FIREARMS AND

EXPLOSIVE
INJURIES
Guided by :- DR SUMA SREE Mam.
Presented by :- M NAVYA SAI..
BALLISTICS
1. Proximal (Internal) Ballistics
2. Intermediate (External) Ballistics
3. Terminal (Wound) Ballistics

PROXIMAL (INTERNAL) BALLISTICS:-

The study of firearms and projectiles is called as proximal ballistics.

• In simple terms a firearm is a mechanical device equipped to create an explosion which in turn
forces out a projectile at a high velocity in order to hit a target.

Ammunition:
• The materials used for causing the explosion along with projectile.
• One complete round of ammunition is called a cartridge.
• The projectile pushed out through a cylindrical tube called as barrel
• If barrel grooved internally, it is rifled firearm
• If not ,it is smooth-bore firearm.
• Grooved barrel.

• Non grooved barrel.

CARTRIDGE
CARTRIDGE

Cartridge = Case + Detonator + Propellant + Projectile

• A cartridge consists of an outer case in which the explosive is stored together with the chemicals
required to ignite it and the projectile.
•
• The Explosive is called as Propellant or Gun powder
• The Igniting chemical is called as Primer or Detonator.
• The projectile is either a bullet or pellets ( shot)
•
• Bullet is used in Rifled firearm
• Pelletes or shots is used in smooth bore firearms.
 CARTRIDGE CASE
• Cartridge Case is made up of metal / Alloy / paper (or) cardboard.

• But the shape of the case is cylindrical.

•
• One end of the case is closed with a plate of brass and it is
called as base.
•
• Other end of the case is open
•
• The case helps in keeping the contents in place and also
provides a water proof cover and gives protection.
•
• The base is rimmed in revolver cartridge
• Grooved in pistol and automatic firearm cartridge
•
• But every firearm as a chamber in which the cartridge is
normally lodged.
• A chamber leads in to a hallow steel tube called the barrel.
 CARTRIDGE CASE

SHORT GUN RIFLED GUN

CARTRIDGE CARTRIDGE
■ A case of short Metal cylinder ■ A case of metal cylinder is
■ Made up of cardboard or plastic . elongated.
■ Case is made up of alloy of copper
or zinc.
 SHORT GUN CARTRIDGE :-
• The case is rimmed.
• The case helps to keep the various components in place.
• Prevents the backward escape of gases
• Provides a water proof container for the gunpowder.
• The length of cartridge varies from 5 to 7 cm.
•
• The cartridge case is filled as follows from the base.
•
• Base :- percussion cap ( Detonator cap;Primer battery cap)
• Which is set into the centre of the of the base of cartridge cylinder

Cardboard disk

A Thick flet- ward

Cardboard disk
 Shot ( Charge or Load)

Finally Retaining cardboard discs

Over which the edges of the cartridge cylinder

walls are pressed.

WAD :- prevents heat from the gun powder.

* Acts as a piston

*. Seals the bore

* Contains greezee
* Acts as lubricant for bore after firing of each round.
 SHOTS ( PELLETS )

Soft or drop shot Hard or chilled shot

■ ■
■ It is made up of soft lead ■ It is made up of lead and hardened by
antimony.
RIFILED CARTRIDGE
■ It is a metal cylinder with flat base
■ Rim is present
■ Automatic pistol do not have rim
The cartridge is filled as follows from the base..
1. primer cup :- located at the circular hole in the centre of base.
2. Flash hole :- communicated with the powder space
3. Elongated metal case
4. Grips the base of the bullet.
5. The gun powder lies between the primer and the bullet.
■ Many bullets have a circumferential groove near base called cannelure.
PRIMER ( DETONATOR )
■ It is called brain of cartridge.
1. The primers are small metal cups usually held in the cartridge head primer pocket
by friction.
2. Primer cup contains priming mixture and an anvil.
3. Anvil is So placed that the blow of firing pin on The primer cup crushes the
priming mixture against the anvil centre and burns it,which then flashes
through the flash hole.
4. Ignites the powder charge.
5. The primer used in shotgun cartridge is called a primary battery cup.This
contains a battery cup in which a primer cup fits.
6. Nowadays primers contain compounds of lead , antimony, sulphide,and barium
instead of mercury and fulminate or lead azide.
7.
8.
PROPELLANT OR POWDERS
■ Three types of powders are used.
1. Black powder
2. Smokeless powder
3. Semi smokeless powder.
■ Black powder is a mixture of 75% potassium nitrate,15% charcoal and 10% of
sulphur .
■ Smokeless powder consists of nitrocellulose combined with nitroglycerin (double
base) or nitrocellulose ,Nitroglycerine and nitroguanidine ( Triple base)
■ Semi – Smokeless powder consists of 20% of Smokeless powder and 80% black
powder.
• Black gunpowder

• Semi Smokeless gun powder

• Smokeless gunpowder
PROJECTILE ( BULLET )
■ The traditional bullet is made up of soft metal and has a rounded nose
■ The metal is lead with varying amounts of antimony added to provide
Hardness
■ Round nose soft bullet is usually used in rifles and revolvers..
■ Tip of the bullet is called nose.
■ In revolver and pistol, bullet is short and the point is usually round or ogival.
■ Mushroom bullet produces more serious wounds.
■
Types of bullets
1. Short flat point.
2. Medium flatpoint.
3. Mediumm round nose.
4. Long round nose.
5. Medium long sharp point.
6. Medium sharp point.
7. Flat base.
8. Sharp point boat tailed .
9. Pencil point.
10. Streamlined with sabot.
11. Dum dum bullet

1.
Mechanism of discharging of projectile.
■ When the trigger is pulled which is usually situated below ,the tip of trigger strikes
the central recess at the base of cartridge.
■

• Primer cap contains explosion mixture known as priming ,which

explodes by heat created by the strike of the firing pin
•
 Now sends flash through a flash hole in to the main body of the powder
filled case, which sets fire to the powder charge or propellent.

Which in turn produces instantaneously a large amount of

gas which is under high pressure.
The cartridge case swells outwards due to which the hold
on bullet is released.
The noise of the gun firing is caused due to the suddenly released
gases disturbing the air.
The blast has the shape of a cone whose apex is located at the
muzzle.
The released bullet is pussed or forced into the barrel and passed out.