

The temporary cavity undulates 5 – 10 milliseconds then comes to rest as a permanent track. The maximum cavity diameter occurs at point of maximum loss of kinetic energy (maximum yaw or fragmentation). High velocity rifle bullets produce “tail splash” which is the rearward propulsion of injured tissue and a large temporary cavity 11 to 12.5 times the diameter of the projectile. Wounds Caused by High-Velocity Rifle Bullets

One shot 5 wounds full#
Full (ball, armor piercing, tracer dim, tracer bright, incendiary, armor-piercing incendiary).Bullet – including lead (+/- gilding), metal-jacketed (lead or steel core covered by copper/zinc, steel, copper/nickel or aluminum).Propellant (gunpowder) – including ball, flattened ball, flake.Cartridge case – including brass, steel or aluminum, straight, bottleneck, tapered (obsolete), rimmed, semi-rimmed, rimless, rebated, belted.Machine guns – including belt-fed and magazine-fedĪmmunition for these small arms include the following.Shotguns – including single-shot, double-barrel, bolt-action, lever-action, pump-action, auto-loading.

One shot 5 wounds series#
The temporary stress cavity exists for around 5 to 10 milliseconds with a series of gradually smaller pulsations & contractions before the formation of a permanent wound track. In addition, the energy of the impact is dissipated in a shock wave that radially flings surrounding tissue away from the path of the projectile, creating a cavity larger than the diameter of the bullet, this is the temporary stress cavity. W = weight of the projectile V = velocity of the projectile g = gravitational acceleration What happens when a projectile impacts a human body?Īs the bullet enters the body it crushes and shreds tissue in its path – this creates a permanent cavity – the “bullet hole”. The amount of energy that the projectile possesses is found in the following formula. The damage caused by projectiles is a function of their kinetic energy, which is transferred to the victim on impact. Dr Andrew provides an evaluation of firearm Injuries, and the tissue damage associated with them.
