Have You Ever Been Shot?

[lucifermonkey]

Hello,

Has anyone here ever been shot?

I have hunted for many years and know the damage that bullets can do.
I have prepared a lot for the possibility of defending myself with a gun, but not so much for being shot with one.

For those of you who have experience on the receiving end of a barrel (or anyone with an opinion or knowledge):

What caliber were you shot with? How many times?
What physical and psychological effects occurred before, during and after the shooting?
Do you recommend any way to prepare or train for countering these effects?
Is there anything you would have done differently, knowing what you know now?
Are there any first aid supplies, etc. that you would recommend as essential to keep on hand?

Just trying to prepare as best as possible for a situation that many of us might actually face.

Thanks!

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[ZA_Survivalist]

Hey! I know this is slightly off but Ive been stabbed twice by others (and stupidly once by myself) It burned/ached (strange feeling of pain) months after in my hand and side the one inflicted by myself (again stupidly) in my thigh hurt but less nerves are located around the mid thigh and only gave off the sensation of a deep bruise. Being shot, I can only imagine it would be worse.

You may have seen my left hand when we met, maybe not. But either way the pain in my left hand mimics arthritis and has (luckily) only minor nerve damage.

 

[simon99]

Greetings....

wow, interesting subject.
I served in the Maine Corps in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Everyone reacts differently when they get shot. I've seen people curl up into a ball and cry, I've seen guys missing limbs and still want to fight. There is no way to really train for it other than to tell yourself that ( in a combat situation) it could happen at any moment. I would suggest that every home first aid kit has a trauma pack with Quikclot.....that stuff works wonders.
The best advice is don't put yourself in a position to be a target or find yourself in a standup firefight. Even the worst shooters on the planet with the most ill-maintained weapon gets lucky sometimes.

 

[SCARed]

Greetings....


Everyone reacts differently when they get shot. I've seen people curl up into a ball and cry, I've seen guys missing limbs and still want to fight. There is no way to really train for it other than to tell yourself that ( in a combat situation) it could happen at any moment.

I think this applies to almost any injury. Heck, some people can just see a small amount of blood and they pass out.

 

[CoastRange57]

I think this applies to almost any injury. Heck, some people can just see a small amount of blood and they pass out.

Depending on the extent of the injury, the head games your brain is involved in when you under go trauma of a debilatating nature will cause you many problems. When you are no longer able to defend yourself, of even rise up, feed yourself, you brain goes ape shot and thinks in a whole different way. You simply will not be able to make good tactical decisions. Even if you attempt to make those decisions, you would not be able to execute, and you are completely dependent on those around you for everything including your survival.

I was an volunteer EMT back in the early days of emergency medicine. I was a senior fire fighter for 10 years. I worked as a "utility" person in a funeral home. I had seen about everything over the last 35 years. I suffered a traumatic medical problem back in 2011. I was taken to emergency surgery and most of my colon removed. When you wake up with tubes in your mouth, nose, and other spots, your hands are tied down in mitts, you first though it, " Boy am I f-----. "

Medical drugs cause your brain to do weird things as well. Combine that with the trauma, and you have a long road back.

Normal human response to being wounded is to survive. We seldom train or plan for that happening. If is does happen, something else went wrong somewhere.

 

[Riot]

Never been shot before, but I've helped a few that have been...hopefully some of what I have to say can help.

My perspective isn't from the receing end of a bullet, but the aftermath of trying to help someone that was shot or otherwise injured in combat.

What physical and psychological effects occurred before, during and after the shooting?

Before: Disbelief, uncertainty, confusion. There's a lot of things that happen to you physically that your brain has to take a moment to accept. For example, people that know what a gun shot is will flinch when they hear it and almost duck a little while others will think it's fireworks and poke their heads around to see where it came from.

