6. Firearms and firearm injuries

Question 1

Categories of firearms (4)

Answer 1

1. compressed air weapons (air rifle/pistol)
2. smooth bore weapons (shotgun)
3. rifled weapons (revolver, pistol, rifle)
4. military weapons (assault rifle, machine gun, machine pistol)

Question 2

Air weapon injuries (5)

Answer 2

• generally harmless
• frequent cause of minor surface injuries
• sometimes more serious injuries (eye)
• occasional fatalities in both adults and children
• death occurs when a slug strikes a vulnerable and soft part of the body or thinner part of the skull

Question 3

Shotgun injuries (5)

Answer 3

• depends on how near/far the person was from the weapon

1. contact (gun up against the skin): single large hole, no burning or soot stains
2. close range (up to few cm away from the skin): single hole, with burning and soot around it; may be imprint abrasion
3. intermediate range (up to 1m): no burning, less and less soot, irregular edges of the wound
4. distant wounds (2-3m): pellet mass breaks up further and produces individual satellite holes in the skin

Question 4

Injuries from rifled weapons (4)

Answer 4

1. Up to 8cm (flame): burning around the wound
2. Up to 15cm (smoke): soot staining
3. Up to 45cm (unburned particles): abrasion of the surrounding skin
4. Up to max firing distance (bullet): bullet hole

Question 5

Exit wounds (4)

Answer 5

• wounds caused by the bullet or fragments coming out of the body
• usually on the opposite side
• tend to be larger and more irregular than entrance
• no burning, soot or powder around

Question 6

Bevelling in bone

Answer 6

• when a bullet passes through a flat bone, diameter of the hole on the side it strikes first is smaller than the diameter on the other side - funnel shaped
• show the direction of fire with bullet passing through the body

Question 7

Temporary cavity vs Permanent track

Answer 7

Temporary cavity is additional stretching of the tissues around the bullet track from the energy given off in the body; tissues return to normal position but structure is damaged

Permanent track a simple physical track caused by the bullet passing trough the tissues

Question 8

Injuries from high energy ammunition characteristics

Answer 8

• externally, the entrance hole in the skin may appear no different than that caused by the bullet
• inside due to high energy damage may be extensive
• elastic tissues are less affected by this (lungs, muscle, bowel, vessels)

Question 9

Shot gun vs hand-held rifle weapon (8)

Answer 9

Shotgun
§ Long barrel, smooth inside
§ Fires pellets, contained in cartridge case, primer and propellant in base
§ Cartridge in breech, remains there after firing
§ Exiting from muzzle on firing – flame, smoke, powder, wad, pellets

Handgun
§ Short barrel, riled on inside i.e. spiral grooves to give spin and stability
§ Fires single bullets, contained in metal cartridge case
§ Revolver with rotating chamber, pistol with magazine below
§ Exiting from muzzle on firing – flame, smoke, powder, bullet