The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology
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Bullets destabilized by ricochet or as the result of an impact with some intervening object experience a yawing to tumbling motion in flight. As a result, they often produce atypical entry wounds, but, as will be demonstrated in this article, this is not a certainty and such bullets can produce normal-appearing entry wounds. It is these wounds that are more difficult to recognize as the consequence of a ricocheted or deflected bullet at the time of autopsy. ⋯ Moreover, the instability of ricocheted bullets alters their soft-tissue penetration behavior in 2 possible ways. Destabilized full-metal-jacketed bullets will typically penetrate less than direct strikes by the same bullet. Destabilized jacketed hollow-point bullets will often fail to expand and subsequently penetrate more deeply than direct shots with the same bullet.
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Am J Forensic Med Pathol · Mar 2007
Trends in firearm-related deaths in the Transkei region of South Africa.
Firearms tends to be seen today as instrumental in injuries and deaths, including suicide. South Africa's gun law allows firearms to be licensed and legal, so in general they are not illegal weapons, even though many used in violence are illegal. This is a prime area in which multisectorial collaboration is needed in a country like South Africa. ⋯ There is a high incidence of firearm-related deaths in Transkei, which is in support of stricter gun control.