Pathological changes of gunshot wounds at various intervals after wounding.

Pathological changes of soft tissue wounds inflicted by high-velocity bullets (M 193, 5.56 mm in calibre) and middle-velocity bullets (T 56, 7.62 mm in calibre) were observed 6, 24 and 72 hrs after wounding in 40 dogs. It was noted that the extent of tissue damage would not increase further with the passage of time. Pathological changes of gunshot wounds caused by either high-velocity or middle-velocity bullet were essentially the same. However, in the high-velocity gunshot wounds, there were larger primary wound tracks, more damages to the contusion zone and more marked destructions of ultrastructures in the concussion zone.