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Research for novel. Bullet wound to stomach.

Posted: Thu 24 Feb, 2011 2:54 am
by Brad63
I'VE JUST FOUND THE ANSWER I NEEDED TO THIS ONE ON ANOTHER FORUM.

MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO TOOK THE TROUBLE TO REPLY!


Hello and thanks to anyone who can answer this. It seems impossible to get a sensible answer from google.

For the sake of a novel I'm working on, I need to know if it is at all feasible for a person to be shot in the stomach with a relatively small bullet by a sharpshooter some distance away, (about 200 yards) and survive if medical attention is forthcoming within about half an hour.

Further, is it possible for a bullet to punch a neat little hole, lodge in the stomach wall and possibly even cauterize the wound on its way in?

It's a fantasy novel but I don't want to take too many liberties by bringing in magic this and alchemical that.

And as a bonus (this is where I'm nasty to my characters) does anyone have a realistic idea of what the pain would actually feel like? ie - would it be an almighty, dull ache? Would it be more like a burning sting? Would a person curl up and writhe or would they just lie on their back and moan a bit?

There's so much crap on the net when you ask questions like this. People start going on about intestines and the colon and it's like, who said anything about intestines? The question is about the actual stomach.

Anyway, many thanks to anyone who replies.

Re: Research for novel. Bullet wound to stomach.

Posted: Thu 24 Feb, 2011 9:17 am
by Tab
What do you call a small bullet, as most of the bullets from 200 yards would make a right mess of your insides.

Re: Research for novel. Bullet wound to stomach.

Posted: Thu 24 Feb, 2011 3:36 pm
by Brad63
Would a .22 be feasible or something slightly bigger but not 303 or 7.62 which are the only other calibres I know of?

Remember it's for a fantasy novel in an alternative history. I don't need it to be absolutely accurate to the nth degree from an actual historical or contemporary viewpoint.

For plot purposes I want to have one of the main characters shot and suffer a while but survive without that part of the story insulting anyone's intelligence.

Re: Research for novel. Bullet wound to stomach.

Posted: Thu 24 Feb, 2011 4:52 pm
by timex
A "Sharpshooter" or Sniper will not normally use anything less than .308 / 7.62 and his ranges will usually be a lot further away than 200 mts. The old RM standards were headshots at 200yds. Thankfully not able to comment on the pain.

As to smaller calibre then the 5.56 in general service would do a lot of harm at that distance and would still be travelling at a fair speed causing a lot of damage.

Re: Research for novel. Bullet wound to stomach.

Posted: Thu 24 Feb, 2011 5:37 pm
by Sisyphus
You could consider the wound being caused by a ricochet which might 'confuse' the hypercritical experts - on the other hand you'd have to explain why the sniper was a lousy shot!??!
:-?

Re: Research for novel. Bullet wound to stomach.

Posted: Thu 24 Feb, 2011 6:08 pm
by timex
You'd also need to think about the bullet "tumbling" and having major damage to its shape, this in itself could shred the insides of anyone quite badly, therefore no clean surgical wound...

Re: Research for novel. Bullet wound to stomach.

Posted: Thu 24 Feb, 2011 7:19 pm
by Tab
A .22 bullet is never used on the Battlefield, now this sort of round is for shooting rats and at the fairground. At 200 yards I would have never missed a shot and is look upon as spitting distance.

Re: Research for novel. Bullet wound to stomach.

Posted: Thu 24 Feb, 2011 10:55 pm
by Wholley
Just my 2cents.
I'm not a great fan of the 5.56 or the 9mm.On the battlefield they lack penetration against most body armor.The 9mm in use by the British Police has the potential for a through and through where unless the officer is convinced of the sight picture then much wailing and gnashing of teeth will ensue from the troglodyte fraternity and the officer involved will have a career ending decision made for him by a committee of people who weren't there.
Both the NATO and Russian 7.62's have to be recommended as heavy,accurate rounds which will make you reevaluate your future if you happen to be down range.

NATO are restricted to FMJ's which with the velocities involved will cause bullet"tumble"and if you catch one it will ruin your entire day.
I only got shot once but luckily only in the leg by a.25.Stung like hell and took some of my shin with it on it's way to embedding itself in my back-ups front tire.
My day job was as a Cop and my side-arm was a Glock 22 .40caliber sweet fire-arm.I was NCNG reserve when the US Army was still issuing the nasty unreliable Beretta 9mm and M16A2.
I preferred the M1A.30caliber and the Colt M14 7.62x51.

I think this is in the wrong place,so if no-one minds I'll just move it to the Amory