Life and Death > Death Details

Head Shot

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rjpetyo:
My victim is shot in the forehead with a derringer, from about six feet. Results? Lots of blood? Just a tiny hole?
Any suggestions would be appreciated. (I never shot anybody in the forehead with a derringer!)

Bob

Dave Freas:
A lot depends on the caliber of the derringer and when your story is set.  In modern day it almost surely would penetrate the skull.  A small caliber round like a .22 would make a small hole going in then bounce around inside the skull, scrambling the victim's brains.
A larger round like a .38 or bigger would make a large hole going in (obviously) and blow the back of the guy's head off coming out.  In either case there might be a trickle of blood from the forehead wound but no more since the heart would stop almost immediately.
In olden days, muzzle velocity was lower but bullets were larger and tended to tumble.  So they would smash a larger area of the skull when they hit, meaning a larger hole if they penetrated.  There would be more blood than with a modern round because death would not be instantaneous.  If the bullet only slammed into the skull without penetrating, there probably would lots more blood since the scalp is one of the most heavily veined areas of the body.
Aside here: most deaths in the Civil War (and before) were not from bullets but from infection to the wounded area.

Hope this helps.

rjpetyo:
Thanks, Dave. The story is contemporary so I'll use a little bit of blood and a quick death. It fits perfect with the story line.
Hope things are going well with you, both viruswise, and with your book.

Dave Freas:
No Covid in our house or our childrens'.  Hope the same is true for you. 

The contract is signed for the book and I've sent them a ton of info on me and the book.  I think the next step is the first round of edits plus some odds and ends like cover design, etc.

Gene15219:

--- Quote from: rjpetyo on October 03, 2020, 10:40:07 AM ---My victim is shot in the forehead with a derringer, from about six feet. Results? Lots of blood? Just a tiny hole?
Any suggestions would be appreciated. (I never shot anybody in the forehead with a derringer!)

Bob

--- End quote ---

GSWs vary.   A derringer is not a high speed projectile, most of the time.   You will see a good bit of blood.   Brain injury has two courses - the initial insult followed by swelling that causes ischemia.  The brain's own swelling causes its own damage.

A derringer is a tough firearm to shoot accurately.

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