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MILITARY
MEDICINE.
168. 12:969. 2003
The
Magazine:
A
Major
Cause of Bullet Fragmentation
Guarantor:
Col
Koksal Oner,
MC
Contriburors.
Col
Ali
lhsan Uzar,
MC*;
Maj
Mehmet
Dakak,
MCt;
Maj
Mutlu Saglam,
MC*
; Capt Tahir
Ozer
,
MC*;
Gokhan
Ogunc;§;
Lt
Col
Tayfun
Ide]:
Col
Koksal
Oner,
MC*
; Br Gen
Dervis
Sen,
MC*
The fragmentation impact of high-velocity bullets penetrating
the body after piercing through the magazines carried by sol-
diers was investigated experimentally. In this study, 16 pigs
and 7.62x51-mm full metal
jacket
bullets were used. Pigs were
assigned into two groups, and within 5 minutes of their being
sacrificed with overdose anesthesia, bullets were fired into the
first group on which magazines were placed and into the sec -
ond group on which magazines were not placed, targeting
abdominal left lower quadrant.
It
was found
that
in pigs not
carrying magazines, all bullets pierced through the pig; bullets
were not fragmented . However. in pigs with magazines, com-
mon fragmentation in bullets and multiple organ perforations
occurred.
It
was concluded
that
magazines caused the bullets
to be fragmented, increasing tissue and organ damage.
Introduction
The magazine is the part of a gun usually made out of alumi-
num alloys. The bullets the magazines contain are sent to
the barrel through amechanism during firing a shot. In addition
to the magazine attached to the gun, a soldier in the Turkish
anny
has four extra magazines
that
he carries strapped to the
belt on the abdominal region (Fig. 1).
In G3 guns , the main assault rifle of the Turkish Army,
7.62x51-mm full metal jacket (copper) bullets are used . It is
known
that
this kind of bullet is fragmented in case of a collision
with a hard object, which in
tum
increases the number of
injured organs and tissue damage .' > Many soldiers in modem
armies wear protective jackets and would carry magazines ex-
terior to Kevlar or some other protective materials.
We investigated experimentally the effect of the fragmentation
of the G3 bullets penetrating the body after piercing through the
magazines. which is a part of the equipment of the soldier. We
also investigated the protective effects of the Kevlar vest
(Na-
tional Institute of Justice Standard
[NIJ]
type
lIlA)
behind the
magazine to the fragmentation of the bullets.
Materials and Methods
The study was conducted in the Giilhane Military Medical
AcademyAnimal Research Laboratory, Turkish Army Criminol-
'Department
of
Gen
eral Su
rgery
.
Gulhane
Military
Medi
cal
Academ
y.
Ankara.
Turke
y.
tDepartment of
Thora
cic Sur
gery.
Gulhane
Military
Medi
cal
Ac
adem
y.
Ankara.
Turkey.
fDepartm
entof
Radiology
.
Gulhane
Military
Medical
Academ
y.
Ank
ara.
Turke
y.
§Criminal
Polic
e
Laboratory.
Ank
ara.Turkey.
I
lAni
mal
Research
Laboratory
.
Gulhane
Mili
tary
Medical
Academ
y.
Ankara
.
Turkey
.
Presented
at as an
oral
pre
sentation
forthe
VI
Congre
ss of
Balkan
Military
Medical
Commit
tee.
Oct
obe
r 1-2. 2001,
Plovdi
v,
Bulgari
a.
R
eprints
:
Col.
Ali
lhsanUzar,
GA
TA
Genel
Cerrahi
AD
.
06010
Etlik
An
kara.
Turkey
.
This
manus
cript
was
received
for
review
in
April
2002
.The
revi
sed
manu
script
was
accepted
for
public
ation
in
April
2003
.
Reprint
&
Copyright
©by
Assoc
iation
of
Milit
ary
Surgeons
ofU.S..
2003
.
ogy Laboratory, and polygon. We obtained approval from the
Giilhane MilitaryMedicalAcademyexperimental animals ethics
committee.
Pigs were sedated with 1
mg/kg
xylazine intramuscularly.
After the necessary preparations were made, they were sac-
rificed by a sodium tiopental overdose administered into the
ear
vein. Bullets were fired within 5 minutes of death.
G3
assault
rifles and 7 .62x51-mm
(NATO
51) full copper
jacket bullets were used. The distance for shots was chosen
as 100 and 400 m. Because it was difficult to shoot the pigs
and
the magazines at the same points from this distance. we
reduced the
amount
of gunpowder in bullets. and although all
bullets were fired from 3 m away, their velocity at 100-
and
400-m distances were simulated (Table I). In the measure-
men t of the velocity of bullets. two portable Oehler 35 Proof
Chronograph
(Model
35, Oehler Research. Austin. Texas) de-
vices were used.
