Singeing, Scorching, Tattooing, blackening, etc.

1. Types of Injury and
Range of fire
Submitted by-Sonali Patel
Submitted to- Ketan sir
SVVV, Indore.

2. Definition
O The injury produced by firearms is called
firearms injury. the injury vary depending
on the projectile, the muzzle velocity,
distance, part of the body involved.

3. Tattooing
O The tattooing is also known as peppering
or stippling. It is the deposit of un- burnt or
semi-burnt powder particles under the
skin. Tattooing, ordinarily, cannot be
removed with a swab.

5. Blackening
O The blackening is caused by the smoke
deposits. The smoke particles are light.
They do not travel afar. Therefore, smoke
deposit, i.e.., blackening is limited to a
short range.

7. Charring
O The charring (also called scorching,
burning, singeing, etc.) is the burning
effect of flame or hot gases produced in
the combustion of propellants. The
charring is caused when the shot is fired
from very close range. The size, shape
and extent characteristic of the firearm
and range.

9. Pink coloration
O Pink Coloration a shot is fired from a very
close range or in contact with the skin,
some monoxide (produced in the
combustion of propellants) gets absorbed
in the skin and flesh. It gives a pink
coloration to the skin around the wound
which carbon indicates a firearm injury
and an injury from a close

11. Range of fire
O The range or distance form the target and from which a
gunshot was fired is known as the range of fire

12. Muzzle patterns
O When firearm is fired with the muzzle in
contact and pressed with the target surface, it
leaves an imprint of the muzzle end. Presence
of muzzle pattern indicates a contact shot,
which is normally observed in suicide cases.
O In a such situation projectiles, smoke,
unburn, or semi burnt charge particles and
gases enter into the entry wound, leaving
behind no burning, blackening, tattooing mark
around it.

13. Muzzle pattern also provide an important
clue about the type of weapon used in the
incidence.

14. Scorching
O The scorching is an important sign of
close range gunshot fire because hot
gases can travel up to a limited distance
towards the target.
O This distance may very with the nature of
the weapon, which is few centimetre in
case of pistols and revolvers but could be
up to one meter in rifle and musket fires.

15. Blackening
O It is sign of close range fire. Gunpowder
create more intensity of deposition as
compare to that of smokeless powder.
O Colour of deposition is black in case of
gunpowder, where as it is greyish black in
smokeless powder, the range is roughly
three time more than scorching or burning
which could be about 30 40 cm.

16. Powder residues
O Presence of powder residues on surface
of the target depends upon the range of
fire and type of the firearms.
O In case of a handguns, the maximum
powder range could be about 100-200 cm,
in suicide cases, powder residues often
found on the hands, arms, clothing and
other object near to the target.

18. Metal particles
O Metal particles mainly produced by the
bullet. This are heavier in weight, due to
higher momentum they travel a longer
distance as compare to smoke and
powder particles.
O The range of these particles depends
upon the nature of the firearms and
ammunition, however, this could be one
meter beyond the powder range.

19. Wad distribution
O A shotgun cartridge contains a number of
wads . These wads are projected along
with the target and may enter the target
up to a distance of two or three meters.
O In the absence of any obstruction they can
travel and scatter in the range of five to
ten meters.

20. crime scene
management(Dr.M.S.Rao)
B. R Sharma
Reference -

21. ANY QUESTION?