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RE: The Shanghai Songbird Part 2
Beautiful prose, tight action. Love the flavor of the setting! A tiny quibble: a Colt 1903 isn't going to leave an exit wound, even at point blank range. .32 ACP ball ammunition (all that would have been available during your chosen time period) is poor penetrator, worse than .22 rimfire.
Thanks. The ballistic tables I've consulted show that .32 ACP offers adequate penetration (between 13.8 inches to 18 inches), and a website claims .32 FMJ penetrates enough for centre of mass shots and head shots.
With that said, these are tests of modern ammunition. Ammo from the 1930s might be less than adequate...
You're correct. 1930's ammunition was not a stellar performer in any caliber. Your source is also correct. 32 is enough for center mass shots and head shots, but it's not decisive. There is dramatic and grotesque potential in a weak round. At PB range it will leave a rough, angular entry wound in a head (not a little round hole), but in failing to penetrate it may cause an alarming bump to appear on the opposite side of the head, or one or both eyes to bulge out. (If you have a strong stomach, there are medical and law enforcement image archives you can google. Movies and vidya get bullet wounds all wrong.)
Thanks for the info. I'll correct the text.
Mmm, nicely done. Headshots do not leave pretty corpses, in any case.