The approximate distance between a shotgun and the victim can be estimated based on wound measurements, often taken from X-rays.
range in meters for standard shotgun barrel =
= 2 * (((number of pellets in loaded shell) * ((radius of area counted in inches)^2) / (number of pellets counted in area))^(0.5)) =
= 2 * (radius of area counted in inches) * (((number of pellets in loaded shell) / (pellets counted in area))^(0.5))
range in meters for standard shotgun barrel =
= 2 * (((number of pellets in loaded shell) * ((distance between pellets in inches)^2))^(0.5)) =
= 2 * (distance between pellets in inches) * ((number of pellets in loaded shell)^(0.5))
A rule of thumb (from Figure 3, page 629, Ordog): There is 1 inch of spread for each meter in distance over range of 2 to 100 meters. A wound 14 inches in diameter was said to correspond to a distance of 12 meters.
|
diameter of shot in inches |
number of pellets per ounce |
number of pellets in 1.5 oz. |
No. |
|
0.05 |
2,385 |
3,577 |
#12 shot |
|
0.06 |
1,750 |
2,625 |
#11 shot |
|
0.08 |
585 |
877 |
#9 shot |
|
0.085 |
485 |
727 |
#8.5 shot |
|
0.09 |
410 |
615 |
#8 shot |
|
0.095 |
350 |
525 |
#7.5 shot |
|
0.11 |
225 |
337 |
#6 shot |
|
0.12 |
170 |
255 |
#5 shot |
|
0.13 |
135 |
202 |
#4 shot |
|
0.14 |
|
|
#3 shot |
|
0.15 |
90 |
135 |
#2 shot |
|
0.16 |
|
|
#1 shot |
|
0.18 |
50 |
75 |
BB |
|
0.24 |
21 |
31.5 |
4 buckshot |
|
0.25 |
19 |
28.5 |
3 buckshot |
|
0.27 |
15 |
22.5 |
2 buckshot |
|
0.30 |
11 |
16.5 |
1 buckshot |
|
0.32 |
9 |
13.5 |
0 buckshot |
|
0.33 |
8 |
12 |
00 buckshot |
|
0.36 |
6 |
9 |
000 buckshot |
|
0.38 |
|
|
410 gauge round ball |
|
0.545 |
1.25 |
1.88 |
20 gauge round ball |
|
0.610 |
1 |
1.5 |
16 gauge round ball |
|
0.645 |
0.75 |
1.1 |
12 gauge round ball |
(from Table 2, 626, Ordog)
Specialty: Clinical Laboratory, Surgery, orthopedic, Emergency Medicine, Surgery, general
ICD-10: ,