We assigned pigs into two groups (eight in each). Four pigs in
the first group were shot from a 100-m distance and the remain-
ing four from 400 m. No magazines were placed on the pigs in
the first group . The pigs in the second group were shot with
magazines placed on them . Abdominal lower left quadrant (5 em
Fig. 1. Soldier carrying reserve magazines.
TABLE
I
RELATIONSHIP
BE1WEEN
THE
AMOUNT
OF
GUNPOWDER
AND
VELOCITY
OF 7.62X51
-MM
BULLETS
No.
of Amount of Distance
Velocity
Shots Powder
(g)
(m) [m/s)
10 2.98 100 760 :t 22
10 2.98 400
554:t
19
10 2.64 3
768:t
14
10 1.97 3
574:t17
969
Military
Medicine.
Vol.
168,
December
2003
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970 Major Cause of Bullet Fragmentation
TABLE II
VELOCIlY ANDTHE
IMPACT
OF THE BULLETS FIRED TO THE
MAGAZINES
Simulated Firing Dlam
eler
of Diameter of
Distance Distance No. of Velocity I Velocity 2 Velocity
~
Hole. mm Hole. mm
(m) (m)
Shots
(VI)
(V2)
(V~)
(entrance) (exit)
100 3 10 771
:<:
18
548
:<:
23 223 7 34
:<:
5
400 310 578:<: 21
346
:<:
32
232
725:<: 6
VI' Velocity when leaving
the
barrel; V2•Velocity
when
leaving
the
ma gazine :
V
~
.
lost velocity .
Fig. 2. Entrance hole of bullet on magazine .
.
..
Fig. 4. Abdominal X·ray of pig [shots with no magazines on).
Fig. 3 . Exit hole of bu llet on magazine .
TABLE
ill
ENTRANCE
AND EXIT DIAMETERSAND VELOCITIES OF BULLETS IN SHOTS WITHOUT
MAGAZINES
Rate of
Shot
Entrance
Exit Loss of Lost
Entrance
Exit
Distance Velocity Velocity Velocity Velocity Di
am
eter
Diam
eter
Pig (m) (m/s)
(m/s)
[m/
s] (%) (mm) (mm)
1 100
756
495 261 34 7 31
2 100 763 508 255 33 7 36
3 100 778 427 351 45 7 28
4 100
766
484 282 36 7 33
5
400
583
234
349 59 7 2 7
6400 576 192
384
66 7 23
7
400
574
189 371 64 7 18
8400 582 211
385
66 7 24
Military Med icin e , Vol. 16 8 , D ece m be r
2003
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Major Cause of Bullet Fragmentation
TABLE
IV
ORGAN PERFO RATIONS OBSERVED IN AlITOPSY (SHOTS WITH NO MAGAZINES ON)
971
Pig
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Shot
Distan ce
(m )
100
100
100
100
400
400
400
400
No. of In
jur
ed
Colons Loops
++
++
++
+
++
+
++
++
No. of I
njur
ed
Small Bowels
Loops
++
+
++
+ +
++
+
++
++
Main Vascular
Stru
ctur
e In
ju
ry
Kidney
In
ju
ry
Ureter
Injury
+
- . There is no injury: +. th ere is one injury : +-i-, th ere are two inju ries .
inferior
to the left
kidney
and 3-5 em to left lateral of the main
vascular structures)where the
magazines
wereplacedwas cho-
sen as the target.
The
magazines
placed
on the pigs
were
forG3 assault
rifles
at
15x7
.5-mm
diameters. Ma
gazines
were
fllled
with 20 cartridges.
the
powder
of
which
was
removed
beforehand.
We
tested the
bulletssimulating
100-
and 400-m
velocitie
s
before
the study to
establish their
veloc
ities and whethertheycould piercethrough
the ma
gazine
s.
We
found
that allbullets
pierced
throughthe
full
ma
gazines
and lost velocity of223 to 232 m/s . and although the
entrance diameter ofthe bullet on the
magazine
was 7 mm, the
exitdiameter
differed
betwe
en 25 and 34 mm
(Table
IIand
Fig
s.
2 and 3).
After
we established that the tested bullets
pierced
through
the
full
magazine.
we
placed
full
ma
gazin
es on the sedated pigs
by means ofa belt.
After
the necessarypreparations
were
made.
pigs were
sacrificed
with an
overdo
se of anesthesia. Within a
short
period
, shots were made tothe markedregions. usingone
bullet
for
each pig.
Abdominal
X-rays
were taken after shots.
and abdominal viscera were examined by autopsy.
Figs. 5 and 6. Hole of fragmented bullet on pig (bullet that passed through the magazine).
Military
Medicine.
