Peculiarities of Determining Affecting Properties of Small-bore Bullets After Ricochet

Authors aimed to summarize experimental researches of affecting properties of monolithic .22 Long Rifle bullets after their ricochet from various types of obstacles. Alternative criterion for evaluating the affecting properties of bullets is proposed using this criterion it is possible to forecast the degree and severity of bodily injuries after ricochet. Specifics and conditions under which fragmentation of monolithic small-bore bullets occurs are revealed, as well as flight speed of bullets and their fragments after impact-contact interaction with obstacles of various types is determined. Special attention is paid to research on interaction nature of bullets and their fragments with a viscoelastic environment imitating biological human body tissues after ricocheting. It has been determined that energy concept of affection to biological target and criteria for its evaluation research on affecting properties of bullets after ricochet have limited application, since it is not always possible to accurately determine initial conditions of hitting as the bullets themselves as their individual fragments. Obtained results of experimental research and field tests made possible to form an alternative criterion for assessing the severity of bodily injuries that a person suffered as a result of being hit by small- bore lead bullets after ricocheting. It is the length of the wound channel caused by a bullet or its fragments as a result of their impact on a person’s body after ricocheting. A calculation method for determining the length of the caused wound channel is proposed that can be used in forensic expert practice to determine potential injury to human life and health.