Types of injury and range of fire

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 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 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.

4. Blackening 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.

5. Charring 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.

6. Pink coloration 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

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

8. Muzzle patterns 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. 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.

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

10. Scorching The scorching is an important sign of close range gunshot fire because hot gases can travel up to a limited distance towards the target. 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.

11. Blackening It is sign of close range fire. Gunpowder create more intensity of deposition as compare to that of smokeless powder. 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.

12. Powder residues Presence of powder residues on surface of the target depends upon the range of fire and type of the firearms. 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.

13. Metal particles 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. The range of these particles depends upon the nature of the firearms and ammunition, however, this could be one meter beyond the powder range.

14. Wad distribution 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. In the absence of any obstruction they can travel and scatter in the range of five to ten meters.

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

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