Gunshot

Gunshot consists in the fact that gases formed by the ignition of the charge in a firearm expel the projectile from the barrel of the weapon at high speed; the weapon itself moves in the opposite direction—"recoil". In forensic-medical practice, various objects may serve as projectiles: bullets (lead, jacketed), shot, pieces of lead, iron, nails, sand, salt, pebbles, mercury, water, etc. Damage from gunshot wounds varies and depends mainly on the distance at which the shot is fired: at a great distance, only the action of the projectile is evident at the entrance wound; at closer range, embedding of scattered powder particles is added; at even closer range, powder soot; and in contact or near-contact shots, the action of flame and powder gases. A shot with one projectile usually produces one wound, while with multiple projectiles it can produce several wounds (for example, with pieces of lead, iron, or shot). When firing shot at close range (several steps), the shot may also produce only one large wound. Shooting with water (which is permissible with sufficient isolation of the water projectile from the charge, for example, with a greased wad) is possible only at close range. The main destruction is attributed to the action of powder gases as well as the wad. If a liquid with a higher specific gravity or mercury is used instead of water, the destruction is greater. A water shot is difficult to recognize. Hoffman noted a kind of splattering of soot around the entrance wound and its moisture in fresh cases. In forensic-medical practice, ricochet shots and tangential shots are encountered. Ricochet shots can cause severe and even fatal damage to internal organs without significant external damage; death is sometimes caused by shock in the absence of internal damage. A tangential shot can produce bruises, abrasions, or groove-like wounds similar to cut wounds. With blank cartridges (cartridges with a primer only), at close ranges, burns, bruises, ruptures of the skin, and damage to internal organs occur. According to experiments by Salzmann, severe damage to soft tissues occurs at distances up to 1 m, and light damage up to 2 m*. The wad in a shot, in addition to causing damage, can cause burns from distances at which they normally do not occur. For consequences of gunshot wounds—see Wounds, injuries.