GLASER SAFETY SLUG AND THE VELEX/VELET EXPLODING BULLET

• NCJ Number: 65108
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1980) Pages: 44-52
• Author(s): R C MENZIES; L E ANDERSON
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: American Soc for Testing and Materials
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED IN PART AT THE 8TH INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, WICHITA, KANSAS, 22-26 MAY 1978

Annotation

PATH PATTERNS OF THE GLASER SAFETY SLUG AND THE VELEX/VELET EXPLODING BULLET AFTER BEING FIRED INTO A GELATIN BLOCK ARE STUDIED.

Abstract

THE GLASER SAFETY SLUG AND THE VELEX/VELET EXPLODING BULLET ARE DESIGNED FOR SAFETY (LOW PROBABILITY OF PENETRATING THE TARGET TO HIT AN INNOCENT BYSTANDER OR RICOCHETING TO HIT AN INNOCENT PARTY) AND EFFECTIVENESS (UPON IMPACT, MANY BULLET PARTICLES ARE INJECTED INTO THE VICTIM TO INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF INCAPACITATION). THESE TWO TYPES OF AMMUNITION WERE TESTED TO AID PATHOLOGISTS WHO MAY BE REQUIRED TO RECOGNIZE REMNANTS OF THESE BULLETS IN BODIES AND RECOVER APPROPRIATE MATERIAL FOR BALLISTIC MATCHING. THE CALIBER USED IN THE STUDY WAS .357, CHAMBERED FOR THE MAGNUM CARTRIDGE. SPECIMENS OF EACH TYPE OF AMMUNITION WERE EXAMINED AND PHOTOGRAPHED. WITH A SMITH AND WESSON MODEL 19 REVOLVER HAVING A 4-INCH BARREL, SEVERAL ROUNDS OF EACH TYPE OF AMMUNITION WERE FIRED FROM A RANGE OF 5 FEET THROUGH PHOTOELECTRIC SCREENS CONNECTED TO A COMPUTING CHRONOGRAPH INTO IDENTICALLY PREPARED AND STORED GELATIN BLOCKS. THE KINETIC ENERGY OF THE GLASER AND VELEX WAS FOUND TO BE WELL ABOVE THAT OF THE COMMONLY USED .38 SPECIAL LHP. BOTH THE GLASER AND THE VELEX SHOWED MUCH LESS DEPTH OF PENETRATION THAN EITHER OF THE OTHER TYPES OF BULLETS EXAMINED. FOR THE GLASER, VISUAL EXAMINATION OF THE 'WOUND' TRACT SHOWED THE MARKED DISRUPTION OF THE GELATIN AND THE WIDESPREAD DISTRIBUTION OF THE LEAD SHOT FROM THE BULLET, ALONG WITH FRAGMENTS OF THE PLASTIC PLUG AND THE COPPER CAP. WITH THE VELEX, RADICAL DISRUPTION OF THE GELATIN WAS ALSO NOTED, WITH THE MOST STRIKING FEATURE BEING THE EXTREME, IRREGULAR FRAGMENTATION OF THE LEAD BULLET. THE OUTSTANDING FEATURE OF THE VELEX 'WOUND' WAS BLACK POWDER RESIDUE. IN ADDITION TO THE CUP IN THE CASE OF THE GLASER SLUG, A SAMPLE OF THE LEAD SHOT AND RECOVERED PLASTIC PLUG MATERIAL WOULD BE OF HELP IN MAKING A POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION. ALTHOUGH THE LEAD FRAGMENTS FROM THE VELEX BULLETS WERE OF NO HELP IN IDENTIFICATION, RECOVERY OF THE PERCUSSION CAP IS VALUABLE IN IDENTIFICATION. TABULAR DATA, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)