What happens when you press a gun into an attacker's body?

[Raggedyman]

I've heard people say that when a handgun is fired against a person's body, that the expanding gases seriously complicate the wound. I tested the theory with a S&W 638.

Link for phones

[VIDEO]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNDIyYNVuhc[/VIDEO]




Spoiler:










BB: 586.5 fps, 3.2"

Impact velocity: approximately 900 fps
Penetration: 14.1"
Retained weight: 134.5gr
Max expansion: 0.554"
Min expansion: 0.426"


It definitely tore up the clothing pretty well and added a lot of powder particles to the wound, but it doesn't look like the wound is any worse than normal.

Would the results be different with a magnum? What about a rifle or shotgun? Were there just not enough gasses from the .38 spl to be a factor?

[Intercooler]

A .44 Magnum with Remington 180's would for sure generate enough fire to ignite the clothing.

[Mike_Fontenot]

A .44 Magnum with Remington 180's would for sure generate enough fire to ignite the clothing.

I suspect all that hot gas being injected into a human body would do a LOT of damage.

[The_Shadow]

Thanks for the video...again dispels some of the hype! 

[sqlbullet]

There are some real life (death) pictures in some of these links...You have been warned.

http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/GUNS/GUNINJ.html

http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/close-contact-gunshot-wounds/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_shot

In general it appears the complications aren't from direct injury, but from the significantly increase infection risk due to additional debris entering the wound cavity.

Although, the point should be noted that in a contact wound, a projectile is not needed to cause death.  Blank guns are very dangerous weapons when fired in contact with the skin.

[Raggedyman]

Yeah, there was definitely a lot of junk in the wound. I'll have to cut that section of gelatin out and not reuse it.

I wanted to start with .38 SPL because it represents the kind of fun that would be most likely to be pressed into an attacker and it has a relatively small volume of gas coming out of the muzzle.

[Buckeye 50]

Raggedy:

As part of my last Tactical Handgun class we started to learn CQB shooting - REALLY different!  Among other things our instructor had us shoot a paper target at about 1"-2" from the muzzle of the gun.  At the time I was using an H&K USP 45 compact, with "soft-powered" FMJ bullets.  It nearly vaporized the target which was an 8.5 x 11" normal piece of paper.  Only the edges were left.  Scared the crap out of me, but not as much as having someone threatening me at point blank range.

I suspect Underwood 10mm ANYTHING would virtually erase most traces of that size target at point blank range. 

Pat

[45BBH]

I'd imagine all the powder burns would be like icing on the cake in addition to the nasty wound itself...yuck.  The expanding gas coming out of the end of a gun can mess things up, just like the unlucky few who have lost part of their thumb to a larger caliber revolver's barrel/cylinder gap by placing their thumb too far forward.  Neat video, the 135gr +P Gold Dot is a great .38 Spcl round!

[ShadeTreeVTX]

I know on my G20 and G29 that if pressed too hard into the body it can move the slide back enough to disengage the firing pin - if my slide moves barely 1/4 " my glock will not fire - in my case on the G29 or the G20 I don't have that problem with the extended barrels I use. I have noticed that a lot of semi's have a slight barrel extension possibly negating that possibility?

Doug

[Raggedyman]

ShadeTreeVTX, If you press hard enough on the barrel, it will push the slide back and engage the disconnect. Unless an auto pistol has a stand off device attached to the frame or you use your weak hand to hold the slide forward, pushing it into an attacker can cause it to fail to fire.


45BBH, I wonder if the hot gasses and particles could actually impede bleeding. The Gold Dot didn't completely expand. It is on the ragged edge of performance when fired from a short barrel. Check out my other 135 gr Gold Dot tests. It won't expand at all if the powder is cold and the velocity just a touch lower. Based on my limited testing, I'd recommend the Buffalo Bore +P 158 gr LSWCHP.

[ShadeTreeVTX]

YOU ARE RIGHT  Raggedyman- though it  seems to takes alot more pressure on the barrel than the slide on mine. Doesn't matter - YOU ARE RIGHT

Doug

[Raggedyman]

That's a good point. An extra half inch of barrel might significantly reduce the likelihood of pushing the gun or of battery.

[ShadeTreeVTX]

Or cause a FTF if the slide moves the firing pin just a hair back.

Doug