Ballistics

Question 1

Learning Objectives

Question 2

What is meant by ballistics?

Answer 2

The science of mechanics that studies the motion and behaviour of a projectile and its’ effects on a target

Question 3

What are the applications of understanding ballistics in everyday life?

Answer 3

• Surgery
• Diagnosis
• Forensic sciences
• Case reconstruction
• Ammunition technology
• Effectivity
• International Law
• Wounding potential

Question 4

Why is the study about ballistics significant?

Answer 4

To treat the wounded patient, we need to know about the weapon

Question 5

What are the 4 rules of war surgery? (ICRC)

Answer 5

• Clean wounds
• Debridement
• Delayed Primary Closure
• Adequate fracture stabilisation, no internal fixation.

Question 6

List some injuring agents

Answer 6

• Bullets
• Mines
• Bombs

Question 7

How did bullets develop in the 19th century?

Answer 7

• Before 1815: Lead spheres, powder horns, flint stone
• 1815 - 1850: Primer cap and long bullets

Question 8

List the advantages and disadvantages of these bullet development changes

Answer 8

• Advantages: better precision, longer range
• Disadvantage: too much penetration (powder kegs)
• This led to the Development of explosive bullets

Question 9

What was the first declaration during international law?

Answer 9

St Petersburg Declaration 1868: The Contracting Parties undertook not to use “any projectile of a weight below 400 grammes, which is either explosive or charged with fulminating or inflammable substances.”

Question 10

How did bullet development change during the 19th century?

Answer 10

• 1850 -1880: Metal cartridge, breechloader
• 1880 - 1900: Smokeless powder instead of black powder

Question 11

List the consequences of smokeless powder

Answer 11

• Advantage: No smoke, no remains, more energy
• Disadvantage: Too big acceleration in the barrel
• Led to the Development of metal jacketed bullets

Question 12

Describe The Hague convention

Answer 12

“The Contracting Parties agree to abstain from the use of bullets which expand or flatten easily in the human body, such as bullets with a hard envelope which does
not entirely cover the core or is pierced with incisions.”

Question 13

Describe The Hague regulations of 1907

Answer 13

It is especially forbidden to employ arms, projectiles,
or material calculated to cause unnecessary suffering.

Question 14

List the bullets used today

Answer 14

• Military bullets: FMJ, Hard core, Tracer
• Hunting bullets: SJ, Sj-HP

Question 15

How do bullets fly?

Answer 15

VD

Question 16

What is the formula for finding out the available kinetic energy and the energy expanded?

Answer 16

• Available kinetic energy: Ek = MV^2 / 2
• Energy expanded: Eexp = M (V1^2 - V2^2) / 2
• VD

Question 17

What is the methodology of sound ballistics research?

Answer 17

• Experiments: Using tissue stimulants
• Comparison: With real cases (war rounds, homicide cases, Shooting accidents)

Question 18

For gunshot wounds, what are the biomechanics/pathophysiology?

Answer 18

• Laceration: low and high velocity missile
• Shock wave: high velocity missile
• Cavitation: high velocity missile

Question 19

What types of small arms are used today?

Answer 19

• Dissemination today: 90 - 120 million assault rifles (ca. 70 - 100 million of them are Kalashnikov), totally about 500 million weapons

Question 20

How are these small arms often used

Answer 20

Often used very irresponsibly

Question 21

What is the current situation of international law?

Answer 21

• Declaration of St. Petersburg (1868): Ban of explosive bullets
• Hague Convention of 1899: Ban of semi-jacketed bullets
• In both cases, ban of bullets which produce enormous
  wounds immediately after the impact on the body

Question 22

What are the surgical consequences if cavitation occurs?

Answer 22

• Debridement
• Wounds left open
• Delayed primary closure
• No internal fixation of fractures

Question 23

Describe the different types of injuries resulting from blasts

Answer 23

1. Barotrauma
2. Penetrating injury (prim or sec missiles)
3. Blunt injury
4. Burns, Toxic fumes, Psychotrauma

Question 24

Conclusion

Answer 24

For optimum treatment of the patient we need to know about the weapon