Kodikara Sarathchandra, Kudagama Muditha
From the *Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya; and †General Hospital, Badulla, Sri Lanka.
Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2014 Mar;35(1):1-3. doi: 10.1097/PAF.0000000000000045.
Among a variety of uncommon firearms of different origin used worldwide, the trap gun used in Sri Lanka is underreported. This is an illegal, locally made, smooth-bore, long-barreled, muzzle-loading firearm with a victim-activated simple trigger mechanism. It is mainly used to protect crops and livestock from the potential harm by wild animals. Trap gun is mounted horizontally on pegs of sticks fixed to the ground. Miscellaneous metal pieces are used as ammunition. A small metal container filled with powdered matchstick heads/firecrackers covered by the striker surface of the matchstick box is used as the percussion cap. A metal hammer is set to hit the percussion cap. Through a lever mechanism, the hammer is kept under tension. The lever mechanism is connected to a trigger cord, which runs across the animal path. The first passerby, a human being or a wild animal, who accidentally trips the trigger cord and activates the trigger mechanism is critically injured. This characteristically damages the lower limbs of the human being. This communication highlights a death due to trap gun injury. The injury pattern caused by trap gun could overlap with that of shotgun and rifled firearm. A meticulous autopsy could sort it out.
在世界各地使用的各种不同来源的罕见枪支中，斯里兰卡使用的陷阱枪的相关报道较少。这是一种非法的、本地制造的、滑膛、长管、前装式枪支，具有受害者触发的简单扳机机制。它主要用于保护农作物和牲畜免受野生动物的潜在伤害。陷阱枪水平安装在固定在地面的木棍桩上。用各种金属片作为弹药。一个装满火柴头粉末/鞭炮的小金属容器，上面覆盖着火柴盒的击锤表面，用作雷管。设置一个金属锤来敲击雷管。通过杠杆机构，锤子处于张力之下。杠杆机构连接到一根触发绳，该触发绳横跨动物路径。第一个意外绊倒触发绳并启动扳机机制的路人，无论是人还是野生动物，都会受到重伤。这通常会损伤人的下肢。本通讯强调了一起因陷阱枪受伤导致的死亡事件。陷阱枪造成的损伤模式可能与霰弹枪和膛线枪的损伤模式重叠。细致的尸检可以将其区分出来。
