Thursday, October 4, 2018

Quora Question: What does it feel like to be shot with a .22 caliber firearm?

Much as I'd like to oblige this genius with a first hand experience, this could be a legitimate question from a somewhat morbidly curious 8 year old.  So on June 28, 2017, I posted an answer.



On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley tried to assassinate US President Ronald Reagan. The President was wearing a special overcoat which is made of second chance body armor. Soft armor, such as second chance, prevents penetration from small arms - like a .22.

So some talking head got hold of a second chance overcoat, put it on, and had the sound man shoot him with a .22 pistol. The genius immediately danced around, flapping his arms and yelling “Damn, that hurts!” Which it probably did, and serves him right.

Soft body armor stops bullet penetration. It does nothing about the bullet impact. So although the bullet doesn’t get through to make a mess of your internal organs, the impact will, at the very best, leave one huge bruise. Basically, if feels like being hit with a hammer. The area goes numb for a brief second, then the pain starts.

4 comments:

CWMartin said...

Kids these days think it's all a video game. When my Daughter was about four, I had an uncle die of cancer. At the funeral, I was holding her as we approached the casket.

"Did he die?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Did he get shot?"

Glen Filthie said...

Yup. It changes the game only a bit. Instead of inflicting trauma do to blood loss, you get what’s called “blunt force trauma”. That can kill you too. I’ve heard that if you want the best in armour it is still the old school flak jackets that incorporate heavy padded steel plates.

Bob G. said...

Mad Jack:
...And that's why we (now) have SEVERAL levels of body armor.

If a .22 breaks a rib, it could puncture a lung...domino effect.
Then again, Frank Serpico was shot in the face with a .22.
Yes, even the small rounds can do severe damage.
(thankfully, he survived).

Stay safe.

Old NFO said...

Sigh... Teh stoopid, it SHOULD burn!