ABSTRACT
This chapter illustrates the variation of skeletal wounding patterns resulting from gunfire injuries. It discusses the pathophysiology of skeletal wounds resulting from gunfire and presents an outline for estimating the number of injuries, direction of fire, and sequence of shots. The chapter addresses the physical characteristics used to estimate the class of weapons and ammunitions. It analyses the cases of "double taps" in which two entry wounds overlap one another, and instances of atypical wound morphology. Interpreting wound characteristics to assign the class of firearm is largely dependent on factors attributed to external and terminal ballistics. Estimating ammunition caliber or weapon class has been based on the size of skeletal defects and the extent of fracturing. A common classification for ammunition is based on velocity. Linear fractures in the form of radiating and concentric fractures are typically associated with entrance wounds within close range and from medium- or high-velocity ammunition.
