Topic: don't want the (killing) bullet to go on through (Read 9137 times)

B L McAllister · « **on:** October 21, 2011, 03:33:48 PM »

It'd probably be okay for me just to leave the details out, but it would probably be better to include a few, and I don't know enough to be sure I'm right. The killer is near the victim, though there's a pretty thin curtain between 'em. The bullet needs to go into the back of the victim, through the heart, and then lodge behind a rib. There are people in front of the victim, and it would complicate things unnecessarily if any of them got hurt. Would a .22 handgun be adequate for the purpose? Is there anything smaller (that would work)? It'd be even better if the killer knew the bullet won't go all the way through, but that isn't essential: he could be "lucky."
Byron

Bob Mueller · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2011, 11:03:29 PM »

Glaser Safety Slugs would be good here. It's a frangible round that doesn't break apart until it hits the person. The bullet consists of birdshot covered with a thin copper jacket. See the Wiki entry for more info, and this Google search for some images.

Edited links.

Old Bill · « **Reply #2 on:** October 22, 2011, 09:45:21 AM »

Also, if you take into account for the number of ribs in your back, the bullet must either slip between the ribs or bust through a rib. Bob is right that there are bullets out there that are made to break up and/or use up all their energy inside the body and stay there.

Bear in mind a light weight lead bullet like a .22/.32 may deflect off bone as I have seen many times. A slug that starts in the chest may end up with that little sucker somewhere down in the gut.

Ironically, back in the 70's/80's our local city police went through a time when they wanted to switch from a round nose lead bullet to a jacketed hollow point (jhp). The lead bullets didn't always stop inside a person and potentially could injure other non-participants nearby. The hollow points tended to stay put but caused more collateral damage inside the body which brought on the ire of some advocacy groups on the grounds that the jhp were inhumane...go figure. Case in point: young girl less than 110 pounds shot in the chest at point-blank range with .357 jhp...result: bullet stayed inside her...amazing.

Old Bill

PS: Nice way to start the day with gruesome details

B L McAllister · « **Reply #3 on:** October 23, 2011, 01:00:52 PM »

Thanks B&B (Bob and Bill): I think I might make something out of that. I was gonna just say everything was lucky (except for the victim), but a guided comment would be nicer.
B.

B L McAllister · « **Reply #4 on:** October 23, 2011, 01:41:27 PM »

Bob, when your links didn't work, I, of course, Googled your hints and found what I needed. Also a reference to MagSafe, which can serve the same purpose. The fact that the Glaser slugs come from western South Dakota could be an advantage to the story, but the modification needed to use the fact might be fairly large; stilll there's a Black Hills cave death that can be related to the killer's goal. In any case, I think it'll be safe to suggest that the he didn't want the bullet to go all the way through, judged by his use of either (blue) Glaser slugs or Magsafe ammo. Time to get back to a bit of restructuring of that scene.
B.