50 cm (or 60 cm)Long (distant) range (>4 metres)DischargeBullet, gun powder, soot, (smoke, carbon particles), gases, flame (fire, burn, heat) with imprinted barrel marks & tearing in actual contactQBullet, gun powder, soot, gasesand bumBullet, gun powder, and+- sootOnly bullet (+- coarse particles of gun powder)Blast effectMuzzle end imprint, eversion of edges, back spatter, soiling of internal structures & pocket formation, burst (comminution) fracture of skull and crazy paving fracture of base of skullQ are all seenAbsentAbsentAbsentHeat Effect onsurface & clothsAbsentScorching of skin, singeing of hair & burning melting - ironing of cloths presentAbsentAbsentBlackening (smudging)Absent outside present inside the trackQPresent outsideQ the woundAbsent (+-)AbsentTattooingAbsent outside present insidePresent outsidePresent outsideAbsent (+-)Abrasion / Grease collarAbsent outside present insidePresentPresentPresent (skin adjacent to hole shows two zones inner grease & outer abrasion collar)Lead snow stormAbsentAbsentAbsentPresent (on X-ray) in shotgun injuryCarboxy Hb, Cherry red discolorationPresent in wound trackPresent in surrounding tissue+-+-Surrounding skin around entrance wound showsNo burning, blackening (soot), tattooing, abrasion/ grease collarBurning, blackening (soot), tattooing, abrasion / grease collar presentTattooing & abrasion / grease collar presentAbrasion (grease / dirt) collar & lead storm presentEntrance Wound SizeLargestBullet sizeSmallerSmallest due to initial stretching of skinShapeStellate (star shapedQ), triangular, cruciform (cruciateQ) or raged (irregular with crenated & scalloped edges)Circular (or rat holeQ)Circular (central big wound with smaller wounds around)Circular (wide spreadQ)NumberSingleSingleMultipleMultipleEdges (Margin)Scorched, contused, undermined or everted margins from which tears (lacerations) over skin radiating outwards from entrance hole because of expansion of gases (between scalp & skull)Inverted & well definedInvertedInverted">