Study note

Firearm wounds: clothing, muzzle gases and soot distribution

THE CONTEXT

Muzzle gases and smoke produce characteristic findings in clothing and within firearm wounds.

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Abdominal firearm wounds show cavitation because of the blast effect.

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When clothing touches the muzzle, the bullet hole may be surrounded by a flat ring corresponding to the muzzle outline.

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Expanding gases returning through the defect can turn loose central cloth fibres outward. These fibres are usually blackened by smoke.

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Synthetic fabric fibres may show melting at their ends, and varying amounts of soot may be deposited on the bullet-hole edges.

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Bloodstaining may obscure soot deposits, while the inside of the garment may show a large smoke deposit.

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Muzzle blast can spread smoke between the skin and clothing, commonly when the shot passes through several layers.

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Each fabric layer may be blackened on both sides while the skin wound shows neither blackening nor tattooing.

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Smoke passes into the wound, with a small amount deposited on the wound edges, especially when muzzle contact is loose.

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Layerwise dissection can demonstrate fine powder granules and soot deposits deep within the wound.

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A close shot is defined as a shot in which the victim is within the range of the flame.

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