Featured Disabling a Gun with a Bullet Recoil Staff July 15, 2016 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Learn More We've all seen the scenes in the movies — someone shoots a gun out of a bad guy's hands, or a sniper puts a round through the scope of another sniper's optic. Such events are, most of us know, extremely improbable — but not impossible. Last January an off-duty Jefferson County (CO) Sheriff's Deputy proved it's possible, though not on purpose. Deputy Jose Marquez exchanged gunfire with two armed subjects in the city of Aurora, shooting one of the suspects, Jhalil Meshesha, and suffering two gunshot wounds himself during the exchange. Thankfully Marquez survived, recovered, and was cleared yesterday of any wrongdoing, but what is particularly interesting about this gunfight is the “one in a billion” hit made by one of Marquez's bullets. At some point during the fight, a .45 caliber bullet from the deputy's pistol traveled down the barrel of the suspect's .40 caliber pistol, striking a chambered round, disabling the weapon. Truth is often stranger than fiction. Disabling a gun with a bullet Cover photo courtesy of the 18th Judicial District District Attorney's Office. “Deputy Marquez reasonably believed that his life was in danger and acted reasonably in shooting Meshesha, and that he used an appropriate level of physical force. I further find that Deputy Marquez’s actions were justified and he did not violate Colorado law.” Arapahoe County Deputy District Attorney Rich Ormon. Remember this? We'll discuss whether this was an appropriate or responsible shot at another time. Explore RECOILweb:Bulletsafe - How Bulletproof are MacBooks?RECOILtv Shot Show 2017 Constant Coverage: Vortex Optics UH-1LaserLyte's LT-223 rifle trainerThe SNAP - a Survival Tool from Norseman-TOPS NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOILFor years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included). Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.You want this. Trust Us.