During: the adreniline dump will either make you fall on your face or rise to the occassion. You know you have to react, but your brain is still trying to process the information while trying to make use of the adreniline by doing something with your hands or feet...this is a critical moment sense time is of the essence by you don't want to make things worse either. For example, you have to remember the priorities of first aid- which are:

Breathing
Bleeding
Shock
Fractures
Burns
Head/Neck Injuries

Plugging up a wound does you no good if they're no longer breathing and treating for shock does you no good if your patient still has arterial bleeding. My suggestion is to get some CPR/First Aid training and then some advanced medical training from an Combat Medic/EMT/ER Nurse.

After: the after effects of an incident vary from person to person- being shot you have the risk of going into shock from the lack of blood pressure and raise in heart rate, so calming the patient and loosing any restrictive clothing (boots, belts, watches) is now the priority.

Do you recommend any way to prepare or train for countering these effects?

In the Army to train foreign soldiers advanced field aid, we would intentionally wound an animal and attempt to treat it's wounds to prolong it's life. This will help you have a little experience in what bullet wounds actually do to flesh without the psychological effect of taking a human life.

Is there anything you would have done differently, knowing what you know now?

Walkthroughs, practice and actually take it seriously. I made the errant mistake of attempting to give a man an IV fluid when I should have been performing CPR on him. Although you never know how you will react to a situation until after it happens, you need to prepare yourself (mentally and physically) to deal with trauma. Volunteering time at your local Red Cross, hunting, reading, practicing...I have no idea what your level of preparedness is with this stuff or how far you're willing to go with it. You can't just keep a tampon in your pocket and think that if you get shot you can just plug it up and keep rolling (but it sounds as if you already know that, hence why you're asking this stuff).

Are there any first aid supplies, etc. that you would recommend as essential to keep on hand?

Guaze w/hemostat, Gorilla Tape, EMT Scissors, Triangle Bandages, Field Tourniquet, Gloves, Tampons...that covers a LOT right there.

Just trying to prepare as best as possible for a situation that many of us might actually face.

Just don't forget the basics...I did and it costed someone their life. There is a reason that EMT professionals aren't taught how to set fractures anymore, it's because many would see a broken leg and try to set it while their patient would go into shock and die. I was taught how to give an IV in Combat Lifesaver Course and did the same thing...tried to give an IV while my patient died.

Hopefully you (or anyone reading this) don't do the same (which is why I'm typing this).

Train, practice, prepare then keep up on it is my suggestion.

Good luck!

 

[Oregonhunter5]

brother was. he was skipping class in high school hunting. .22 dropped and went off. just missed his liver.
all of us put my parents through hell.
ive almost died 4 or 5 times.

 

[Mark W.]

twice with a shotgun on purpose luckily at long range (age 13 riding my mini bike through the neighbors cane berry field)

Once with a .22 revolver at very close range in the leg. Age 15? (lets call it a hunting accident had to walk home about 2 miles hospital visit police report )

2-3 times with a shotgun while bird hunting at a private club ( same day low base game loads at over 75 yards No skin broken but a couple dandy welts)

Been shot at 3-4 other times mostly with CF rifles. including a 6mm Rem shot fired from about 500 yards hit the pump house right behind me. Neighbor kid showing off his new varmit rifle sometime late in High school so we were 16-18. Other times best I don't detail.

 

[Diamondback]

Does negligently shooting myself in the arse with Airsoft while practicing the Hickock Cavalry Draw (strong-side, pistol butt-forward) count?

There IS a very strong psychological component, in my case compounded by the "yes, you dumb F... you just shot yourself in the butt" factor--my experience isn't quite the same as live iron, but I'd bet we all have that moment of "Holy S...!" and sudden sphincter-pucker at least inside, just that the ones who survive shove it aside and focus on dealing with the immediate problem faster, perhaps some kind of psychological "transference" mechanism like a "set it aside, Deal With Later" that would also explain the delayed-shock effects after whatever emergency has passed. No shooting involved, but when I had my break-in earlier this year, I experienced the same effect, and I'm grateful to the Responding Officers for recognizing what it was and taking a few minutes to talk me through it after the Immediate Problem was addressed.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Lower right leg with a .22, reaction was GD!@#&^%$ that hurt. Stayed alert and got myself to the hospital. I was hit by another person whom thought it was unloaded, shin bones hurt.

