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From: ee161anm@sdcc13.UUCP ({|stu)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Re: Re: handgun control
Message-ID: <123@sdcc13.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 7-Jan-85 00:24:42 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcc13.123
Posted: Mon Jan  7 00:24:42 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 8-Jan-85 13:21:48 EST
References: <245@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP>
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center
Lines: 33

(quotes from previous postings at end of article for those who wish to
read them)

I don't know about all fire arms, but the M16 A-1 service rifle (which
will soon be replaced with the M16 A-2 service rifle as the primary
firearm for the US armed forces) uses a .22 round which is designed to
"rotate" or "spin" upon impact (it hits at 3.250 ft/second).  
Although the round becomes disfigured
upon impact, it does not shatter.  It kind of bounces around inside the
victim, and doesn't usually exit.  Death is by no means automatic, and
survival is actually more probable.  Besides, except for sniping,
shooting with this rifle rarely produces a hit.  You kind of shoot in 
in general directions to make it more difficult for the enemy to shoot
in your general direction.

> > I suspect that many more victims would be seriously injured and maimed
> > for life if knifing attacks were more common. When you consider the
> > difference between being shot with a .22, where the bullet probably
> > passes right though you and mainly causes a lot of bleeding, and having
> > your stomach ripped open with a 8" knife... With higher caliber guns,
> > of course, the damage is greater, but since most handguns are things
> > like .22's and short .38's, it seems that the damage done would be much
> > less.
> > 
> > 	Wayne
> 
> Since neither of us are presenting statistics, here is my intuition:  Most
> of the damage sustained by being shot would be by fragmentation of the
> bullet itself.  If the bullet fragments sufficiently, there is no
> reason that it should pass right through you.  Also, I would think that the
> main damage caused by a knife is also bleeding.
> 
> 				Greg