SHOTGUN WOUNDS

It is a shoulder-fired firearm having a barrel that is smooth-bored and is

intended for the firing of a charged compound of one or more round
balls or pellets.
CLASSES OF SHOT IN A SHOTGUN SHELL:
• BIRDSHOT
• BUCKSHOT
• SINGLE PROJECTILE ( RIFLED SLUG )
SYSTEMS EMPLOYED IN THE DETERMINATION OF
THE DIAMETER OF THE BARREL OF A SHOTGUN:
• GAUGE SYSTEM
• EXPRESSION OF THE BORE DIAMETER IN INCHES
• METRIC SYSTEM
LENGTH OF BARREL:
There is no standard length of the barrel but modern barrels measure
26, 28 and 30 inches in length.
GRADE OF CHOKE
1. UNCHOKE
2. CHOKE
a. “Improved cylinder”
b. Half choke
c. Full choke

The lethal range is normally in an area of 30 inches in diameter at 30 to

40 yards according to the degree of choking.
TYPES OF SHOTGUN:
1. AS TO THE NUMBER OF BARREL
a. Single Barrel Shotgun
- Only one barrel and the original type.
b. Double Barrel Shotgun
I. Side to Side Barrel
II. Over and Under Barrel

2. AS TO THE MANNER OF FIRING AND RELOADING

a. Bolt Action
b. Lever Action
c. Pump Action
d. Autoloading
SHOTGUN CARTRIDGE:
It is usually 23/4 or 3 inches long and the diameter depends on
the gauge of the firearm. The base and the lower portion of the
cylinder portion is made of BRASS with the primer cap at the center of
the base. Attached to the free end of its cylindrical portion is the
cylindrical laminated paper tube to complete the shell casing.

When the trigger is pulled, the firing pin activates the primer
which in turn ignites the powder charge. Explosion of the gunpowder
will cause propulsion of the wad and pellets (Shot) in front.
 The muzzle velocity of the pellet is relatively smaller as
compared from those discharged from rifled firearms.

Except for the presence and nature of the slug, the component
of the shotgun blast is almost the same as that of a rifled firearm. It
also consists of gunpowder, flame, smoke, pellets and wad.
SHOTGUN WOUND OF ENTRANCE:
1. CONTACT OR NEAR CONTACT SHOT ( NMT 6 inches ):
a. If the shot is made perpendicular to the skin surface, the wound of
entrance is round but if the shot is made with an acute angle with the skin
the wound is oval. In both instances, the wound border may be smooth or
slightly rugged.
b. The entrance wound is burned, the width of which increases as the muzzle-
skin distance increases but does not exceed 6 inches.
c. There is blackening due to smoke.
d. Gunpowder tattooing is densely located in a limited area. The area of
spread is directly proportional to the muzzle skin distance.
e. There is contusion of the tissue that has been blackened by gunpowder.
f. There is singeing of the hair (less than 6 inches).

g. Subcutaneous and deeper tissues are severely disrupted.

h. Blood and other tissues along the bullet tract shows presence of
Carbon Monoxide

i. Wad or its fragments together with shot (pellets) may be re-

covered from the bullet tract.
2. LONG RANGE SHOT (MORE THAN 6 INCHES SKIN-MUZZLE
DISTANCE):

a. At 2 to 3 feet muzzle-skin distance, there is still a single wound of

entry although there may be isolated shots causing independent
entry.

b. At 3 to 4 feet distance the wound of entry is usually serrated or

scalloped circumference and often referred to as a "rat hole" .

c. At about 5 to 6 feet distance, the wad tends to produce an

independent injury usually an abrasion at the vicinity of entry of the
shots. The wounding capacity of the wad is very much less as
compared with the shot on account of its lightness and size.
d. At 6 feet, the shots begins to separate from the
conglomerate shot and at 10 feet each shot already
produces independent wounds of entry.
o As the shot begin to separate from one another, there is the tendency for
one shot to strike another causing changes of the shot course. This
phenomena is called "billiard ball ricochette effect"

e. Smudging due to smoke may be observed up to 15 inches.

f. Gunpowder tattooing may be detected up to 24 inches.
g. In an unchoked shotgun, to estimate the muzzle-target
distance, the following rule must be applied.
 Measure the distance between the two farthest shot (pellets) in
inches and subtract one, the number thus obtained will give the
muzzle-target distance in yards.

