Forensic BALLISTICS # Identification of range of fire through wound ballistic
1. TERM 1 EXAMINATION
PRESENTATION ON
Identification of range of fire through
wound Ballistic
FOR THE SUBJECT EVALUATION
CUTM 2901(UGFS S4-P3)FORENSIC BALLISTICS
PRESENTED ON: March13, 2024
BY
BASANTA KUMAR PANIGRAHI
REGISTRATION NO. 222104320045
B.SC. FORENSIC SCIENCE(SEM. 4)
TO
MS. UJAALA JAIN
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
SCHOOL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES
BHUBANESWAR CAMPUS
3. CONTENTS
● Introduction
● Factors affect
● Entry wound
● Exit wound
● Formation of wound based on distance between body and firearm
● Medicolegal importance
● References
4.
5. Introduction
❑ When a bullet is fired, it either penetrates or
bounce off or continue moving in changed
direction.
❑ The minimum velocity required to penetrate the
human skin is 40 to 50 metres per second. The
threshold velocity for the penetration of a bone is
60 meter per second.
7. Striking angle
✔
Right angle: When the bullet strikes the skin at right
angle the entrance wound has a circular
appearance according to range of fire.
Obliquely: When a bullet strikes the skin obliquely,
the entrance wound would be usually oval.
Angles smaller than critical angles: If the striking
angle at the target is less than the critical angle, the
projectiles may ricochet (Rebounced).
8. Striking velocity
Velocities less than 400m / s : No abnormal wounding
phenomenon is observed in this zone.
Velocity from 400-600 m/s: The tissue damage will be
increased due to the increased projection area.
Velocities of the projectile from 600-1100 m / s : In this
range of projectile velocity explosive wounds are usually
caused. Generally, Service and sporting rifles causes such
wounds. The high velocity projectile creates a vacuum behind
it
Velocity range of projectile above 1100m / s : Very few
cartridges are made which would propel projectiles
approaching or having velocities of the above.
9. Nature of Target
Human body is 60% water and it is not uniformly
distributed.
At some places there are bones, at other places,
veins, nerves, muscles or blood vessels. Thus the
vulnerability is unevenly distributed.
The target site whether it is front side or back side
of the body. The head injury would differ from the
wound found on the waist.
• Target: Neck, chest, abdomen, extremities etc.
The minimum velocity required to penetrate the
skin is about 40-50 meters per second. This is
known as Threshold Velocity. Its value for bone
penetration is 60 meters per second.
10. Intermediate target
• If the intermediate target is thin and soft such as shirt
it may not have any influence on the wounding power
of the projectile. But if hard like armors, the it causes
change.
• Intermediate target may increase the spread of
projectiles. The projectiles getting slowed down by the
obstruction of the intermediate target increasing the
velocity and change of direction.
12. Pink coloration
● If a shot is fired from a very close range or in contact
with the skin, some carbon 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 indicates firearm injury and injury
from a close range.
BLACKENING
The blackening is caused by the smoke deposits.
The smoke particles are light.
They do not travel a far. Therefore, smoke deposit
i.e. blackening is limited to a
short range.
13. Tattooing
The tattooing is also known as peppering or stippling. It
is the deposit of unburnt or semi-burnt powder particles
under the skin. Tattooing, ordinarily,
cannot be removed with a swab.
DIRT RING OR PROJECTILE
WIPE RING
1. The projectile may carry grease on them. The dirt gets collected on
the grease which, in turn, gets deposited around the wound.
2. Deposit of soot/GSR present on bullet. The projectile pick up the
soot/GSR from the powder ejecta which rush past the projectiles
inside or outside the barrel.
3. Dirt due to intermediate target (clothes, mud walls etc.) or from the
surface from which the projectile has ricocheted.
15. Description of the wound of entrance is based on the distance of the
body from the fired gun
16. Contact fire
Burst due to the explosion of the powder which produces the heated and
expanded gases. There is burning of the tissues; singeing of the hair; and
particles of gunpowder in and around the wound of entrance; skin is separated
from the underlying tissues in the affected area , pressure of the bullet will
caused excavation of tissues and the contusion collar is seen around the
wound of entrance.
17. Near contact up to six inches
There is bursting of tissues, buming and blackening od the skin but the
particles of gun powder are present as well as around the wound of
entrance. The shape of the wound may be lacerated or silt like and the
size is larger than the diameter of the missile. The excavation of tissues
due to the pressure of the penetrating bullet .
18. Distance above six inches
The size of the wound approximates the size of the missile. The
farther the target, the lesser the burning or blackening of tissues,
gun powder tattooing, singeing of the hair and excavation of tissues
and lesser until they disappear beyond the 24 inches distances.
19. Medicolegal importance
1) The nature of the firearm.
2) The range of the firearm.
3) The direction of the firearm.
4) The place from where the firing took place.
5) The cause of death.
6) The manner of death.
