Distant Wound
Definition
Entry wound produced beyond the dispersion range of propellant products. Shows only the mechanical bullet-entry findings: abrasion collar, clean wound margins, no powder, no soot.
- Field
- Forensic pathology, firearm wounds
- Range category
- Beyond propellant dispersion range
- Findings present
- Abrasion collar, clean wound margins
- Findings absent
- Powder stippling, soot deposition
Common questions
How does a pathologist distinguish a distant wound from an intermediate wound?+
An intermediate wound shows powder stippling or tattooing from unburned or partially burned propellant particles striking the skin, while a distant wound lacks any powder deposit because the muzzle-to-target distance exceeds the range those particles can travel.
Why does range-of-fire matter beyond simply confirming a gunshot wound?+
Range findings help reconstruct the shooting geometry, supporting or contradicting an account of self-defence, suicide, or accidental discharge based on how far the muzzle must have been from the body.
Related terms
- Abrasion Collar
- The rim of abraded, dried skin surrounding a gunshot entry wound, produced by the bullet stretching the skin inward before perforation. Width...
- Contact Wound
- A firearm wound produced when the muzzle is pressed against or within a few centimetres of the target surface. Characterised by a...
- Intermediate Wound
- Entry wound produced within the range at which unburned or partially burned propellant grains retain enough velocity to impact the skin and...
- Muzzle Imprint (Muzzle Contusion Ring)
- The bruise or abrasion left on the skin by the barrel rim at contact range. The shape mirrors the muzzle geometry of...
- Near-Contact Wound
- Entry wound produced at approximately 0.5 to 5 centimetres muzzle distance (calibre-dependent). Dense soot deposits on the skin surface around the entry...
- Powder Tattooing (Stippling)
- Intradermal haemorrhagic abrasion points caused by individual unburned or partially burned propellant grains impacting the skin at intermediate range. Cannot be removed...
- Stellate Laceration
- A star-shaped tearing of the skin at the entry wound, produced by the gas pressure at contact range when the wound overlies...
- Test-Firing Programme
- Comparative discharges conducted with the specific weapon and ammunition type at measured distances, producing documented patterns used to calibrate range estimation against...