A query about a particular gunshot wound. . .

Drachen Jager said:

@sheadakota Maybe you missed the part where the OP said the dude's a werewolf.

I don't think it bothers him in the same way as it would bother a human if it takes a silver bullet to the heart to kill him.

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sheadakota said:

I think a .22 might be the weapon of choice here- but still at point blank range? I'm not sure- you're still going to get a shock wave of kinetic energy but not nearly as severe as from a .45 or a .32. it is also likely the bullet with deflect off a rib if he is aiming for the heart maing it likely that that bullet will be sitting in a lung causing a fair amount of damage right there. You could also have bruising of the heart from the shock wave- it depends on how badly injured you want the guy-

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Sasha_Delaney said:

Okay, so I'm writing a story where the main character attempts suicide by shooting himself in the chest (aiming for the heart but obviously missing) with a .45 revolver. It is imperative for the story that the bullet remains in the wound . . . at least until he gets to the E.R. I need to know if this is realistic, what angle it would have to be in order to be realistic, and what kind of damage it would do (both immediate and lasting).

Story facts that might make a difference:

Character is big: 6'6'' with a barrel chest,

Character is a werewolf, but that shouldn't keep the wound from being realistic (or at least close), as he uses a silver bullet on himself while in human form.

Character isn't really familiar with guns, so he might just botch the shot.

But I need to stress that it's important for the bullet to still be in the wound when he reaches the E.R.

I would love to receive advice from a surgeon, an E.R. nurse, or anyone who really knows about gunshot wounds, and/or has a deep familiarity with the human anatomy. This is one of two puzzle pieces that I need to put together the second installment in a series of short stories featuring this character, and I'm hoping to start on it as soon as possible.

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Target material
Bullets are more likely to ricochet off flat, hard surfaces such as concrete or steel, but a ricochet can occur on almost any surface, including grassy soil, given a flat enough angle of impact. Materials that are soft, give easily, or can absorb the impact, such as sand, have a lower incidence of ricochet.[2] Though it may not be obvious, bullets easily ricochet off water;[3][4] compare stone skipping.
[edit] Angle

The angle of departure, both vertically and horizontally, is difficult to calculate or predict due to the many variables involved, not the least of which is the deformation of the bullet caused by its impact with the surface it strikes.[5] Ricochets will almost always continue on a somewhat diagonal trajectory to their original trajectory, unless the impact is against a flat surface perpendicular to the angle of incidence (or approach), in which case the angle of reflection depends on the other variables involved.
[edit] Dangers

Ricochets are a common hazard of shooting because the bullet that ricochets poses a serious danger of causing collateral damage to animals, objects, or even the person who fired the shot.
In rare cases, ricochets can return to the shooter.[6][7] This can occur when the object struck possesses enough resistance to withstand the impact of the bullet, and its surface is perpendicular to the shooter. Alternatively, elastic targets such as rubber tires shot with lower power weapons can return the slug along the line of fire even when struck at an oblique angle.[citation needed] Some bullets are designed to deform at the nose, which is the main reason for the bullet ricocheting at such an extreme angle and returning in the shooter's direction.[clarification needed]

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