Once in the upper right chest, .32 that wasn't meant for me but found me anyway. Rage! Passed over the right lung and lodged against shoulder blade. Felt like a burning charlie horse. Full on went crazy and almost killed the man with his own POS pistol by repeatedly hitting him in the face with it. Not much blood either time. Purple/blue holes. Thankfully they were not larger calibers. Time in the service + some on the streets and plenty in the woods, so I guess I'm lucky.

Been around a few though. Beating, Breathing, bleeding, Shock, in that order. Simon, coastrange and Riot pretty much covered that though.

 

[Velzey]

Yep

22 magnum, bullet entered left upper forearm, near the crack of my armpit. bullet traveled down my arm and ended up on the inside of my lower forearm near the bone. Tore up all kinds of stuff....but healed fine/ When the bullet hit I was pointing to my friend with my arm extended outward, thats why it traveled down my arm.. I heard the first shot hit the garage door, second one hit me.. I thought it was from a wrist rocket...

I was bleeding like a stuck pig as it hit an artery...

It was Poncho the Mexican neighbor and he was mad at me..he was hiding in the attic a half a block away shooting out the open window..

I would do something different next time. After the first shot missed, I should have hit the dirt. SO yah DUCK if their first shot misses..I was 17 at the time

 

[simon99]

Never been shot before, but I've helped a few that have been...hopefully some of what I have to say can help.

My perspective isn't from the receing end of a bullet, but the aftermath of trying to help someone that was shot or otherwise injured in combat.


Before: Disbelief, uncertainty, confusion. There's a lot of things that happen to you physically that your brain has to take a moment to accept. For example, people that know what a gun shot is will flinch when they hear it and almost duck a little while others will think it's fireworks and poke their heads around to see where it came from.

During: the adreniline dump will either make you fall on your face or rise to the occassion. You know you have to react, but your brain is still trying to process the information while trying to make use of the adreniline by doing something with your hands or feet...this is a critical moment sense time is of the essence by you don't want to make things worse either. For example, you have to remember the priorities of first aid- which are:

Breathing
Bleeding
Shock
Fractures
Burns
Head/Neck Injuries

Plugging up a wound does you no good if they're no longer breathing and treating for shock does you no good if your patient still has arterial bleeding. My suggestion is to get some CPR/First Aid training and then some advanced medical training from an Combat Medic/EMT/ER Nurse.

After: the after effects of an incident vary from person to person- being shot you have the risk of going into shock from the lack of blood pressure and raise in heart rate, so calming the patient and loosing any restrictive clothing (boots, belts, watches) is now the priority.



In the Army to train foreign soldiers advanced field aid, we would intentionally wound an animal and attempt to treat it's wounds to prolong it's life. This will help you have a little experience in what bullet wounds actually do to flesh without the psychological effect of taking a human life.



Walkthroughs, practice and actually take it seriously. I made the errant mistake of attempting to give a man an IV fluid when I should have been performing CPR on him. Although you never know how you will react to a situation until after it happens, you need to prepare yourself (mentally and physically) to deal with trauma. Volunteering time at your local Red Cross, hunting, reading, practicing...I have no idea what your level of preparedness is with this stuff or how far you're willing to go with it. You can't just keep a tampon in your pocket and think that if you get shot you can just plug it up and keep rolling (but it sounds as if you already know that, hence why you're asking this stuff).



Guaze w/hemostat, Gorilla Tape, EMT Scissors, Triangle Bandages, Field Tourniquet, Gloves, Tampons...that covers a LOT right there.



Just don't forget the basics...I did and it costed someone their life. There is a reason that EMT professionals aren't taught how to set fractures anymore, it's because many would see a broken leg and try to set it while their patient would go into shock and die. I was taught how to give an IV in Combat Lifesaver Course and did the same thing...tried to give an IV while my patient died.

