Results of experimental research of wound ballistics of separate types and calibers of modern bullets

Abstract

There was made the analysis of wound ballistics of modern expansive bullets in comparison with shell bullets on 25 blocks of ballistic plasticine (ROMA PLASTILINA No. 1, Ballistic Testing Backing Material), made in the USA, in which one shot from an AKS-74 automatic firearm and carbine ZBROYAR Z-10 with an optical sight was fired. The bullet speed was the highest in  5.45x39 caliber cartridge with a V-max bullet. – 1185 m/s, low in the bullet caliber cartridge .308 Win with a bullet SP, – 664 m/s. The difference is significant at the level of significance α=0.05. In terms of the size of the entrance hole, the largest is from the bullet of cartridge .308 Win with a bullet SP – 10.0 cm, the smallest - from the bullet "PS" with a steel core 5.45x39 mm, cartridge sample of the year 1974 (7H6) – 1.2 cm. The difference is significant at the level of significance α=0.05. In the expansive bullet of type "V-Max" of shortgun cartridge of caliber 5.45x39 mm, the size of the entrance hole was 9.1 cm, with asterial shape having radial  gaps and turned edges of ballistic plasticine on the outside. All cartridges with expansive bullets did not have an exit hole after the shot. The dimensions of the formed residual cavity were the largest after firing with .308 Win caliber cartridge with a bullet SP – 25.0x5.0 cm., the smallest – bullet of a military caliber cartridge of 5.45x39 mm (7H6) – 6.0x4.0 cm. The difference is significant at significance level α=0.05. The shape and character of the residual cavity in ballistic plasticine was significant for all expansive bullets, in contrast to the bullet of a military cartridge 5.45x39 mm (7H6), where no such changes are detected. The considerable signs of expansion properties and deformation of the bullet in the form of a "flower of death" were identified in the bullet of caliber cartridge .308 Win with a bullet SP, other bullets with expansive properties showed significant fragmentation, with the location of fragments both in the residual cavity and outside its borders at different distances. Expansive bullets differ significantly at the level of significance α=0.05. The low flight speed of bullets (m/s) of .308 Win caliber cartridges with bullets BTHP and SP is due to their structure, weight, and caliber. Bullet of type V-max with cartridge 5.45x39 mm has the highest speed – 1185 m/s, and due to its design has significant expansive properties. Common to expansive bullets is a entrance hole, the blind nature of the lesion with the presence of a  large residual cavity, which is due to kinetic energy return 114.37 E, J/mm2 inside the object of lesion. Fragmentation of expansion bullets occurs inside an object with fragments located at different distances. A .308 Win caliber cartridge with  SP bullet causes deformation of s bullet by the type of "death flower" causing significant damage.