Pursuant to the Polish Weapons and Ammunitions Law, muzzle-loading black
powder weapons, manufactured before 1885, or their replicas, as well as suitable projectiles, can be possessed legally without registration and special licenses. The aim of the study was to assess the penetration depth of projectiles fired from a black
powder weapon, replica of Colt Navy of 1851, in 20%
gelatin blocks and to compare the obtained results with the actual
injuries found on autopsy of a 78-year-old man who had committed suicide. In the experiments, we used the black
powder weapon and ammunitions, as well as
gelatin blocks serving as a soft tissue model. We ascertained that solid spherical projectiles fired from black
powder weapons cause extensive
injuries, especially in the initial segment of the
wound canal. Additionally, based on the presence and location of the wad in the
wound canal, the distance from which the shot was fired can be determined.