't want to start the usual caliber war here, but I'm just wondering if there is a story I have missed about the 9mm "bouncing off of a person's skull"?

Fly

jFader · « **Reply #1 on:** July 14, 2014, 12:07:58 AM »

I am no ballistics expert.

....but I know people & you were dealing with a condition that is becoming more prevalent by the hour! The well intentioned misInformed village idiot! More than likely he heard one of his buddies throw that out there & he felt confident enough in it that I could spread the wisdom!

OnTheFly · « **Reply #2 on:** July 14, 2014, 12:13:10 AM »

I should add, I didn't believe the story, but often there is some story behind the misinformation. Some true freakish story that was told, and retold until the final version was completely devoid of the original facts.

Fly

SemperFiGuy · « **Reply #3 on:** July 14, 2014, 06:18:00 AM »

Depends to a great degree on the skull.

Now....... We're talking Nobody here on this Forum, but we all know some thickheaded people.......

FWIW

sfg: Often Packs Kahr PM9

bkoenig · « **Reply #4 on:** July 14, 2014, 06:40:44 AM »

Gun stores and gun ranges are the leading causes of gun misinformation.

Although I'm sure somewhere, somehow, a 9mm failed to penetrate a skull under some weird circumstances. Probably has happened to .40 and .45 too.

Lorimor · « **Reply #5 on:** July 14, 2014, 07:03:38 AM »

I've heard of pistol bullets hitting the skull on the forehead and circling around the skull and exiting behind the head. I don't think it's common but there have been instances where failure to penetrate has occurred. Ballistics is a funny thing.

This is why you're supposed to plant the bullet in the ocular cavity, for more reliable penetration. I think that goes for any commonly used SD caliber.

(even though the .45 is waaaaayyyyy better.)

SemperFiGuy · « **Reply #6 on:** July 14, 2014, 07:11:50 AM »

OK, Who Started This Post?

Fly!

Fly, you are hereby sentenced to Google"Bullet Richochets Off Skull" and read all 1,750,000 responses,
including This One:

Bullet Bounces Off of Victim’s Face and Kills Robber

Yeah, I know it says "face", and not "skull", but the sentence still stands.

I broke away from morning coffee for this!!

sfg

Greybeard · « **Reply #7 on:** July 14, 2014, 08:10:53 AM »

SFG - How in the HE double hockey sticks can anyone break away from morning coffee for anything? Coffee first, then computer!!!!

wallace11bravo · « **Reply #8 on:** July 14, 2014, 11:06:20 AM »

7.62 NATO (308)

Bouncing off a persons skull. Blue on blue incident. Of course, the round was slowed down quite a bit by going through the kevlar helmet at an acute angle. And dozens of the little bitty pieces of Kevlar still managed to penetrate the skull. So not really a win for anyone.

Doesn't mean that 7.62 isn't effective, it just means that anecdotes=/=evidence.

OnTheFly · « **Reply #9 on:** July 14, 2014, 11:57:02 AM »

Kind of a humorous add on to the story. Don't take this as a brag on my superior skillz, because I aint no great shooter, but he was shooting his superior calibers on the 7 yard lane while I was shooting at 11 yards. I was getting better groups with much more rapid shots, and I was practicing transitions between two targets. Less recoil means more accurate and faster follow up shots. That is one benefit of the 9mm.

Of course some people (like Lorimor) will just continue to think the best defense is to launch projectiles the size of Volkswagen Bugs.

Fly

SemperFiGuy · « **Reply #10 on:** July 14, 2014, 12:01:47 PM »

Quote

SFG - How in the HE double hockey sticks can anyone break away from morning coffee for anything? Coffee first, then computer!!!!

Somebody.............

has to keep an eye on Fly!!!

At all times.

sfg

OnTheFly · « **Reply #11 on:** July 14, 2014, 12:12:31 PM »

Quote from: SemperFiGuy on July 14, 2014, 12:01:47 PM

Somebody.............

has to keep an eye on Fly!!!

At all times.

sfg

LOL

Fly

metaldoc · « **Reply #12 on:** July 14, 2014, 06:31:50 PM »

There is THIS story... not a ricochet but surviving being shot in the mouth by a 9mm. This is an old story and back then it re-ignited the never-ending 9mm vs .45 debate.

Soldier shot in mouth and survived

abbafandr · « **Reply #13 on:** July 14, 2014, 06:46:57 PM »

Quote from: Greybeard on July 14, 2014, 08:10:53 AM

SFG - How in the HE double hockey sticks can anyone break away from morning coffee for anything? Coffee first, then computer!!!!

You mean people actually drink the hot brown water

SemperFiGuy · « **Reply #14 on:** July 14, 2014, 06:54:59 PM »

abbafandr:

If you would start with just a few sips, it would move you up several rankings in your shooting class.

That caffeine can give a Prodigious Boost on a sleepy morning.

And it's about the only stimulant I can handle.

sfg

abbafandr · « **Reply #15 on:** July 14, 2014, 06:59:05 PM »

Quote from: SemperFiGuy on July 14, 2014, 06:54:59 PM

abbafandr:

If you would start with just a few sips, it would move you up several rankings in your shooting class.

That caffeine can give a Prodigious Boost on a sleepy morning.

And it's about the only stimulant I can handle.

sfg

Think the aim would improve if caffeine had me bouncing off the walls?

OnTheFly · « **Reply #16 on:** July 14, 2014, 09:05:42 PM »

Quote from: abbafandr on July 14, 2014, 06:59:05 PM

Think the aim would improve if caffeine had me bouncing off the walls?

I drink decaf all the time. Got tired of getting a headache if I didn't get my dose of caffeine. If I drink it now, I am like the Energizer bunny x 10. That's why I definitely don't drink it before a match.

Fly

OnTheFly · « **Reply #17 on:** July 14, 2014, 09:13:23 PM »

Quote from: metaldoc on July 14, 2014, 06:31:50 PM

...surviving being shot in the mouth by a 9mm.

That doesn't count. I am talking about being shot in the skull, not the mouth. COMPLETELY different conversation.

Fly

Greybeard · « **Reply #18 on:** July 14, 2014, 09:18:28 PM »

I drink a standard pot every day. I have gone without it for a year or two when I thought it was the cause of my migraine headaches. Once I found that it wasn't the cause, I jumped right back in. A fella has to have at least one legal vice!!!!

iiranger · « **Reply #19 on:** September 16, 2014, 11:22:48 AM »

Usually when you "get the facts" about a situation like this it is more "sliding" along the skull. Skulls vary widely as to thickness and hardness. #2) Bullets vary in shape. A bullet striking at an angle... Have you "cut up a chicken?" Flesh tends to be wet, soft and slippery. Serpico was an undercover cop. A hit was put out on him (the rat). The hitter put a .22 LR barrel against his skull, no doubt trying to penetrate the valley for the artery that runs thru the temple, penetrate brain, kill, etc. The LR bullet instead took a turn, ran along the skull, landed in his ear leaving him deaf in that ear. Better than dead? Another question. NAZIS very carefully tried to put the pistol bullet thru the soft tissue around the ear, into the brain during executions. Designed a sub .22 round and pistol... SO when you can shoot into the mouth or neck and all the "vitals" there, shooting at the head or face is not a very good choice. Etc. Happy trails.