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Message no. 1
From: ChriZ Dane Pedersen <cbp1002@******.CAMBRIDGE.AC.UK>
Subject: Firearm Damage
Date: Sat, 4 Dec 1993 09:50:36 +0000
Ive noticed there are a fair few people out there with some sort of
millitary background. Could anybody explain how exactly bullet damage
works ? (DO NOT POST ME STUFF LIKE "IT HURTS")

For example, is it a Kinetic energy or momentum based thing ? I would
assume kinetic.

In which case, greater velocity would have more effect on the damage
than greater mass, so why bother with bigger rounds ?
Sure, bigger rounds will slow down less, but will that make such a difference ?
Message no. 2
From: "C. Paul Douglas" <granite@********.CLARK.NET>
Subject: Re: Firearm Damage
Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1993 15:12:50 -0500
On Sat, 4 Dec 1993, ChriZ Dane Pedersen wrote:

Could anybody explain how exactly bullet damage
> works ? (DO NOT POST ME STUFF LIKE "IT HURTS")

IT HURTS ALOT
no but really
the quick way to discribe a bullet wound [in an un armoured victim] is it
makes a funnel like vacancy in the flesh affected the entrance wound is
small the exit wound is large [goes in with a pencil or finger sized hole
and out with a film canister or fist sized hole]. of course different
kinds of rounds do different kinds of damage

shotgun: lots of little holes doing penetration damage [and depending on
how close the guy with the gun is of course] and not normally an exit wound

m-16: this one has ammo designed to start tumbling when it penetrates so
it goes in with a relatively small hole and bounces around for a while
and there is no telling where it might come out [some of our guys in VN
found this out the hard way trying to get home - some would put their
m-16 against their foot, pull the trigger, and the bullet would come out
their kneecap - not too cool]

.45 cal pistol: this one has enough energy in a slugg that if you were to
get hit in the thumb the impact would tear you off your feet

ect.

> For example, is it a Kinetic energy or momentum based thing ? I would
> assume kinetic.
>
if i remember class right it is kinetic energy

> In which case, greater velocity...

a bullet can only move so fast with out some sort of assist and them it
becomes a missile

so why bother with bigger rounds ?
> Sure, bigger rounds will slow down less, but will that make such a difference ?
>
the more mass at the same velocity = a greater stored kinetic energy to
be released at the point of impact

hope this helps
------------------GRANITE

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