Firearms & Burns Flashcards
(36 cards)
What is a firearm weapon?
An instrument which discharges a missile by the expansive force of the gases produced by the combustion of the propellant in a closed space.
What are the three main parts of a firearm?
- Barrel
- Action (loading, firing, ejection)
- Grip
What are the two types of weapons?
- Rifled weapons
- Non-rifled weapons
What does rifling consist of?
- Grooves (depressions)
- Ridges (lands)
What is the effect of rifling on a bullet?
- Stability (gyroscopic stability)
- Range of firing
- Velocity
- Power of penetration
What types of rifled weapons exist?
- Long-automatic
- Long non-automatic
- Pistol (Semi-automatic)
- Revolver (non-automatic)
What are examples of non-rifled weapons?
- Ghaffir gun
- Sporting Gun
- Military Shotgun
- Handmade, Country shotgun
What are the types of projectiles?
- Bullets
- Shots
- Wads
What is a percussion cap?
A small cylinder made of brass that fits in the center of any cartridges containing primers.
What are the components of a primers?
- Powered glass to produce heat on friction
- Explosive substance (mercury fulminate or styphnate)
- Oxygen-donor substance (potassium chlorate)
What is a ‘dum-dum’ bullet?
Soft-nosed or hollow pointed bullets aimed to increase expansion and fragmentation upon impact.
What are rubber and plastic bullets used for?
To incapacitate but not kill, primarily for riot control.
What are blank shells?
Contain only a small amount of powder and no actual load, providing sound and flash but no projectile.
What is the first step in the mechanism of firing a firearm?
Pulling the trigger, the pin is released and strikes the percussion cap.
What is the ‘muzzle flash’?
The flash of light seen before the sound of explosion is heard.
What are the effects of hot explosive gases from a firearm?
- Causes tears at the entrance
- Flame causes burning
- Smoke causes blackening
- Unburnt powder causes tattooing
What are the characteristics of firearm injuries?
- Loss of substance
- Presence of two wounds (inlet and exit)
- Beveling in flat bones
- Presence of powder marks
What are the types of powder marks?
- Burning
- Blackening
- Tattooing
What is a ricochet bullet?
A bullet that strikes a hard object before entering the body, becoming deformed or fragmented.
What is an abrasion collar?
The bullet abrades the skin surface as it passes through it.
What is a bullet wipe/soiling ring?
Lubricant on the bullet surface wiped off onto the wound edge.
MLI of powder marks
1- Diagnosis of firearm injuries.
2- Differentiation between inlet and exit.
3- Identification the type of powder used.
4- Estimation of the distance of firing.
What is the purpose of estimating the distance of firing from shots?
To diagnose firearm injuries and determine the type of weapon used.
What does contact gunshot wound to the face show?
Stellate lacerations radiating from the perforation site with soot deposition.
