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Sniper wound ballistics

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oruzheika.blogspot.com

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But there are still knowledge gaps and differences of opinion when it comes to the impact of a rifle bullet. Corporal Sanow and I once discussed this topic at length, exchanging personal observations and experiences. In Sanou's view, rifle bullets, with a residual velocity of more than 1200-1300 feet per second, would result in temporary wound cavity injuries, different from permanent wound channel injuries. I share his opinion that the impulse to form a cavity from a rifle bullet is so sharp, sudden, intense and extensive that it can detach tissue from bones, cause hemorrhage or bruising of blood-filled organs, and even rupture veins and arteries.

BRG Kaplan, M.D., told me that there is no doubt that supersonic bullets (over 3000 feet per second) cause significant tissue damage through cavity formation - an opinion widespread in the wound ballistics community. Modern concepts explain what is happening only partially - there are too many contradictions and exceptions for one standard theory.

For example, I learned from a reliable source about a sniper incident in the Middle East in which an anti-terrorist shooter - apparently an Israeli - hit a terrorist who had taken a hostage to the center of his chest with a .300 Winchester Magnum bullet. Instead of the usual wound channel, the entire cavity in the terrorist's chest “was filled with a mess of organs, tissue and blood so mixed that it looked like jelly,” an expert on the subject told me. Most of the damage resulted from the formation of a large cavity.

My personal observations also incline me to support the opinion that "there is something more here than an ordinary wound channel." After observing more than 30 gunshot wounds inflicted by 7.62x39mm ammunition from less than 100 yards away, I can say without any doubt that even AK ammunition at a moderate velocity almost always causes more damage than a simple wound channel.

While working on the first edition of the book, I was reminded of shooting incidents, which resulted in an unusual study: an informal survey of victims of gunshot wounds to determine the extent to which they could continue to resist despite their injuries. Thus, we can assume what effect the injuries inflicted by the rifle bullet on the enemy, especially the enemy snipers hit by our fire, will have.

I have to thank a few old friends who relived incidents they would rather forget so that you can benefit from their knowledge.

Our first victim, Greg K., was hit twice in the thighs by a 7.62x39 mm bullet, his leg was broken and he lost a significant amount of blood. Greg told me that after he stopped the bleeding, he was reasonably capable of continuing to fire with his M16, although he could not walk unaided.

Larry P., our second victim, said that an AK bullet hit the upper left arm, tearing off a lot of flesh and causing extensive bleeding, although it did not break a bone. He also felt confident that he could continue to fire, even though he felt pain and shock. A similar situation happened with a Vietnamese member of my team, Hai, who said that an AK bullet hit the top of his right arm; he was not in the mood to fight, but could fire for self-defense at close range. In neither case, however, they could not fire accurately.

Our next victim, Larry V., was hit in the stomach, most likely by a 7.62x39 mm round. He told me only a year after the injury that he felt as if the air had been sucked from his lungs and he could not breathe without significant effort and pain. Due to the pain and shock, he was unable to handle the weapon. The same was true for a Vietnamese team member who was hit in the stomach with an AK. We all had to carry him back to the evacuation helicopter landing site; I doubt he was capable of more than holding the rifle in his lap.

Another victim, John S., was wounded in the left ankle by an AK with a broken bone. He was in severe pain and was not able to conduct aimed fire, morphine was required so that he could walk even with assistance.

The experience of this last victim raises a question of pain and its debilitating effects that cannot be objectively measured. From personal observation, I can say that fortunately, the most severe injuries seem to produce the least pain - probably because severe shock triggers a “safety switch” in the nervous system - although the accompanying shock causes disorientation and decreases motor skills. The worst gunshot torture I have ever witnessed was caused by a bullet piercing a man's hand, in the course of which a dozen small bones were destroyed.

Now, given that the .308 has 50 percent more energy, and the bullet itself weighs 30 percent more than an AK bullet, we can correctly extrapolate some conclusions.

Firstly, any wound inflicted by a powerful rifle bullet is serious and significantly reduces the victim's effectiveness. This is an important lesson for a friendly sniper who mistakenly expects a “perfect” shot at an enemy sniper. As I have said elsewhere, rarely will you get the perfect shot at a sniper, and it is much better to injure him - even with a shot in the limbs - than hoping for a better opportunity. A simple wound will reduce the level of his danger from an offensive threat (able to carefully maneuver and fire) to a defensive threat (unable to move, having the ability to only conduct defensive fire at close range).

My second conclusion is that injuries to the limbs - arms and legs - will incapacitate, although not kill, the target, at least to the extent that the target turns from an offensive to a defensive threat.

My third conclusion is that, unlike a pistol, any hit to the body from a powerful rifle will either kill or completely incapacitate the target. Unlike a wounded limb, the target probably won't even pose a defensive threat; although alive, she will be completely out of combat.

Our fourth and final conclusion is that wound ballistics shows that shot placement is critical to police, hostage rescue teams, and counterterrorism snipers as it is to law enforcement officers when firing a pistol.

The Ultimate Sniper:
An Advanced Training Manual for Military
and Police Snipers

May. John L. Plaster, USAR (Ret.)

Most of the damage is the result of a permanent wound channel.