Diagnosis:
Range of Fire Determination
• The range of fire of a gunshot wound is the distance from the muzzle of the gun to the target. When a loaded gun is fired, more than just the bullet comes out of the muzzle. Gas and burnt and unburnt powder grains are also discharged. Depending on how close the muzzle is to the target, some of this material may affect the wounding pattern or be deposited on or in the target.
• If gunshot residue is detected, an opinion about the range of fire may be offered. The classic ranges of fire are contact, close range, intermediate range, and distant (or indeterminate).
• Contact wounding occurs when the muzzle is in contact with the target. In contact wounds, the gas and gunshot residue are blasted into the wound, and there is no gunshot residue on the outside of the body. One may see a muzzle stamp in contact wounds from the skin and muzzle coming in contact during the discharge (Figure 1).
• The terms fouling and stippling are used to describe the types of gunshot residue in close and intermediate range gunshot wounds. Fouling is the dustlike burnt powder grains that can be wiped off the body. Stippling (or tattooing) is from the unburnt powder striking the skin and causing a superficial injury. Gunpowder stippling cannot be wiped off and typically appears as numerous pinpoint abrasion-type injuries.
• A gunshot wound is classified as close range when there is fouling and stippling (Figure 2). Typically for a handgun, close range is within about 6 inches (15 cm). Beyond 6 inches (15 cm), fouling does not reach the body, but stippling does (it may travel up to 30 inches); these wounds are classified as intermediate range (Figure 3).
• No fouling or stippling is observed in distant gunshot wounds. Many factors affect the range of fouling and stippling, including type of powder and length of the barrel. The “gold standard” for determining range of fire is to fire the same gun with the same ammunition at special targets from various distances in an attempt to reproduce the pattern (e.g., diameter of stippling) that was seen on the body.