The character of the wound and the degree of dispersal is

influenced by the muzzle-target distance, gauge of the shotgun,
degree of choke and the type of ammunition. However, it is highly
recommended to have an experimental shot with the firearm using
similar cartridge and under the same environmental conditions.

A close shot produces more serious injuries because the shots are
concentrated on a specific target and because of greater kinetic energy
of the pellets.
 DETERMINATION OF THE PRESENCE OF
GUNPOWDER AND PRIMER COMPONENTS
1. Determination of the distance of the gun muzzle from the victim's
body when fired:

As discussed previously, the explosion of the powder in the cartridge expels

particles which may be embedded in the skin or just clinging on the surface at a
distance of not more than 24 inches. The distribution of the gunpowder is more at
the upper portion of the wound of entrance, due to the upward position of the
muzzle of the gun when fired.
The presence of gunpowder at or near the wound of entrance shows that
the gun muzzle when fired is not more than 24 inches but its absence will not
preclude near fire because other factors might have intervened. Less powder
particles at the wound of entrance is observed in smokeless powder as compared
with black powder.
2. Determining whether a person has fired a firearm:

The dorsum of the hands are the ones examined to determine

the presence of gunpowder. When a person fires a gun, the powder
particles which escape may cling on the dorsum of the hand. The
presence of gunpowder at the dorsum of the hand may infer that a
person has fired a gun.
Basis of the Tests:

• When a gun is discharged two types of residues are liberated namely, the metallic
residues from the primer which is not only blown forward towards the target
from the muzzle but also backward in the direction of the shooter, and also the
particles of burned, burning and unburned gunpowder (propellant) moving also
in the same direction as the metallic residue of the primer. All of these residues
are deposited on the back of the firing hand of the shooter.

• Detection of metallic residue of the primer on the palm of the hand may also
indicate that the individual was making a defensive movement, such as trying to
ward off or grab the weapon at the time of the discharge. In suicide, residue may
be deposited on the palm of the hand used to steady the barrel at the time of the
discharge.
 Procedures in Determining the Presence of
Gunpowder:
1. Gross Examination or Examination with the Use of Hand Lens
2. Microscopic Examination
3. Chemical Tests:
a. Laboratory Test to Determine Firearm Residues:
• There is inference of contact or near distance of the gun muzzle to the skin when there is burning,
tattooing and smudging visible through the naked eye. The burning and then the tattooing will
gradually disappears as the muzzle distance increases. The powder tattooing will gradually spread out
to a greater area until it is no longer detectible. Minute particles of burning and unburned residues
and the primer constituents can be detected in the laboratory

• The same tests may also be applied on the dorsum of the hand of the persons suspected to have fired
the gun. Although the test is not conclusive, it may be a corroborative evidence in the determination
as to whether a person has fired a gun.

• The tests may involve the determination of the presence of gunpowder residues of primer
components.
Tests for the Presence of Powder Residues:
1. On the Skin (Dorsum of the Hand or Site of the Wound of Entrance)
Dermal nitrate test (Paraffin test, Diphenylamine test, Lung's test or
Gonzales* tests)
• The back of the fingers and of the hand up to the region of the wrist is coated with
melted paraffin, heated at a temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit. To avoid heat
injury to the skin, a low melting point paraffin is used. The melted paraffin
penetrates the minute crevices of the skin and when hardened and cooled off, some
of the powder particles will be extracted and embedded in the paraffin cast. After
the cast is built with layers of cotton and paraffin to a thickness of about 1/8 inch and
solidified, it is then removed from the hand or from the site of the wound of
entrance and the inner aspect of them cast is treated by means of a dropper with
Lung's reagent.

