Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-01
EFrEcrs OF RIFLE BULLETS.
Interesting Deductions From Recent
Examination of Wounds.

out a few more facts concerning small
caliber bullet wounds. and they may
make some peoples pet theories totter
upon their pedestals. if they are not
wholly knocked over" writes Lieuten-
ant Louis S. Van Duser, U. S. N, to the
New York Herald.
THE truth is, we have not solved the
entire question by any means. If there
is one fact established it is that the
character of the wound appears to de-
pend upon the striking velocity of the
bullet more than upon it's caliber.
certainly factors. Perhaps we shall
reach some definite conclusion before
the war is over.
1.-The regular army is using practi-
cally the same caliber as that of the
majority of the Spanish weapons.
which is .301 inch our volunteers are
chiefly armed with the "a caliber
Springfield: the marines and navy
have the Lee straight pull rifle of .236,
and the Spaniards have a few of their
last model Mauser. which has caliber
of .276 G. millimeters), and a good many
old guns of .43. 1t would seem as If
here was diversity in caliber surlclent
for comparison. But the apparent
simplicity of the case may cause US 60
judge too hastily. The performance oil
our new navy rifle in the hands OF the
marines has convinced those OF the
officers who have opposed small pore
weapons of their mistake.
I'm the first place, l think we may
reassure those who have feared the rlne
| lacked stopping power and was there
| fore unsuited to use against fanatics OF
savages. If there is any sort of man
who is not stopped by Lee .2S6 puliet
which hits him in the body or leg az
| close range. he can only be stood On
by Pinch gun. In every observer
case in which the range was less than
about 800 yards for the Mauser .3Ol. II
| 700 wards for the Lee .236, the results
were practically the same In SOIL
flesh the bullet made small wound
in entering, but an enormous hole at
! tho noint of exit and all bullets go
completely through the body not only
at this range. but at much greater
ranges. When leaving the body they
drove the flesh before them and
dragged it along with them. altogether
making cone shaped ragged wounds
| sometimes lWO III oldhA>stA ".A
the surface, particularly when bones
| we're struck.
AT the close ranges Limits about as
stated but not yet accurately deter
mned), if a bullet strikes bone the
| injury is of a shocking character. the
destruction of both bone and tissue
being very extensive In almost every
case in which the head is perforated
at short range the skull is split or
| burst open--in the cases examined,
along the top on the center line eX-
tending from front to rear. In none OF
| the cases did the break occur in the
sutures The fractures We're nearly
straight. four to six inches long, and
opened about an eighth of an inch.
! One Spaniard was shot in the back by
| a Lee bullet at less than 900 yards,
| 1t hit a rib, splntered it, and made a
wound big enough to almost put your
fist in.
Zone of the marines was shot
| through the arm at the elbow. The
range is unknown. but believed to be
| very short-perhaps 80 yards-and the
| bullet was a Mauser of 1916 or .3Ol
caliber. The entering hole through the
! sleeve was so slight as to be unnotice-
able, and the hole in the flesh like
wise small. The wound at the point of
/ exit was an inch and a half to two
| inches across, and still larger piece of
| cloth was torn from the sleeve.
This was one of the marines killed
on the picket line. The two were
found on outposts on one of the paths
leading to the camp from the interior.
The enemy crept up behind the poor
! fellows and when almost on top OF
them opened fire from so guns and fired
| several shots each. One of the men
was struck by 26 bullets; the other by
IA. Parts of the breast, face and front
parts of the body were torn away by
the escaping bullets, and the frightful
appearance of the corpses led to the
report about mutilation of the dead
One shot entered the base of the brain
and escaped through the eye. Ths
skull was splintered near the point OF
entrance. split along the top and a
large wound of exit made, which in
cluded the whole eyesocket and part OF
the cheek.
$50 far as observed. the tearing effect
of the escaping bullets is limited tc
ranges of 400 or 500 yards for the sol
MduScI, anu tVU vi oVV al US Ioi Liz
1886 Lee. So, also, is the smashing Of
bones and splitting Of the skulls by
entering bullets. Within ranges as
signed these effects are not always
very marked. especially when the up.
per limit is approached and, as rule
the less the range the greater the de-
structive effect. Beyond the upper
limits there is zone of complete per.
foration without tearing or destruction
of tissue aside from the narrow patti
of the bullet. This zone is not very
well defined as yet. Beyond it there ::
another in which the bullet frequently
tumbles and causes broad laceration!
and large wounds. irregular in deptl
and direction. and so variable in char
acter that many We're thought to hav.
been received at close range. e- j.
The greatest advantage of the lie;
rifle is the long range at point blanl
, and its very. fiat trajectory or line o.
flight al all ranges al which fail
marksmen may reasonably expect t.
hit a single man. This is. of course
due primarily to the high velocity Of
the bullet, and that against to the cali
Der A further reduction in ealibel
would enable us to increase the veloc
ity. but the bullet would be so light Is
. to make its flight erratic at long range