Doctor Roberts, - (oops, sorry about misspelling your screen name...but dislexics are teople poo!)
Thank you for your work and sharing your knowledge in articles like: “Basic Wound Ballistic Terminal Performance Facts.” Background: the article explains that one of the major differences between “pistol-like wounds” and “rifle-like wounds” is the additional damage caused by the larger temporary cavity from the rifle’s more rapidly traveling bullet. You stated: “tissue that was stretched by the temporary cavity may be injured and is analogous to an area of blunt trauma surrounding the permanent crush cavity.” I noticed an August 1999 “Tactical Briefs” article, that explains that the size and location of the temp cavity can explain the DRT effect (dead right there): where the person or animal collapses immediately and doesn’t move before expiring.(reference below).
My question comes from the vigorous, err, “discussions” on various websites about the “effective range” of various rifle cartridges and their bullets. The cartridges include .223, 6.5mm, 6.8mm, 30blk, 7.62x39, and, for old farts like me, .30 carbine and 30-30. There are claims that some newer rifle bullets reliably expand at lower velocities. Your sticky on the M1 Carbine mentioned the Speer 110 gr .30 carbine gold dot. In addition, I have seen reports about a .30 cal monolithic bullet that is said to expand from about 2400 fps down to 1300 fps. - No high speed photos of the gel tests, however.
At 2300 or 2400 fps, I would think that the bullet would cause “rifle-like” wounds. But what about farther downrange when it has slowed to 1600 fps or to 1300 fps? Has the effectiveness dropped to a pistol-like “crush area only” wound?
Note to flamers: I am not saying that the slower bullets can't be deadly. But slower bullets would cause less damage and would lack the attention-getting oomph that comes from a cantaloupe-or-larger-sized temporary cavity suddenly opening in your chest or thigh.
Based on your experience, at roughly what velocity do the bullets lose rifle-like effects. Is this velocity lower for expanded bullets?
Thanks.
Reference:“Blunt Trauma Concussion of Spinal Cord as Mechanism of Instantaneous Collapse produced by Centerfire Rifle Bullet Wounds to the Torso” : www.firearmstactical.com/briefs28.htm
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