Home

Target Type and the Appearance of a Bullet Hole

The diameter of a bullet hole is an interaction of the target composition as well as construction of the projectile and the amount of energy conveys to the target. It is not possible to estimate the nominal caliber of the projectile without considering the type of surface impacted.  For example:

Major categories of materials typically encountered include the following:  Elastic - rubber like materials  (will be a smaller hole).  Maleable - like the molded metal  of a car (See related tip on this site!) Compressable - like wood (will usually be a smaller hole). Friable - easily crumbled so offers little resistance - like sheetrock.(will usually equal to the diameter of the projectile)..

Elastic

The image at right is of a passenger vehicle tire. The projectiles used were .38 caliber. One is a solid nose, the other is a jacketed hollow point. Note the diameter of the hole and the wipe surrounding its perimeter. The diameter of the hole cannot be correlated to calliber. The discoloration around the hole (moving vehicle!) can generally indicate diameter..

Maleable (see “Bullets and Car Metal Tip”)

Compressable

The image at right is of the side of a block of wood.  Since the wood is readily compressed (depending on the type of wood and grain orientation!) the hole  will be typically smaller than the diameter of the projectile.  (HINT, why do nails hold boards together? The wood in either piece is “squeezing” around the same nail... and therefore they are bound together by it.

Caution... the bullet may deviate dramatically as it passes into (perhaps through) the wood.  Laminates behave differently. (Contact the web site author for more information).