Stud guns, firearm injuries

Abstract

Wounds caused by stud guns are not infrequent in construction companies. Reported deaths following stud gun injuries are hardly met with in forensic literature. Also, the pathophysiological mechanism involved in the production of such type of wounds is not very clear. The article presents two reported cases of accidental fatal and stud gun injuries of chest together with a brief review of this type of industrial tool and its ammunition so that we can shed light on the wounding mechanism. The importance of careful post-mortem examination, and detailed investigation of the scene, to reconstruct the event, and to determine the manner of death are included.