Vol.
168. December 2003
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972 Major Cause of Bullet Fragmentation
TABLE V
ORGAN PE RFORATION CAUSE D BY FRAGMENTED BULLET (SHOTS WITH MAGAZINES)
En
tr
an
ce No. of Inj
ur
ed Main
Di
stan
ce
Diam
et er No. of
Injur
ed Sm all Bowel
Vasc
ul
ar
Kidn ey Uret er
Pig (m) (mm) Colon Loops Loops In
jury
In
jury
Inju ry
9100 33
>++++
>+++
++
10 100 34 >+ + ++ +++ -+ +
II
100 27 ++++ ++ ++ -+-
12 100 21 > ++ + + +++ + - -
13 400 11 +++ +++ - - +
14 400 14
>+++
++++ + + - -
15 400 13 ++++ +++ - - -
16 400 13
>++++
+++ -+-
Results
In th e first grou p, all s hots were mad e withou t placing any
magazines on the pigs, and we establis hed t
hat
all bull ets
pierced through the pigs. The 100-m-simulating bull ets lost a
velocity of 255 to 35 1 mis, an d the 400-m -simu lating bu llets
lost 349 to 385 m/ s. The diameter of the holes at the entrance
point of the bullets was 7 mm and
that
of the exit h oles was 18
to 36 mm (Table
1II).
No fragmentation was observed in abdominal X-rays
(Fig.
4).
In the autopsy, it was found
that
bullets pierced thro ugh one or
two colons and small int estin e loops in all p igs an d caused
ureter injury in one pig (Table IV).
In the second group, all b ullets pierced thro ugh the maga-
zines and entered the pig and remaine d between th e tiss ues. No
bu llet exit hole was observed in any pig. The diameter of the
entrance hole was found to be 21 to 33 mm or double entrance
in bullets simulating 100 m and 11 to 14 mm in those simu lat-
ing 400 m (Table Vand Figs. 5 an d 6). In X-rays, widespread
bullet fragmentation was found in the abdomen (Figs. 7
and
8).
We used the Kevlarvest (NIJ type
IlIA)
behind the magazine to
avoid the bullet entering the pig in our study. We found
that
this
type of Kevlarvest did not block the bullet from entering the pig's
abdomen.However, when we used the NIJ type III Kevlarvest, it
blocked the bullet from entering the pig's abdomen.
In the autopsy, we observed multiple perforations in small
and large intestines in all pigs, and injury in main arteries was
seen in three pigs (left kidney in two pigs and ureter in one pig)
(TableV and Figs. 9 and 10).
Discussion
Many armies throughout the world use 7.62x5 1-mm full
metal jacket bullets.' It
has
been demons trated
that
these bul-
lets are readily fragmented if they collide with a hard object. IIn
Figs. 7 and 8. Abdominal X-ray of pig (bullet
that
passed throug h the magazine ).
Military
Medicine
,
Vol.
168, December 2003
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Major
Causeof
Bullet
Fragmentation
Fig. 9. Intestinal loop injury .
the present study. although no fragmentation was
observed
in
the first
group.
widespread fragmentation was
observed
in the
pigs of the
second
group on which magazines
were
placed
.
In the Turkish army. there are
G3
assault
rifle
magazines
withdiametersof
15x7.5
mm (l15 cm'l carried on the
abdom-
inal
region
. strapped to the belt. Four
magazines
carried
cover
30%
to
40%
of the abdominal area
(450
cm-l,
High-speed
bullets account for
25%
of all abdominal injuries in combat.'
These
findings
suggestthat
10%
ofall abdominal injuries can
be ascribed to high-speed bullets piercing through the mag-
azine.
In
abdominal
injuries caused by
weapons.
colon
and small
bowel
are the most
frequently
injured
organs
.' The structure of
the
colon
is
different
in
pigs
from
that of human
beings.
After
cecum
and a short
ascending
colon.
transverse
colon
covers
the
middle
part of
abdominal
area
over
smallintestines in the
form
ofadjacent
five
to six
loops
and
extends
to the
sigmoid
colon
on
the
left.
5
We
found
intestinal
perforation
in allofthe eight
pigs
in
the first
group
due to
large
surface
area and their
extension
to
the
lower
left
quadrant,
which
was the target area. As to the
second
group.
we
found
multiple
and
large
perforations
in the
form
oftruncated
cone
.
which
involved
a
larger
area. as bullets
penetrated into
deeper
regions
.Furthermore.
fragmented
pieces
ofthe bullet
were
found
not
only
in the
left
quadrantbut alsoin
all quadrants of the
abdominal
area.
973
Fig. 10. Kidney and ureter injury .
Bleeding
is the
leading
cause of death in injuries caused by
fire
weapons.
