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#23
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07-30-2013, 03:44 PM
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Re: Various Firearm Injuries
Most shotguns can fire slugs as well, and some are even designed to fire slugs exclusively. In the pic you're referring to, it looks like a rifled slug; the ridges on it act the way that barrel rifling acts on bullets. Since shotguns are smooth bore weapons (i.e. no rifling in the barrel), the slug itself is rifled instead for the sake of imparting a spin upon the projectile as a means of increasing accuracy. And even with a point-blank shot (be it buckshot or slug), the casing still remains in the weapon after the round has been discharged. The lack of buckshot "peppering" on the victim's face in that particular pic further confirms that it was a slug round. Incidentally (since I like to be over-informative), the wadding in a buckshot shell can also become a projectile in and of itself if it's thick enough, although it possesses minimal penetrative qualities since it's made of plastic and not steel or lead. Just one more reason why being on the business end of a shotgun is bad, bad news. Oh, and I think the usage of the term cartridge in this case is a bit misleading. A cartridge is the entire assembly of a round: casing + propellant + primer + projectile etc. Only the projectile exits the muzzle (and wadding, in the case of a buckshot round). The rest of the cartridge remains in the weapon or is ejected once spent in the case of semi-automatic/automatic operation. Hope this clears things up for ya. |