Pluckit
You and your friend were very fortunate indeed, not to mention the fellow that was holding the rifle. Back in '91 before my wife and I were married, she shot in a trap league with her father as part of our local sportsman's club's team. While attending a shoot at another club's trapfield, a man standing on the line firing a factory O/U shotgun had his receiver explode. Miraculously, the shooter was not injured but unfortunately, the shooter to his right was hit by a small fragment that lodged deep in his spinal column at the base of his neck, severing his spinal column. After all that could be done for him was determined by his doctors, his family was informed that he would remain in a vegetative state and would remain alive only by life support systems.
Knowing full well that he would never wish to live that way, his loving wife and three young daughters had to make the hardest decision of their lives and remove the life support. He was an avid sportsman, great guy and a great friend. A big man with a heart of gold, a "gentle giant", so to speak that didn't have an enemy on the planet.
Rest in peace Fred, we all still miss you very much.
WK