THE EFFECT OF BARREL LENGTH ON PELLET DISPERSION AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN DETERMINATION OF RANGE OF FIRE

Öz

Objective: An important issue in need of investigation is the determination of the shooting range in cases of death and injury that occur through the use of firearms. In shotgun injuries, in distances beyond which the residue of gunpowder cannot reach, the dispersion of pellets on the target is used to determine the firing distance. In shotgun injuries with a long discharge range, the dispersion of shot on the target is also used to determine the firing distance. Nonetheless, there are a number of factors that affect the size of the shot pattern, such as barrel length, shot size, degree of choking, type of wadding and environmental conditions. It is important to consider these factors when determining the range. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of barrel length on the dispersion of shot. Methods: With this aim, we fired at linen targets from nine different distances using a non- choked 12 gauge shotgun with a 70 cm barrel using cartridges containing 3.5 and 7.5 mm pellets. We repeated all the discharges after altering the shotgun barrel length to 45 cm and 20 cm. Results: When we compared the obtained dispersion of shot according to the length of the barrel, the dispersion of shot from the 45 cm barrel was no more than that from the 70 cm barrel and this difference was variable statistically. The dispersion of shot with the 20 cm barrel was more than that with the 70 cm and 45 cm barrels, and when the firing distance was above 100 cm, the variance on dispersion of the shot was more marked. Conclusion: We came to the conclusion that the difference in the dispersion of shot is more marked with a distinctly shortened length of barrel

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Firearms
• Shotguns
• Forensic ballistic

Kaynakça

1. Uner HB, Koc S, Kurtas O, Alkan N, Batuk G. Short barrel shotguns without rifling. II. Forensic Sciences Symposium Book (Ballistic). Ege University Press (Turkish), Izmir, 1998;124-128.
2. Cassidy M. Smoot-bore firearm injuries. In: Maison JK, Purdue BN, editors. The pathology of trauma. New York, 2000; 61-72.
3. Koc S. Atypical gunshot wounds. II. Forensic Sciences Symposium Book (Ballistic). Ege University Press (Turkish), Izmir, 1998;28-35.
4. Uner HB, Sam B, Kurtas O, Uysal C, Cerkezoglu A. The factors that effect on dispersion of shotgun pellets. The Bulletin of Legal Medicine (Turkish) 2000; 5(2):65- 69.
5. Agır E.G. The evaluation of deaths from the shotgun wounds in related to forensic medicine. Thesis, Council of Forensic Medicine (Turkish), Istanbul, 1996
6. Uner HB, Cakır I. Forensic Ballistic (Turkish), Arikan Press, Istanbul, 2007;1– 41, 55–67.
7. Ordog JG, Wasserberger J, Balasubramaniam S. Shotgun wound ballistics. The Journal of Trauma. 1988; 28(5):624-631.
8. Balci Y. Firearm injuries. In: Forensic Medicine (Turkish), Arion Press, Istanbul, 2004; 27-35.

9. Uner HB, Uysal C, Kurtas O, Sam B. The effect of the degree of shotgun choke on the pattern of pellets. Journal of Forensic Medicine (Turkish) 1996; 12:127-133.
10. Warlow TA. Terminal/wound ballistics and distance of firing. In: Firearms, The Law and Forensic Ballistics, CRC Press London, UK, 1996;114-116.
11. Uner HB, Sam B, Kurtas O, Atasoy C. The Effect of Clothing As An “Intermediate Target” On Dispersion of Shotgun Pattern on The Body, The Bulletin of Legal Medicine (Turkish) 1997; 2(3): 124-6.
12. Uner HB, Polat O. The evaluation of the billiard ball effect in close- range shots with shotgun. Poster presentation: I. Forensic Sciences Congress Book (Turkish), Adana, 1994;334.
13. Di Maio VJM. Wounds from Shotguns, In: Gunshot Wounds Practical Aspects of Firearms, Ballistics, and Forensic Techniques, 2nd ed., CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, New York, 1999; 203-251.
14. Turkish Standards of Shotguns, TS 870/1998.
15. Knight B. Gunshot and Explosion Deaths, In: Forensic Pathology, London, Melbourne, Auckland, 1991; 222-247.
16. Mattoo BN, Nabar BS. Evaluation of Effective Shot Dispersion in Buckshot Patterns. The Journal of Forensic Sciences 1969; 14(2): 263-69.
17. Cakır I, Cetin G, Uner HB, Albek E. Shot Range Estimation Based on Pellet Distribution in Shots With a Pump-Action Shotgun, Forensic Science International 2003; 132 (3): 211-215.
18. Moreau TS, Nickels ML, Wray JL, Bottemiler KW, Rowe WF. Pellet Patterns Fired by Sawn-off Shotguns. The Journal of Forensic Sciences 1985; 30(1): 137-149.
19. Yucel F. The Determination of the Discharge Distance After Discharges Done With Different Kinds Of Shotguns And Cartridges. Journal of Forensic Medicine (Turkish) 1997; 13: 27-35.
20. Arslan M, Determination of Range Fire Using Pellet Dispersion Patterns, Medical Specialist Thesis (Turkish), Council of Forensic Medicine, Istanbul, 2002.