[Boomking]

A couple of these threads have discussed gunshot wounds, and I wanted to share some information about them for those who don't know.

The way a gun works is when it is fired, the primer, which is a very small explosive (almost like a cap gun) detonates and ignites the powder in the cartridge. The powder doesn't explode; it burns very rapidly and this burning causes rapid expansion of the gas inside the cartridge. This expanding gas pushes the bullet down the barrel and high velocity. Just behind the bullet, these gases exit the barrel, also at high velocity (sometimes supersonic velocity).

The reason you see so much damage from contact gunshot wounds (usually suicides) is these high velocity gases are literally injected into the body, where they cause massive damage. If you back the muzzle off even a small distance, the effect is not as dramatic.

Here are some examples of contact wounds - you can see how the tissue is torn and damaged.

[Boomking]

If we back off a bit, you will see "tattooing" - that is unburnt gunpowder which was driven into the skin.

[RiversEdge]

thanks for the post. boy, those are going to leave a scar. A few there, no chance of a scar.

[SOTIC]

In the MEs office we never called it tattooing we called it stippling I’ve never heard tattooing before very good post

[Brynjar]

Originally Posted by SOTIC ↗

In the MEs office we never called it tattooing we called it stippling I’ve never heard tattooing before very good post

I always heard it referred to stippling too.

[pirozzi]

Originally Posted by Brynjar ↗

I always heard it referred to stippling too.

You are correct about stippling. Tattooing comes from defining stippling as the tattooing of the skin by the hot unburned powder.

[Mongolian60]

Very good post thanks very informative. Ive heard term tatttooing used and stippling.

[pragmatist]

Really interesting post.

[SavageGlow]

Awesome post.