Features of gunshot bullet injuries resulting from ricochet when firing from smooth-bore weapons, depending on pre-barrier distance

BACKGROUND: According to the literature, the speed and kinetic energy of the bullet within 100 m of flight varies slightly, on the basis of which we put forward a scientific hypothesis that there were no significant changes in the picture of gunshot injuries formed when firing a hunting rifle and subsequent ricochet, when changing the values of pre-grade distance.

AIMS: Determining the effect of the pre-barrier distance on the characteristic of gunshot injuries resulting from a bullet ricochet when fired from a smooth-bore weapon.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A ballistic experiment was conducted to model the ricochet of a bullet and the formation of gunshot damage to stray targets when fired from a 12-caliber “IZh-27 M” hunting rifle using 12/70 “Gold” hunting bullet cartridges with a 32 gr “Gualandi” bullet, at a barrier of steel brand St45, at a meeting angle of 30 degrees, from the pre-barrier distance values 1–2–3–4–6–8–10 m. The formed damage was subjected to visual examination, measurement, microscopic, photographic, research in ultraviolet and infrared rays, contact-diffusion, mathematical-statistical methods.

RESULTS: The study demonstrated that the change in the pre-barrier distance values within these limits does not lead to the formation of statistically significant differences in the main parameters characterizing gunshot injuries: shape, presence of a tissue defect, dimensions of injuries, coincidence of the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the damage with the longitudinal axis of the barrier, the presence and dimensions of additional damage, the dimensions of wiping areas in the area of additional damage, the sizes of products of the shot deposition areas on the target surface (p <0,050).

CONCLUSION: Established patterns can be used in conducting ballistic experiments to model a bullet ricochet, as well as for reconstructing the circumstances of the incident during a situational examination in cases of gunshot injuries formed as a result of a ricochet when firing from a smooth-bore weapon.