" In the present study. all shots
were
madeto the
lower
left
quadrant. 4 to 5 em lateral of the main vasculature.
Therefore.
we
did not
observe
any
vessel
injury
causing
major
bleeding
.
Yet.
although
the shots
were
made to the same
region
in the
second
group
as
well.
we
found
lacerations
(two
venacava
inferior.
one
left
iliac
vein)
in three of
eight
pigs
as
well
as
left
kidney
injuryin three
pigs
and ureter
injury
in
two
pigs
.
Among
all
factors
influencing
morbidity
and
mortality
in ab-
dominal
injuries. the mostimportant one is the
increase
in the
number of
injured
organs
.' Our study has demonstrated that
bullets
colliding
with
magazines
are
fragmented.
increasing
the
number of
injured
organs
and the
degree
of
Injury
.
The
military
bulletscan cause
massive
tissue disruption un-
der certaincircumstances if it hits a hard
object,
such as a belt
buckle.
before
entering
the
body.
'
Even
full
metal-cased
military
bulletscan
deform
and/or
fragment
if they strike boneand. in
such instances. theycan cause
massive
tissue disruption
sim-
ilar to
wounds
created
by
fragmenting
bullets."
It may be thought that
magazines
slow
down
the
speed
of
bullets.
decreasing
their
impact.
Therefore.
in our
study.
we
used bullets
whose
velocities
were
reduced
by the
simulation
of
shots
from
100 and 400 m instead of
shooting
from
a
close
distance
where
the
speed
and
energy
is
maximum
. and
we
have
Military
Medicine
.
Vol.
168,
December
2003
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974
fou
nd that. evenin
low
ve
locities.
bullets at 7.62x51 mm pierced
through the
full
magazines and were
fragmented.
Army and
police
organizations use the tactical vests with
Kevlar
personal
body
armor.
NIJ
type
IlIA
type
Kevlar
personal
body armordid not
protect
personals againstthe 7
.62x-mm
bullet
and its
fragmentation
."
Therefore.
if youwant to
protect
yourper-
sonnel
against
7.62x51-mm
bulletsand its
fragmentation.
soldiers
must wear
NIJ
type
III
personal
body
armor.
"
Atpresent. 5.56-mmhard steeljacket nonfragmenttng bullets
are used in the armiesofmany
NAT
O
members
.'
Nevertheless
.
it should be keptin mind that many armiesand terrorist groups.
whichare potentialadversaries of
NATO
. are still equipped with
7.62-mm
rifles
with full copper jacket bullets and that each
NATO
soldieris confronted with an increasing threat due to the
magazines
he carries on himself.
Major
Cause of Bullet Fragmentation
Refere
nces
I. Knudsen PJ. Th
eU
ade P: Tennlnal ballis tics ofth e 7.62-mm
NATO
bullet au topsy
findings. Int J Legal Med 1993: 106: 6 1-7.
2. Fackler ML. Surln chak J S. Malinowskl J A. Bowen RE: Bullet fragmenta tion: a
major cause of tiss ue dis rup tion. J Traum a 1984; 24 : 3 5-9.
3. Terry J G: J an e's Infantry Weapons. Ed 26 . pp 165-9 6. Surre y. UK. J an es Infor-
mation Group Limited, 200 0 -2 00 I.
4. Trou wborst A. Weber BK, Dufour D: Medical statistics of ba ttlefield casu alties.
Injury 1987; 18: 96 - 9.
5. Popesko P: Atlas der Topographisc hen Anat omie der Hau stlere Bond II. Brus t-
un d Bauchh ohle. Stuttgard. German y, F. Enke Verlag. pp
100-
1. 1979.
6. Feliciano DV, Burch JM , Spj ut- Patrinely V. Mattx
KL.
Jordan GL: Abdominal
guns hot wound s an urban traum a center's expertence with 300 consec utive
patients . Ann
Sur
g 1988; 208 : 362-70.
7. Rozin
RR.
Kleinman Y:
Sur
gical p norittes of abdomin al wounded in a comba t
situatio n. J Trau ma 1987; 27 : 656 - 60 .
8. Fac kler ML. Sutinchak JS , Malinowski JA, Bowen RE: Wounding potential of
Russian AK-74assa u lt rtfle, J Traum a 1984; 24: 26
3-6
.
9. National Institute of
Justi
ce Office of Science and Technology: NIJ Stand ard -
0101.04. pp 2- 3. Washington . DC. Nation al Institute of Justice, 2000 .
"BATTLEFIELD
SURGERY
101:
FROM
THE
C
IVIL
WAR
TO
V
IETNAM"
The
evolution
of
the
military
operating
room and
the
challenges
of
the
men and
women
who work
there
Military
Medicine.
Vo
l. 168. December
2003
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