272 MY SOMALI BOOK 



shock-effect {which is almost synonymous with stoyping- 

 power), is bullet weight. 



But the heavier bullet m such a case as I have 

 mentioned, differs from the lighter one as a rule, not 

 only in weight, but in form, being of greater diameter 

 and fired from a rifle of larger bore. Therefore, irre- 

 spective of such expansion as may take place in its 

 passage through the body of an animal, it makes a 

 larger hole on impact, and a wider wound-channel, 

 displacing a greater amount of tissue. So that the 

 bullet's greater diameter is in itself a factor, not only 

 in causing injury, but also in producing shock effect. 

 This because, apart from the question of the actual 

 injury done, the small-bore bullet meets ivith less resist- 

 ance, and its passage is less felt in consequence, hence 

 a less amount of shock. 



It becomes, then, desirable to ascertain which of 

 the two factors, weight or bore, is of most importance 

 in this connection. Let it first be noted that in using 

 up a definite amount of energy, e.g. m bringing a bullet 

 of given momentum to a stop, a definite amount of 

 resistance must be overcome. Let us, then, take as 

 our first hypothesis two bullets, A and B, of identical 

 bores, and a target of uniform resistance, leaving out 

 of consideration the question of expansion or other 

 effect of impact upon the bullet : weight and velocit}^ 

 of bullet being variable. Then — 



{a) Given equal momentum, but A bullet lighter 

 than B, it follows that A has a greater 

 velocity than B. Further, the amount of 

 tissue or material actually opposed to the 

 point of the bullet (that is, the amount of 



