From:	Paul J. Adam Paul@********.demon.co.uk
Subject:	black talons
Date:	Fri, 5 Mar 1999 23:17:20 +0000

In article <3.0.6.32.19990304131535.007a8430@******.ucsd.edu>, Jason
'Ding' Dowd <jdowd@****.edu> writes
>A point blank hit like that is going to generate far more kinetic energy
>than a skilled martial artist's punch, and a skilled martial artist can
>still fracture ribs pretty easily. I think saying you'd survive it "without
>serious injury" is saying a bit much. You may survive it, but if the bullet
>impacts directly on a rib, even if it doesn't penetrate the vest that rib
>is going to be broken and possibly forced into the lung or some other
>internal organ. That doesn't count the possible shock damage to other
>internal organs if you take the hit in the gut area.

This is why the 'trauma shield' is so important: it's the inner liner
that spreads and dissipates the energy of a non-penetrating hit, turning
broken bones into nasty bruises.

Being shot is still not something you dance away from, body armour or
not.

>A vest may stop penetration, but the energy in the bullet still has to go
>SOMEWHERE, and the body is a fragile thing.

>Of course, it also depends on what you consider "serious injury".

Yep. Broken ribs heal pretty well even by themselves (though I'm told
they hurt incessantly while doing so). Penetrating gunshot wounds,
untreated, tend to kill within days.


--
Paul J. Adam