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To: don-o

I’m going to add to the confusion a bit with a couple of observations...

It looks like folks here are generally thinking of FMJ (full metal jacket) bullets with a full copper jacket that is designed to NOT fragment or expand on impact. These rounds have deep penetration characteristics and will often go through a target if they don’t strike something solid. They may or may not tumble during penetration.

Self-defense and police handgun rounds usually employ JHP (jacketed hollow point) bullets that are designed to expand and open into multiple blades during penetration. They have a partial copper jacket on the base and an opening at the tip to enable expansion. These bullets are intended to remain inside the target and generally don’t fragment unless they strike a solid object. There are a few genuine fragmentation rounds available for handguns but they’re not common.

I noted that a couple of the autopsies mentioned codes stamped into the base of the bullets and I suspect those would be JHP rounds since they usually have a copper base as opposed to FMJs with an open lead base.

Entry wound diameters will be misleading and depend on the clothing penetrated, elasticity of the skin, the density of the underlying tissue, the overall profile of the bullet and the shape of the bullet nose. Don’t assume a 1/4” hole in the skin gurantees a 1/4” diameter bullet. It could easily be a larger round with a pointed profile that pushed the skin aside after the initial penetration.


24 posted on 08/15/2015 6:54:26 AM PDT by JJ_Folderol (Just my opinion and only worth what you paid for it.)
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To: JJ_Folderol
The codes on the base of recovered rounds appear to be related to the person who removed the slugs from the body (initials) and a case number (number following initials).
25 posted on 08/15/2015 7:00:17 AM PDT by Cboldt
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To: JJ_Folderol

How many handguns shoot pointed bullets?


31 posted on 08/15/2015 8:05:36 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
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