• The presence of small particles containing either nitrate or nitrite will be indicated by
a BLUE reaction of the particles upon contact with Lung's reagent.
2. On Clothing (Especially Colored Ones):
 Walker's test(C-acid test, H-acid test)
• A glossy photographic paper is fixed thoroughly in hyposolution for 20 minutes to remove all the silver salts and then washed for 45
minutes and dried.

The dried photographic paper may be treated with any of the following:

a. Warm 5% solution of "C" acid (2 naphthalamine 4-8 disulfonic acid) for 10 minutes and dry.
b. Warm 5% solution of " H " acid (l-amino-8-naphthol-3,6 disulfonic acid) for 10 minutes and dry
c. Warm 0.5% solution of sulfanilic acid for TO minutes,,dry and then swab with a 0.5% solution of alpha
naphthalamine in methyl alcohol and dry.

The sheet of the prepared paper of sufficient size is placed face up on a towel or pad of cotton and the material to be tested is placed on
top, face down on the paper.

The preparation is then covered with a thin dry cloth or towel slightly moistened with 20% solution of acetic acid, and another layer of
dry cloth.

The entire pack is pressed with a hot iron for two minutes.

The paper is removed, washed with hot water and methyl alcohol to remove excess reagent and dried.

If unburned powder grains are present, it will result to the production of dark red or orange-brown spots on the prepared
paper.
 Tests for the Presence of Primer Components:
1. Harrison and Gilroy Test
• A cotton swab moistened with 0.1 molar hydrochloric acid is used to gather antimony,
barium and lead.
• The cloth is then treated with various reagents to detect the presence of a primer
component. The reagent sodium rhodisonate yields a red color in the presence of lead and
barium. Addition of 1.5 hydrochloric acid to the red area that yields a blue-violet color in
the presence of lead while a bright pink color is developed in the presence of barium.
• The test is simply applied but does not enjoy substantial utilization in forensic laboratory
because:
a. It lacks specificity of the color reaction for the trace of the element.
b. It is inadequately sensitive.
c. There is interference of the color reaction among the three elements themselves.
d. There is instability of the color that developed.
2. Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA)
• A sample is obtained from the hands by the use of paraffin or by washing the hand with
dilute acid. It is then exposed to radiation from a nuclear reactor emitting neutrons.
Secondary radioactivity is induced in the materials removed from the hand. By making an
appropriate counts at different energy levels, the elemental composition of the residues
can be determined with precision and accuracy.
• The technique is extremely sensitive and a very small quantity can be detected, but only
few laboratories can afford to under- take the procedure because it is very expensive and
the test is unable to detect the presence of lead. The test requires access to a nuclear
reactor.

• Principle: Barium and antimony are converted into isotopes by means of neutron
bombardment, afterwards their quantity is measured.
3. Flameless Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS)

• The sample of handwashing is subjected to a high temperature to vaporize

the metallic elements of the primer residue. This in turn is detected and
quantitated by absorption spectrophotometry.

• This method is quick, sensitive and employs equipment within the economic
means of a modern-size crime laboratory. It can detect the presence of
barium, antimony and lead.
4. Use of Scanning Electron Microscope with a Linked X-ray Analyzer

• Adhesive material is used to remove any residue particles from the hand. The
material is then examined under the scanning electron microscope with a linked
X-ray analyzer. Particles of the primer residue have the characteristic size and
shape which can easily be distinguished from other materials. Analysis of the
particles with X-ray analyzer will confirm their identification.

• While this method appears to be more specific than the-previously mentioned

methods, it is seldom used because the initial equipment is expensive and it
requires a longer period of time to analyze a case.