NCJ Number
69000
Journal
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Gazette Volume: 40 Issue: 10 Dated: (1978) Pages: 4-9
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
HARMFUL EFFECTS OF BURNING GASES AND WADDING WERE OBSERVED AT THE PRELIMINARY TESTS WITH BLANK AMMUNITION CONDUCTED BY THE OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE IN APRIL 1977.
Abstract
REMINGTON .38-CALIBER BLANKS, .22-CALIBER BLANKS (STARTER CAPS), AND WINCHESTER-WESTERN 12-GAUGE SHOTGUN BLANKS WERE USED IN THE TESTS. SHOTS WERE FIRED INTO SOLID BEEF FAT. A SHOT FIRED BY .38-CALIBER BLANKS AT 6 INCHES PENETRATED 1 INCH, AND ONE FIRED AT A DISTANCE OF 12 INCHES HAD A WOUNDING EFFECT WHICH COULD BLIND A PERSON. THE EFFECTS OF FIRING TWO SHOTS AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE WERE TESTED, IN VIEW OF A RECENT DEATH OF AN OKLAHOMA CITY POLICEMAN FROM WOUNDS CAUSED BY TWO RAPID FIRE .38-CALIBER BLANKS FIRED AT POINTBLANK RANGE. BOTH THE 3-INCH AND THE 6-INCH THICKNESS OF THE BEEF FAT WERE COMPLETELY PENETRATED BY .38-CALIBER BLANKS. HOWEVER, THE .22-CALIBER BLANKS, WHICH ARE USED FOR ATHLETIC OCCASIONS, DID NOT PENETRATE AT ALL WHEN FIRED FROM THE DISTANCE OF 6 INCHES. WHEN A 12-GAUGE BLANK WAS FIRED, HOWEVER, WITH THE BARREL IN CONTACT WITH THE BEEF FAT, THE EFFECT WAS THAT OF A SMALL EXPLOSIVE DEVICE DETONATED INSIDE 20 POUNDS OF BEEF FAT. THE RESULTS SHOWED THE NEED FOR MORE TESTING, SINCE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF BURNING GASES AND WADDING WERE OFTEN UNDERESTIMATED BY FIREARMS INSTRUCTORS. AN ATTEMPT TO LIST SAFE DISTANCES WOULD BE MISLEADING, SINCE CHANGES IN POWDER, WADDING, OR HUMIDITY COULD AFFECT THE RESULTS OF FIRING. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE SAFETY RULE OF NEVER POINTING A WEAPON AT ANYONE UNLESS ONE IS JUSTIFIED IN KILLING THAT PERSON STILL APPLIES, NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF CARTRIDGE IS USED. PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED.