How deadly is a fragmenting bullet?
- Thread starter MM90
- Start date
This may appear extremely obtuse, but i'm confused how you've used the term 'permanent consequences', do you mean general effects of fragmentation rounds? Because when i think of permanent consequences i think of say a bad back or dodgy knee, and most permanent consequences for gunshot wounds would be pretty random and would be very subjective (i would imagine anyway)
Well anyway, here's a couple of things to look at about bullet fragmentation:
http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Fackler_Articles/bullet_fragmentation.pdf
http://www.tacticalmedicalpacks.com/files/Combat_Tactics_Trauma_article.pdf
Have to scroll down a bit on the second link to find the appropriate section
If i've got the complete wrong end of the stick i apologise
Well anyway, here's a couple of things to look at about bullet fragmentation:
http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Fackler_Articles/bullet_fragmentation.pdf
http://www.tacticalmedicalpacks.com/files/Combat_Tactics_Trauma_article.pdf
Have to scroll down a bit on the second link to find the appropriate section
If i've got the complete wrong end of the stick i apologise
Not dodging the question but it does depend on the wound placement and whether or not the tissue is lacerated or completely removed. Also, you should specify if we are discussing the current SS109 63 grain or original M193 55grain bullet.
The SS109 (M855) is a heavier bullet using a soft steel core. This gave improved performance at long range over the lighter M193. It also has less tendency to fragment. In the 70's the M193 was noted for poor long range performance but also for its impressive wound capacity. I have seen wound comparisons between the soviet 7.62*39 (standard AK round at the time) and the M193. Wounds to calf by the 7.62*39 left a .30 hole through the muscle. The M193 pretty much removed the calf exposing the bones. There is no way to save the leg after a wound like that.
The current M855 tends to yaw upon impact at high velocity. The round is designed to enhance this affect to yaw by being unbalanced (more weight at the rear of the projectile). This creates a huge wound channel, both temporary and permanent, compared to bullet size as now its the length of the bullet, not its diameter, that is passing through tissue. At close range, the rapid deceleration causes the bullet to also fragment, causing more severe wounding. This causes a larger amount of penetrating trauma, but less shredding and liquification of tissue due to loss of mass. The M855 actually tends to raw less and does not fragment at longer range and can travel trough the body doing little damage. Being a fully jacketed round, fragmentation is usually less, and the steel core tends to deform less.
While most gunshot and shotgun wounds create permanent injury, especially at close range, people have recovered from close range shotgun blasts and aside from large amounts of scaring, have retained full use of limbs and organs. A fragmenting bullet, while dealing deeper penetration, will produce less fragmentation then say, #4 shot at close range. It all depends on where it hits, and what it hits, and how much energy it had at the time of impact.
Further reading at
http://tech.military.com/equipment/view/88714/5.56mm-cartridge.html
http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2008Intl/Roberts.pdf
http://bajaarizona.org/fklr/fklr.html
The SS109 (M855) is a heavier bullet using a soft steel core. This gave improved performance at long range over the lighter M193. It also has less tendency to fragment. In the 70's the M193 was noted for poor long range performance but also for its impressive wound capacity. I have seen wound comparisons between the soviet 7.62*39 (standard AK round at the time) and the M193. Wounds to calf by the 7.62*39 left a .30 hole through the muscle. The M193 pretty much removed the calf exposing the bones. There is no way to save the leg after a wound like that.
The current M855 tends to yaw upon impact at high velocity. The round is designed to enhance this affect to yaw by being unbalanced (more weight at the rear of the projectile). This creates a huge wound channel, both temporary and permanent, compared to bullet size as now its the length of the bullet, not its diameter, that is passing through tissue. At close range, the rapid deceleration causes the bullet to also fragment, causing more severe wounding. This causes a larger amount of penetrating trauma, but less shredding and liquification of tissue due to loss of mass. The M855 actually tends to raw less and does not fragment at longer range and can travel trough the body doing little damage. Being a fully jacketed round, fragmentation is usually less, and the steel core tends to deform less.
While most gunshot and shotgun wounds create permanent injury, especially at close range, people have recovered from close range shotgun blasts and aside from large amounts of scaring, have retained full use of limbs and organs. A fragmenting bullet, while dealing deeper penetration, will produce less fragmentation then say, #4 shot at close range. It all depends on where it hits, and what it hits, and how much energy it had at the time of impact.
Further reading at
http://tech.military.com/equipment/view/88714/5.56mm-cartridge.html
http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2008Intl/Roberts.pdf
http://bajaarizona.org/fklr/fklr.html
Last edited:
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #5
I referred to the ss109 as it's the only fragmenting bullet in widespread military use. However it makes sense that it works like a smaller shotgun wound and this should be enough to explain lethality (a shotgun wound has 80% lethality vs 20% of a pistol wound; a non-fragmenting military round should be slightly higher, considering possible damages from secondary bone fragmentation or temporary cavitation).
However there is no soft steel in the ss109: it has an hardened steel penetrator and the rest is lead; at longer ranges it is inferior (in wounding) to the M193 due to lower muzzle velocity but at point blank lead fragments the same way (source: Martin Fackler).
However there is no soft steel in the ss109: it has an hardened steel penetrator and the rest is lead; at longer ranges it is inferior (in wounding) to the M193 due to lower muzzle velocity but at point blank lead fragments the same way (source: Martin Fackler).