Hopefully you (or anyone reading this) don't do the same (which is why I'm typing this).

Train, practice, prepare then keep up on it is my suggestion.

Good luck!

^^^^This right here, is golden advice^^^^

Semper Fi

 

[lucifermonkey]

Thank you all for the excellent information and shared life experiences

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I picked up a spent 5.56 on the left side just below the heart. I was extremely lucky, it penetrated the skin and the rib stopped it. Cracked the he77 out of the rib! I know it was a 5.56 because I plucked that sizzling puppy out of the wound right then. We could tell it was a ricochet because it was bent about 80deg and like I said red hot. How it came to me, no idea. It was during a "Mad Minute" where every troop on a 360deg front expended as much ordinance as possible in one minute! We fondly believed that these things deterred the N.Korean army so that it would take more than five minutes to overrun us! Everything was going out bound so how I got lucky, big mystery! BTW I was in the fighting trench so the bullet must have almost skimmed the sand bags.

 

[Burt Gummer]

Getting shot is nothing! War is fun! Bang Bang. Just get out there and get in the fight. Everything I know about getting shot I learned on an X-Box.

 

[Burt Gummer]

dp

 

[Certaindeaf]

I remember Patrick McM**** wrote a chapter on what to do and say when you got hurt.. timing and demeanor also scored big points. It was pretty funny.. wish I could remember the title.
oh heavens.. bubblegummed again

 

[jbett98]

One year I was installing some galvanized 10 gauge berry wire and dropped a 6" long piece in the grass next to the 4x4 post.
Looked for it, but came up empty handed.
One year later I was mowing the lawn and found it. Damn thing shot out from under the mower deck and came to rest in the arch of my foot.
All you could see was a little stub sticking out. Told my wife to grab a pair of pliers and yank that little piece of wire out of my foot.
There are an incredible amount of nerve endings in your feet, and believe me, I felt every one of them before she horsed all 6" of it all of the way out.
I couldn't walk for a week.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

One year I was installing some galvanized 10 gauge berry wire and dropped a 6" long piece in the grass next to the 4x4 post.
Looked for it, but came up empty handed.
One year later I was mowing the lawn and found it. Damn thing shot out from under the mower deck and came to rest in the arch of my foot.
All you could see was a little stub sticking out. Told my wife to grab a pair of pliers and yank that little piece of wire out of my foot.
There are an incredible amount of nerve endings in your feet, and believe me, I felt every one of them before she horsed all 6" of it all of the way out.
I couldn't walk for a week.

Feet definitely hurt at such times.

 

[Frankenrifle]

Twice;

Age 13. I was in the back country of a relative's property looking for a fishing hole they told me about and I took a hit to the left shoulder. The entry and exit wounds were tiny so I can only assume it was a .22 of some variety. Bled like mad but missed major vessels and bone. Had to haul myself about five miles to the house clamping down with my opposite hand. No one ever found the person behind the trigger and it very well could have been some one plinking or squirrel hunting.

Age 27. Walking downtown with a friend and his new girl on a warm summer night. A red, lifted, urban-redneck's dream of a truck comes barreling down the lane closest to us. I see what looks to be a gun in one of the guy's hands so I push the girl, who was walking between us, into her boyfriend and end up taking a round through the meat of my right forearm. I credit 15 years of martial arts training to my reaction because it was in no way a conscious thought to move her, I just did it. I ended up running down the street after them to get a good look at the plate. Flagged down a cop on the way back and relayed the info. He took off so fast that he never got a report from me and I have no clue if the guys were caught. I'm honestly puzzled why the hospital didn't report it either, that was just a really crazy night on all counts.

Neither incident was a fun time. I got good med help in both cases and only the shoulder ever gave me a hard time healing. My arm has a small pucker and an irregular scar on the other side, the shoulder scar is so old it's almost gone now.