Clear Ballistics Gel®: High Speed Retarding Force Analysis of Paraffin-Based Alternative to Gelatin-based Testing of Lead-Free Pistol Bullets

Courtney, Elijah; Courtney, Amy; Andrusiv, Lubov; Courtney, Michael

doi:10.12783/ballistics2017/16898

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…It is no surprise, then, that penetration of much slower darts and arrows in Perma-Gel is very shallow. Why this is the case must be due to the high density and viscoelasticity of Perma-Gel (see also Courtney et al 2017) and the increased "friction bonding" afforded it by larger and smoother surfaces. This is best demonstrated by a brief experiment to determine the effects of drag on the tapered wooden foreshaft that held screw-in arow points on mainshaft B1, which mimicked a common atlatl dart mass and velocity (Fig.…”

Section: Perma-gelmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the (non)scalability of target media used in controlled archaeological projectile experiments

Pettigrew

Bamforth²

2022

Preprint

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When they work, controlled experiments can efficiently and clearly reveal essential characteristics of the functions and performance of ancient hunting and fighting weapons. However, homogenous target media must be carefully validated to ensure that the same variables that made weapons effective in their original application are being captured in controlled tests. Although homogenous flesh simulants have proven effective for studying firearms, the same simulants cannot be assumed to be effective when testing low velocity piercing/cutting projectiles. In fact, we build on past research showing that two flesh simulants that are commonly used by archaeologists, ballistics gelatin and pottery clay, fail to capture how atlatl darts and arrows perform when penetrating living bodies. In accord with forensic research of knife stabbing attacks, polymeric skin simulants may prove effective in future experiments, but this requires further research.

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Section: Perma-gelmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the (non)scalability of target media used in controlled archaeological projectile experiments

Pettigrew

Bamforth²

2022

Preprint

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“…Other similar products, like Clearballistics®, a synthetic gelatine, exist and are also commercially available. However, this alternatives does not meet the penetration standards applicable for the ballistic gelatine [50]. Other more specific solutions to simulate brain tissues have also been studied [51]; however, the most widely used in the field of wound ballistics remains the gelatine 10% at 4 °C [1,5,33,52].…”

Section: Simulants Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Practical application of synthetic head models in real ballistic cases

et al. 2021

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In shooting crimes, ballistics tests are often recommended in order to reproduce the wound characteristics of the involved persons. For this purpose, several “simulants” can be used. However, despite the efforts in the research of “surrogates” in the field of forensic ballistic, the development of synthetic models needs still to be improved through a validation process based on specific real caseworks. This study has been triggered by the findings observed during the autopsy performed on two victims killed in the same shooting incident, with similar wounding characteristics; namely two retained head shots with ricochet against the interior wall of the skull; both projectiles have been recovered during the autopsies after migration in the brain parenchyma. The thickness of the different tissues and structures along the bullets trajectories as well as the incident angles between the bullets paths and the skull walls have been measured and reproduced during the assemblage of the synthetic head models. Two different types of models (“open shape” and “spherical”) have been assembled using leather, polyurethane and gelatine to simulate respectively skin, bone and soft tissues. Six shots have been performed in total. The results of the models have been compared to the findings of post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) and the autopsy findings.Out of the six shots, two perforated the models and four were retained. When the projectile was retained, the use of both models allowed reproducing the wounds characteristics observed on both victims in terms of penetration and ricochet behaviour. However, the projectiles recovered from the models showed less deformation than the bullets collected during the autopsies. The “open shape” model allowed a better controlling on the shooting parameters than the “spherical” model. Finally, the difference in bullet deformation could be caused by the choice of the bone simulant, which might under-represent either the strength or the density of the human bone. In our opinion, it would be worth to develop a new, more representative material for ballistic which simulates the human bone.

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The use of gelatine in wound ballistics research

2018

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Blocks of gelatine are used in both lethality and survivability studies for broadly the same reason, i.e. comparison of ammunition effects using a material that it is assumed represents (some part of) the human body. The gelatine is used to visualise the temporary and permanent wound profiles; elements of which are recognised as providing a reasonable approximation to wounding in humans. One set of researchers aim to improve the lethality of the projectile, and the other to understand the effects of the projectile on the body to improve survivability. Research areas that use gelatine blocks are diverse and include ammunition designers, the medical and forensics communities and designers of ballistic protective equipment (including body armour). This paper aims to provide an overarching review of the use of gelatine for wound ballistics studies; it is not intended to provide an extensive review of wound ballistics as that already exists, e.g. Legal Med 23:21–29, 2016. Key messages are that test variables, projectile type (bullet, fragmentation), impact site on the body and intermediate layers (e.g. clothing, personal protective equipment (PPE)) can affect the resulting wound profiles.

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Clear Ballistics Gel®: High Speed Retarding Force Analysis of Paraffin-Based Alternative to Gelatin-based Testing of Lead-Free Pistol Bullets

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

On the (non)scalability of target media used in controlled archaeological projectile experiments

On the (non)scalability of target media used in controlled archaeological projectile experiments

Practical application of synthetic head models in real ballistic cases

The use of gelatine in wound ballistics research

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