Bullet wounds? - Page 2 - Writers Forum

Rico · 12-03-2005, 10:09 PM

God no, the closer she is, the more damage. Laws of physics/gravity. Bullets slow down as they travel a longer distance. I'd say twenty feet.

Then again, some might argue with me and say that a closer shot is likely to be through-and-through with little-to-no ricochet. A further away is more likely to bounce around inside the body.

Hmm.

Well, I don't really like getting shot at all. But having been shot at from both long and short distances, I'm still going to have to say I'd prefer further away.

Ilan Bouchard · 12-03-2005, 10:18 PM

Rico, I was just teasing you anyway.

What of flesh wounds?
Or having the bullet ricocheting off the ribs?
Or the bullet-proof vest?
That's all I can think of right now.

Rico · 12-03-2005, 10:24 PM

Actually, this leads to a rather disgusting story. I got shot earlier this year, and I hate doctors for a number of reasons. Anyway, the bullet was still somewhere inside my ribcage...and I decided to get it out myself. Lovely little scar, there.

Anyhow, on to your questions.

"flesh wounds" is really a rather ridiculous term, if you think of it. I suppose what you mean by it is just a clean shot through you without the bullet really hitting anything. Unfortunately, the human body is rather full of stuff, and pretty much anywhere you get shot is going to hit something.

It's really dangerous, actually, to have a bullet get into your ribcage and start ricocheting off your ribs. Quite a few important organs in there. One bullet can kill you real easy if it bounces around long enough before getting stuck somewhere. Worse still if it get stuck somewhere like your heart.

If it ricocheted off the bulletproof vest, it would most likely ricochet away from you, but that could mean bad news for anyone around you...

tekietek · 12-03-2005, 10:50 PM

This is really great--I don't mean all you've been through, but just your knowledge.. I really appreciate it! I guess I'm just having a hard time understanding the whole ricocheting idea.. I just assume bullets are shot straight, and would only ricochet off of, say, metal or cement or something harder than bone.. Also, I would assume that if it hit something, it would slow down and become sort of harmless.. but I do realize how sensitive internal organs are, and I understand what you're saying.

You've been shot twice?! Are you a police officer or something? Forgive me for asking, you don't have to explain if you don't want to. I'm just surprised.. It's not every day I meet someone so experienced, so to speak.

Thank you for all your help though!

Rico · 12-03-2005, 10:55 PM

No, something as hard as bone can either ricochet, or even splinter the bone and ricochet both. Something you have to understand about internal organs are that they're really soft and squishy, and bullets move fast, it takes a lot of impacts to slow down the bullet to the point where it actually stops.

Bullets aren't even necessarily shot straight, defects in the barrel of a gun can send a bullet out on a non-straight path to begin with.

Bones are pretty hard, you know

And no, I'm not a police officer. But also, no, I'm not involved with any illegal activities either *grin*

Anarkos · 12-03-2005, 11:38 PM

It looks to me like your initial idea is the only way for it to work as you want. Just have the bullet barely graze the surface of the skin...

Rico · 12-03-2005, 11:40 PM

Yeah, that's perfectly feasible. It could just graze across the top of the shoulder, that would work.

Ilan Bouchard · 12-04-2005, 11:20 AM

^
'Twas what I meant by a flesh wound.

tekietek · 12-04-2005, 11:50 AM

Haha, yes, that is what I'm going with--thank you!

If you're all still here, would a person with a puncture (bullet) in his or her lungs cough up blood? I remember someone telling me this before, but I can't find anything that confirms this..

Also, if one was to get shot in the stomach, or side, which organs would I most like to avoid--to keep that character living? I don't want them to die of internal bleeding, so are all shots to the stomach-area fatal? I'm not sure..

I'm a pain, sorry, but the stories I write deal with police officers and such.. and it's kind of hard to avoid guns

Thanks again for all your help!!

Ilan Bouchard · 12-04-2005, 12:33 PM

Pretty much any organ except maybe the kidneys is bad to shoot. Intestines are bad, heart is bad, lungs are bad, liver is bad, bladder is bad.

The stomach may be ok to shoot, but I don't know.

Rico · 12-04-2005, 12:51 PM

Get shot in the lung and you're not only going to be coughing up blood, you're also not going to be doing terribly well in the breathing department. Even with one lung out of commission, your breathing is shot for a while.

Heart is bad, for fairly obvious reasons.

Intestines are bad, you need them for digestion, and they can cause lots of messy internal bleeding. Kidneys - you really do need them. Bladder - I think you can guess.

Stomach. Very very very bad. I cannot emphasize that enough. Don't get shot in the stomach.

Okay, so if you're going to get shot in the abdominal area, pretty much the only way you're going to be alright (i.e. without major internal damage) is if it's front-to-back (or back-to-front) on either side of the body. Not in the center. In the center is asking for the bullet to pulverize your abdomen. And that's not very good for your health.

Oh, and I know quite a bit about guns, too.

tekietek · 12-04-2005, 01:24 PM

"...As an employee of the National Security Agency, you should know that a gunshot wound to the stomach is probably the most painful and the slowest way to die..." --Fox Mulder

Sorry, had to!

The lung thing, good. I mean, it's not good to get shot in the lungs, and I hope you haven't Rico!! But, from what I've read--if treated immediately, people can recover from it, and that is good.

The heart--duh, but those other things are exactly what I needed clarified! Thanks! How about the head though? It's gross, and I really don't want to know the details, but does it really explode?? :: shudders ::

If you'd care to share your knowlege of guns, I'd love to hear it! I probably know less about them than I do about the damage they cause.. (why my writing includes them so often is beyond me!) I've tried reading about them, but nothing ever sticks...

Rico · 12-04-2005, 01:33 PM

Well, I know a whole lot about guns; I presently own six; 3 handguns and 3 of other designs. I'm passingly familiar with most types of weapon, and if you can catch me completely off-guard about some weapon, I will a) congratulate you and b) probably know someone who will know something about it.

About the head? Well, it depends. Doesn't have to explode. Execution-style with a small-caliber handgun, and you'll just leave a little hole. But shoot someone in the head with an automatic weapon...yes, there's going to be a lot of mess.

Oh yes, and if you get shot in the lung, you can recover. As long as you get treatment quickly. If not, you'll end up choking to death on your blood...not pretty.

Oh, and yes, that quote is so very true.

tekietek · 12-04-2005, 01:48 PM

What is your favorite weapon? I've always loved swords, but if I could have one skill, it would be with a bow--they are just so amazing!

Rico · 12-04-2005, 01:52 PM

argh. Give me a gun any day. Preferably my nice little Beretta 9mm. Seriously, other weapons might be showy, and I recall using a bow way, way back, maybe 15 years ago, but that was just for fun. I have never held a sword, but I'm passingly good at knife-fighting.