Wound ballistics: theory and practice.

Ballistics is the study of the natural laws governing projectile missiles and their predictable performances, and wound ballistics is the study of a missile's effect on living tissue. A knowledge of these topics is essential to determine the extent and type of injury from a missile. The type of missile can often be determined by radiography. The caliber can be measured directly if the bullet is close to the x-ray plate and the x-ray tube is at least six feet from the film. Changing these distances can result in a maximum magnification of the bullet image of 20%, and the exact amount can be calculated using a formula provided. Definitions of ballistic and wound ballistic terms are provided, as are examples of wound ballistics in application.