A Police Surgeon on Hollow Point Bullets (The Washington Post)

    A Police Surgeon on ^Hollow roint Bull■.ets
Two years ago it came to the atten­

tion of the Board of Police and Fire 
Surgeons that certain units of the 
Jixecutivc Protective Service were 
equipped with “hollow point” bullets. 
P.uinors attested to their increased 
mutilating effects. A crash study pro­
gram was initiated to prepare for new 
surgical problems, it w; s hiev'table 
that members within the Executive 

. Protective Service would be victims 
of their own weapons.

It was soon learned that, while testi­
monials were abundant, no factual 
medical information concerning hu­
man injuries produced by the hollow 
points existed. The Surgeon General’s 
library could find no reference on the 
subject. Range instructors who were 
interviewed had been led to believe 
the purpose of the new missile was to 
augment the “killing power.”

Through special channels were 
learned the essential structural fea­
tures of th e  hollow point and its 
unique tactical advantage.

1. The hollow point is not a 
“dumdum.” The legendary dum dum is 
described as a flat-ended soft lead unit 
which was fired from high velocity ri­
fles. These lead masses were said to 
become distorted on impact, causing 

.mutilat'ng and deep destruction. The 
“Sup<"r Vcl” (at left in the accompany­
ing photograph) hollow point 's fired 
from a hand gun at low velocity. Ex­
cept for 2mm. at the tip, it is encased 
with hard metal. It docs not expand 
or become distorted to a significant 

. degree on tissue impact (second bullet 
from left).

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“ Super V el" hollow points

2. After tissue penetration, the hol­
lowed point performs a reverse para­
chute-like roll. It causes more rapid 
loss of velocity than occurs in the 
stream-lined standard counterpart. 
This feature lessens the danger of the 
missile passing through and out of the 
body and into a secondary target. The 
value this quality is most useful 
when weapons are fired at close 
range >n crowded areas. Practically, a 
hollow point fired at an assailant 
would be less liable to penetrate and 
injure a s'^cond individual. Since their 
adoption, three Executive Protective 
Service Officers have been injured by 
Super Vel bullets. .All were shot at 
short range (less than three feet).

Although bone was not struck, in

at left, “ chmidunis”  at ri"ht.

none did the bullet pass through and 
out. In none was the injury more se­
vere than would nave been expected 
by standard ammunition. In all, the 
bullets were removed—examined—and 
preserved. In none was tlie expansion 
or distortion more than that seen in 
standard ammunition. All these offi­
cers returned to full activities. This 
limded experience supports the tacti­
cal prognosication of the Department. 
Make no mistake, the hollow points 
fell the victim, yet they produce no 
unusual injury. They arrest more 
quickly and are least dangerous to ad­
jacent targets.

J. Blaine Harrell, JI.D.,
Member. Board of 

Police and Fire Surgeons.
Wa.shington.

Tfn A 5
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