PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Alison Lyall
AU  - D J Carr
AU  - C Lankester
AU  - C Malbon
TI  - Angled shots onto body armour using 9 mm ammunition: the effect on potential blunt injury
AID  - 10.1136/jramc-2015-000575
DP  - 2017 Feb 01
TA  - Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps
PG  - 35--38
VI  - 163
IP  - 1
4099  - http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/content/163/1/35.short
4100  - http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/content/163/1/35.full
SO  - J R Army Med Corps2017 Feb 01; 163
AB  - Introduction Some military specialists wear body armour that is more similar to police armour and provides protection from ammunition fired from pistols. During ballistic testing, these armours are mounted on a standardised type of modelling clay and the back face signature (BFS; depth of depression) formed as a result of the non-perforating impact event on to the armour is measured. This study investigated the effect of impact angle on the BFS and on the deformation of the bullet.Methods Two commonly worn types of armour (HG1/A+KR1 and HG1+KR1) were considered that provide protection from pistol ammunition and sharp weapons. Armours were tested against two types of pistol ammunition (9 mm full metal jacket and 9 mm hollow point) at eight different impact angles (0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 70°, 75° and 80°).Results Increased impact angles resulted in smaller BFSs. Impact angle also affected whether bullets were retained in the armour; as the impact angle increased, the probability of a round exiting the side of the armour increased. Bullet deformation was affected by impact angle.Conclusions Understanding the deformation of bullets may assist with recreating a shooting incident and interpreting forensic evidence.