2

Projectile and Cartridge

3

Any article being capable of projecting with great force from a fire arm weapon is known as projectile.

Pellets in shot guns. Bullet in rifled fire arms.

PROJECTILE:

4

A bullet is made of lead. Since lead is a soft material and

easily deformable, the bullet is jacketed either fully or partly with cupronickel, copper.

Bullet Structure

5

Tip of the bullet is known as the nose.

A rifle bullet is elongated with a pointed nose.

The revolver and pistol bullets are shorter with a rounded nose.

6

Cartridge case with percussion cap containing the primer at the base.

Propellant charge Projectile

Rifle / pistol cartridge

7

Bullet: means the projectile of a rifled firearm.◦a. Dum Dum bullets: are

jacketed bullets with its nose cut off to expose the core.

◦ They mushroom up in to pieces when they strike the body; they are very destructive and produce extensive lacerated wounds.

Bullet

8

Tandem bullets/ Piggy back phenomenon: are bullets ejected one after other, when the first bullet, having been struck in the barrel, fails to leave the barrel, and is ejected by the subsequent fired bullet. When weapon is old or rusty and faulty.

9

Duplex rounds: This contains two projectiles by design. They enter the target at different points.

10

◦Tumbling bullet: A bullet that rotates end –on-end during its flight is known as a tumbling bullet.

JACKETED CONICAL BULLETS:Jacketed either fully or partially with copper, cupronickel, or other harder casing. Used in Rifles.HARDENED LEAD BULLETS:. Made of lead, no covering. Used in pistols and revolvers.

12

TRACER BULLETS:These bullets have Barium per oxide and magnesium enclosed in their base.

These bullets emit light as they pass, usually used for signaling purposes.

13

INCENDIARY BULLETS:These bullets contain phosphorus and burn the tissues.

14

BATON CARTRIDGE:Rubber bullets. 25 – 50 yds.Now bullets made of plastic i.e. Teflon bullets are used.

15

Cartridge case with percussion cap containing the primer at the base.

Propellant charge Projectile Wad

Shotgun cartridge

16

Outer shell or covering of the cartridge. Generally it is made of brass & shot gun

cartridge is made of cardboard or plastic with a rimmed brass base.

Cartridge Case

17

The percussion cap at the base contains a small amount of sensitive detonating composition known as the primer.

The primer composition may contains,◦ Potassium chlorate◦ Antimony sulphide◦ lead styphnate,◦ Barium nitrate

Cartridge Case

18

It is so called because it propels the missile forwards.

It is composed of ◦ black powder or ◦ smokeless powder.

It lies between the primer & projectile. Its ignition results in rapid formation of

expanding hot gases under pressure.

Propellant charge

19

1. BLACK POWDER 2. SMOKELESS POWDER 3. SEMI SMOKELESS

TYPES OF GUN POWDER

20

Contains: Charcoal 15%, Sulphur 10% Potassium Nitrate 75%. When ignited, it produces a lot of smoke and some of the powder is partly burnt or not burnt at all.

1. BLACK POWDER:

21

Contain Nitrocellulose alone or with Nitroglycerine. smokeless powder is burnt 100% .

It is more effective than black powder as it burns more efficiently and produces much less or no smoke.

Less blackening and tattooing are observed around the injury.

2. SMOKELESS POWDER:

22

85% Black Gun powder. 15% Smokeless Gun powder.

3. SEMI SMOKELESS

23

Above the gun powder there is a cushion wad.

Functions;◦ Separates the projectile from

propellant.◦ Seals the bore effectively.◦ Prevents the gases from

escape.◦ Allows optimum pressure to

be developed.

WAD

Fire arm Injuries

1. Gun II. Cartridge Casea. Pressing a trigger. b. Detonation of primer c. Ignition of

powderby a firing pin. d. Burning of powder e. Production of a large volume of gases (within the closed space of cartridge.) f. Increase in pressure of gases

g. Forces the bullet/pallet out ofcartridge.

h. Through barrel of gun (out of muzzle)

a. Discharge of flame.b. Hot gases.c Unburned/semi-burnt/burnt powder particles. d. Grease from barrel of gun.e. Wad/Jacket

Associated Primary Factors.

ChargedMissile +Primary Factors

FlameGasesPowderGreaseWad/Jacket

Collar of Abrasion Abrasion collar or contact ring is

present in which the superficial skin layers are abraded. It results from the bullet’s initial attempt at perforating the skin.

It is also known as contusion collar

A SMUDGE RING /GREASE COLLAR /DIRT COLLAR / DOOR MATE PHENOMENON.

This is due to the wipe off the soft metal of the bullet or dirt present on it, or grease carried from the barrel and is deposited round the entrance wound internal to the abrasion collar.

The GREASE COLLAR may be absent when the bullet has passed through clothing.

Tattooing Gun powder consists of particles which are

embedded under the skin through the force of their impact.

It is seen only when the weapon is near enough for the powder grains to strike with force.

When the range increases to the point that the powder particles do not embed themselves but still leave a visible mark, it is called stippling.

Stippling

Blow Back phenomenon or Back splatter Wound may cause blood and tissue

fragments to enter the muzzle for several centimeters.

This appears due to a momentary suction effect after the pressure of gas blast subsides, as a result of rapid relative cooling in the barrel.

Pieces of skin, hair and adipose tissue have been found inside the weapon.

Sometimes the blood and tissue may soil the hand or arm of person firing the gun.

i. Central Hole

ii. Grease Collar -- Grease from barrel– Absent

iii. Collar of abrasion.iv. Inverted margins v. Pink coloration CO + Blood = Carboxy Hemoglobin

Possible visible phenomenon of an entry wound.

vi. Charring Flame + Heat ( Tissue burnt completely)

vii. Burning Heat

viii. Blackening Smoke + Burnt powder

ix. Tattooing Unburned + Semi-burnt powder.

x. Singeing Hair shriveled (Flame )

Fire Arm Wound Complex Wound of Entry Track Wound of ExitWound of Entry (Typical):a. A missile while entering the human body will

i. Hit the skinii. Stretch the skiniii. Effect penetration of skin.iv. Effect penetration into soft tissue.v. Effect penetration into the bony tissue.

Rifled weapons may produce two wounds, ◦ one of entry and ◦ one of exit.The power of penetration is generally greater with rifled and pistol bullets than with revolver bullets.